Back working on the birthday bike while we wait for the Balance's green touch up paint.
First the seatpost, lots of grease on the end and down the seat tube, then clamp it on the frame with the seatpost bolt and put the frame on the bike stand...
First the seatpost, lots of grease on the end and down the seat tube, then clamp it on the frame with the seatpost bolt and put the frame on the bike stand...
Then bolt on the bottle holder. I usually leave this for last but I was feeling rebellious.
Now putting together the bottom bracket inside the frame's bottom bracket shell. This is a Sugino Pre-Lube type bottom bracket that I've not seen before. The ball bearings are held in place by metal and plastic retainer system.
I have to put the bottom bracket together twice, because the first time I found that Casey the parts cleaner had not cleaned the left side bearing cluster so when I turned the axle it made this sound like fingernails dragging down a blackboard as the noise of scraping sand left in the bearings was amplified by the true temper steel bike frame.
The second time the axle turned smoothly and silently, however.
I have to put the bottom bracket together twice, because the first time I found that Casey the parts cleaner had not cleaned the left side bearing cluster so when I turned the axle it made this sound like fingernails dragging down a blackboard as the noise of scraping sand left in the bearings was amplified by the true temper steel bike frame.
The second time the axle turned smoothly and silently, however.
Finally, I put the very nice Sugino VX crankset on and torqued the nuts down to Shimano specs since I haven't yet found Sugino specs online.
Tonight I'll resume building with the derailleurs, hopefully...