So close, but not quite yet . . .
(Oh, come on dad! When can I go out and play with the neighborhood bikes?)
So maybe I'm just a little slow, but building up my first bike from scratch has really enlightened me as how many little parts there are on a bicycle that you (or at least I) completely ignore. Ferrules, cable stops and shift-lever covers, for example. And it was only when I actually went to install the brakes that I realized that a traditional front cantilever requires a cable hanger (which I had not purchased). Then - and this is really evidence that I might not be the brightest tool in the box - I go ahead and order two different hangers, because I can't decide on a style, and they are both the wrong size and too small to fit my stem. D'oh!! After unsuccessfully trying to locate an in-stock 1 1/8ths hanger from my local bike shops, I now have another couple of hangers on order - two different styles again and both, hopefully, the correct size this time.
(Ready to roll, except for front brakes . . . and fenders, lights and a rack. But mostly brakes. Dig those custom wheels!!)
(Apparently, you can now count me as a member of the cult of Brooks. Does this make me a hipster? Do I have to grow an ironic beard and start wearing skinny jeans?)
(Rack by Portland Design Works. They really make some great looking accessories.)
I am very proud of myself for getting the shifter set up and adjusted correctly. There is probably a trick to easily attaching and detaching the shift cable to and from the hub, and I probably just need to practice taking the wheel off and putting it back on several times, but it seems a lot more involved than getting the wheel on and off on the standard external gear setups that I am used to. Having to remove this wheel in the rain on the side of the road to fix a flat does not sound fun at all (not that fixing a flat is ever fun). Glad I did not skimp on the tires as I think it is going to be awhile before I feel comfortable with this setup.
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