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2015 - first build

Posted: January 4th, 2015, 5:15 pm
by neo_pop_71
Happy New Year and best wishes for 2015!

I want to see what everyone is working on or will be working on to kick off the new year. What is your current project or if you don't have one, what project do you have in mind for 2015? C'mon, let's see 'em!!!

Last weekend proved to be a good one, I picked up one for me and one for my lil' angel. I picked up a Paganini cyclocross frame and fork plus a cool Shikishima city commuter.

The Shikishima city bike is a daddy & daughter project for her 10th birthday in May. She'll be picking out the colors and whatever else she wants to customize. The bike has some slick features with fenders that incorporate a rear rack and front basket, a dynamo front light, and a cleaver little wheel lock that works well by blocking the spokes (even the key was included in the lock, score!). The hang up will be tire selection, the bikes runs 22"/550A tires, thankfully Harris Cyclery (RIP Sheldon) stocks some Kenda tires that'll do the job. All my searching has turned up is the company is still making bikes today for their domestic Japanese market but that's it. My wife wanted to get her a beach cruiser, to me that means some piece of crap cruiser from Costco or Wallworld. Hell no, pee-wee and I will be doing something custom that she can ride for years. It's going to be a very special build, I'm not sparing any time or effort to make it the best!

The big find was a lugged Paganini cyclocross frame and fork that came with a Chris King 2Nut headset. The tubing is unknown as the prior owner began sanding down the frame, all I've read is Paganini was higher end and all their frames were made with lugged and butted Columbus steel. Thankfully I do have the original color on the fork should I decide to match when it goes to the painter. The frame has some very nice lug work with clean cut aways, plenty of pantographed "P" on the lugs as well as the fork crown, and Campagnolo drop outs front and back. The frame came with a Campagnolo seat post that is drilled for routing the rear brake cable. There is some info on the web about Paganini being a Dutch bicycle house brand with frames made in Italy but there is debate over who made the frames. Everything I've found thus far has been road or touring related, nothing yet for cyclocross bikes. This is something of a mystery bike... I hope to solve this mystery by the time I finish the build but I'm not holding me breath.

So, what's on deck for your next big build?

Talk with you soon,

-D-

Re: 2015 - first build

Posted: January 4th, 2015, 9:31 pm
by vpc66
I have a feeling there will be some fun bike related talks going on at Supers D's house, don't you just love the planing, search and mock up in your head at the start of a build. I need to save those pictures next time my family gives me a hard time about the bikes and parts in the bike room...I get yelled at because I call them my good babies!
I was going to start with a AM ride but somebody let on that they have a frame that I have want for sometime! By the way you guys get to see it in the pictures post here in shades of grey...

P.S. Hey D what is the string or wire tied to the spokes on the rims of your Daughters Cuda...thought you were going to sell that frame also? What happen, could not bring yourself to do it ?

Re: 2015 - first build

Posted: January 5th, 2015, 1:25 am
by vpc66
Hey " D " is that a seatpost shim on the Colson ? The ones I have seen were much smaller or you did not press it in? I will need to pick one up or trim that so the post can be drop for the Board Track look....teasing me with that in the background !

Re: 2015 - first build

Posted: January 5th, 2015, 2:54 am
by neo_pop_71
vpc66 wrote:I have a feeling there will be some fun bike related talks going on at Supers D's house, don't you just love the planing, search and mock up in your head at the start of a build. I need to save those pictures next time my family gives me a hard time about the bikes and parts in the bike room...I get yelled at because I call them my good babies!
I was going to start with a AM ride but somebody let on that they have a frame that I have want for sometime! By the way you guys get to see it in the pictures post here in shades of grey...

P.S. Hey D what is the string or wire tied to the spokes on the rims of your Daughters Cuda...thought you were going to sell that frame also? What happen, could not bring yourself to do it ?


Yeah man, I'm addicted to that fabulous feeling at the start of a build, the ability to get creative with a bike is definitely something that you get or don't get. Thankfully pee-wee gets it so we're already mashing up ideas for colors and part swaps. I know a number of riders who subscribe to that N+1 idea but I don't share their discipline. It has landed me in hot water plenty of times but it fades away until the next one follows me home.

The wires on my daughter's 'Cuda are multicolored LED lights, she saw them on our neighbor's bike and wanted a set. Once I get the Shikishima done those LEDs are going on that bike, they are part of the master plan she has going. I do plan on selling the 12" A2Z frame and fork but she needs to grow about 2 more inches to comfortably ride the blue/pink Easton Reflex ALX99 pictured in the back. The Easton is a 14" frame but it's late 80's geometry so it lacks the sloping top tube that the 'Cuda has, the A2Z has been the best bike for her when it comes to making the 26" wheel jump from the typical 20" wheel BMX bike.

Your '36 Colson had that homemade shim that was acting as a seatpost when I bought it, it was holding the banana seat so I paid no attention to the fact that it's just a piece of tubing from the hardware store. The Lucky 7 post that I got for the frame is super small but the shim will work just fine, the tubing just needs to be split and have a 1/8th of an inch removed. I would imagine though that you'll pick up a proper shim instead of that f'ugly hack job. It'll do for the mock up stage but it has to go for sure!

-D-

p.s. The "Super D" thing makes me think of Super Dave Osborne, it reminds me of watching the Lakers dominate in the late 80's with my dad because the TV sports guy was always showing his crazy stunts after the game was over.

Re: 2015 - first build

Posted: January 5th, 2015, 9:39 am
by vpc66
" D " Super Dave said he was the best stunt man of his time, but bows to your great abilities ...