noglider 

Encouraged by you guys to get something decent but not fancy, I decided to build a bike for myself.

Yesterday, I picked up a set of wheels and a frame set. Both were craigslist sales. I now have most of what I need to build my bike. The frame is a bit of a disappointment, but I'll go ahead with it for now. If I don't like it, I can sell it. The seller tells me it is the proper fork to go with the frame, but he bought it separately. He painted the fork and used a color that doesn't match well. I'm thinking of painting the fork black, which won't look as bad.

A few minutes ago, I pulled out my brand new Nashbar bike repair stand, and it broke. Man, am I pissed! I should have known not to get a stand with so much plastic.

KlingOn

I can easily empathize with you.

My Nashbar 360 stand broke at the clamp while holding my Vigorelli on Christmas night. We jumped out of bed thinking someone broke into our house, because the bike hit the partially open door to an unfinished room which houses our heater and the door slammed into it. Merry Christmas, Nashbar 360!!!

That stand was literally one month old. I'll never buy from them again.

RaleighSport

Sorry to hear about the stand Tom, but welcome to the Leader club!

noglider 

I hope they give me some consideration. I don't want to be out the entire purchase price. I think it was partially my fault and partially theirs. The big piece that slides up the mast was stuck. I forced it. My force was my fault, but the fact that it got stuck, well, I don't know what caused it. I hate calling companies and negotiating this stuff. I'm putting it off, anticipating an argument.

The wheels came with Continental Sprinter tires. They look to be in excellent condition. Seeing the description on Amazon, I'm pretty impressed. Some questions on tires. I rode tubulars on the road (for recreation and touring and hardly any racing).

1. I'm about to buy a spare. I should, right?
2. I'm thinking I'll buy another just like these two. Any reason to use something else?
3. I'll use the glue you guys recommend. Do I really need track glue? Road glue was bad enough 30 years ago. Track glue was even worse. Maybe things have changed? Please recommend a glue to me.

Thanks again.

Kayce

I race on a track that is even rougher than yours, and have always been fine using standard vittoria glue. I give it a few layers, and it always holds just fine.

carleton

Regarding tires: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Tire-Questions

I've used Conti tubular glue for years with good results.

queerpunk

Never hurts to have a spare. You'll use it eventually.

If I were racing at Kissena, I'd probably use Sprinters. Anything nicer and I'd be concerned for their durability. It's not that the surface is terrible - it's the occasional debris.

Continental Glue. Works well and the instructions are entertaining.

noglider 

OK I ordered a tube of Continental glue along with the tire. I also ordered a box of 36 acid brushes. I discovered how useful these are for tubular glue a couple of years ago working part time at a bike shop. It's $8 for the box, so they're $0.22 each. Spread the glue with the brush, ruin the brush, throw the brush away. Lovely.

Velocirapture

thanks for the tip! cleaning glue off a brush is a real mare .

noglider 

Can anyone tell if these pedals use SPD or Look type cleats? Thanks.

Brian Ratliff

Those are SPD-SL pedals.

noglider 

I built the bike. It's not race ready, but it's ride ready. It has:

road bars
spd pedals
165mm road cranks with 3/32" ring
gawd-awful chain line
no handlebar tape
a brake, for the street

I used a hose clamp as a headset spacer. Gross but functional. I'll get a real spacer.

There's too much snow on the ground now!

noglider 

Ok great. I'll buy a paid of SPD-SL cleats. That's what I meant, of course.

sbs z31

Wow, that's a pretty looking bike!

carleton

Lookin' good!

You might want to use a beefier seat when you get out on the track. Rough tracks are known to break saddle rails or crack them in other places under heavy and light riders alike. On the track, if your saddle breaks, you can't exactly stand up as you would on a road bike. Go for one with cro-mo rails if you have one.

noglider 

sbs, thank you.

carleton, I hadn't thought of that. I've got an embarrassingly huge saddle collection, so I'll swap this out. It does look pretty delicate. I haven't tried it yet.

noglider 

It's snowing pretty hard out now. I think I'll take a test ride. Can't wait for perfect conditions, can I?

RaleighSport

Godspeed Tom. Enjoy it.

noglider 

It was so great. I've never had such a light bike. Boy, talk about the bike being an extension of your body. This is it.

Jaytron

Rad. Is that a Leader 722ts? That was my first track bike that actually saw track duty too

RaleighSport

Tom, that Vertu was on your leader? Still sucks you got a lemon.

noglider 

Jaytron, I think it's a Leader 722 or 722-something. I don't know anything about the company or its products. The seller (from craigslist) seemed a bit sketchy. Not that he had stolen it, but I don't trust information he gives.

Raleighsport, yes, it was that crazy vertu saddle. Lesson learned!