I am such a Noob

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rbonif
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I am such a Noob

Post by rbonif »

I should have just stuck with my career in modeling and dancing rather than try and be a bike mechanic. :roll:

So the awesome AC truqouise cranks I bought for my Easton were 110 BCD and my LX crankset I had was 94. So I go out and buy some Shimano RSX 110 BCD ($40) crankset and swap the rsx cranks with the AC and install and the chainring hits the frame....more parts for the spare bin :x

Ok so I decide to move forward with the LX crankset and it goes on fine. I continue to hook up the drivetrain and the dumb X-RAY shifters are so hard to shift and I can't get the XT derail to shift all the way thorugh and stay on any gears...it always fails down to the smallest cog. More parts for the bin including the NOS turqouise shark tooth grips.

I ended up buying some new SRAM MRX Comp shifters (kills my vintage build) but I am in a rush to get this finished as I may give it to my 10 year old boy (lives in Dallas with the ex) when he comes up for Christmas and I want to see if he likes it. Also I need to be comfortable he won't get it stolen as he already had one stolen earlier this year.

I am sure there will be more venting as I get closer to finishing and I will keep you posted.

Ron

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vpc66
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Re: I am such a Noob

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Ah MEMORIES, down the road you will look back and laugh...I hope...
Relax and have deep water thoughts.

F.C.C.R Ride hard,Ride Fast.....Go Insane

rbonif
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Re: I am such a Noob

Post by rbonif »

We should start a thread listing your biggest bike sanfu's.

So lets see what else have I done besides the above:

1) wrong FD size bought a 28.6, getting that and seeing it was too small I go out and buy a 34.9. That comes and it is to big...apparently I need a 31.8. Luckily they make an adapter from 34.9 - 31.8

2) wrong seatpost size...note to self 27.2 can't squeeze into a 26.8 post

3) installed my first fork on my A2E without a crown race...I must have looked drunk riding that

4) not all brake bosses are the same size. I now now the difference between a M8 and M10. I am sure I will have the M10 for eternity

5) If you buy a cable hanger for canti brakes make sure they clear the headset. I now have two in my parts bin that wouldn't fit so I gave up a just bought a mag 21 with the cable hanger attached...cheaper in the long run.

I am sure there are more I just need to look through my spare parts when I get home.

Ron

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Re: I am such a Noob

Post by neo_pop_71 »

Don't sweat it grasshopper, we've all it many times and had to learn the hard way, you'll be fine! Don't even get me started about English, French, and Italian threading; complicate things with thread pitch on modern versus vintage tooling and bike components. That's why the "C&V" (classic and vintage) forum on Bike Forums has thousands of daily postings and replies, no one knows all there is to know about the specifics! So, no need to feel like a FNG as we were all there once... be at peace grasshopper.

Before you go jumping in with any other purchases, what you have will work well, you just need a couple tweaks and you'll be golden. Use those gorgeous AC cranks with the RSX rings, just get a wider bottom bracket. I was going to suggest backing the non-drive side cup out all the way, remove the drive-side cup, and re-install with a spacer and check for clearance. If it's still not enough, redo with another spacer, and check for clearance. Since time is not on your side, pull your B.B. out and check the size, if it's a 108 or a 110, get a 121 (hell, go for a 128) and that should clear the rings. Make sure you put grease on all the threads before you tighten everything down for the final time.

Your X-Ray just need to be cleaned and re-greased, all of them get that way with time. I installed a NOS set on a buddy's bike, clear as day you could see the white lithium grease inside the clear casing. Get some PB Blast or X-6000 (WD-40 will work if you can't find anything better), over a catch pan or bucket, spray a generous amount of lube into the shifter and run through the shifting. You might need to repeat this a couple times, if you have an air compressor blow out the excess lube and debris. Now you just need to repack the shifter with grease and you'll be good to go. I'm a big fan of PAUL grease, Phil grease works well too, but try to stay away from automotive grease as it tends to be heavy for the light duty of bike components. I've saved plenty of shifters over the years, especially the Shimano STI "brifters" are always gumming up!

The Big Apple must have a bike co-op somewhere near you, they might have various sizes of bottom brackets for you to try out for size and some friendlier bike mechanics than your local shop. I would hit up you LBS for the lube and grease, you're going to need it with all these projects.

Keep at it brother, you have one of the Holy Grail frames, make those choice parts work!

Good luck!!!

-D-

p.s. Feel free to ask away with any questions or search the bike mechanic forum on the Bike Forums site.

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay. ... -Mechanics

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Re: I am such a Noob

Post by neo_pop_71 »

A few giant bins of spare parts solves most of my trial and errors but I own a decent micrometer (aka indexing caliper) and I measure everything first before buying. Those calipers would solve the outside diameter (O.D.) and the inside diameter (I.D.) of a seat tube and you'll never get the wrong size front derailleur clamp nor the wrong size seat post. It's a handy tool but it's more of a must tool in my opinion.

rbonif
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Re: I am such a Noob

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Thanks D...I will give the BB replacement a try (that spaner and non driver side cup removal lingo seems like a major league ordeal...I am still in single A).

The good news is I will have almost an extra drivetrain for another build.

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Re: I am such a Noob

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Another lesson if you are shall I say, on the older side....work in a area with good light and keep the reading glasses handy...or end up like me tearing a front end back down due to placing a part wrong because of not being able to see...felt like kicking myself for that!

becoming old sucks... :oops:
Relax and have deep water thoughts.

F.C.C.R Ride hard,Ride Fast.....Go Insane

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Derek
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Re: I am such a Noob

Post by Derek »

Yeah- snafu - I just bought a 2011 TREK to replace that Avanti (commuter) that got stolen. The guy delivered it to my restaurant, and we had a pretty busy afternoon (plenty of customers), so I gave it a once over "right quick" and paid him and locked it up outside. Everything seemed correct and tight. Thought I was getting a bargain. Too good to be true.

Halfway home (10 miles), the headset started SQUEAKING. I got off it and walked it the rest of the way home. Looked a little closer at it in my shop..... NO BEARINGS. The guy used a chunk of inner tube and a lot of grease instead. Guess I get to buy and install a headset kit and see what happens.

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Re: I am such a Noob

Post by neo_pop_71 »

Damn man, that sucks Derek! That's an awful lot of effort to go to for a common $15 part, there's a gang of 'em on Ebay for $15 with free shipping. I've bought and sold a lifetime's worth of bikes over the past 25 years and I have never come across anything remotely as shady as that bullsh*t! You know, it wouldn't seem to be worth getting your teeth kicked in over a headset! I assume you have his contact info? I'm just nutty enough to go hunt someone down if only on the principle of it all and I wouldn't blame you if you sussed the bastard out and showed him a thing or two! I would... I'd stomp a mud hole in that mother f*cker!!!

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Re: I am such a Noob

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Heck if the headset body was there, new bearing from a shop should not cost that much...talk about greed for more profit
Relax and have deep water thoughts.

F.C.C.R Ride hard,Ride Fast.....Go Insane

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