HOLY GRAILS: 1974 Masi Gran Criterium, continued

Back To The Future

In part 1 of this great bicycle project, I reran a story I wrote for my Jim's Tech Talk column on RoadBikeRider called Basket Case, that told of my finding a quite beat-up 1974 Masi Gran Criterium, and deciding to go ahead and get it restored. 

It was a tough decision because somewhere along the line it had been run into a parked car or curb buckling the top and down tubes. Plus, all the original paint and decals were gone, an awful spray-can finish had been applied and the parts had been removed and dumped in a milk crate to rust away.

Yet, the more I looked at the frame with the magical Masi M cutout in the bottom bracket, the lovely lugs that taper into the tubes, the clean dropout finish work and the extraordinary twin-plate fork crown, the more I felt I had to bring it back to its former glory. 

I also had heard that that crown was sometimes a sign of a frame built by Masi founder and legendary framebuilder for the pros, Faliero Masi. This is part 2 of that story - which also appeared in my column in RoadBikeRider.

The greats rode Masis

Masis were among the most respected racing bicycles ever built and even today roadies who raced them back then will tell you that nothing compares. But, it�s the pros who won on them that really made their reputation. 

Just a few of the big names include, Eddy Merckx, Tom Simpson, Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, and Jacques Anquetil (note that their Masis were painted to look like the team sponsor bike brand).

My model, the Gran Criterium was also the red rocket, character Dave Stoller rode in the best cycling movie of all time (ATMO), Breaking Away - adding more fame to the Masi name.

Masi worked out of perhaps the most amazing framebuilding workshop ever, which was and is still located in the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, Italy. Today Faliero�s son Alberto continues the family tradition building frames there, though since the Masi name was sold, his frames now go by the brand Milano 3V. Masi aficionado�s Bob Hovey and Greg Fletcher have some nice virtual tours: http://bhovey.com/Masi/MasiVisit/  and http://masi.gregfletcher.net/masi/vigorelli/vigorelli.html .

Masi USA

Faliero must have been a visionary, too, because right as the huge bike boom of the seventies was about to hit America, he came here and opened a USA Masi division in Carlsbad, California. And, the fact that Masi was here in 1974 and not in Italy, meant that my frame might also have come out of that shop.

All these things and the desire to be able to own and ride such a famous marque (the frame is a 57cm - the perfect size), made me decide to send it off to an expert who could help me decide whether it was worth saving.

The Masi goes home

That would be Joe Bell of Joe Bell Bicycle Refinishing http://www.campyonly.com/joebell.html, because Joe has restored lots of Masis to perfection and his work is concors d�elegance level.

I called Joe first to see if he was interested in the project and he said that not only would he love to repaint the frame, but he would also show it to Brian Baylis, who was helping build Masi frames in those early days in Carlsbad, where mine was probably built.

That�s all I needed to hear and I boxed up the frameset and sent it off to Joe�s Southern California shop.

Only two days later Joe called to say he had already received and opened the box, inspected the frame and shown it to Brian.

I next expected to find out whether it was worth saving and how much it would cost. So, I was surprised when Joe told me that he and Brian had already decided the frame had to be saved and even more surprising, that Brian had already taken it back to his shop and started repairing the crash damage 

See Joe's note and sections of the replaced down tube in the photo!

Great news

Joe went on to explain that in their estimation the frameset was built in early 1974 in Carlsbad and that Brian himself might have helped build it. Equally exciting was that Brian believes the fork was probably raked by Faliero Masi himself, who was training the other builders in his new shop at the time how to build his frames.

With this news, it was a complete no-brainer for me to send Joe a $1,000 deposit to commence the restoration (with frame repair, paint, chrome, decals, a Silca pump painted to match and Joe's super-careful packing and shipping, the total cost was $1,890). 

[A quick aside: yes, I realize that I might have been able to find a rarer or better Masi for the same money. But it wasn't about the money or finding a better one. This Masi found me. I felt the same responsibility to rescue it that Joe and Brian did. There's tremendous satisfaction in resurrecting a survivor like this and that's what I was interested in, rather than trying to buy the ultimate Masi, which would be an entirely different thrill.]

