octaves_words

I picked up the frame yesterday from the shop.  The grey crankset had been installed and the shop guys also cut down the seat post (the bike building process always considers weight, so you lose it where you can).

Today’s work involved installing the stem and spacers. The stem connects the handlebars to the rest of the bike by clamping onto the steerer tube. In this particular case, the stem was from another bike and was an 1/8th inch wider than the steerer, so I had to cut a shim to fit and install that beneath the stem. A 5mm Allen wrench is one of the most frequently picked-up tools in this job and was used to install the stem and handlebars. 

This bike is going to be used for time-trialing, so I’ll be installing aero bars onto the handlebars…that’s a step for another day, however! 

Right now, the frame is at the shop. I don’t own the tools to face a bottom bracket shell and install the bottom bracket (bearings) and crankset (the arms that hold the pedals). Once I have it back, we’ll move on to the installation of the handlebars, seat, shifters, brakes, etc. Stay tuned…

Welcome to the “build-a-bike” blog. I’m a web content editor for Messiah College and I’ve been requested to chronicle the building up of a road racing bike. The frame pictured below is assembled in Italy, and then shipped to the U.S. to be painted and finished. It’s about 4 pounds of Columbus Nivachrome steel and the fork (to hold the front wheel) is made from carbon fiber (very light and just a bit flexible). To the best of my limited Italian, the name ”Corsa Strada” translates to “road racer”. 

Carbon fiber frame are all the rage these days, and steel is considered by some to be a bit of a dinosaur. This project is partially an experiment to see if steel can still hold its own against the advance of technology and marketing hype. More on that as we proceed.