[jay_ntwr]

Guys, thanks to you all. Seriously. I don't think words really show how sincere I am with that thanks. You've all been a great help and been very motivational to me in the sense that I've felt obligated to keep moving forward to get an update to everyone that's been along for the ride. The ideas, the challenges on my own ideas, discussion, etc. have really been fun and I think made this thing turn out as nicely as it did.

With that, I know that each of you remember riding your first frame and understand what I'm about to say. This is the nicest bike I've ever ridden! And I haven't even really gotten to ride it yet. I'm hooked.

I left my camera at work last night so I didn't get pictures of the cleanup filing on the braces and hose guides, but anyone confused on how to do that after getting to this step has bigger problems.

I decided to put the Vassago fork on it for now in order to isolate just the frame. So this is exactly the same bike I was on before, just with a different frame. It feels great in the front yard at least. The minute I rode it back into the garage, the rain started coming down even harder. Here in DFW, rain makes the trails unrideable until they completely dry out and with more rain in the forecast, it could be a while before I get to test this on dirt.

Here are some pictures:

Obviously, it's going to need some sort of treatment--I'm sure you guys remember how much I dislike raw finished frames--but for now it's just going to get ridden. I exactly knew how I wanted to finish it but now I really just want to ride it and don't have time to wait on powder. I'll get that done at some point, probably after #2 is done and ready to ride--or maybe never. I don't know, but it's getting ridden for a while--that's all I know for sure at the moment as I've worked too hard and waited to long to worry about that.

I'll be posting ride reports under the WWTP headings and keep you all in the loop. And I'll still be on this forum because #1 is just the start--more to come on that soon enough.

Thanks again to everyone that's shared a tip, a thought, challenged me, given even the slightest comment that they're enjoying the show, that's talked to me on the phone, in real life, via email, ZipZit (yeah, you're singled out here just because of your stoke), and Walt for coming up with the idea. Seems like this all got kicked off right around this same time last year and here it is all done now. What a gas!

Later,
Jay

 

[swift]

Yeah boyeee!

I dare Lance Armstrong to pull up beside me when I'm riding a frame I built. OK, it's not realistic that I'd beat him, but the folks who build their own know I'm getting at.

Enjoy!!!

 

[Jamenstall]

Congratulations Jay

I've enjoyed following you along in the process. Enjoy the ride.

Larry

 

[pvd]

Nice. The hard work paid off!

 

[Vlad]

This makes me want to build my own.

 

[themanmonkey]

Now stop posting and go ride.

Oh, BTW nice job.

 

[Walt]

Great job!

I'm sure it will be the first of many! There's nothing like riding a bike you built yourself for the first time!

-Walt

 

[Clockwork Bikes]

Are you painting it yourself too?

-Joel

 

[jay_ntwr]

Are you painting it yourself too?

-Joel

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the process.

Joel,

Dunno yet. I kind of swore off doing that ever again when I did my girlfriend's (Allison, hence the Alli Elite instead of Allez Elite) frame a few years ago:

And the silver leafed logos didn't turn out like I wanted them to but they look ok.

 

[thrash]

Excellent Series of Posts!

Jay_nwtr -- Great Job! I'd like to thank you for your posts and documentation of the process. I have also been building my first frame during the time you have been building yours, and I've found many of your posts and the responses from the experienced builders on this forum very valuable indeed. The level of detail in your documentation has been great, and I just thought you should know that I've appreciated it.

Here is the bike I've built over the last year:

And some detail of the paint:

Thanks again for your work and for sharing it.
I hope you enjoy riding yours as much as I've enjoyed mine.

--thrash

 

[MMcG]

Congratulations!!! Nice work!

 

[jay_ntwr]

Jay_nwtr -- Great Job! I'd like to thank you for your posts and documentation of the process. I have also been building my first frame during the time you have been building yours, and I've found many of your posts and the responses from the experienced builders on this forum very valuable indeed. The level of detail in your documentation has been great, and I just thought you should know that I've appreciated it.

Thanks again for your work and for sharing it.
I hope you enjoy riding yours as much as I've enjoyed mine.

--thrash

That's great to hear. I've really enjoyed all of those type stories from the past year.

Nice looking sled too. I can't wait to ride mine. 3rd day in a row of rain for us, I may never get to ride it.

 

[peanutbutter]

nice work! thanks for the time and effort you put into making your updates. it was nice to watch your project progress and the info that this chain of posts contains will be super helpful for new builders. looks good, now go get it dirty!

 

[Bikin' Bric]

Nice work!!!! Looks great

 

[zipzit]

Jay,

Bike looks great. Nice work. I really like what you've done with the cable routing. Yow, again, bike looks great. Heck yeah you should paint it... but we just wanna know what color scheme.

So a few questions:
--How many hours did you spend thinking about / playing with the design?
--How many hours do you think you have in the actual construction of the frame?
--Advice to others about to take the plunge and build their first?

And Jay, thank you from all of us non-professional wanna-bees for the detailed analysis, photos and write up. I learned a heck of a lot from you during this project. Great Job! thx,

--zip

 

[thrash]

That's great to hear. I've really enjoyed all of those type stories from the past year.

Nice looking sled too. I can't wait to ride mine. 3rd day in a row of rain for us, I may never get to ride it.

I hope you get take it out on dirt soon, that first trail ride on a frame you built is incredible. :thumbsup: As many others have said, there is nothing else quite like it. With luck the weather gods will smile on you and that rain will dry up quickly.

 

[jay_ntwr]

Jay,

Bike looks great. Nice work. I really like what you've done with the cable routing. Yow, again, bike looks great. Heck yeah you should paint it... but we just wanna know what color scheme.

So a few questions:
--How many hours did you spend thinking about / playing with the design?
--How many hours do you think you have in the actual construction of the frame?
--Advice to others about to take the plunge and build their first?

And Jay, thank you from all of us non-professional wanna-bees for the detailed analysis, photos and write up. I learned a heck of a lot from you during this project. Great Job! thx,

--zip

Zip,

Hours in design (keep in mind I made that jig for measuring the reference bike, did bike cad, did a solid model, did some FEA, etc:

60-80hrs

Hours to build, I have no idea. A safe assumption is 35 updates at about 4-6 hrs/update

Advise, start on WWTP001 and go forward until WWTP035. All my advice is in there I think. The only one that isn't is the one that everyone says over and over, you have to commit and get started. It took me almost a year but I did it.

Color scheme is still top secret and probably being saved for #2 'cause I have new access to a different welder that's way closer to me and makes nicer welds so I'm going to get started right away, maybe before I can even ride #1.

 

[Yogii]

I second the nice cable routing!

 

[Citizen Kane]

Very very nice. That certainly deserves an "I'm better than you" badge

 

[rocwandrer]

I second the nice cable routing!

Yes. I'll go further than that. When I saw the work-in-progress posts here with the guide tubes, I thought to myself "Yuck.... that is going to look terrible!" Even before paint, the finished product shows that your vision was good, even if the first step didn't show it. How is this for a compliment? I may copy that