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That done, I trued the wheel with a little more patience this time, and got better results.
Built and trued the rear wheel over the weekend. If I don't succumb to the temptation to fuss a little with it, I should be moving on to things that look more like a bicycle, shortly.rod
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Brake levers, cables, and canti adjustment next.
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This Ebisu is definitely looking more bicycle-like. One of these first weeks, I anticipate getting to ride it, if only for diagnostic purposes.
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I replaced the Avid Shorties with Paul Touring Cantis. They don't use the notches on the canti tabs to anchor their springs, The installation was straight-forward and quick, with clear instructions.I used Paul Moon Units to carry the straddle cable; bought them on a whim (might have been the name), and was very pleased with them in practice.
The Touring Cantis paired well with the Dura Ace levers.
After trimming and capping the cables, I declared the Ebisu to be an actual bicycle, at least provisionally, and took it for a brief test ride, a dandy milestone. This suggested the next round of tinkering, and was a lot of fun to boot.
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Of course, I had to take the bike for a test ride, to shake down the latest changes. The raised bars felt good. Somerville Porch Fest was in progress. Fun!
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Fenders (Honjo) and a rear rack (Tubus Fly, probably) are coming, but the bike will be ridden for awhile without them.
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A pair of water bottle cages went on as well, and the bike was ready to get off the stand and on the road. I took it on a 10 mile shakedown cruise through Somerville, Cambridge, and Arlington. All the moving parts moved the way they should, and I was beguiled by the quick responsiveness of this bike. The Compass Stampede Pass Extralights gobbled up rough pavement and brick surfaces and asked for more. Quick sprints were no problem, and the bike went zipping up some climbs willingly. Different feeling from my Rawland Nordavinden, and it will take me some time to understand the nuances of that, but this is a very likable bike indeed.
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Meanwhile, I've been riding the Ebisu in a variety of conditions, and like what it's teaching me. Here are links to a couple of ride reports:
Bike to the Sea (urban pavement, gravel paths).
North Bridge loop (suburban pavement, dirt path).
I have received, from Jitensha, a set of Honjo fenders, along with (from another source) a Pletscher CS rack. I'll need to stop riding the bike for a bit, in order to install them. We're certainly getting enough rain here in Eastern Massachusetts to justify fenders, and, as usual, the rack justifies itself...
As hardware goes, it's nice looking; Mike Kone refers to it as "Campagnolo bling"... While I had the bike on the stand, I tightened up action on the rear brake (Paul Touring Canti), which didn't take more than fiddling with the rear Moon Unit (Paul again)... and lubed the derailleurs and chain, because it's a sin not to.
There's a more ambitious round of tinkering that this bike is due for: rebuild the cockpit, re-wrap the bars, and install Honjos and a rear rack. That'll have to wait, though, I want to go ride this thing...
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