Again in March I despatched my Milwaukee again to Ben’s Cycle for refinishing:
Whereas I don’t maintain observe of these items, since receiving it again in 2015 it might have been my most-ridden bicycle, since a highway bike with long-reach brakes (technically medium-reach when you’re pedantic) is up for just about something. Nonetheless, as a consequence of this heavy use–and naturally my very own caustic perspiration–it had developed a case of the bubonic plague that erupted from beneath the powder coat:
Since sending it off, I returned the Vengeance Bike to Basic Cycle. I additionally gave the Litespeed to my elder son. That left me with the Normcore Bike for all my Fredly endeavors, and I attempted to inform myself I didn’t thoughts, since that is all anyone actually wants out of a highway bike anyway, proper?
Then, yesterday morning, the UPS man arrived, and guess what he had?
Even earlier than unpacking it I knew that the once-utilitarian Milwaukee was now one thing particular:
You may’t actually respect a bicycle’s end till you get it within the daylight, so I held the fork to the window and tried to get a way of it:
The “ailing” is for “phantasm,” not “sickness:”
Although within the parlance of the younger individuals it’s fairly sick.
I’d been telling myself that when the body lastly arrived I’d take my time assembling it, since I wished this to be my “good” highway bike, and it’s not like I don’t have numerous different bikes to trip within the meantime. However, as quickly as I opened the field I knew I needed to get it collectively RIGHT NOW. So I proceeded to take action in my regular rushed, workstand-less trend:
Even in my haste the care Ben’s had taken with the body didn’t elude me. The surfaces had been confronted, the threads had been clear, they usually’d even fitted new cable guides, stops, seat clamp, and bottle bolts. I’m not sure, however primarily based on the drips you see on the cardboard I’m guessing additionally they handled the within of the body.
Since I’ve been obsessive about friction shifting these days I’d put aside a pair of Rivendell Silvers in anticipation of this second. I additionally had a cockpit from one of many many iterations of the Ironic Orange Julius Bike that I hoped I might graft proper on there:
See?
Alas, the cable lengths had been all unsuitable, so fairly than take care of unwrapping and re-wrapping bars, reducing new housing, and all the remainder of it, for expediency’s sake I figured I’d simply put all of the previous stuff proper again on there and make any adjustments additional down the road:
This proved to be a reasonably simple operation, and earlier than too lengthy I had all the pieces collectively. I used to be even in a position to reuse all of the previous shifter and brake cables. (Sure, a refinished bike at the least deserves new cables and housing and bar tape and all that stuff, however keep in mind, I’M IMPATIENT.) Then I lastly took it exterior for a check trip, which is once I started to completely respect what I had:
Come on, that’s a handsome bike:
It’s wonderful what a little bit colour can do:
Sure, in an ideal world, I’d match it with silver elements to make it into extra of a contemporary basic, and I actually reserve the precise to do this sooner or later sooner or later. I’ll additionally freshen it up with new cables and tape, possibly when and/or if I do my friction shifter retrofit. However within the meantime this’ll do exactly nice, and there are nonetheless loads of little particulars to entertain the attention:
I’d additionally recommend that the worn elements assist deliver the sparkly bike all the way down to earth:
As does the blending of Shimano and Campagnolo:
I’ve been utilizing Campagnolo-splined wheels on this bike for fairly awhile now with good outcomes. Loads of individuals use Shimano wheels with Campagnolo drivetrains, however I’m one of many only a few individuals who does the other, since Shimano-splined wheels are ubiquitous and there are like a gazillion cassette choices, whereas there’s completely no motive to hunt out Campagnolo-splined wheels when you’re not already utilizing Campagnolo shifters. In actual fact, it’s so uncommon that when you do an Web search to search out out whether or not it should work, nothing comes up. So when you’re doing an Web search questioning in case your Campagnolo 10-speed wheels will work with a Shimano 10-speed drivetrain, I can inform you emphatically that the reply is “possibly,” because it’s been working simply nice for me.
I believe sooner or later I’ll additionally replenish a few of that beneficiant brake clearance with extra rubber:
However for now anyway I plan to trip it precisely as is:
Till now I’d have mentioned there’s nothing extra enjoyable than a brand new bike, but it surely seems there may be, and it’s a newly painted (or powder coated) one, because it appears utterly completely different, but it’s nonetheless precisely the identical bike you’ve at all times recognized and liked.
Anyway, I believe the end turned out nice, and I sit up for ruining it.
