Hocam

So I've been grumpy lately, partly in due to waiting for the arrival of my frame from the painters (just touch up, not a repaint). Partly due to the aggravation in building it myself and partly to the girlfriend moving back to Japan. Anyway, I got this frame from a friend about 2 months ago who had it built up but ran into issues. The build is meant as a long distance/randonneur bike, relaxed geometry and the triple to help with 10+ hours in the saddle. It's a Bilenky (www.bilenky.com) signature series and I'll let the pictures do the talking.

I'm not much of a photographer but hopefully my travel monopod and digital camera does the trick.


Right Side

Left side

Front - that's a polished stainless steel fork crown. The steerer tube is 100% stainless as well as the rings next to the Campagnolo Gran Compe headset. Campagnolo drop outs.

Drive Side - Curved seat stays. All the water bottle braze-on's are stainless steel as well as the seatpost collar (not in this picture).

The "cockpit". I liked the look of a little black tape on the bar ends next to the shiney caps. It's a 90mm Nitto stem, an 80 mm 3TTT may replace it.

I chose a Campagnolo veloce group with a triple, race FD, medium cage rear, 13-26 gearing for my weak spinny legs. 90% of the parts were ordered through the local bike co-op I volunteer at, for wholesale +20%, the 20% going to benefit a childrens bike program (after school and summer camp) that the co-op supports. If you're interested it's www.neighborhoodbikeworks.org So a few issues came up, mainly the picture on the wholesalers website was a white prolink, little did I realize the name had a "BK" so I got a black one instead. I don't mind it. Also, the tires I should have gotten in blue or just black. JBimporters doesn't carry much in the way of tires, so when those wear out I'll get some schwabe stelvios or maybe pro2race.

Anyway, I'm gonna ride the crap out of it, so I thought some pictures of it still fairly clean would be a good idea.

Possible changes:
Carradice Barely Saddlebag
3TTT stem
05/06 Left shifter
Different tires (black).

vpiuva

The STI DT cable stops are mounted backwards.

edit: does this config help with above BB cable routing?

Hocam

It's intentional. The cables are routed above the bottom bracket shell. I forgot to mention that. It gives the cables a straighter line, looks funny at first but I like it.

cordia75

Hi,

thanks for sharing. It is reading posts like yours that continue to inspire and encourage me on my first bike building journey. Cheers!

Sirrobinofcoxly

Mmmmm Orange

Ostuni

you know, that DID make my friday morning a little nicer!

Bob Ross

Nice looking bike. I can't explain why I think it looks good; in fact, if I zero in on individual aspects of the build, there are a lot of things I *don't* like about it! But it all comes together beautifully. Congratulations.

ridethecliche

Hey!
Awesome that you work there!

I live close to philly and I was thinking of coming and checking it out just because I read about it and it sounds awesome!
I'll send you a PM if I end up visiting this summer, keep up the good work.

That's a nice build too, how does it ride?

maalea

Very nice. I have a Bilenky on my wish list. When do get it, I think I will opt for the S&S travel connectors. I'm going to Tuscany in '08 and (somewhere in) France in '09.
Fitting a real bike in normal sized suitcase sounds like a great option.

Hocam

Thanks guys. I volunteer at Bike Church and have very little to do with the actual kid programs aside from helping to raise money for it. Come on down, tuesday thursday sunday 6-9:30 pm. Women and trans night wensday for a more toned down atmosphere and far fewer people. It's a great place if you want to buy a cheap bike and learn how to overhaul everything. I learned almost everything I know about bikes there and from Sheldon Brown's site.

Cordia: Building up your own is more about taking your time and doing things right then some mystical bike knowledge. Just don't do it all at once.

Bob Ross: There's a few things I don't like either but can't justify the money to change them, but I am very very happy with it. It rides fantastic, takes corners far better than my surly without being at all twitchy. I love the STI ergo shifters, they're my first set and the tight gearing is fantastic. I'll be doing 40 miles tomorrow and 100 sunday, so that's the real test.

Maalea: My brother has a Bilenky touring bike (26" wheels, every braze on imaginable) with the S&S and he loves them. After doing it once or twice it takes about 45 minutes to break down the bike into the suitcase and an hour or so to put it back together. He an his girlfriend both rode bilenkys from Amsterdam to Prague last fall and when she didn't tighten down the couplers enough they started comming loose. The design is good the threads didn't strip and they just tightened them and kept going.

cordia75

Hocam,

thanks for the advice, especially on taking the time and doing things right. I was a little impatient at first, particularly with acquiring the parts I need. But now as I am in between jobs, the financial constraint has helped me to be patient on the lookout for parts as well acquiring the knowledge and skills I need to build the bike. It is a journey that looks like it will take some time (anyway, I have my road bike to ride and tinkle with in the meantime) but one day, I hope to finish it and let you guys see

surreal

was that andy's bike?