Straggler rehash. Now with Merckx.

Likey to take a while. Welcome to day one. Plan is for sedate winter miles. Complete bike pic is as things currently stand. First Priority is rims, to avoid fiery death.

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I've missed out on a couple of big stragglers in the past so I'm living vicariously through this until then. Last one I pulled out of at the 11th hour as our toilet started pouring water through the ceiling below!

I bought the FS new as a moving in present to me, circa 8yrs ago. Two weeks later the boiler blew. Staggler/plumbing strife abounds!

Possibly and probably:

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strong moves.

unDisappointingBob

...or should that be unDisappointing, Bob? You catch my drift.

Kind words. May the undisappointing continue.

I sold my 64cm Straggler and then the roof started leaking

Never again!

Presumably when one buys a 66cm Soma, one's bathroom explodes.

Whoops...

Time to build a boat

Morbidly awaits GCN 'Can City and Guilds oik beat Etruscan engineer in gravel Everesting challenge?'

Great looking bike. For season that I can’t understand Campagnolo looks out of place. Which is weird because this is my favorite Record group.

Yeah, It was more fitting with a previous build. Pros for keeping are I spent a fortune on bearing pullers after a misleading ebay listing promised it had new bearings but neglected to mention they were jammed solid, leading to pro two, now with silky bearings! Also, they are on the bike. Cons: gearing isn't really in line with intended use. I've checked, and the don't say Middleburn on them anywhere, which seems like a missed opportunity. And they are already on the bike, so not such project. Mmm.

Bin wash. Hacks and bodges.

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Progress.

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Mmm. Not sure this is going in the right direction. These photos seem to suggest the Chorus were the snazzier.

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Important questions: Can black mudguards work with silver rims? Is it acceptable to swap out a Thomson post for FSA in the interest of aesthetic harmony? Will the misalignment of the Middleburn logos haunt my every waking thought ? Should the red triangle find it's way back to the bike it was intended for? Can anything rekindle my love of Glitter Dreams? Tough day at the bike stand.

Surly paint colours are so good. What is the new silver rim?

Longest I've had a bike without painting (and regretting) it. Got a hankering for pale yellow. May not happen. Rims are Halo white Line. I really wanted eyelets to protect from leg grunt. Had some on another bike for 10 years, while many rims have come and gone.

Thread now with added Merckx.

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Thought I recognized the rim, got them in 26" cracking rim.

Seem to avoid the hipster tax too, which is nice.

For the Merckx, never loved the red hubs and keep pinging rear spokes, opened a set of almost NOS 32h Record hubs and Chorus cassette, both a bit shop soiled but unused. TB14 in grey on the way. Then might get a black stem. Maybe.

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Cos I know you guys like a cat pic

Back to the Surly. I think we're doneish. We have been out. We got muddy. Except I didn't. Cos flaps.

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Excellent.

Very nice