I�ve included a few photos that show Joe and Brain�s fabulous work. I�ll finish the Masi restoration story when I get it fully built and back on the road - hopefully with some riding impressions.

I�ve already located 1973 Campagnolo Nuovo Record components and vintage road bike expert, Bob Freeman up at Elliott Bay Bicycles in Seattle, was kind enough to sell me a pair of the especially rare Martano rims, which were what it had when new. 

Visit Bob�s site and scroll to see some of his impressive restoration work http://elliottbaybicycles.com/restoration/

In the front view photo you can see the twin-plate crown, which requires more skill to build with since it�s comprised of multiple parts. A standard crown is a single piece that the fork steerer tube and blades fit into. This twin-plate crown has a top and bottom plate and the blades and steerer pass through the bottom plate before the steerer passes through the top one and the blades fit inside the top plate. 

There are also two reinforcing tangs on the inside of the blades that also extend through the twin plates (the yellow dots are decorative braze-quality check holes in these tangs). 

Even if you've never built a frame, I think you can appreciate the challenge of getting that many pieces assembled, aligned and brazed together correctly. Especially since, on many of the best steel road bikes back then, which had the much more basic crown design, you would see misaligned crowns (very noticeable when you're riding and looking down). The Masi's is perfect.

One of the reasons I sent the frame to Joe Bell is because I've seen how he lays down an impossibly thin paint finish. It's extremely high quality, durable and lustrous yet what jumps out at anyone who loves handcrafted frames is how he keeps it so uniformly thin.

In fact, sometimes framebuilders choose to paint their frames with see-through clear coats to ensure you can see their brilliant craftsmanship. Joe gets this and gives you the best of both worlds: a stunning finish with all the originality of a new 1974 Masi but the ultimate coat that reveals the framesmith's exquisite detailing, too. 

You don't want to just look at this bike, you're drawn in to inspect it closely and end up running your fingers along the joinery marveling at the artistry.

The frame is made of double-butted chromoly steel, probably Reynolds 531 because Masi had a falling out with Italian tubing make Columbus or so I�ve read. I've never actually ridden a Masi Gran Criterium in my frame size, but I'm going to savor every step of the build and not rush it.

Thanks to my friend and fellow Masi lover Chuck Schmidt of Velo-Retro filling me in, I've rounded up most of the correct parts to build mine close to original. 

I'm in need of the right saddle, though, a Cinelli Unicanitor #3 would be good, I believe. If you have one you'd part with please let me know. Maybe I have something you need for one of your projects.

I'll close with a photo of the signature M cutout in the bottom bracket, neatly highlighted by Joe in yellow. When the Campagnolo BB is installed its translucent plastic sleeve should accentuate the cutout nicely. Masi sometimes used similar cutouts in the chainrings, also edged with yellow, and I've seen Masis where the ends of the top-tube cable clip bolts were highlighted with dots of yellow paint and other yellow details, too, to make the bicycle that much more special.

Thanks for reading!
Jim

SHOPTALK: Making a bike workshop toolboard

My toolboard

For you mechanics out there, here's a popular subject I covered in my Jim's Tech Talk column in RoadBikeRider. It's on toolboards and tool organization, so it's great for dialing in your home shop for more efficient bicycle maintenance and repair.

It came to mind as a good topic because recently I was working in our Boulder office instead of my home office here in Santa Cruz, California. I was there to set up a bicycle workshop. We�ll be handling more bicycles, components and accessories in that office and we need a professional and efficient shop to assemble, tune, maintain and fix everything.

Over the years in our Rocky Mountain headquarters we�ve collected a good basic assortment of bike tools, and those that fit are neatly stored in a variety of different size toolboxes. For a workbench, we�ve been using a giant oval table made for staff meetings. It�s plenty big enough for any bicycle project but not the best approach since it has to stay clear for meetings and office work.

Fortunately, we were able to rent additional office space next door, and my job in Boulder that trip out there, was to turn a corner into a pro bicycle work area. This was one of my responsibilities at the bike shops I managed and also at Bicycling magazine, where I was the west coast technical editor. So, it comes natural. Self-promotion alert: I even wrote an e-Book that�s sold in RBR�s bookstore about how to create your own shop at home: Your Home Bicycle Workshop.

