3 speeds . . . That's how I Roll

Got the rig ready for June 19. Why 3 speed? . . . Why not. 1. Got a gear to go uphill, 2. Got a gear for the flats, 3. Got a gear for down hill.

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The only place on the bike this shifter will fit, and not have it in the way.


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The real question is, Where did I find a 3/32, 16T cog.

In case you want to run the rough numbers. It's a Sturmey Archer AW It geared "Wide Range" . . . . Ohh Goody Extremes! . . . 42x16 = 69". We can calculate 1st gear is 69*.75= 51.7", and 3rd gear is 69*1.333= 92". with a 700x23c tire, this hub gives me 51.7", 69", and 92" .
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Basically I'll be packing roughly a 39x20, 42x16, and a 52x 15. Works for me.

5 songs
I Am the Owl
seek and destroy - Agent Orange
Praise the lord and pass the amunition - impatient Youth
All Day - Ministry
1963 - New Order

The Pink & Green Fixie

Pink Side

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Green Side

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Middle Side

The camera is a little off, but I assure you it's centered, and there is about 3mm of clearance on both sides.
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This frame is a lot stiffer than the Super Bee , and I find it all around more responsive with it's steeper angles. Will there "Bee" a Super Bee-2 in the future? Not the near future, but maybe. If I had it to do over again I'd tweak a few things different to make it stiffer. I DIG the short chainstays on both bike though. Short Wheel bases Rule! . . . at least for short rides.

Spray Paint, Spray Paint, Spray Paint

This side it's Green!

This side it's Pink!

A new coat of paint, on a frame that was just sitting around. It was originally painted with Krylon hammer finish paint. So I just went over that with some Krylon Pink and Green.

Not exactly the colors I wanted. I still might add a couple Yellow panels that say . . . ? . . . who know what's going to come out of my trap? . . . I'll think'a some'm.

If you missed the Original Curb Destroyer see it here.
http://curbdestroyer.blogspot.com/2008/02/well-it-rides-good-if-nothing-else.html

Well . . . it rides good if nothing else.

Well there you have it, all built up. I think I should have gone with a horizontal top tube. For some reason it just doesn't look good to me. Like I said it's an experiment. I took it out for a little ride this afternoon. It's very stiff, but what do you expect from 035"/.9mm straight gauge 4130. Tommorow I'm going to go out for a 30 milers and should tell me a little more than the 2 miles I rode it today.

The experience has taught me a lot about how to go about it next time. The split seat tube consumed a lot of braze (4 Sticks!) and extra time and weight. I'm going to build a single speed 29r and use this method to give it short chainstays.

Four Pictures, For You

Here's some pictures after most of the paint has been removed. Some people wanted to see the "C D" cutout. The cutout will be backed by the seat-post, or anything I think of between now and the time I build it. The seat-tube does have one flaw with the way I made it. I capped the end so "stuff" wouldn't get inside the post. Only problem is I have and adjustable reamer, and I need a bottoming reamer to get to thebottom of the tube, so I can't get a post down any further down than 1/2 way down the "D". Live and learn, it's not bad. I already have a plan in the works to remedy this issue. You will see it on my 29r.

My camera isn't the best. I used to have a crappy 4 mega pixel, then it broke and I got this 6 mega pixel camera, that all is seems to do is make bigger 4 mega pixel picture if you know what I mean. The frame looks a little better than the pictures but you get the "idear". I still have some junk in the joints from the old paint, and it's not clear on the photos, but now is a good time for me to post pictures, so here the are.

(click on pictures to enlange)

Primer, always use Primer

I've decided to paint my first few frames with just Krylon spray paint instead of spending time and energy powder coating them or whatever. The thing is I might want to add something later. After all these first frame are R&D projects. My first frame I used the primer, but someone told me I could get away without it, tat if the surface was rough enough it would stick . . . complete bull . . . well maybe not, the actually the problem came from the fact the paint ran as soon as it hit the frame. I had sanded it all using 80 grit thinking that would be good enough for the paint to stick, and basiaclly I'm just looking for something to keep the frame from rusting. Basically after a few swipes my frame looked like a melting candle. So I've spent the last 3 days cleaning all that yellow goodness off. Now were going to have a cold snap so I don't know when I can finish it.

