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@Pondo pay attention. This is the issue with using a 3-speed shifter arm for a 5 speed. These stops don’t allow enough stick throw.

Thanks for pointing that out and showing the solution. You had mentioned it before but I had already forgotten. It's all those paint fumes I guess. 🤣
 
I hope you finish. This is my first build. I’ve wanted to do one for quite sometime, but like you life gets in the way. The detail your current buildwell it’s insane to me. The sissy bar you had made amazing. If it doesn’t get done in time, it will get done and be a show stopper.

Have you never tried to run cables through the frame. Like for brake and shifter
 
I hope you finish. This is my first build. I’ve wanted to do one for quite sometime, but like you life gets in the way. The detail your current buildwell it’s insane to me. The sissy bar you had made amazing. If it doesn’t get done in time, it will get done and be a show stopper.

Have you never tried to run cables through the frame. Like for brake and shifter
It will not get done for this MBBO, unfortunately. I have a 3-weeks lead time with my chrome shop, and I'm not close to being ready to tear it down for chrome. Once I do, I have a ton of "body work" and paint prep to do before any paint can be laid on. I just can't rush the process for a contest that's a lower priority than the quality of the build.

I have run cable through a frame. I generally don't because I like to have a vintage look from the era the bike is from, so I usually run full housing runs with housing clips. I toyed with the idea on this build to run the cable/housing through the fork leg to the drum brake, but decided to stick to the vintage look again.
 
It will not get done for this MBBO, unfortunately. I have a 3-weeks lead time with my chrome shop, and I'm not close to being ready to tear it down for chrome. Once I do, I have a ton of "body work" and paint prep to do before any paint can be laid on. I just can't rush the process for a contest that's a lower priority than the quality of the build.

I have run cable through a frame. I generally don't because I like to have a vintage look from the era the bike is from, so I usually run full housing runs with housing clips. I toyed with the idea on this build to run the cable/housing through the fork leg to the drum brake, but decided to stick to the vintage look again.
I agree about the vintage look with builds. This is more of a custom. I’m kinda nervous trying to get from the top tube down the center tube with the cable housing.

I was wondering about the front drum cable on your build
 
I was wondering about the front drum cable on your build
What do you want to know, how I’m going to route it? Down the left side like I did for this bike.
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What do you want to know, how I’m going to route it? Down the left side like I did for this bike.
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Whilen
What do you want to know, how I’m going to route it? Down the left side like I did for this bike.
View attachment 282903
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I was wonder if you were going to runthe cable through the fork while I was watching the progression.
 
I’m going to say I personally do not like this new build off schedule. 3 months is just not enough time to do what I do with work and family commitments, and some work on random week nights and weekends. Because of this short contest schedule, this will be the second bike in a row I won’t finish. I’m pretty sure this will be my last time entering because of it. What’s the point.

I’ll keep updating this thread, and I’ll ask it to get moved in November.

Good luck to everyone! I hope everyone else is able to finish.
I agree with you. The MBBO was four months for so many times, from its inception. I think cutting it to three months makes it difficult to truly create the muscle-bike quality that was seen 10-8 years ago. IThanksgiving cuts at least a week out of the schedule. Family Christmas parties, and work Christmas parties and other things in December cuts another weekend or three out. Having it end at the end of the year, even if voting doesn't start till Jan third ( for the mods to pull the voting together) seems appropriate to me as well.

For many of us, those cool custom parts and mods were manufactured in the last two weeks of the year when we could burn the vacation hours vs lose them, in order to give the final details needed for the cool builds.


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@CRASH I truly hope you are able to finish this awesome build.
 
I agree with you. The MBBO was four months for so many times, from its inception. I think cutting it to three months makes it difficult to truly create the muscle-bike quality that was seen 10-8 years ago. IThanksgiving cuts at least a week out of the schedule. Family Christmas parties, and work Christmas parties and other things in December cuts another weekend or three out. Having it end at the end of the year, even if voting doesn't start till Jan third ( for the mods to pull the voting together) seems appropriate to me as well.

For many of us, those cool custom parts and mods were manufactured in the last two weeks of the year when we could burn the vacation hours vs lose them, in order to give the final details needed for the cool builds.