Advantages of toolboards
As I was building our new shop I was thinking how useful even a basic toolboard is, and thought I would explain more how to make one. Step-by-step instructions follow. But first, let me list a few reasons why so many bike shops use toolboards.

Convenient and efficient bike repair: a good toolboard holds frequently used tools right at hand; you never have to search to find the right one

Helps prevent lost tools: as long as you put them back, your tools are always right there, and at a glance you can tell what�s missing and go look for it

Keeps the workbench clean: again, as long as you put the tools back, your bench stays available for whatever you�re working on

Protects tools: bike tools can be costly, and hanging them on a board prevents them from getting beat up by other tools in a box or a sliding drawer

A nice toolboard impresses your cycling buddies: just beware the tool borrower - better to fix it in your cool shop than let them take your tools with them

Concept and location
A toolboard is just a place to hang your tools. Common materials are plywood and pegboard, and anything that makes it easy to hang tools. You only need a size large enough for your FUTs (Frequently Used Tools). The rarely used items should stay in a drawer or toolbox so as not to clutter your board, making it more difficult to select the right tool and/or take up all your space.

Typically, your toolboard will be placed on the wall close to where you work on your bike. Or, if you have a work surface, table or workbench, it can be attached to the wall above it. It�s best for it not to be any taller than you can easily reach, and not too long, to avoid having to walk, or stretch, or stand on something to reach the tools. Remember, these are FUTs, so you�ll be retrieving and replacing them often during your bike work.

Plywood is my preference
For materials, I much prefer plywood to pegboard. With plywood, you hang your tools on 6-penny finishing nails that you drive into the wood wherever it works to hang and space your tools.

With pegboard you buy the appropriate pegs and tool holder gizmos to hang your tools. Plus, you have to follow the pegboard spacing, which means you can�t end up with perfect spacing for oddly shaped tools, which nicely sums up many bike tools.

Note that the step-by-step instructions below assume you�re using plywood and nails, but I do describe at the end how pegboard differs.

Making your toolboard - by the numbers
Anyone can make a toolboard and benefit from having one. You don�t need to be an expert mechanic or even have lots of tools. This approach to toolboard design will work for anyone. If you don�t have lots of tools to hang right now, you can easily follow these directions to update your toolboard as your tool collection grows.

1. Lay it out. Place a large piece of sturdy cardboard on top of your table/bench (even if you only use a makeshift table as a workbench, it will work for this step). Most bike shops will give you a bike box, and cutting one side off will work for this. Or use what have you. It only needs to be large enough to lay out the tools you own currently (read on).

2. Find and lay out your tools. Dig through your garage, basement, car, bicycle bags, etc., and find all the tools you use for your bike. This includes bicycle-specific tools and regularly used household tools, like pliers, screwdrivers and scissors. For now, lay these tools flat on the piece of cardboard you placed on your workbench/table.

3. Try it out. Over a few days/weeks, do some bike repairs/maintenance using the tools on your cardboard-covered bench. As you work on your bike(s), pay attention to which tools you use, and how often you use them. Refine your tool selection by removing any that you never use and moving tools that you use together near each other (like pliers next to cable cutters, adjustable wrench next to cassette lockring remover, crankarm remover next to bottom-bracket tools, etc.). Also, place the tools and groups of tools used together -- that you find you use most often -- toward the center of your workbench. For example, 4, 5 and 6mm allen wrenches or a folding allen wrench set should go toward the center, since allens are used so often on modern bikes.

4. Commit to it. Once you know what tools you like and feel good about how you�ve organized them on the cardboard, take a little time to lay them out so they�re spaced nicely. Then think about if the cardboard was held against a wall, where nails would need to be driven for the tool to hang straight and not fall off. You can hold the nail and try the tool on it and figure it out pretty quickly. Once you know, mark the nail locations on the cardboard to hold each tool. Then, either draw a quick outline around each tool on your cardboard tool template, or take a photo of the entire cardboard toolboard with tools in place, to refer to later.