So always use the primer if your going the rattle can route. It's not that the paint will stick better, it just won't run as bad . . . and I mean run. Completely ruined 3 days.

Sneak Peak

(Click pictures to enlarge)

The front triangle is assembled

The front triangle is assembled I should be able to get the stays done. I don't mind the cutting and mitering the tubes, I find it fun and challenging, It's the brain dead cleaning up of all the brazing that I'm dreading . . . Filing, Grinding and Sanding.

(Click the pictures to enlarge)

Heres a little close up of the head tube. This is the tube after a little filing. This is my second bike and I have a lot less filing than I did on my first one. First I'm tinning the joint, then I'm putting the fillet on with a bigger flame than I did last time. To clarify I'm using a bigger patch of heat, but not hotter. I used to get caught up in what the flame should look like, what size tip, or whatever. The only thing that matters is the heat. How large, and how hot.


This is the Bottom Bracket. I have a lot of clean up here. This is a little more trickier than the Head tube area. The Bottom bracket is thicker and it takes more time to heat up. One trick is to heat it up inside as well as outside. You have to hold the heat on the bottom bracket shell, more than the joint like you would the head tube area.


And the backside of the bottom Bracket


Can't wait till I'm done with my 10th frame. It's all about heat . . . actually you can throw cleaning the tubeset in there to. Having clean tubes, and a good amount a flux makes it so much better. I think my next purchase will be a Gas Fluxer.

What's Gas Flux? A gas fluxer adds flux to the flame, it helps fight contamination of your work, and it helps the brass flow better.
http://www.gasflux.com/

The Jigs UP!

The jigs Up! While the job of putting those blocks and tubes on the plate seem pretty elemantary, getting them on the plate at those specifc angle is anthing but. As you can see the seat-tube is not conventional and setting that angle was a little more tougher than normal, it was the top tube that took the cake getting it to the right angle.

(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Split Seat-Tube Road Bike

The Split tube 29r frame got highjacked. Actually I have another idea for my 29r, so I'm going to make another road bike. I was going to use a 1-1/8" fork, but since I have a 1" laying around I'm going to use that for a while to see if I like the 370mm chain stays. If I like the frame, I'll make a fork. If you have looked at the geometry you will notice one glaring detail about the fork it has 55mm of rake. I'd like to dial that back a bit to 45mm.

My plans tonight were to get the tubes miters for the front triangle at the least if not brazed together. Well in reality I spent the night finishing the seat tube, and redrawing the frame. So hopefully tommorow I'll get the front triangle done.

The seat tube worked out fine. I'm sure I cound have gone with 1/2" instead of 5/8" like a decided to do. However 5/8" works real nice when combined with the 1-1/8" seat tube. When all the tubes are assembled side by side, this leaves 5mm between the 5/8" legs and the edge of the bottom bracket. however this configuration only leaves room for a 23c tire as seen in a previous post. I'd like to use a 28c for my downtown adventures, so something is going to have to be manipulated since 1-1/8" converts to 28.6mm. So my mathmatics this leave you with 0.3mm space on both sides, but in reality it look closer to 1.0-1.5mm. enough to clear in the stand, but not enough when your riding.

Now I'm Cook'n With Gas!

Well my idea for the split-tube, seat tube has come to fruition. Originally I had planned to use 1/2" tubes to make the split, but I didn't think they were going to be stiff enough so I went up to 5/8". I took it and tried to flex it with just one leg. It was a lot stiffer thean I thought. I believe the original plan would have worked . . . no doubt.

Here are some picture. This is the best I can do balancing the seat-tube, wheel, and camera in the wind, but you can see even with the "Over Sized" split tube I have plenty of clearance.

Right now for a race frame I really want to go with the 1/2" tubes, and I think I'm just going to finish this one up and make it another expeimental road/cross/ do-all-2-all bicycle.

It look like that back tire passes throught the seat tube, but make tires don't pass through seat-tubes . . . Is it an illusion?


Nope the rear tire passes through the seat tube!


Yeppers! . . . Got Clearance!