The Violet One

[Wildcat]

My birthday bike showed up finally. The headtube has a dent and there are a few dings and scratches but nothing that can't be fixed.

I was going to make this a 700C bike, but I think the 26" wheels and whitewall 1.50 smoothies will work fine. When this is done, I'll start on the black frame just like it but use 700C wheels.

With a 44 tooth chain wheel and an 18 cog, the 2 speed should be pretty fast. I calculated 61 and 84 for gear inches.

I've got a bunch of parts on order and hopefully are all the right size.

 

[twojs.bike]

The dented head tube is unfortunate. How will you fix that?

 

[Wildcat]

My favorite bike, Chrome Molly had the same problem, a dent in the head tube.

I used a solid 5/8ths bar and gently tapped out the dent.

This one isn't as bad so I think it will be fine when I work on it tomorrow.

 

[Wildcat]

I had 20 dollars worth of parts show up at the same time. The spacers came with a headset but that wasn't shown on the ad. So I have an extra headset, one where the bearings sit inside the headtube. I'm using the external kind with sealed bearings on this bike.

 

[Wildcat]

I tapped the dent out using a piece of water pipe and pressed in the new headset, 34mm.

I've never used this kind of headset but it went together easily. I used most of my spacers and didn't have to trim the fork. I need the bars high so it works for me.

The BB and crankset is due to arrive today.

 

[Pondo]

That's a great looking frameset!

 

[Wildcat]

So far so good. The BB and cranks fit and I've got the chain attached already. I spun the wheel and 84 is a high gear.
The 27.2 seatpost is due today. That just leaves brakes.

 

[Wildcat]

The seatpost and handlebars needed trimmed down. The curve in the seat tube wouldn't let the stem drop in far enough and the bars were way too wide.

Then I checked and I have brakes that will reach the 26" rims, but no spindle for a front brake but tons of all the other parts. So I ordered a front brake, same anodized red to match the hubs and spokes.

 

[Wildcat]

The violet and red looked too much over the top for me, so now it's the black and red one. I swapped the parts over since it's the same frame, only different forks. I have a red headset and handlebars ordered. Maybe I'll get red cables also. The violet frame will be violet and black with 700c wheels.