Week 6

What? . . . expecting a spreadsheet? . . . well you get that later. Well here's the Raleigh Grand Prix commuter to Cyclocross Racer transformation progress. Looks like a Vintage Retro Project . . . . or is it just vintage, because this frame and fork is the real deal 1970's.
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It's a mid-level frame and fork from the 70's. Let's contrast this to what you get today. Look at the detail.

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I can't put canti mounts on the fork. I need them to be 80mm apart and I'd be lucky to get 70mm, oh well. I have plenty of mud clearance. Mostly because the frame was built to have 27" wheel and not 700c. 700c are slightly smaller.

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However these Dia-Compe cneter pulls might turn into mud collectors in the right conditions. Check out the lugs, and the fork crown. Everything at this level is TIG welded.

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Levers of Plenty. Yes those are down tube levers combined with STI. I'm going to switch to STI. I got the Suntour cable stops to do it. I just don't have the deraileur cables yet. Note the braze on clamp-on stop.

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I'm not a big fan of wrap around seat stays, but I got what I got.

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Note the cable stop for the Simplex front deraileur. For cyclocross season I'm going with one chainring so this isn't an issue. I don't think I ever used the big chainring on any of my past cyclocross bikes. Also you can see the over bottom bracket guide.

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Perfect to for center pulls. Check out the rear brake cable stop. Today they just give you one of those aluminum things that attach behind your seat post bolt.

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I like the rear brake cable guide and cable stop.

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I might have to upgrade this if I can't find an aluminum post, Yea this is a chunk of weight.

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Week 6 down. Looks like I was going fast, or I was going slow. I'm not sure where my training is going. I just make it up as I go . . . kinda . . . I want to but in base mile increasing distance, and I've been putting in a couple days of tempo. Not too hard, but a pace with a little hustle to it. I wanted to put in some more volume . . . didn't get that done. I wanted to go over 40 miles for one ride . . . didn't get that done. So what did I do? I put in intensity. For the week I increased my average speed one mile an hour.

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Also Saturday I just wanted to go out for a joy ride. Just enjoy riding my bicycle. Sometimes you have to look around. Otherwise what's the point, I might as well be riding my indoor trainer. It was Great weather, and a great ride down Blue River Road. Probably should have done it a coule times . . . oh yea I couldn't I found a sledge hammer in the road. I really needed one. Sledge hammers are not cheap, Also just a note to all, people tend to give you funny looks when you have a sledge hammer in your jersey pocket.

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I have a 17.3 mile route that I've been keeping my times on since 2004. The route has stops and traffic so you never know how it's going to go. I guess I use it as a guage to see where I'm at. I rode Friday with the goal of putting in the most Zone 4 time in one ride. Why? . . . Don't know. I felt with just a few week till the first week it was time to see where My fitness level was at.

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(Click Spreadsheet to Enlarge)