Total loss for the week: 1 pound.
Crankset Installation
Following theShimano instructions, I began the installation of the XT bottom bracket and CS-770 crankset. First, I needed to determine the width of the Sanner bracket shell. As per the directions, a 68mm bracket requires two 2.5mm spacers on the drive side of the crank, and 1 on the left. I greased up both sets of the Hollowtech external bearing cones and threaded them onto the shell. These were tightened to the specified torque. I inserted the drive side single piece crank and axle and used a rubber mallot to push it through the bottom bracket. The left crank arm was mounted, 1.5nM of torque was used to load the bearings, and the cross bolts were tightened to complete the installation.
Headset, Fork, Stems and Handlebars
My front cable hanger finally arrived, so I'm ready to install the fork. First, I greased the bearing surfaces and placed the lower bearing on the fork crown. The fork was then placed up through the headtube. The top bearing is next, followed by a bushing, thin washer, and top cover. The top cover has an o-ring inside to keep moisture out of the headset.
The angle of the cable hanger interfered with the top cover, so I had to place a 5mm spacer below it. Above the cable hanger, is the first stem. It is a Ritchey Pro of 110mm placed with its 6 degree angle downwards. Following this, is another spacer and finally the Ritchey Pro 100mm with upward angle of 30 degrees. I know the use of two stems seams weird. I'm testing an idea I discovered on the Crazy Guy on a Bike touring website.
Most tourers like to have a handlebar bag for their maps and items they wish to have handy while riding. In addition there is the need to mount such things as computers, GPS units, LED lights, and interrupter brakes on the handlebars. This is a problem as all these items can interfere with brake and shifter cables as well as require space on the bars that are at a premium. One solution is to add the second stem, with a short piece of PVC pipe or sawed down handlebar that can add attachment space below and away from the handlebar.
Links:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=1834&v=1H
http://mgagnon.net/velo/potence-double.en.shtml
I purchased a used Specialized handlebar from eBay, sawed the ends off with a hacksaw, and painted the exposed ends. I left the ends a little long, so as to allow for attachment space. Once I complete and test this setup, I may shorten the bar if necessary. I intend to attach a Topeak Tourguide bag. The drop handlebars on the upper stem will have Cane Creek Cross levers installed.
Once the full "stack" was in place, I marked the steerer tube in preparation for cutting it down to the necessary 3mm below stack height. This allows the top cap and bolt to have the proper clearance needed to preload the headset bearings. Of course, that means disassembling everything so that the tube can be cut with a hacksaw. I purchased a Nasbar Star Nut installer, which allowed for quick and easy placment of the nut, at exactly the proper depth. Everything was re-assembled and the bearings were loaded. I mounted the two handle bars so that I could make sure the stems were straight. Then the stems and the cable hanger were tightened with a torque wrench, working from top to bottom. Below are photos of the installation. Like I said, kind of weird, but we'll see how it works. I can always go back to the standard configuration by removing the lower stem and cutting down the steerer tube.
Odds and Ends
Headset Installation
I ordered a Cane Creek S3 Headset for the Sanner. After having the headtube reamed and faced at a local LBS, I pressed the bearing cups with a Park HHP-3 after first coating the inside of the tube with Phil Wood grease.
Wheel Preparation
I'm now waiting on two key items to be delivered. One is the bottom bracket and crankset and the other is the headset. Most of the other components have arrived, but can't be assembled until the headset and fork are installed. Meanwhile, I'll set up the wheels.
Pounds lost this week: 0. FAIL AGAIN!
Guess it is time to start exercising.
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Frame Preparation
Before starting assembly, I'm going to coat the inside of the steel tubes with JP Weigle Frame Saver.
Today, my frame was delivered. It is a Sanner (of Palo Alto, California) custom frame, built especially for long distance touring. It is steel lug construction of double butted Dedacciai Italian tubing. It includes cantilever brake mounts, 3 bottle mounts, and eyelets and bosses for fenders and racks. The frame is powder coated in a dark mettalic green with beige head tube, fork crown, and accents.
My son Tyler came home from school on Thursday complaining of a sore throat. It was bad enough, that he didn't want to eat, as it hurt to swallow. Later in the evening, he developed a fever of 102 degrees. I recommended a couple of Tylenol, but that is where the trouble starts.
He would almost rather be sick for a week, than take a pill. Ever since he was a baby, he has had trouble with medicine. He has a natural "gag" reflex to any medication, no matter the type or flavor. When he was very young, there were a number of times we had to "force" the medicine down. Many times we watched expensive regurgitated medicine go down the drain. Often we weren't sure how much of a dosage actually stayed in his stomach. Even now, at the age of 13, taking a pill is an ordeal. You must keep an eye on him, to be sure he doesn't toss the pill, tablet, or capsule down the drain. Yet, if he thinks you are watching, he gets very nervous. He will stand at the sink, with a glass of juice or Gatorade, and look at the pill for minutes on end. He has to prepare himself mentally, which can take several minutes. When he finally makes an attempt, the pill returns to his hand or the sink, about half the time.
This week's weight loss. 0 pounds. FAIL!
I'm starting to accumulate components for the bike build. First to arrive were wheels secured from Rocky Mountain Cyclery via eBay. They are 700c Mavic A119 rims with Shimano Xt hubs. The hub spacing is 135mm. These are not the A319 or A719 rims that I would have preferred, but at the price, I didn't want to pass them up. I payed $142.
It is autumn. All the activities of spring and summer are over. Pretty quickly, the leaves will be falling, and the cold wintery weather will commense. Unlike the Dirt Road Bicycle Commuter, who is busily converting his blog from 2 columns to 3, and who also has commuting to work on ice to look forward to, I have little coming up that will keep the boredom in check. So, I propose to build a new bicycle for next year.
Today's weight is 229, for a loss this week of 1 pound.
I had some vacation days left to use up by the end of the year, so I took two last Thursday and Friday. It's fall and there isn't a better time to be off. So, I spent four days cleaning.
When there are three guys living in a house, your priorities are a little different than what they'd be if there was a woman about. Things tend to pile up during the summer, when the boys are out of school. They have all day to create their messes. When it comes time to clean them up, baseball, bicycling, movies, and anything else we can come up with, are all rightfully higher on the priority list. But, now they are back in school, and it was a cold rainy weekend, so what better to do than clean. Besides, we were running low on spoons. That is to say, every time you looked in the silverware drawer, there were no spoons available. Just as the ranchers out west have to herd their cattle in off the open range prior to winter, I had to go on a roundup to locate all the spoons. We eat, we watch TV, we head out to our activities, and the spoons generally fend for themselves out in the vast hinterland of the upstairs bedrooms and basement entertainment room. There is a bonus for every spoon you round up, as usually they are sitting in a bowl or on a plate, that also need to return to the "corral" in preparation for the long winter.
All is good now. We are ready to enjoy the coming fall colors, cold nights, and warm evenings in front of the fire.
Weighed in at 230 for a 1.5 lb loss for the week. Total so far is 7.5 lbs.
