Ok, so it’s been a MASSIVE ordeal to get this bike up and running. Here’s a basic sequence of events:

1. Andy gives me a frame that is the PERFECT size for me – after having ridden a bike I couldn’t stand over w/out being on tip-toes
2. I give the frame back to Andy months later to have it painted up in Centralia.
3. Painting is done (looks great!), but I don’t have room in the garage to work on it, so I make plans to go to Andy’s house for Labor Day (at least a month after the bike was done being painted)
4. Finally make it up there, his shop is crammed full of bikes, so we decide to work outside
5. Occasional rain, bleh
6. removing/replacing headset parts proves to be difficult
7. seat post is too big, have to find another from Andy’s parts
8. handlebar stem won’t go in all the way, unless it’s facing backwards
9. have to spread the front fork a little to get the wheel in
10. Crap! The rear is too narrow for the rear wheel too! Have to spread it
11. don’t have a tool to remove the bottom bracket
12. find bottom bracket among his cache of bikes/parts
13. bottom bracket won’t thread on! We finally get it to thread on hours later
14. bottom bracket is too narrow for the frame!
15. go home to newly cleaned garage in defeat
16. drink beer, hang head in shame (ok, I made that part up)
17. purchase bottom bracket tool to remove BB from old frame
18. installed BB on new frame, starting to come together
19. discover there are no eyelets to run the brake/shifter housing
20. missing a cable-stop for the brakes, lost it in Andy’s yard
21. no mounting hole for the rear derailer
22. found derailer hanger and suitable cable-stop, YAY!
23. find out the reach on the brakes is too short
24. Fashion drop-bolts from steel bar stock (drill press + hack saw + dremmel = much joy)
25. installed the rest of the parts except front derailer and take it for a test ride (1 am on Friday morning)
26. IT WORKS!!!!!!
27. Get up in the a.m. expecting to ride to work….FLAT TIRE! Doggone it!!! I pinched the tube when I was putting it in the rear tire.

Replaced with new tube on Saturday, rode it to work on Monday (today) huzzah! Victory! I just hope the problems are over.

Here she be…