5. Finish your toolboard. All that�s needed now is to remove the tools from your cardboard template. Next, hold the template against the plywood piece that�s to become your toolboard. It needs to be secure because you�re going to drive nails into it. Now, simply drive the nails through your nail marks in the template, pull the template off your plywood toolboard and follow your digital �map� or look at the tool outlines on the template to hang your tools in the right places. So that you know where every tool hangs, you can outline them with a marker on the plywood toolboard now. Or just refer to your photo. (I prefer to memorize mine to keep the toolboard cleaner looking.)

Tip: A simple and handy tool holder can be made from a section of 2 x 4 lumber. You can see these in my toolboard photo on the right and left. Drilling different diameter holes across the edge lets you easily hang tools that don�t hang well on nails, like pliers, ratchet handles, individual allen wrenches or sets, etc. Notice that I also use the front of the 2 x 4 to hang 3 ratchet handles with a 4mm, 5mm and 6mm allen sockets, respectively, since those tools are so frequently used.

Pegboard notes: If you choose pegboard, you don�t need to drive any nails through your template. Instead, use it as a reference for figuring out where to place the pegs, and which types of pegboard holders to use to place the tools on the pegboard where you want them. I find that pegboard and pegs/holders for it take more experimentation but you can always get it right eventually. You can also use custom holders on pegboard, like my 2 x 4 special holders mentioned above. So think outside the box and don�t feel restricted by what�s available from the pegboard makers.

What to do if you don't have room for a big shop and toolboard
Not everyone has the space for a full bike-repair station. Take, for example, RoadBikeRider owner/publisher John Marsh. I envisioned him enjoying a spacious workshop in the 3-car garage of his Georgia plantation. But, no. It turns out he has neither a plantation, nor a garage!

John emailed: �I�m completely jealous of you and all other riders who have a good spot for a workshop. I have a carport, not a garage, and a too-small shed in my backyard, at least 100 feet from my back door. I do my maintenance in my office, where I keep my bike. Not at all ideal, but it�s the best I can do.�

Alan�s toolbox approach
Another RoadBikeRider author, Alan Canfield wrote me about his space crunch. He said, �As an amateur woodworker, I appreciate good tools and tool organization. I've unfortunately covered the garage wall space with shelves and have to keep my bike tools in a small Craftsman 4-drawer box that�s packed full!

I appreciate the suggestion for using plywood and nails to maximize the spacing on tools. I might try to adapt and make a plywood toolboard that spans the back of my workbench below the overhanging shelf.�

Toolbox tips

Alan�s use of a toolbox for a tight workshop is one way to work efficiently in a small space. It also lets you easily move the tools if your workspace is constantly changing. That�s essentially the setup pro mechanics use at races. So you can use some of their tricks to make working this way even more practical.

The pros often use a special electrician-type suitcase for toolboxes. These actually have miniature toolboards inside called palettes, and usually two or three of them on top of each other. You slip your tools into the holders on the palettes and they stay organized and easy to access. Larger tools go in the main toolbox compartment in the bottom.

On Park�s suitcase toolbox, one of the palettes can be hung on the front for even easier access (photo).

Color coding
To make a drawer-type toolbox more efficient to work out of, I recommend marking the drawers and tools. First, organize your tools the way you would for a toolboard, putting tools that are used together in the same drawer, putting the most frequently used ones in the easiest to access part of the toolbox and making sure every tool is easy to get at and put away (don�t jam the box so full it�s hard to open/close it or the drawers).

Once everything is in the box, mark each drawer with a different color and then each tool that goes in the drawer the same way. I do this with colored electrical tape, putting a strip on the outside of the drawer and then I wrap a band of tape around the tools. That way, after even the most complicated repair, it only takes a minute or two to put every tool back in the right drawer. Plus, you quickly learn which tool is in which drawer, which makes working with them easier.

Tip: I love those monster double-wide, almost ceiling-high toolboxes the TV car guys have, but they take up a lot of space, cost a small fortune and are much larger than you need for bicycle repair tools. I recommend sticking with a toolbox that fits your space and that you can carry when it�s full of tools.

