First, I put a massive amount of grease down the seat tube, a tip I learned from Sheldon Brown's web site...
This is to prevent the inevitable corrosion between the aluminum seatpost and the aluminum ( in this case ) bike frame. Else over time the corrosion can cause the seatpost to basically weld itself to the frame, making it unadjustable ( and unremovable ).
Next, I installed the bottom bracket cartridge and the cranks, then the rear derailleur hanger and rear derailleur.
This is where the problems began. Let me try to explain:
I am Casey the bike builder. I also work with Casey the disassembler, and Casey the parts cleaner.
Casey the disassembler is very efficient at his job. He loves taking apart bikes, removing the components, and staring at them for long periods of time.Then he puts them in a box, all ready for Casey the parts cleaner to work on.
Casey the parts cleaner, by contrast, is a malingerer. I have no end of trouble with this guy. He procrastinates. He will run into something that needs serious repair or cleaning and he will put it aside and work on something that's more interesting or more fun... Or less work.
Today was a good example of what I have to put up with from him. I'm moving smoothly along, building a beautiful bike, everything is going well, and suddenly, as I begin installing the threadless headset, I see the Rock Shox suspension fork sitting dirty in a corner. It turns out Casey the parts cleaner did not clean this very important part.
Furthermore, he did not clean the headset, he did not clean the handlebars, and he did not paint the somewhat sun-faded handlebar stem either.
It's not my job, but somebody has to do it. And since I am responsible for building this bike, I did do it.
This is where the problems began. Let me try to explain:
I am Casey the bike builder. I also work with Casey the disassembler, and Casey the parts cleaner.
Casey the disassembler is very efficient at his job. He loves taking apart bikes, removing the components, and staring at them for long periods of time.Then he puts them in a box, all ready for Casey the parts cleaner to work on.
Casey the parts cleaner, by contrast, is a malingerer. I have no end of trouble with this guy. He procrastinates. He will run into something that needs serious repair or cleaning and he will put it aside and work on something that's more interesting or more fun... Or less work.
Today was a good example of what I have to put up with from him. I'm moving smoothly along, building a beautiful bike, everything is going well, and suddenly, as I begin installing the threadless headset, I see the Rock Shox suspension fork sitting dirty in a corner. It turns out Casey the parts cleaner did not clean this very important part.
Furthermore, he did not clean the headset, he did not clean the handlebars, and he did not paint the somewhat sun-faded handlebar stem either.
It's not my job, but somebody has to do it. And since I am responsible for building this bike, I did do it.
This build is not going as quickly as I'd expected...