The One Project

Well, I don't even know how to start this, but I was thinking about starting this kind of thread for quite a while now in respect that I would help myself clarify what I want/need...
And I also hope for Your contribution as well, because my head is boiling from bothering and confusing thoughts

So, some not long time ago while contemplating my mere dasein at work I was enlightened by a vision of my very own mind that I have rather too many bikes (here are some of them - some that are still present, some that are gone; there are few others that I haven't taken any pictures of'em yet:
http://www.lfgss.com/thread78569.html
http://www.lfgss.com/thread109773.html
http://www.lfgss.com/thread87755.html)
That would not be the problem - having more than one bike is really entertaining, all the switching between bikes that depend on your mood, a road beast for excellent sunny day and long meditating rides, a fixed for downtown ride, an all-round beater/cruiser for rainy/snowy weather etc etc...
But then I understood that none of them is really taken on the edge of their on nature - I won't ride my track bike in velodrome, because I don't have any interest in that, and nearest velodrome is 130km away from where I live, I won't take my road bike to the limits because I am not a dedicated athlete/sportsman/cyclist, and they have these "fancy" parts that make me feel unworthy, insufficient to use them; beater, you say? well, it is ugly and really slow, it is just a simple commuter of which I don' really mind and don't put many conscious effort in it and... well, it's beater, you know!

Then what this all hassle is all about?
In the end I realized that I want One bike, that very One which incorporates all aspects of my cycling needs (commuting, longer rides, beater duties and so on), the one that would be really reliable technically, but would also be liked by me; the one that is constant ever-changing of setup, and yet the same "One" [need some Matrix pic or smth]. But then again, few issues arise:

• First, is it a little bit of a "mission impossible" to actually make this "all in one" bike?
  
• Second, how I myself Imagine this One bike? We start idolising a bike too much and then we stop riding it (well, that;s my case). I don't want to be bind by it just because of it's name, logo, or how cool the parts look. I want to have this (paradoxically) independent, yet strong connection with it.
  I came up with an answer that this kind of project does not tie itself around one concrete bike with its parts - is always changing in terms of the idea itself, the replacement of parts and the type/style of bike until you come up to that One, with which you are comfortable and pleased.
  
  

Phew.

So these thoughts were attacking me for half of a night at work (funny, isn't it?), and I realised I need to take some measures to make myself calm and to fulfil this obsession.

The plans are not to materially frame myself onto some specific type of bike (road, fixed or cx or whatever), but rather just experiment with what I have at home, to assemble a bike without worrying that this or that part or component is too good/porn-worthy or bad to be ridden - just to do what the intuition says is best to do and to build something to surprise myself by overcoming myself (sorry for such difficult expressions).

So I hope that maybe (maybe..) this idea of buillding that One would be interesting for at least some of you and this thread will and obligate me to do some stuff and, in the end (if there is an end for such things) to come as close to this One bike idea that I like. This thread will be updated time-to-time with my plans and pics of builds.

Now some down-to-earth things - at present moment I got these things that I want to do this experiment with:

• some Nico branded, Columbus SL-tubed bike, which came with mostly full DA 7400 group (hubs, mechs, shifters, crankset; brakes are some other Shimanos and levers are 600 internal routed). The rear triangle and fork are chromed, but chrome needs some refreshing touch and I also thought about repainting it if I stick with it.
  
• old Shimano 600 groupset
  
• Supersphere 1450g road wheelset
  
• few risers, drops, stems (don't remember the brands and don't care)
  
• a fixed wheelset to assemble: brown MA40's and Russian XB3 track hubset (nothing special here, but should be pleasing aesthetically)
  
• spare set of Deltas which I convinced myself to use without worrying about how too beautiful they are to be ridden
  
• few set of cranksets (two 7700, one starfish, some other..)
  
• plenty of other stuff (a bunch of tyres on the closet, rims behind the table, hubs, saddles, derailleus, pedals in a box, you mention - I got it... Really A LOT to play with).
  
• my beater all-round bike
  
• old pinarello TT and road frames with their own parts
  -probably something else
  
  

I should probably make some pics later

'Later' has come and passed, and I am still struggling to make 'one for all' bike.
I picked the SL-tubed Nico frame, mentioned above, but there were few problems about it:

• bent fork: solved - I bought a 'new' one, very similar, and the steerer was used for enlarging a 650c TT fork for another bike.
  
• chrome rust: solved - almost without any intentions I just sprayed wd40 on the rear triangle and then sanded with very thin paper - 95 percent of rust appeared to be only superficial and the rear triangle is shiny again.
  
• stuck seatpost: solved (phew..), but took some time and effort. Stuck 18 cm below insertion hole, it was literally a pain in the ass. Basically all you can do is saw it out with thin metal blade. Takes ages, but works.
  
• Shamal 12HPW rim 36 hole conversion: in progress. I had a battered 12-hole Shamal clincher rim and decided to pair it with Russian XB3 track hub. I drilled 24 additional holes in it to make it a 36-hole rim. That's easy, but when lacing the rim, the nipples that are already connected with spokes get stuck on the mid section of the rim, so every next spoke gets harder to install. I still got 9 spokes to put in.
  The plans for now is to make a FG beater. We'll see what turns out
  

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The post

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Current state

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The 36-HPW (then - 12-HPW) Shamal XB3 pista hub before assembly :)

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Subbed. Interesting project!!

Subbed. I'm also chasing that 'one bike' ideal, good luck!