Smaller toolboards
If you commit to a toolbox for some of your tools, you can often design a small toolboard that�s just right to keep your most commonly used tools readily at hand. It can be tiny and still provide a nice workspace that looks professional and makes it more fun to work on your bikes.

At one of my bike shops, I had more mechanics than workbenches, and I had to put one of them in a corner in the attic (she liked it - honest!). For this, I used one of those butcher-block-top rolling kitchen carts for her bench, attached a piece of plywood to the back as the toolboard, and put a small toolbox on the bottom shelf of the cart for larger tools.

There are all kinds of ways to fit toolboards in small spaces like this. I�ve seen some that slide or fold out of the way, for example. This isn�t hard to engineer since the tools and board are almost flat, and the tools will stay in place as the board is moved. So think about your space and be creative to find a fun solution.

Tom Anderson�s workshop
Speaking of creative solutions, here are a couple of photos Tom Anderson of Portland, Oregon, shared of his compact workshop and toolboard.

Tom explained, �I live in a high-rise condo building so there�s no workshop space in our garage. However, each unit has a storage room on the top floor, which is where my workbench is located. The rest of the limited space is jam packed with years of accumulation and resembles Fibber McGee�s closet on steroids. See the second photo.

The workbench is a 4.5-foot-long Sears metal bench with a fiberboard top. I doubled the height of the metal pegboard section. The white foam block contains small flat, Phillips, and Torx screwdrivers that are color-coded by type.

�I mostly work on my own bikes (six and counting) and occasionally bikes of friends and neighbors. I got a mechanic certification from UBI several years ago and worked summers in a friend�s bike shop for four years. I also volunteer at a local non-profit shop, the Community Cycling Center. We just had our annual Holiday Bike Drive where we provide 500 helmets and refurbished bikes to kids from low-income families.�

Thanks for sharing your workshop tips, Tom, and great job fitting such a fully functional shop in such a cramped spot, and volunteering your skills to help out your community.

Masi bicycles' setup
In closing, here's a photo of Alberto Masi's workbench, of Masi bicycles. No toolboard here. Instead there are only the tools and lubricants needed; laid out for easy, fast access. Note the drawer's beneath the bench for stored and organized tools used less often, but still right there, nearby. On another bench is a Campagnolo toolbox with more tools neatly organized and stored. I assume that his shop is organized in stations, with separate benches and tool assortments for each step of the bicycle build process. So, this bench is probably for final adjustments and another is for frame preparation, etc.

This photo is from the vintage road bicycle website Classic Rendezvous.

Alberto Masi's tidy tool layout

Have fun!
Jim

BIKE VIDEO: Danish Police Hug Bicyclists, to Give Them Helmets

Fellow riders, here's a short video that shows a cool way to encourage helmet use. The hugs could help make the connection for the riders that wearing a helmet is about protecting the ones you love as much as it is about protecting you. That's a very clever approach to giving away helmets. I'm sharing it to pass along the idea.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHc-MzTeEcU

BIKE RESTORATIONS: Making a Ren� Herse bell

Here's a quick update on my Ren� Herse project, bicycle friends. If you missed it, here's the first story about this holy grail of vintage bike collectibles, how I got it and how I plan to get it road-worthy again. A fun detour is this great gallery of Ren� Herses. One of the first things I wanted to replace was the missing bell on my Herse. These French randonneuring bicycles were street-legal so they had to have full equipment like lights and bells. Like a lot of others I've seen, my Herse had a bell mounted to the stem, but it had gone missing by the time I received the bike. The handmade Herse stem, machined from a block of aluminum, has a threaded hole in the left side to receive the bell. You can see an example in the photo below. It's nice how the bell floats next to the stem like it was meant to be there, and with no ugly clamps or bolts and nuts. It's also easy to hit the striker with your thumb from a couple of  hand positions.

Most Ren� Herse bicycles include a built-in stem bell. The handlebar bag shown is by Guu Watanabe Bags

The bell is conspicuously absent on my stem but the threaded hole is there

An aluminum Crane bell from Japan resembles the original

Simply unscrew the bell and it comes apart

My Herse stem has a 6mm hole so the bell's 5mm threaded post has to go

Ready to drill and thread the bell's aluminum post

Slow and easy; it's soft aluminum

The 6mm threaded post to receive the bell with a drop of thread adhesive

The finished bell!

