my names wayne and i'm a buildaholic! :?
I'm starting to think that i hope i'm not alone when it comes to getting a bike together, accumilating all the pieces; all those niggly little parts that seem to elude you for what seems like forever. Spending day after day typing the same searches into google and that other place frequented far too much, ebay!
The funny thing is hunting for something time and time again until one day a whole bunch spring up at once. Is someone out there doing it on purpose? How did they know I've been after it for all this time, and where do they get their postage prices from? jeez. Wish people would take decent photos too, it isn't too hard to do. I want to buy it man! but not your undisclosed scratches thanks very much. I know "good condition" when I see it, rather than "could be better so buy elsewhere", but i've paid for it now :twisted:
The whole journey should have been a breeze. I mean bikes are basic enough aren't they? They don't have that many parts to them... getting one built on a reasonable budget would be simple so I thought. Well it is simple to an extent I guess but I've found myself becoming a bit obsessed by it now. The frame just stares at me, teasing me into spending more and more, knowing that it has me by the balls, knowing that I can't wait to take it out for it's first ride. It fails to relent.
Oh yes, the parts are coming together slowly but surely...
Hearing them drop through the letterbox, or a little knock at the door with a quick signature then it's all mine! That's one less part to tick off the growing list then it's off to scoure around for the next. The next piece of the jigsaw, that tiny bloody bit that no lbs seems to stock but knowing without it my bike will not be complete. I can't make do either. It has to be right or not at all to justify me putting the work into it and taking all this time. I mean, it wants to ultimately be something I can be proud of knowing I built it right. Even with those overpriced CND'd items doing their thing, almost hidden away never to be seen without crouching on all fours. Them tiny details that takes on a different level and test of patience.
OCD comes to mind!
I've learnt a hell of a lot considering i haven't really had to put a spanner to a bike much before this. 1 1⁄8, 25.4, 26.8, 28.6, 30.0, 31.8, 9 1⁄6, 68, 73, 113, left thread and right, 35lb torque, grease here and threadlock there, spacing, steerer length. All fresh numbers and such that seem to be becoming part of some mathematical equation and an obsessive one, flooding the head to bursting realising how addictive the whole thing is becoming. Trying my best to make sure every part matches the next and that the whole thing works as a whole, satisfying a need to create a self inflicted masterpiece... well it certainly seems that way!
Do I want black or silver there? or will a 2mm BB spacer give the room I need, and do I really need these chainring bolt spacers I got eagerly just because I thought I'd need them?? Well maybe I will but without the rest of the parts I will never be quite sure yet. Atleast I'll have spares for another time. Do I need spares? What for?.. this bike isn't even finished yet! Come on mr postman with my pedal washers! Guess I should think about getting the pedals soon.
It's all sickeningly therapeutic in a strange way, seeing it come to life and realising all those ideas and inspired thoughts. I reckon I may even feel a bit lost once it's complete with nothing else to get. Even so, the finish will always remain more than 64 lubricated nipple twists away for now. I am quite liking that knowledge though. I'm sure I can't be the only one to feel that way.
I'm starting to think that i hope i'm not alone when it comes to getting a bike together, accumilating all the pieces; all those niggly little parts that seem to elude you for what seems like forever. Spending day after day typing the same searches into google and that other place frequented far too much, ebay!
The funny thing is hunting for something time and time again until one day a whole bunch spring up at once. Is someone out there doing it on purpose? How did they know I've been after it for all this time, and where do they get their postage prices from? jeez. Wish people would take decent photos too, it isn't too hard to do. I want to buy it man! but not your undisclosed scratches thanks very much. I know "good condition" when I see it, rather than "could be better so buy elsewhere", but i've paid for it now :twisted:
The whole journey should have been a breeze. I mean bikes are basic enough aren't they? They don't have that many parts to them... getting one built on a reasonable budget would be simple so I thought. Well it is simple to an extent I guess but I've found myself becoming a bit obsessed by it now. The frame just stares at me, teasing me into spending more and more, knowing that it has me by the balls, knowing that I can't wait to take it out for it's first ride. It fails to relent.
Oh yes, the parts are coming together slowly but surely...
Hearing them drop through the letterbox, or a little knock at the door with a quick signature then it's all mine! That's one less part to tick off the growing list then it's off to scoure around for the next. The next piece of the jigsaw, that tiny bloody bit that no lbs seems to stock but knowing without it my bike will not be complete. I can't make do either. It has to be right or not at all to justify me putting the work into it and taking all this time. I mean, it wants to ultimately be something I can be proud of knowing I built it right. Even with those overpriced CND'd items doing their thing, almost hidden away never to be seen without crouching on all fours. Them tiny details that takes on a different level and test of patience.
OCD comes to mind!
I've learnt a hell of a lot considering i haven't really had to put a spanner to a bike much before this. 1 1⁄8, 25.4, 26.8, 28.6, 30.0, 31.8, 9 1⁄6, 68, 73, 113, left thread and right, 35lb torque, grease here and threadlock there, spacing, steerer length. All fresh numbers and such that seem to be becoming part of some mathematical equation and an obsessive one, flooding the head to bursting realising how addictive the whole thing is becoming. Trying my best to make sure every part matches the next and that the whole thing works as a whole, satisfying a need to create a self inflicted masterpiece... well it certainly seems that way!
Do I want black or silver there? or will a 2mm BB spacer give the room I need, and do I really need these chainring bolt spacers I got eagerly just because I thought I'd need them?? Well maybe I will but without the rest of the parts I will never be quite sure yet. Atleast I'll have spares for another time. Do I need spares? What for?.. this bike isn't even finished yet! Come on mr postman with my pedal washers! Guess I should think about getting the pedals soon.
It's all sickeningly therapeutic in a strange way, seeing it come to life and realising all those ideas and inspired thoughts. I reckon I may even feel a bit lost once it's complete with nothing else to get. Even so, the finish will always remain more than 64 lubricated nipple twists away for now. I am quite liking that knowledge though. I'm sure I can't be the only one to feel that way.
