First MM [Pedal] Bike Build: Shimano Fondriest

[Ginger]

Now that the sun's down and it's raining, it's time to get started:

Step One - don't let your frame rust. Apply frame saver. Sure, it's $15 a can, but it'll save the cost of a new frame later and the hassle of hanging your running gear from it.



This is boring. I didn't take any pictures.

Step Two - pick out your bottom bracket:



I bought a stash of parts off a nice guy that built up fancy Italian bike, then crashed it. He said something about writing a fat check for a new bike instead of fixing the old one. Most of the componentry was still good, but incompatible with his new bike's 10 cog setup... his loss, my gain. I picked up everything that was still good, a few things that were marginally good, and a bad part or two, for a song. Among them - two italian threaded Dura-Ace bottom brackets with 109.5mm spindles for double front chainring setups. Perfect.

Except that Dura-Ace bottom brackets, unlike their heavier Ultegra cousins of the era, were not sealed and required adjustment.



Weight penalty worth the adjustment? Maybe... but then there's this:



Dura-Ace BB 1 - screwed up lockrings. Damn.



Dura-Ace BB 2 - screwed up cup threads. Damn two.

Into the spares bin they go. I can make one working part out of the two in a pinch, but it's not my first choice.

That's alright, though, saves me the trouble. I picked up an Ultegra bottom bracket on eBay that only has a couple hundred miles on it and a brand new left cup.



Pretty? Yeah, whatever, it's a part.



Hooray! No bearings in sight!

On it goes!

Pick out your favorite grease. I bought this shit at the bike shop for more money than I'm willing to admit. Sure makes me feel good inside, though.



Next, apply your grease to the bottom bracket threads.



Bottom brackets take some serious abuse... don't be afraid to put a liberal amount on.

Next, thread it into the frame with your special bottom bracket tool (that you probably paid too much for... I bought mine years ago, though, so I'm guilt free).



Next, the non-drive side cup.



Turn, turn, turn. If you're building a frame, take note of the bottom bracket shell width. If it's 68mm and English threaded, one side of the bottom bracket threads may be reversed. I don't remember which, do your research. 70mm, Italian thread shells are the standard righty tighty on both sides.



Torque it up:



Shimano lets you play with the torque specs a lot... like, a 20 newton meter spread. I'm a bit on the loose side... but I forget what I used already. Play nice with your wrenches - stripping the threads in your bottom bracket shell is not something you want to think about 'fixing.''

Sit down, look at your handy work.