Rider's view (the striker can be placed wherever you want it)

There you have it, a pretty easy method of making a reasonable replacement bell for a Ren� Herse. And, if I ever find a correct, original bell for the bike (please let me know if you have one), I will be able to simply remove this new one and install it. In the meantime, this nice little Crane bell will do. And don't worry, the modern handlebar tape will be replaced with cloth, and I have nice new-old-stock brake hoods ready to slip on, courtesy of Cycles de ORO. Good luck with your bicycle projects, Jim

Karl Edwards' Beautiful New Albion Head Badge

My friend, cyclist and artist, Karl Edwards just completed a head badge for New Albion Cycles - and being a longtime lover and collector of bicycle badges (also called nameplates), I just had to share it with you. Here's a photo. Be sure to read Karl's fascinating backstory on how he designed it on his blog.

The scene depicts Sir Francis Drake in his ship The Golden Hind sailing in San Francisco Bay in 1579. I had no idea.

Someone pointed out that there aren't any holes in the badge yet. I haven't asked Karl to find out the reason, however it could be that the badge is designed for attachment with an adhesive, like double-sided tape rather than the traditional rivets or tiny screws (that way it could go on carbon frames even). In any case, I can't wait to get one to add to my collection because it's a beaut.

If you search this blog for "head badges" you'll find more vintage bicycle badges, including this sweet selection from Schwinn.

Happy collecting!
Jim

BIKE MOVIE: Dirt Jumping - Aptos, California

Here's one of the best little documentaries I've seen about the Post Office dirt jumps across town from me in Aptos, California and what an amazing influence on riding and riders it's been.




Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH2vAfdNWy0

Q&A: Sizing old Treks, hoops for clydesdales, carbon frame paint chips and more

Hello fellow pedal pushers, In case you're tinkering with your 2-wheelers over the holidays maybe this selection of my recent technical questions and answers will be of interest. Most have a retro theme this time around, but that's in keeping with my Herse and Masi projects; and I always enjoy helping riders keep their classics going.

Vintage-Trek has a wealth of info and classic pics like this

Q: I'm currently riding a 2012 Trek Madone road bike, size 52cm, Jim. I've been thinking about buying a vintage Trek on ebay. My ? is, would a size 52cm from the 80's or 90's be the same as a size 52 now? 

I ask this because the top tube slopes down on my 2012 Trek and I have noticed that they seem to be straight on the older bikes. I would hate to order a 52 and have it too big for me. 

Thanks!
Mitchell 

A: I�m glad you asked before you bought something Mitchell, because, yes, the sizing is different. You need to compare the overall geometry chart of the vintage bikes to the geometry chart of your modern �compact frame� (which is what modern bikes with sloping top tubes are called).

The key dimension to look at is the center-to-center length of the top tube. This should be measured on a line parallel to the ground and from the center of the seat tube to the center of the head tube. 

Geometry charts on compact frame bicycles usually have an asterisk and words to the effect �relative" top-tube length, meaning they measured along an imaginary horizontal top tube, not along the sloping top tube that would give the wrong length (longer than actual). 

Click to zoom

In most cases, if you find a frame that has the same top-tube length as yours, the frame size should be pretty close to a good fit. Ideally, you would also find someone with that frame size on their vintage Trek and see if you fit it okay.

To find those classic Trek bike models and geometry charts, check the Vintage Trek Bikes website.

Have fun finding and fixing up that Trek from the past! 
Jim 
---------------------------------------------

DT spokes can take it

Q: Hello Jim... enjoy your website and your column at RoadBikeRider. I weigh 260 pounds and ride a Bridgestone RBT purchased in the early 90's for fitness and day rides. This year I have had to replace spokes and have the rear wheel trued on a regular basis. 

