# Bee Jay Day



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

My long awaited Bob Jackson World Tour frame arrived today. Fed Ex left a note on my door about a package, which I assumed was some new fenders I had ordered. I checked my order and realized the fenders were shipped UPS, so I figured it had to be the Bee Jay. Rushed over to the Fed Ex store, and they had my frame. (No customs charges, BTW.)

I ordered the frame on 12/13/08, so it took almost exactly two months to arrive. The frame is beautiful, IMHO, although you might not agree if you don't like Carolina Blue. There is one apparent glitch, however, that I need to straighten out with Bob Jackson. The head tube is about 5/8" shorter than they told me it would be, which was a critical dimension for me since I run my handlebars level with my saddle height. I think I can make it fit because I have a 2 cm Serotta headtube extender that I've been saving for an occasion such as this, but bothersome nonetheless because I exchanged numerous emails with them about sizing before placing my order. All of the other dimensions are correct, as they told me.

Here are a few photos of the bare frame and fork:


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Very sweet and an amazingly fast turnaround...I can't wait to see it built


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Darn nice looking, love the outlined lugs.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Beauty!


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

It looks great! Interresting way of installing lowrider mounts.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

The frame has mounts and braze-ons for everything, including:
- 3 water bottle cages
- cantilever brakes
- front and rear racks
- double eyelets for fenders front and rear
- fender mounts on brake bridge and chain stay bridge
- cable guides on head tube and behind seat tube

I doubt if I will use all of the mounts, but it's nice to have them in case I ever decide to do some loaded touring. Who knows, perhaps I'll actually ride across the US one day!


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Cable guides on the head tube? Is that what`s sticking out on either side about an inch above the crown? If so, how do they work?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*cable guides*

Yes, the cable guides are near the bottom of the head tube. You route your shifter cables through the guides and it prevents the cables from rubbing the paint off your head tube.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

Nice looking frame. GO HEELS!


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## singlecross (Nov 1, 2006)

That is a beauty! And yes, I love the Carolina Blue. Silver components please! Congrats on your new ride.

(BTW, not to steer things off topic but I was just in Providence, RI this past week and found a used, but very nice, Bob Jackson frame/fork built with Reynolds 753 on consignment at a local shop for $500. It was a 56cm/58cm and a very nice black/copper color with pinstriping. I lowballed with a $400 offer and was politely declined. PM me if anyone wants contact info.)

singlecross


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

I noticed all those mounts, and the only question I had was "What, no disc brake mounts?". Looks like it would make an awfully nice touring bike. Very versatile.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I didn't want disc brakes, but Bob Jackson probably could make one with mounts if you ordered a custom frame. The frame will certainly have silver components, nothing black if I can help it.

BTW, they got back to me about the head tube length and the short answer was that they just gave me the wrong dimensions when I was communicating before ordering. The head tube is 2 cm shorter than they told me it would be. Coincidentally, I have a 2 cm Serotta Heads-Up head tube extender that's been sitting in my tool box waiting for a project, so I can make do. The extender is dull silver, almost the exact same color as the lug linings, so it should look fine. However, it means that I will have to use more spacers in the headset, which I was trying to avoid.

One other curiosity is that the fork is drilled in the back but not the front. I plan to use Nitto front rack that attaches through the hole in the fork crown, so I guess my mechanic will have to drill one. Not a big deal, but odd that they would drill the back of the fork but not the front.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

why do you need more spacers if the heads-up or whatever it's called will take up the 2cm difference? also, it's pos that they didn't drill anything and the fork crown just came that way, with a hole on one side


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

Very nice frame. The shade of blue is very nice indeed. Does it have a threaded fender mount screw on back of the fork? Can't quite tell from the pic. Nice touch.

Please describe the build your going to do. If it were me, I'd go with a white saddle, bar tape and some silver Campagnolo parts.

brewster


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*details*



brewster said:


> Very nice frame. The shade of blue is very nice indeed. Does it have a threaded fender mount screw on back of the fork? Can't quite tell from the pic.
> 
> Please describe the build your going to do. If it were me, I'd go with a white saddle, bar tape and some silver Campagnolo parts.


-- There are fender mount screws on the back of the fork as well as the rear brake and chain stay bridges.

