The upgrading is done. Now it's time to just ride
I finished off my upgrades this weekend, tweaking the cable/housing setup, adding a much lighter FSA XC 115 stem (unbelievably light), a Cane Creek s-1 headset and a front Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4 tire (this thing is a true beast).
All in all, I'd say the project was a success. The bike is far lighter (dropped about 4 lbs), easy to maneuver, and it looks damn good as well IMO.
I also got a chance to use my new homemade 
tools. My homemade headset cup remover was a success. I used a 1" diameter piece of copper pipe. I made three, three-inch cuts into the pipe and flared the pipe at the cut end. I then took a skewer nut cap and placed it tapered side down into the pipe at the end of the cut section. This reinforced the flared pieces of the pipe. I secured the nut with some electrical tape, which I also placed over the ends of the sharp, flared pieces of the pipe so as to cut down on potential damage to my headset. When it was time to pound out the cups, I took a v-brake pad complete with attached screw and placed the screw end inside the other side of the pipe and 
hit the brake pad with a hammer. The cups popped right out. The piece of pipe cost me about $3.
tools. My homemade headset cup remover was a success. I used a 1" diameter piece of copper pipe. I made three, three-inch cuts into the pipe and flared the pipe at the cut end. I then took a skewer nut cap and placed it tapered side down into the pipe at the end of the cut section. This reinforced the flared pieces of the pipe. I secured the nut with some electrical tape, which I also placed over the ends of the sharp, flared pieces of the pipe so as to cut down on potential damage to my headset. When it was time to pound out the cups, I took a v-brake pad complete with attached screw and placed the screw end inside the other side of the pipe and 
hit the brake pad with a hammer. The cups popped right out. The piece of pipe cost me about $3.I also used my new homemade bottom race installer. It is a 1 1/4 inch diameter piece of pvc pipe 
about two feet long with a pvc end cap. I dropped the bottom race onto my fork steerer until it could not go any more. I then slid the pipe over the steerer, hit the capped end about six times solidly with my hammer, and voila, the bottom race was fully installed. Cost of the bottom race installer, about $2.50.
about two feet long with a pvc end cap. I dropped the bottom race onto my fork steerer until it could not go any more. I then slid the pipe over the steerer, hit the capped end about six times solidly with my hammer, and voila, the bottom race was fully installed. Cost of the bottom race installer, about $2.50.The last homemade piece of equipment did not fare so well though. I also made a homemade headset press. While it was up to 
spec, I simply could not get the headset cups to sit straight upon pressing them in. I used a version with a 3/8 inch rod and a larger version with a 3/4 inch rod. I used plumbing female adapters, large washers, greased the cups etc etc. You name it, I tried it. After about 30 failed attempts, I ran it across the street to the lbs and five minutes later it was installed. I will come back to this piece this fall when I have more time and patience to make it work. Total cost $15 with all of the parts. The first version was made with about $10 of parts. Not bad at all!
spec, I simply could not get the headset cups to sit straight upon pressing them in. I used a version with a 3/8 inch rod and a larger version with a 3/4 inch rod. I used plumbing female adapters, large washers, greased the cups etc etc. You name it, I tried it. After about 30 failed attempts, I ran it across the street to the lbs and five minutes later it was installed. I will come back to this piece this fall when I have more time and patience to make it work. Total cost $15 with all of the parts. The first version was made with about $10 of parts. Not bad at all!
Ok, I'm going to ride my new upgraded bike a lot this week. Peace!
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