I am planning on replacing the rear wheel and I'm looking for advice on affordable and durable replacement wheels. Any advice you can provide is much appreciated. Hope to get on a trouble-free wheel soon!
Frank 

A: Thanks for the email and kind words, Frank. Yours is a common question, and the answer is pretty straight forward. What I recommend is finding a good old fashioned wheelbuilder, someone who's been doing it for awhile and stands behind their work with a guarantee - and who takes pride in their wheels, too. 

This wheelsmith will talk to you and find out where and how you ride and look at the wheel that's been failing. Then they'll design a replacement wheel that will hold up. 

If I was building the wheel for you, I'd choose a quality hub made by Shimano (no need for anything more expensive or complicated), DT Swiss stainless-steel spokes 14-gauge straight (not double-butted), and a nice rim, probably from Mavic or DT Swiss, though builders usually have their favorite brand since they are the ones standing behind their wheels. 

I would go with 36 spokes, crossed 3 times or even 4 times. A wheel like this is very strong, reliable and long-lasting. DT Swiss spokes (photo) are very tough and rarely break and a quality rim will provide the strength at the road. You may have to call a few shops to find the wheelbuilder. [Update-After this email exchange Frank let me know that he was having his wheel built at Earl's Cyclery and Fitness, a Vermont bike shop I'm familiar with, so he's in good hands.]

Wheelbuilding seems a bit of a dying art with so many companies selling ready-made wheels. But, a hand-built one will serve you much better and should roll for years with little to even no maintenance on the wheel other than keeping the bearings greased. The spokes should remain in tension and the wheel should remain true side-to-side and round, too. I have actually seen hand-built wheels by Spence Wolfe and dated 1958, that were still round, true and ready for many more miles.

Since I often receive feedback on this issue, I should explain, that for heavier riders and harder use, like touring with heavily loaded bags carried over the wheels, I recommend straight-gauge spokes instead of double-butted. The argument for DB spokes is that they stretch more than straight-gauge versions and this helps the wheel remain tightly tensioned.

The argument for straight-gauge spokes is that they contain more material so they are less stressed and less likely to fail/break. In my experience, that's been true, so to build the strongest wheels for demanding riders and bikes, I go with straight-gauge (it's easy to tension them sufficiently, too).

I hope this helps you get on a quality set of wheels, Frank. Let me know if you have any questions, 
Jim 
----------------------------------------

Jon's gorgeous 1989 Klein Quantum!

Q: Hello, Jim,
I found your website searching on changing bicycle tires but I have a question about freewheels - specifically about a Sachs Aris freewheel. 

I went to switch out my SunTour Winner Pro 7-speed freewheel today for a lightly used Sachs Aris LY93 freewheel that I purchased from a seller on eBay. When I reinstalled the wheel with the Sachs Aris mounted I noticed it was too wide and was binding - the chain was being pinched between the outermost cog and frame.

I took the freewheel off and compared the two: both are 7-speed with the Sachs Aris being very slightly wider (in depth) than the Winner Pro. The main difference I see is that the outermost cog on the Winner has a lip that allows for chain clearance while the Aris does not. 

For reference, my bike has 126mm rear dropout spacing. I wrote to the seller and he said that all 7-speed freewheels are designed for a 126mm dropout spacing and that often mechanics would add a 1mm or 2mm spacer to allow for the chain clearance on Sachs freewheels. 

While this may be true, it seems odd to me in part because I have an aluminum frame (1989 Klein Quantum-see pic) and I don't want to tweak it. By adding a spacer the Sachs freewheel will definitely be wider than the SunTour. 

Have you encountered this before, Jim? The Aris is nice looking and nicely made but I didn't think to ask whether some freewheels are designed for 126mm spacing and some for 130mm. Or - if there is a Japanese versus French manufacturing tolerance where the SunTour Winner Pros are slightly less in width. If of help I believe the Sachs I have was manufactured in 1994 - which may be around the time that the bike industry switched to 130mm dropout spacing. Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated!
Jon 

A:  Yes, Jon, what the eBayer told you is essentially true, in that, if you switch freewheel brands, you can end up with different spacing, and then you have to fix it by adding a spacer beneath the locknut on the axle to get the clearance you need. It's usually a 1mm washer/spacer and 1mm isn't enough to harm your frame. 

