By Rick Schultz
Next items on the agenda are
- hook up the hydraulic lines to the brake levers
- bleed brakes
- center the rotors
- install Favero Assioma duo power meter pedals
https://cycling.favero.com/assioma - wrap handlebars
- pump up tires
- RIDE!
Brake Lines: I ran the brake lines from the calipers to the handlebars. Since one needs special tools (funnel, hydraulic hose cutter, brake bleed kit, brake fluid, etc.), this things would be a lot more expensive to purchase than just taking the bike to a local bike shop, especially one that owes me a favor 😊.
Due to health safety precautions, I had to wait outside the bike shop. After waiting about 15 minutes, they rolled the bike back out to me, everything hooked up. This takes care of #1, #2 above.
To center the calipers, just loosen the caliper mounting bolts, squeeze the brake lever and retighten.
Next, the pedals. Easy install, but make sure you don’t (a) cross-thread the pedal axle bolt or (b) turn the wrong way. Remember, one side is reverse threaded.
Last item, handlebar tape. I have 4 choices:
- Yellow/Black
- Black/Black
- White/Black
- Blue/Black
So, which color combination would look best?
Conclusions, Observations, Lessons Learned
- If you are going to build a bike and you are not a professional mechanic, or you don’t work at a bike shop or you don’t have ready access to lots of (Shimano) parts, don’t build a disc-brake bike.
There are so many bolt length issues based on which disc-brakes you choose, frame design, tube thicknesses, etc. that you need 4 of each length bolts. A rim brake bike is much easier to put together. - Also, unless you are versed in running, hooking-up and bleeding hydraulic lines, have a real mechanic do it for you. A non-hydraulic rim brake bike is much easier to put together.
- Hydraulic systems take much more work to put together, as well as maintain. For example, one manual says to include a 2.5mm aluminum washer on the rear caliper bolt and shows it in their diagram. Another installation manual supplied with the brakes does not mention them nor does it show them being installed.
My guess is that if you called Shimano tech support, and talked with 6 technicians, 3 would say you need them the other 3 would say you don’t. So, which is it? - I was lucky to already have many of the parts needed, bars, saddle, seat post, wheels, dura-ace rotors, crankset, pedals which saved a ton of money. Be prepared for sticker-shock if you want to put together a higher-end disc bike.
But, all-in-all, I think it came out and looks pretty good! What do you think?
I’m not a professional mechanic and I had no problems building a Litespeed T2 with disc brakes. Trimming hydraulic hose is not difficult and if you’re gonna own a disc brake bike you should learn to bleed your brakes which can be messy and is not difficult.
Remember, the brakes are a critical safety item and can be the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. This is why I highly recommend anyone who is not 100% sure in installing and bleeding hydraulic brake lines to get a professional mechanic to do this part of the assembly. If you want to recommend to others to do it themselves and something happens to them … this is something I wouldn’t want on my conscience.
The title of this series is: ‘Building My Litespeed” but I keep seeing a Lynskey in the photos. What’s up with that? Big bold letters on the downtube, and it’s clearly a Helix frame. Sure, there is a shared heritage – the Lynskey brithers began Litespeed and really founded the entire titanium bike industry. They are both fantastic Titanium builders, both based in Chattanoga, but the Lynskeys sold the Litespeed business to AMG about 20 years ago and began their own workshop a few years later..
You didn’t mention mechanical disc brakes. I’m 12 years of use on 2 bikes, and love ’em. No hydraulic issues, and more predictable in all weather than rim brakes. Pads are easy to replace.
Nice bike and build. I purchased a Lynskey Gravel frame set and like you purchased all the parts and built it up myself. I knew that I wanted different bars, seat post and wheels and thought I’d customize it myself. There were some frustrating issues but those mainly involved getting the parts. I built mine up a couple years ago when hydraulic disc brakes were quickly becoming extremely popular. I tried to get the groupset at a time when Shimano was making design changes and apparently all their existing inventory was already reserved by bike companies and parts just weren’t available at a retail level. My frame was designed for flat mount calipers but all I could find was post mount, so I used those with adapters.
It was a very successful build and I learned a lot by building it myself. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that can walk you through everything including installing and bleeding the hydraulic brakes. Yes, I still got some air in the lines but I also resolved it. The only thing I used the bike shop for was to cut the steerer. It
Shoulda built it up with Campy….