The last Dave (sort of, but not really)

I wasn’t going to give this one its own thread, but then I remembered my Bob Jackson build and thought it might have a nice degree of synchronicity.

Anyway, yesterday I drove up to the wilds of rural Lincolnshire and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in the company of frame building legend Dave Yates.

Dave has now retired from building. This frame - advertised on here- was the last (more or less) frame hanging up in his workshop.

There is another hanging up - also advertised on here and now sold - but that is unpainted, so in my book doesn’t count.

Anyway, currently on my kitchen counter:

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Lovely colour. Lovely frame. Any build plans?

ace! looking forward to seeing it built

Any build plans?

This is going to be my new winter bike.

I have just received a Shimano 105 groupset for a great price from Wiggle, and I will use an Ultegra wheelset I have lying around.

Bars, stem, seat post, saddle and bar tape will all most likely be black.

For a second I thought this was back up for sale and had a mild panic. I imagine you'll do the frame justice...

I am 'working from home' today, which is an excellent opportunity for me to make progress on this build.

I bought one of the cheap Shimano 105 groupsets from Wiggle, and spent much of this morning riding 'round London trying to find the correct Bottom Bracket tool.

Finally got home and started bolting bits to the frame. Didn't get very far - Wiggle have supplied me a groupset with no rear mech, and with only a left hand lever. I wanted to praise them so much, now I'm number 8 in the queue for an online chat!

Always nice to “work from home”. Did a bit of that this week myself.

Bummer about the groupset. Hopefully they’ll sort that for you promptly.

I love a Dave Yates. But you know that.

Just got my tandem back from the sticks.

So, best part on an hour on Wiggle on line 'Chat' (Stacey W, seems nice).

To demonstrate that I don't have a right hand lever and / or bottom bracket, Wiggle customer services require me to send them a photograph of the groupset minus the right hand lever and bottom bracket.

Apparently, this photograph will help the 'lads' in the warehouse determine what's missing.

I feel this might go round in circles for a while. Should be entertaining though.

Love an online chat with customer services.
Keep us updated please.

Oof beautiful frame and paint

Excited to see it built up

Nice frame and build plans, I like the fond of the decals a lot

Quick update.

Got an e-mail from Wiggle today. I have to return the (part) groupset. When they get it back they will issue a refund and I then have to order a new one.

I have already processed the return and have an e-mail acknowledging it has been collected by the carrier.

Obviously, there are many things that could potentially still go wrong.

I am tempted to order the replacement now rather than wait until Wiggle issue the refund, although I realise that that would be foolish.

Apparently the replacement groupset has arrived!

Quick update on this.

The replacement group set, and associated refund arrived reasonably quickly.

Whilst the group was very keenly priced, my initial impression is that it’s made from tinfoil and balsa wood.

Work, family and life commitments have conspired to make this build slower than I would like.

Managed to get a bit of shed-time in on Friday afternoon. Was progressing reasonably well (notwithstanding the unnecessarily complex cable routing for the front mech) only to be confounded when fitting the cassette to the rear hub.

Turns out Shimano 11 Speed Cassettes are incompatible with Shimano 19 speed wheel sets. Who knew?

Luckily, Planet X had a great deal on a pair of Fulcrum’s - £69.00. Better still, they arrived next day.

Amazing value - particularly as they came with both rim tape and skewers (allbeit, annoyingly, two rear skewers).

Anyway, just put some tyres on them. Will potter on with the build for a bit while the sun’s out.

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