It can make the rear wheel slightly harder to get in/out of the frame, but that really depends on the spacing of the rear dropouts. Often there's a little extra clearance. Frames aren't always exactly 126 or 127. Sometimes they're wider and they close when you tighten the wheel. If yours is exactly 126, it's likely that if you add the washer you'll still be able to get the wheel in and out easily. (It it's less than 126, that'll make it harder to get the wheel in/out.)

SunTour actually used compact spacing to fit 7 cogs in 6-speed spacing. Sachs just went with 7-speed spacing. That�s why the Sachs is a tad wider. At the time, the SunTour spacing was considered �advanced� technology. It let you go to a 7-speed cassette on a 6-speed wheel.

On your frame, having the extra 1mm in there won't cause any serious stress. If it bothers you or you don't want to change the spacing of the wheel, you should probably sell that Sachs freewheel on eBay and look for one like you had before so you can use the same spacing. 

A bigger issue than the spacing is the rear wheel dishing. When you install the axle spacer, it pushes the rim to the left (the rear rim is centered over the axle, not over the hub due to the space on the hub that the freewheel takes up). So the wheel won't be centered perfectly until you redish it. This requires loosening the left side spokes and tightening the right side spokes. 

So, this is a truing/tensioning exercise that requires a little skill and also the wheel, spoke and nipples have to be in good shape or else you won't be able to redish the wheel. Overall, the easiest thing would probably be finding that Winner freewheel.

Jim
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It takes skill to touch-up chips nicely

Q: Check out this photo of my carbon frame, Jim. I'm wondering how to repair the chips on the paint? Would using nail polish help? Do I need to sand it down? I read that some people use epoxy. How should I go about doing this repair?

Thanks!
Daniel

A:  Carbon is super tough stuff, Daniel, so you don�t even need to do anything if you don�t want to. It�s just paint chipping off. It has nothing to do with the frame�s strength or ride. If all the paint chipped off, it wouldn�t matter. That�s another way to think of it. 

If you had a steel frame you would have to worry about rust and you would want to paint it and get any rust off first. But, with carbon, paint is just a decoration. It adds no strength/structure, just fashion, really. Well it does add another layer on top of the carbon but not a very tough one as you can tell from the chipping. 

But, if the chips bother you in terms of how they look (and they would me, too), then you will want to find some paint in the same color and touch them up. Touching up paint is an art and it�s not easy to do it and have it come out invisible and looking perfect. Most of the time it looks like you touched up the paint, but if you get a good color match it will at least be the same color and that usually makes the bike look a little nicer. 

Typically, to touch up paint chips on any frame � even carbon � you would sand and clean the chipped area. The sanding knocks down the edges to help prevent further chipping along those edges and to help transition the new paint into the old. Use a very fine sandpaper or cloth, like 600 grit you can work with wet.

With carbon you don�t want to harm the carbon so you would sand lightly and carefully, trying to smooth the paint, not the carbon. Once the edges around the chip are smooth, clean the area with isopropyl ("rubbing") alcohol, which will remove any dirt, oil, grease, dust and dry quickly.

Nail polish is actually a good thing to use for touch-up paint since it comes in so many colors. You can usually find a good match and the containers often have the brush in the top and seal nicely so there�s no cleaning to worry about. You�ll want to test the paint in a hidden area on the frame to see how it looks and to ensure it�s compatible with the paint you have now.

Clear nail polish works to fix chips on carbon frames that are painted with a clear coat, but that's not your frame. But, if your frame has a clear coat over the frame, you may want to add clear over your yellow touch-ups. That will help seal it and add the high gloss finish the clear coat put on the rest of your frame.

If you were okay with the expense, another approach would be to have the frame repainted so that it was 100% perfect-looking. But even that paint would have a chance of chipping so it might not look perfect for a long enough time to make the cost worth it to you. I would give touching it up a try first and see how you like it,

Jim

PS: My friend Robert Studdiford at TwoFish painted an entire frame with nail polish, one little dot at a time, hour after hour, day after day - it became an obsession, until he ended up with his Revlon Dream:

Robert's remarkable Revlon Dream paint job

Until next time, 

Jim Langley