Dolan FXE commutenger

Weights.
56cm Matt Black FXE
Frame/dropout inserts 1871g
Fork uncut steerer 608g
Seat post 27.2x350mm 293g
Seatclamp 16g
Headset as supplied complete 83g

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real world worky time.
back at midnight :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwYJYl5GUQ

i like these kind of threads where the op just shouts in the ether out of sheer joy and enthusiasm.
bit like @saarf with this 'nago. brings a tear to my eye and reminds me that there are still good people in this 'ere rotten world... (ok hyperbole)
now get it built and ride it!

also the musical mood setting is very synchronic. wait, are @saarf and @853Superfly the same person?!

It's just refreshing for a new CP thread to be an actual build in progress, not an already complete bike, captioned ''this is what I gone and done, thoughts?'' or a 30-line-long paragraph detailing how the OP is thinking about maybe buying a bike one day...

re. the saddle - rad. USE IT!

Hmmmmmm.

Ok the frame alone retails for £119
The seat post is a slack fit. Tried 2 other posts, slack fit.
Tried all 3 posts in a 27.2 Surly steel frame and they slide in with slight effort.

The Alpina seat clamp tightens up on the post ok.
I have done a single non-overlapping wrap of insulation tape on the seat post to make it a proper snug fit.
Maybe i am expecting to much for a cheap frame, but the seat tube is closer to 27.3 than 27.2, or it's within the range of 27.2 but at far end of tolerance.
Still, a wrap of tape, not like i haven't done that in the past, needs must and all that.

Dry fitted headset with the FSA expander and a shit load of spacers, all seems good.
Tested all threads, all smalls are good, bottle cage and upper rack mounts are rivy-nut fittings.
Drive side BB thread bit tight, needs winding a cup in lubed.
Non drive side, managed to finger wind a dry BB cup in.
Looks like 2 of the 6 dropout insert bolts are rounded out.

Will compile some stats and cross link info onto the big Dolan thread later on.

Actual build is in no rush. I aim to piss about this week, i have a long weekend coming up and i will need a new BB as the one i have is 118mm and i think that will be way to far out on this frame.

Before the witching hour ends for the night owls out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmrIIWzyfUI

Too late for a dirty black summer, dirty stealth black winter is coming :)

postie has just been, no correct brakes yet, unless they are with a courier.....

Dry build up, monster spacer stack, slack chain.

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Note rear wheel slammed forwards.

At least half the spacer stack will go when i cut the steerer down.

Imagine black cranks and a black chainring, although if i go shopping on saturday it may have to be silver.

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Front tyre clearence on a Schwalbe 28mm Delta cruiser tyre.

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Same tyre, wheel slammed forwards, seatstay bridge.

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Chain stay/bb shell wheel slammed.

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Will try larger tyres later on.
Looking good for 28's with mudguards fitted.

Seatpost with tape wrap, this takes out the slack fit.

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Things went off track this morning.

Wound some lubed BB cups in, one side fine one side a bit tight.
Mocked up on drops and added bottle cages.

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Got home tonight and Ribble have got the right brakeset to me :)

Need to return the wrongly picked set in the morning. Good customer service there.

The difference between the 2 sets.
The 539 have a fancy retail box and cartridge pads and are 168g
The 359 are in a plastic bag and OEM with standard pads and are 178g

Other than flash packing and pads the 539 have a nicer cable adjuster and 10g lighter, taking into account the cost of upgrading to cartridge pads then the Scoblereccomended 539 are cracking value.

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The 539 (left) and 359 (right) together.

Pretty much the same thing with some minor differences, well worth the extra £4-5 to get the 539's

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Well once again we are well into the witching hour.

I think red risers, maybe red/black saddle (or leopard print) possibly the gloss black Dmr V12's with gold end caps for the build.

As if by magic some gentle heavy metal that colour cordinates with black red and gold, a soothing hypnotic several minutes with Camille and Kennerly for you late shift night owls.

(nice selection of metal from the duo in black and red)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhOhGhq0e54

Back to tinkering around again.
Put a 35mm cx tyre on an old wheel for a rough look at clearence.

Looks like a 35 will run in the rear, but fouls the caliper up front, the wheel has a narrow axle diameter so swapping (later on) to the 10mm axled track wheels might alter things a touch, but i reckon a 30mm cx tyre will function up front. Not as much space as a Steamroller fork.

Must lop off a big chunk of steerer tube next, might go and get a large pipe cutter for that, can trim the bars down too, then cable up the brakes.

not a solid idea.

what isnt a solid idea ?

if the tyre thing, thats just seeing what will fit over actual practical useage, or pipe cutter for steerer tube.

He's talking about the seatpost shimmed with electrical tape, and I strongly agree ;)

Coke can shim, or is a bit of slack normal on Alu frames ?
used to snug fit posts on steel frames, maybe comparing Reynolds 853 tube to a Dolan seat tube is unfair.
Have done worse in the past but that was racing and had no issues :)

A rolling test set up at last :)

Crudely weighed on bathroom scales at 9.5kg.
Heavy wheels/tyres/bars/uncut steerer and spacer stack/cheap steel SQT BB/steel chainring.
Still need to add rack and mudguards at some point.

Measured the old bikes reach and 30mm shorter on the Dolan, but i have dropped from a 80mm stem to a 50mm stem.
Had to knock off 2 chain links as well.
Should have a test ride in the morning, i expect to play around with stem/bars/seatpost.
Matt finish scuffs easily.

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Cleaned up the broken mudguard, cut down square to refit, it will do for now as i don't suffer with tailgaters/drafters.

Found the old rack mounts and with some heat twisting them to fit the Dolan, need new mounting holes and chopping down.
Could have done it cold, but less than ideal tooling so a bit of heat to make it easier.
Did find out that 4 of 5 chainring bolts had worked loose last night as i was playing with the chainset, must get some proper single ring bolts.

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