-- I can't do the white saddle bar-tape look as this is my commuter bike and I'm also too much of a slob. White saddle and tape would soon be smeared with grease and grime. I plan to start out with a black saddle and bar tape, but might eventually switch to a Brooks honey saddle and leather or natural cork tape. 

-- I'm using all silver components, a mixture of Shimano and Campy. Horrors! Most of the components are Ultegra/Dura-Ace, but I bought a Centaur crank because it is silver and all of the Shimano ones are gray and black these days. Here are the parts I've assembled:

Centaur compact crank, 34 x 50
Shimano 600 brake levers
Shimano canti 550 brakes
Chris King silver headset
Nitto Deluxe stem
Ultegra/DA derailleurs
DA bar-end shifters
Thomson silver seatpost
Mavic Open silver rims with Ultegra hubs
REI Stainless steel bottle cages
Fizik saddle black
Planet Bike Cascadia silver fenders
Nitto front rack silver
Blackburn rear rack silver (if it fits)
Carradice Barley seatbag

Eventually I plan to get another Mavic rear wheel with 36 spokes. My existing OPs are 32-spoke and haven't given me any trouble, but I'd like 36 in the rear for extra assurance.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

That is one gorgeous frame. Love the blue, and that silver lug lining is amazingly subtle- a nice change from what you usually see. Can't wait to see it built.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I initially didn't plan to have the lugs lined. They do it at no extra cost, but it's optional. Then I saw some photos of another BJ which had very subtle linings, and I liked the look. Besides, a British bike almost has to have lug linings.

I picked the color because I've always wanted a light blue bike. Don't know why. Maybe because I work in the air quality field, and it reminds me of clear blue sky. However, I am gonna catch hell at work because almost everyone here went to NC State (red & black school colors) and they hate the Tarheels and Carolina Blue with a passion. Ironically, I went to the University of Georgia, which has red & black school colors, but my daughter goes to UNC.


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

Very nice tarwheel2. Looking forward to seeing it built up.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

3 days old now... where are the build pics?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*build*



 FatTireFred said:


> 3 days old now... where are the build pics?


I dropped it off with my mechanic on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully it will be built by next weekend. I will still have to install fenders and racks, but I might hold off on the fenders a while. Not sure if I want to get my new bike all dirty riding in the rain! Meanwhile I'm enjoying riding my Merckx Corsa to work. It hasn't been getting enough miles over the past year and was feeling neglected.


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## carter1 (Aug 5, 2004)

Who is your mechanic tarwheel2? Just curious, I live in Apex.
c


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

tarwheel2 said:


> I dropped it off with my mechanic on Saturday afternoon. Hopefully it will be built by next weekend. I will still have to install fenders and racks, but I might hold off on the fenders a while. Not sure if I want to get my new bike all dirty riding in the rain! Meanwhile I'm enjoying riding my Merckx Corsa to work. It hasn't been getting enough miles over the past year and was feeling neglected.




oh, you rely on someone else... the waiting would drive me nuts


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

If you were my neighbor, I would have begged you to let me do the build. Beautiful frame.


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## Kolossal (Feb 12, 2007)

Awesome frame, congrats! Can't wait to see the complete machine!


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

Beautiful frame and color. You will have a lovely bike!


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Got my Bob Jackson back from the shop last night and stayed up late getting all the adjustments right and installing a computer. The roads were very wet this morning from storms overnight, and I didn't want to get the new bike all dirty, so I rode another bike to work. Got home in time this afternoon to ride the BJ about 8 miles through the neighborhood.

A few initial observations:
-The bike is surprisingly light for a tourer. The frame and fork weighed about 6 lbs with an uncut steerer and all sorts of bolts attached for the fittings. Built up, it weighed about 21 lbs with pedals but not including the racks. That is much lighter than I expected.
- Not sure if I made the right choice installing the Serotta head-tube extender. It shows up more than I expected, and I could have achieved the right fit with about 2 cm of spacers instead. I might still go that route.
- The front rack is kind of cool, but it seems to make the front end look kind of busy. I'll probably remove it for now and reinstall as needed. It is very easy to put on and take off.
- I plan to install fenders and will probably do that this weekend. I've got some Planet Bike silver Cascadias to put on it.
- The frame felt surprisingly stiff riding it around the neighborhood, probably because it was unloaded. I didn't really ride it long enough, however, to get a real feel for its handling and ride. It also was very windy and cold, not ideal conditions for a ride.
- The bar-end shifters will take some getting used to for me. First time I have used them, and they initially seem harder to use than down-tube shifters. 

