Originally Posted by
fuji_owner
All this work was just so enjoyable and satisfying, that I'm seriously considering becoming a bike mechanic.
What you
should do, to indulge your new-found appreciation for bike building, is strip the bike down to the frame (you already dismantled the cockpit, so you've made a start), mothball the complete "fair weather" component set and re-equip the frame with a whole new set - beefier wheels, lower gearing, suspension seat post if you like that sort of thing - maybe not quite as fancy as your current kit, 'cos it's going to get worn - and ride it. It's custom - you love it etc, but it's bare Ti, nothing's going to happen to it. If/whenever your cycling conditions improve, buff out any scratches, apply a new decal set and put all the good stuff back on - presto! your trophy bike again! I did something similar to my 20-year-old, >50,000-mile not-babied Ti frame - cleaned it up, added new decals, and it looks like it just left the showroom. In this instance, you really
can have your cake and eat it.