Bike Building help

[SquareDaff]

Well after a couple of years of post divorce apathy with cycling I've got the itch back and am now getting back into my cycling. Have already got into the London 100 for next year and am thinking of doing L'Eroica as I have a vintage bike I restored that just needs re-cabling.

Decided that I needed to "push myself" a little so have decided to build up my own modern bike. I've got myself a new carbon frame and forks and have some ideas on what spec I want to put on it. It's intended as a year or so project (as finances allow) so I won't be rushing!! Just wondered if anyone out there thats done this before has any useful links to technical info / "do's and dont's" sites for building up your own bike?

I'm not in a rush and would rather do homework at each stage to prevent my making schoolboy errors. I've done all my own maintenance on my bikes for years and have rebuild my classic frame so I'm not a complete novice.

Thanks.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The Park Tools website and YouTube will give you all the information you need on assembling a bike, any problems with bits that prove tricky to fit or don't do what they should will be solved by people on here.

putting a bike together is fairly straight forward, especially as you have a good amount of experience anyway.

 

[SquareDaff]

The mystical world of internal cable routing is a new skill for me. I suspect that might be the first job to tackle before all the frame holes get filled with various components.

 

[Kestevan]

Buy a torque wrench.
You don't really need one for alloy/steel bikes, but Its quite easy to overdo the force required when dealing with carbon kit. A crushed fork-steerer is going to be expensive and dangerous.

 

[SquareDaff]

I already have one. Considering buying some bottom bracket tools though as I have a PF30BB.

 

[SquareDaff]

Has anyone fitted their own front derrailleur to a Boardman CRX 9.8 frame? Can you tell me how? As far as I can see there is one hole and an indented section on the seat tube. The Ultegra on my Road bike uses a 2 bolt braze on - so this is confusing me. Is the one hole scenario a red herring or does it lend itself to one particular manufacturer (i.e. SRAM)? Looking at the pictures the frame setup looks the same as the CRX9.2 build (which uses Force) but finding instructions is like looking for rocking horse sheet!

 

[SquareDaff]

OR even a CXR frame!!

 

[derrick]

I already have one. Considering buying some bottom bracket tools though as I have a PF30BB.

I can recommend one of these,http://wheelsmfg.com/bottom-brackets/pf30/pf30-bottom-brackets.html
I used the ceramic one but the normal ones should work the same, Do not skimp on the BB or you will be messing around with it every few weeks.
http://www.madison.co.uk/products/c...om-brackets/pressfit-30-bottom-bracket-black/

 

[SquareDaff]

Thanks for this Derrick. Looks interesting. Did you use one of the threaded ones? Interesting concept.

 

[SquareDaff]

This is the layout on the seat tube I`m talking about.

 

[derrick]

Thanks for this Derrick. Looks interesting. Did you use one of the threaded ones? Interesting concept.

No it's a press fit on my wife's R3, I use Rotor Cranks and Bearings on my own one.

 

[Cubist]

In answer to your original question, research, research, research. Most bike parts are modular, inasmuch as you can bolt on most items like brakes and drivetrain, but there are pitfalls in certain items. Firstly headset. You need to know what size internal diameter your head tube is top and bottom, and match the headset with that and the dimensions of your fork steerer, eg tapered, straight, etc. Next is bottom bracket type. You'll need to know the width of the shell and the threading, ie Italian or English. You'll need to know whether it's press fit or standard fit, inboard or external bearings depend on the chainset you intend to fit. Generally speaking you should source a complete group set, as this avoids compatibility pitfalls, so either campag or SRAM or Shimano. Axle widths, and wheel hub compatibility with your chosen group set. I.e. will it run 9/10/1- speed Shimano, will it need a free hub spacer to fit the cassette? Seat post diameter, and ensure you know which seatclamp diameter for your frame. Other than that it's down to your wish list and the depths of your pockets.

 

[SquareDaff]

In answer to your original question, research, research, research. Most bike parts are modular, inasmuch as you can bolt on most items like brakes and drivetrain, but there are pitfalls in certain items. Firstly headset. You need to know what size internal diameter your head tube is top and bottom, and match the headset with that and the dimensions of your fork steerer, eg tapered, straight, etc. Next is bottom bracket type. You'll need to know the width of the shell and the threading, ie Italian or English. You'll need to know whether it's press fit or standard fit, inboard or external bearings depend on the chainset you intend to fit. Generally speaking you should source a complete group set, as this avoids compatibility pitfalls, so either campag or SRAM or Shimano. Axle widths, and wheel hub compatibility with your chosen group set. I.e. will it run 9/10/1- speed Shimano, will it need a free hub spacer to fit the cassette? Seat post diameter, and ensure you know which seatclamp diameter for your frame. Other than that it's down to your wish list and the depths of your pockets.

Thanks for all this - the research part is what I'm doing at the moment. The headset has been supplied by Mr Boardman so is not an issue. Currently looking at the bottom bracket which is an English unthreaded PF30 type with a 46mm diameter aperture. It's the pesky hole and indent in the frame approx where the front derailleur will go that's foxing me at the moment. Have not seen a system like that and am struggling to find info on it. Is it the fixing point for a specific type of braze on? Or a fixing plate? That might have implications on the group set I buy so I need to get the answer. Then it'll be onto Di2 cabling vs mechanical. And hydraulic disk brakes (so costs of hydraulic shifters for standard groupsets). Lots to get straight in my head before I even start.

 

[SquareDaff]

This is the layout on the seat tube I`m talking about.

Is this a Di2 wiring hole?

 

[PhilDawson8270]

A crushed fork-steerer is going to be expensive and dangerous.

A crushed steerer fork is more likely to be caused by an ill-fitting stem clamp than overtorque