A Dummy Builds a Lynskey GR300
 

I don't really need another bike, but I don't have a dedicated gravel bike, so I thought, why not? If I am being honest with myself, I am pretty darn bad at wrenching. I am thankful that nearly 30 years ago a guy named Lew White taught be basic bike wrenching. He was the perfect mentor fro me. I have built seven bikes in my life. All of them have been flat bar bikes of a mountain or commuter type design. Never have I dealt with drop bar builds or drop bar shifters. This is going to be a first. I have a hunch I'll end up at the local shop getting them to bail me out. I am certain I'll cuss some along the way. But I am excited about what I am going to end up with.

The first of the parts have started rolling in. I managed to apply rim tape to the rims without the need for an emergency room visit, so I am off to a good start. I'll mount the tires in a few minutes.

https://i.postimg.cc/yNTxb3py/PXL-20...-174706786.jpg

Unfortunately, no badge is awarded for Worked On Drop Bar Shifters for those! Gevenalles earn the same, 40 year old badge as Works On Shifters. :p

Got the Vittoria tires mounted. This is the third set of different Vittorias I have used. They are TIGHT.

Hi Luap!
Nice ADV bike.

Sweet - thanks for sharing. Excited to see how it progresses!

We need photos !

I didnt ask in an earlier thread you started- why do you need to have mechanical disc brakes? I am not criticizing, I just saw you mention it as a must and am curious.

aero routing and bar wrap, it counts

Describe your wheel set. Hubs, spokes, rim size. Pre-made or custom? Inquiring minds want to know!

DT Swiss Rims. Sapim Spokes I think. Formula Hubs. Velo Mine build. Ebay closeout $275. Weight is advertised right at 2000 gr per pair.

I will be getting someone to wrap for me. I can barely tie my shoe, so wrapping is out of the question.

Simplicity. That and I have them in two applications already, and am very happy with them. Hydraulic brakes have done two things to me that mechs haven't. I have grabbed too much brake and dumped. I have had a brake malfunction that necessitated a shop visit...while I was on vacation. Both are clearly the consequence of my shortcomings, but I don't see myself getting much better at threshold braking or working on hydraulic brakes, so mechs it is.

Patience grasshopper, patience. The frame is still being built!

I got my SLX 11-42 Cassette in and got it installed. The handlebars arrived today. Things will be at a standstill for a while now until the frame comes in, then I have to wait for GRX derailleurs and cranksets to come in stock. Seems like middle of November is when businesses are expecting them.

https://i.postimg.cc/QxsH2sZN/PXL-20...11647049-2.jpg

Good luck, and give that bar wrap a try. Most tape these days is pretty forgiving, if you screw up you get do-overs! And as far as the overall build goes, good luck, and don't be so hard on yourself. Just the fact that you appear to be using all new parts (or close to it) is a huge advantage. Most of my builds are 90% soaking, sanding, or scrubbing, 5% assembly, and 5% fiddling to make wildly unrelated components work well together.

Sourcing parts for this build has been interesting. I have always been able to score killer deals from various merchant's clearance bins. No such joy anymore! TRP Spyke brakes are hard to find. I picked up the second to the last set an Ebay vendor was showing in stock. 11 speed chains are also very hard to come by. I have located everything but the GRX crankset.

The frame arrived today. More parts will trickle in through the week. I should have everything but the crank by week's end.

https://i.postimg.cc/52VC2gqS/PXL-20...-185707235.jpg

good looking blue graphic

Well, I have screwed this up royally. I finally got the crank in a few minutes ago. It didn't slide into the bottom bracket easily. I had to tap it in. I had installed the spacers in the bottom bracket. It apparently didn't need all three. No big deal, I'll tap the crankset out and remove two. Nope. Crankset will not tap back out. I am throwing in the towel and taking it to the shop. For the life of me I cannot figure out why the Shimano GRX crankset wouldn't slide into the Shimano bottom bracket fairly easily.

FWIW, I installed a GRX crank in my old Bianchi a couple of months ago and it was a noticeably tighter fit than any other HT2 I've dealt with. It took more than a tap to seat it. Also, even w/o spacers the spindle length out the NDS seemed marginal. In your situation, I'd secure the frame, protect the end of the crank and give it a substantial whack.:thumb:

I have alway had to use a plastic hammer to start removal of an installed crank like that. Installation take a wack with the heal of my hand. But that side is smooth.

Grease that spindle?

Did you go with no spacers at all. Also, what bottom bracket did you use?

Yeppers!

No spacers. It was a Shimano HT2 68mm bottom bracket. 105 or Ultegra, whichever was available.