Hoogie-->>

[Istanbul_Tea]

The Nomad is looking great!!  Can you tell me... was it difficult building it up on your own?  How long have you been doing things like that and what were your experiences like when you first started tinkering with doing it yourself?

Thanks!![]

Also, I see from your latest pic that you took the plunge and cut the steerer tube down... difficult?  Nerve-racking(because of the finality of it?).

[hoogie]

Hey there,

thanks for your kind comments ...  []

no, it wasn't really that difficult ... I just took my time and thought about things ... My worst fear was cross-threading the BB.
I managed to do it all on my own except I had to take the frame into my LBS and borrow their BB tool, as mine wouldn't fit the octalink/splined BB ...
The frame did come with the headset cups already installed, and I did strip down anything that needed it for a good clean [eg crankset].

it really isn't that difficult ... I guess I get a handle on things because I like to be independant [wife calls it being stubborn], and I like being self sufficient on tour.
I have even made my own "hypercracker"/cassette removal tool for taking on tour ... works so good, I even use it at home.
http://www.marnies.co.nz/hypercracker.htm
Feel free to copy it, plagarise or make your own!

My dad works on the boarding side of the local boys high school, and he gets old bikes that the boys just leave behind when they leave school ... he gives them to me and I strip them down and build up 'new ones' with the good parts, that I give away to underprivileged kids ... it is good seeing the bikes used by someone that appreciates it ... [8D]
I also get to learn a lot from stripping and rebuilding these bikes ... all it costs me is some time, some bearings and grease and occasionally a cheap chain here and there ...

the best advice I can give is: feel the fear and do it anyway ...  [8D]

Actually, to be honest, it is amazing what you can do with a good image editing program ... I just coloured the top of the stem out to see what it would look like, but this is almost the finished height I think ... My LBS is going to lend me their stem cutter guide/tool.

How is your eXp coming on???

cheers,
hoogie

[Istanbul_Tea]

Thanks for the response!

My eXp is ready for the build but I've taken to rethinking some of the kit so Robin and me will be talking on Monday via the phone to finalize everything.