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Have you checked any Goodwill or thrift stores in the area for cheap bikes that might have your cable housing and other parts you could use in the future?
Yeah but bikes are no longer cheap at any thrift store around. A Craigslist find would be my best best. Most likely I will paint the cables.
 
Yeah but bikes are no longer cheap at any thrift store around. A Craigslist find would be my best best. Most likely I will paint the cables.
Even the pawn shops are light on stock anymore on the Front Range. Finding an elusive yard sale bike, being "that guy" and having bikes donated, or staying on-top of CL seem to be the only ways to get a good deal right now. The bummer about CL is sifting through the "Bicycles By Owner" posts by obvious dealers who have up to fifty bikes and are posting each bike up to five times.
 
Looks like I found the best candidates to true my wheel. Green Mountain Sports! An incredible amount of great reviews and my first impression was top notch. They are super busy with many bike races happening over the next few weeks, but was confident they could get it back to me by the middle of next week. Fair to me. And he stated he wanted to spend some time with it to get it right, which made me happy. Also took notes about the spokes that will be long, in case he wasn’t the one who worked the wheel. Great place inside with lots of merchandise. And many cool collector bikes hanging from the rafters. Serious mountain bike building going on behind the wall. I guess I will spend the weekend working on the sissy bar brake mount. And possibly adding a chain guard, which I don’t typically use. Maybe some paint and scallops will make it pop.
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Wait a second. Just noticed the longest housing has a longitudinal split right in the middle but 23" & 27" can be saved....
I’ve decided to pull a set of black cables out that I had saved for another project. I’m ok with not having ivory brake cables, though I may work on finding or mixing an off white to spray them with. Acrylic and enamel paint both tend to flex well. Thank you for your offerings!
 
Decided to work on this chain guard to see if I want to use it. It is from my first build off bike and didn’t make the final cut. So I am banging some dents out with a brass hammer that my dad made in high school. Using other pieces of brass and a 6lb anvil to get the work done. The only thing that I dislike, is the fact that the main mount would cover some of the pin striping done by a previous owner. I will paint it up anyway to compliment the tank, then decide if it will stay or go. I usually go sans chain guard, so we will see.
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Cool stuff hanging in the rafters of that bike shop.
Love the brass hammer setup
 
Had to delay my work on the bike on Saturday, as I had a company picnic to attend. Had a great time and drank a nice beer, among other libations. I did sand up the chain guard I may want to use, and I will lay the black down today. A nice scuff of the old paint, a small bit of Bondo to hide some blemishes and straight to black. I’ve noticed many builders go straight to bare frame before painting. I use to think that it was always necessary but I believe it is not. Adhesion on a smooth surface is what I’m aiming for. So I think going straight to black is the plan.
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I was able to get a couple of layers of satin black laid down on the chain guard. Not all satin black spray paints are created equal, even if from the same company. While the Stops Rust is labeled a satin black, it comes out quite glossy. The Rust Reformer is also labeled a satin black and in my opinion more spot on in the “satin” department. The tank was sprayed in the Rust Reformer and matches the chain guard well. I was concerned, since the can label has changed slightly since I had purchased the first can several years ago. The Stops Rust satin enamel was $7 and the Rust Reformer was $11. Fender supports were sprayed with the Stops Rust and I think I’ll just leave as is. About to rain.
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