crank

So the fixed gear bike project has begun in earnest. I'm definitely past the point of no return in terms of the components I've bought. And I am totally aware of the fact that it's certainly based on the heart getting in the way of the head; obsessive behaviour instead of rationalism.

"i'm building a bike"

"but you have a bike"

"yes"

I'll plot you a more detailed course and a bit of a catch up at a later time (one when I'm not doing it from my phone in a secluded room in Bank Towers). I'll be able to put pictures up as well.

For now, though, I'll tell you I've got to a point where I can pretty much tell what the finished product will look like, and I have a bunch of stuff that will help make it happen:
- a 40 year old british-made steel frame with good looking lugs and unusual but interesting stays.
- classic drop handlebars.
- a brand new set of deep-v wheels including a flip-flop rear hub.
- a shiny new 5 point crank set

.. which is a good start.

However what is not a good start is:
- the beautiful titanium stem which was not the size the ebay said it was. So is now an unusable beautiful titanium stem.
- the bottom bracket that came with the frame, which is jammed in to incurable tightness... but a completely weird size that doesn't quite fit the cranks on neatly. Yet.
- the frame is 40 years old, so it has some weird dimensions.

So I have a load of components, and I have to somehow link them all together in a way that prevents my face hitting a road the first time I reach 30mph. It's a complete blind-leading-the-blind situation. I have no idea what I'm doing. But I'm bloody enjoying it.

I've made a picture of what it'll approximately look like when its done. I'll put that up just as soon as I get near a laptop. In the time being... adieu and happy pedalling.