First MM [Pedal] Bike Build: Shimano Fondriest

[Ginger]

Well, with a couple new riding partners, I've started to enjoy cycling again. I picked up a very lightly used Stumpjumper (non disc, thank you very much) in the late spring, and had a great time with it. We've hit all the local trails, conquered Shockabilly hill, and managed to meet at least once a week to train on the Reston Difficult Run loop. I'm not all that much of a technical rider, though, and my history is in road bikes.

... but my old road bike, a cobbled together Serotta Atlanta frame that's one size too big and on par with a boat anchor on the scale, isn't quite making the cut any more. It's heavy, the tubeset's too flexy for today's narrow-margin shifters, and not quite flashy enough for the road crowd.

So, I picked up a "late model" Fondriest MegaChrome frame off eBay for a song and decided to make a go of it. Late model's in quotations because everybody's doing monocoque carbon now... but it wasn't so long ago that you could *actually* buy a frame made out of something that had to be mined.

I'm trying to do it for reasonably cheap, so I'm using 9 cog Dura-Ace components since they can be had for, well, super cheap. I'll be building up it up with the most reasonably light weight and cost effective parts I can. That means a lot of chainlove.com, Craig's List, etc. On with the pictures:

The old Serotta:









Lot of hard miles on these pedals



Probably the nicest part on the whole bike:



... and on to the new stuff:



9 Cog Dura-Ace (lighter than the new 10 cog Ultegra!)



Prologo Choice Pro Ti Saddle (I may swap it out for a Selle Italia SLR that's 90 grams lighter)



Ultegra front braze on deraileur, Dura-Ace Rear



There's a 185 gram Easton EC90 Equipe Pro bend bar on the way, some fresh Vittoria tires, and I'll be getting a Thompson Masterpiece seatpost. I haven't picked a stem, wheelset, or fork yet.