build-a-bike, part 1

priority project before starting my urban planning program: learn how to build up a bike for commuting. marc, with his bike mechanics savviness, gathered together the parts and tools and had the patience to lead me through it.

what's wrong with this picture? it's missing lots of parts. not something you'd want to ride on (yet).

everything completely disassembled. everything from the headset to the crankset to fork and handlebars.

begin with the headset first. everything has to be greased up to prevent internal rusting.

once the headset bearings and spacers are nicely lubed up, you place them into the headset cups of the frame according to the combination that'll allow the headset to spin freely.

installing the brake levers onto the handlebars.

after sliding through the brake cables and housing, to attach the handlebars to the stem, always tighten the screws according to an alternating star pattern. doing so allows the top cap to apply even pressure onto the handlebars.


realizing that the front brake cable housing's too long. marc marked it up to cut it accordingly.