It gives me great pleasure to reveal to you my latest creation, "The Hulk." Unlike its namesake, it is not doomed to roam the face of the Earth alone for eternity. It has been resurrected and given the freedom to roam the streets instead. I may have mentioned before that building custom bikes is a hobby of mine. I don't think you can beat the feeling you get riding a bike that, rather than being built in a shop and sold from the showroom floor, you have taken the time to dream up what you want it to be and how you want it to look. The satisfaction of selecting each piece, assembling it, and watching it take form is almost Godly.
Every bike that I own, except for one, was pieced together as per my own specs. The difference between them and this one is that this is the first bike that was built only by me. I have been fortunate over the last few months to learn the necessary skills to assemble every component on a bicycle. I have gone over every part, overhauled every bearing, and even built my first wheelset. I got a little help with the wheels, but only my hands touched them. That's the way I wanted it.
I took the Hulk for it's shakedown run today and it was stellar! What a fun bike! It's exactly the kind of ride I was hoping to get out of it, one that cements a smile to your face that lasts long after you've swung your leg over. Awesome.
The "before" photo (not the actual bike).
The very first wheel I've ever built.
On the workstand while NOT working at the bike shop. Don't tell my boss!
Nitto Moustache handlebars. Nice.
Purple chain. Kinda like Purple Rain, but different.
The crown jewel, a Brooks B67 saddle.
Ta-da!Thank you, Wendy.
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