Shiny Happy Hub

A double post today! These White Industries hubs are so beautifully designed and crafted I just can't help but admire them.

 The White Industries H3 rear hub.

Assembly Update: Gettin' Fit

An hour here, a couple hours there. I have bits of time from day to day to gradually complete the Soma Smoothie. So I'm at the point of the build where I need to adjust the fit of the bike to know how much steerer tube to chop off. This is the second road bike I've ever owned. What it has in common with the first is a stock frame size of 56cm. I am a tall 5'9" just shy of 5'10"(l77cm). When I was 17 yrs. old and bought that first bike, a Centurion LeMans RS, I was about an inch shorter and probably barely tall enough for that frame. I figured this time around 56cm would be just right but as I adjust the bike to fit I wonder if 54cm is a preferable option. Although this is a trial and error process of learning what frame size fits best. It will take quite a bit of fine tuning to get all of the adjustments just so and that will require some miles on the road. By the time I have the fit dialed in I may find the size is just fine. A lesson learned going into any bike build is knowing certain details, dimensions and measurements that I need in a frame, and subsequently parts, that suit me and my body.

Traditionally I have fit my bikes simply by how the adjustments feel. This time I am trying to take a more clinical approach using tested and tried guidelines for fitting. To get the bike to a point of basic adjustment I followed a simple, logical method by Peter White of Peter White Cycles. From here I can make the necessary finite tweaks and turns. Perhaps even a professional fitting is in my future.