It's Done!

No, not this blog.  I know I haven't posted for awhile. 

But what is "done" is my new bike that I built.   Check it out:

I built a single-speed mountain bike, using cheapest parts available.  This includes a steel frame from Bike Nashbar, costing $44.95.  Fork from ebay, most of the other stuff on sale from Nashbar or Performance.  Check out the sweet disk brakes!

Here are the details on the build.

Professional help:  All I had done at the shop was to set the headset in the frame, and to set the star nut in the steerer tube (both requiring tools that I didn't want to buy).  The rest of the assembly was by yours truly.

How did the cheap frame work out?  Pretty good.  The only wrinkles were that the seat post clamp was 1/64" too small for the sholder of the seat post binder bolt, so I drilled it out.  Works OK.  The little plastic clamp to keep the rear brake cable against the seat stay was a little flimsy, but nothing that a cable tie couldn't overcome.

Surprises?  Mechanical disk brakes are insanely easy to install, even for someone of my skill level (see below).  They work great -- it is good to have a lot more control over braking as compared to rim brakes (which are really grabby, compared to these).  They stop great, tho. 

Performance?  This bike is a rocket ship compared to my mountain bike.  It is remarkable how much the suspension fork weighs down the bike, and also how much energy it consumes.  And for the flat land around here, single speed is plenty.  I feel like a kid again (and I have already sold my old MTB!).

Mistakes made?  Just one.  It is important to take the brake cable out of the housing before cutting the housing -- it is really very hard (and likely impossible) to cut the housing without cutting the cable, as I found out.  This isn't electrical cable, you know. 

I wasn't going to admit this (it is kinda embarassing), but maybe my mistake will show my level of experience, so that others can be encouraged that they can do it too. 

See you on the trail!