Mechanic Monday

Recently, I've been honing my skills on wheel building. With the help of my fellow mechanic, his greasy worn booklet and Sheldon Brown's (RIP) excellent article on building wheels, I've been doing all the recent builds for the shop.

Although I can build a wheel, make it straight and round, I'm far from an expert on it. At this point, I'm essentially following instructions, and learning what to feel while working thru the process. And a master whellbuilder has all that skill, and can feel their way thru building a wheel. Hell, Mr. Brown tuned his wheel's spokes to F#...

I think what draws me to wheel building the most, is the fact that it is probably the most relaxed work that you can do on a bike. You get out everything you need, set it up, prepare the spokes, sit down and start going.



It's always been one of my favorite parts of getting tattooed, watching the guys get all set up. There's such a method to it, and it always relaxes me to watch it all happen. So to have found something like that for myself, makes me happy. If you ever have a spare time and a rim/hub lying around, I highly recommend that you try out building a wheel using Mr. Brown's article.

That's pretty much all I've got this week. I know it's a departure from the past few MMs, but with the shop picking up, and me pretty much being a full-time mechanic now, my brain's been on cruise control.

Sidenote: Saturday's surgery was a success, the inner cage from my 105 rear derailleur bolted right onto the Dura Ace and now Clementine has a shiny new top-of-line appendage that cost me absolutely nothing. Now, does anyone want to buy the good ½ of a 105 rear derailleur?

Also got hooked up with this new toolbag today:


Me = happy to be throwing away my old toolbag.
Chrome = awesome.