---------
@CRASH I truly hope you are able to finish this awesome build.
When the new format was announced last year we wish these opinions would have been voiced so we could take them into consideration

Options

Longer time frame (which people said they didn’t like previously because they lose drive to finish)

But then we won’t have as many throughout the year. Less build categories unless everything becomes some derivative of the triple threat we tried once


We can discuss elsewhere besides clogging up @CRASH thread
 
The shift handle got drilled and the click ball removed.
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The freewheel space got made.
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Pulls the freewheel out nicely, and not too much, even thought it looks like a huge gap here. The derailleur will have to be adjusted correctly to keep that chain from flying off. That’s supposed to the spike protector’s job of last realtor, but it’s just decorative at this point.
View attachment 282640


I was going to start setting up shifting, but something was “off”. Things weren’t aligning right. I hadn’t actually checked the frames alignment. I thought it was good, but maybe not? So I tore everything off and checked.
View attachment 282620

A 1/4” off on one side, so I broke out my alignment tool…
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Got it even/straight. Then aligned the dropouts again.
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Put it back together and found 2 new problems. With everything aligned, the rear wheel isn’t fitting. It’s too far forward. And the chain is rubbing the 3rd bar in 5th gear.
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So I tore it all down again…

Oh by the way, I have to pump up then deflate the rear tire each time I do this. Pain in the rear, but I can’t the tire on/off if it’s inflated.

For the chain I heated the tube with a torch and pounded it. Then ground it. Then sanded it smooth.
View attachment 282625

For the wheel placement I decided to extend the dropout slot about 5mm so the derailleur and ultimately the axle can pull father back.
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So I tested, and the tire is still rubbing the fender. You may recall that I replaced the seat stay brace and moved it up, and I bent the fender brace clamp to fit. But was that enough? It sits pretty far from the brace. So… I tore it all down, removed the fender mounting clamp to see how it might look/fit pushed up. See how much that clamp was pushing it toward the tire?
View attachment 282628

So this is a good mourning distance for clearance.
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The causal observer can’t tell much of a difference. So I marked holes to drill. Then I noticed one of the new holes wasn’t too far from the mark. So i made some adjustments to try. I put the rear hole of the fender and the front hole of the clamp together.
View attachment 282631

It looked fine there, so mission accomplished. I tweaked the clamp a bit, and marked it for cutting
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Made a note to my welder so he doesn’t fill in the wrong hole
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And put it all back together and pumped up the tire for like the 8th time today.

Improved fender mount looks good.
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The chain has clearance from the 3rd bar in 5th gear.
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And the rear fat tire has complete clearance from the frame and fender, and the chain doesn’t hit the tire in 1st gear.
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Amazing amount of work perfecting this rear wheel installation. I love the old Eagle derailleurs because even 50+ years old they are not worn out, will work wonderfully and are very durable. You have the patience of Job and the workmanship is starting to shine through.

When I set up the shifter I felt it hitting.
View attachment 282699

This was hitting it.
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So a ground it down, and this happened.
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I got it done, then set up the housing.
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@Pondo pay attention. This is the issue with using a 3-speed shifter arm for a 5 speed. These stops don’t allow enough stick throw.
View attachment 282704
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This was keeping me from getting it into 1st gear.
View attachment 282706

So… I opened them up.
View attachment 282707

I had to do the whole thing again, but it got done. I just had to tighten up the shift arm assembly by pounding them together.
View attachment 282714

Then I found out that the chain was hitting the tire in 1st gear again.
View attachment 282708

So I added a second spacer behind the sprocket.
View attachment 282712

Which adds some concerning space into the BB. You can see the bearing (just not this pic)
View attachment 282713

Which worked, but now it’s throwing the chain off the sprocket. So I’m going to address it with some custom fabricated spacers. More to come on that.

So I wanted to set up the guard. But I took away its second mount hole
View attachment 282715

So… removed some dead weight.
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Then found out the rear mounting bolt hits the chain.
View attachment 282718

So took care of that. Then I set up the seat and sissy. Surprisingly, no issues there.

View attachment 282719
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Found some fork issues. I’m going to have to cut the fender brace off, make a new one, and mount it better. It’s a little twisted.
Even in its raw form this is a great looking bicycle. Great workmanship. Looking forward to the finished product.
 
When the new format was announced last year we wish these opinions would have been voiced so we could take them into consideration
I didn’t voice this opinion I have now because I didn’t have it. I was in favor of the new format, honestly. I didn’t realize how it would affect me. I’m doing more complicated builds, and I seem to have less free time to do them. So, this is driving my new opinion. I don’t want that to affect the current MBBO. I’m not asking for an extension or anything like that. I’m just not going to be able to finish in time for the contest, and that’s ok.
 
Going to be working with @deven_science at Alchemist Bikes on another set of bars. We’re going to tweak this design a bit.

The set you see below will be up for sale. If you’re interested, let me know. I’m going to sell them for what they cost me. They are raw, so if you’d like them chromed I can see what my chrome guy in town would charge.

IMG_2417.jpeg
 
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