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Feb 13, 2008 10:28 am US/Mountain
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With Curses And Prayers, Moody Builds His Bike
Written by CBS4 Critic at Large Greg Moody
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The idea was to build a bike from the ground up. And that, I've done. Sort of.
It took me most of the weekend, but I got it together. Still need some tires, but the rolling stock itself is ready to roll on the track. And I'm ready to get it there.
First, on Saturday, I gathered all the parts in my basement. The frame. The wheels. The tools. And the beer. I needed to fortify myself for the job ahead. Then, after misplacing my tools somewhere deep in my evil lair, next to the washer and dryer, it was time to get to work on the headset, the part that holds the front wheel and actually steers the bike. I set the fork in place, greased up the ball bearings and set them in place. Then, dropped the fork down on top of them, mashing everything together and hoping that I could tighten it all and retain some play in the steering.
Fit like a glove. Worked like a charm. I tightened up the nuts and considered it a job well done.
Then, it was on to the bottom bracket, which holds the axle and pedals. And that wouldn't fit. Not in any way, shape or form. I gave myself a minute of thinking to make sure it was jammed in there real good, then headed off to Wheat Ridge Cyclery to once more have their service staff save the day. Which they did in an embarrassingly short amount of time.
And that was the end of Saturday.
On Sunday, with the bottom bracket in place, things moved along quickly. The cranks went on with the chain rings. I reattached the chain, after a short burst of cursing. The wheels, back and front, were properly set. The saddle and handlebars went on easily. And, the pedals were put on, which took some time as I couldn't remember which way to turn the darned things. Righty tighty? Lefty -– ah, there it is.
Suddenly, in the shadow of our artificial Christmas tree, a new bike was born from very old pieces. Which makes perfect sense, as the rider is made of very old pieces as well.
**
Much as I would like to believe this was all DIY, it wasn't. You get into something as technical and twitchy as a bike and you're gonna need help. And I did, all along the way.
Doug Bittle at Wheat Ridge Cyclery built the wheels. Wheat Ridge also put the bottom bracket back together after I put it on crooked. And they got a jammed cog off a wheel.
Motorsport Concepts stripped and painted the frame –- beautifully.
And Turin Bikes, just down the street from the station at 7th and Lincoln, took off the headset crowns, and put them back on with nary a mark. I would have destroyed them.
But -- I did EVERYTHING ELSE. Including: skinning my knuckles a good one and introducing my daughter to some delightful new words, which is, after all what a Dad is for in the first place.
Next week, with all the bikes back together, we begin training for both the road (Ride the Rockies) and the track (Olympic Velodrome in Colorado Springs).
The mere thought of it is driving my wife crazy.
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