Here's one mediocre photo I took early this morning before heading to work.


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## carter1 (Aug 5, 2004)

very nice tarwheel2,
I hope to see you on the road with it one of these days.
c


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

That's a gorgeous bike. It'll be even more gorgeous when you get it dirty. 

As an outside observer, the serotta head tube thingy isn't noticeable at all and personally, I'd rather see that then an inch of spacers. 

You gots to get a bag for that front rack- that'll make it complete.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*front bag*



buck-50 said:


> You gots to get a bag for that front rack- that'll make it complete.


Yeah, a Little Loafer bag from Rivendell would be ideal. Just can't justify spending $90 on one right now.

More photos posted on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

tarwheel2 said:


> Yeah, a Little Loafer bag from Rivendell would be ideal. Just can't justify spending $90 on one right now.
> 
> More photos posted on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


Nah, you don't want a $90 bag, you need a $250 front bag. 

I'm jealous. I still have at least 6 months of waiting before I get my new frame.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Looking good! The headtube extender doesn`t look too bad. Kind of looks like a giant headset.


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## fastfullback (Feb 9, 2005)

Good-looking bike. Don't worry about the extender. And you might feel differently about that rack once you install fenders--I always consider racks and fenders a complete visual package.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*final Bob Jackson photos and ride report*

I took my Bob Jackson on its first long ride yesterday, 51 miles on a fairly hilly route, and that helped me make some final adjustments on the fit. It also convinced me to put some fatter tires on the bike, and luckily I had some Michelin Pro2Race 25s that fit the bill. They look nicer and should provide a cushier ride. I really like the Centaur compact crank and I'm glad I made the switch. The bar-end shifters are taking some getting used to, but riding for 3 hours helped in that regard. The bike shifted flawlessly, despite mixing Campy and Shimano components.

The weather was pretty lousy here today and I needed some rest, so I decided to install the fenders and swap tires. I was dreading the fender installation, but it was surprisingly easy and I finished the whole job in a couple of hours. Having a bike with plenty of clearance and all of the right fittings and mounts really helps. Plus the Planet Bike Cascadia fenders were pretty much ready to go, except for connecting to the rear brake bridge. The fenders were designed to connect to a bridge drilled for caliper brakes, except my bike had a connection on the bottom.

The bike as pictured is ready for commuting. It weighs 29 lbs with all this gear attached -- racks, headlight, taillight, computer, fenders, seat bag loaded with tools and lock. Without all the gear, it weighed about 21 lbs.


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## desurfer (Feb 13, 2006)

Have you considered ditching the headtube extender and spacers, and using a Nitto Technomic stem? They're pretty long, and could probably get you the height you need while keeping a clean look with minimal spacers. Great looking bike, regardless!

_Edit:_ Nevermind; looks like the Deluxe is already a long-quill stem.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

It turned out beautifully. Even the pump peg is nicely sculpted!

Now get a front bag for that thing!


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## gowencm (Mar 4, 2007)

rcnute said:


> Even the pump peg is nicely sculpted!


It's a British bike, so I believe it's called a "pump pip." :thumbsup: 

Seriously, that's a good looking bike. And I agree with fastfullback, the fenders really tie the room together, man.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I'll have to say, I am impressed with the Planet Bike fenders. They were easy to install and fit my frame great. They don't rattle. They look nice. They were inexpensive ($30 on eBay). Plus they have mudflaps that look like they will work as expected.

Unfortunately, I need to use either the head tube extender or spacers. If the head tube had been the length they told me it would be, I could have avoided both. I guess a Nitto Technomic would work without them, but then I would have a much longer quill. Regardless, it doesn't bother me now. I don't get worked up over high stems and spacers as I've never had a bike that didn't need them. And I'm too cheap to spend an extra $1,000 on a custom frame just to get an extended head tube.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*British Builders*

Nicely done and a fine looking machine. Too bad they didn't get the head tube extension right. I had a Corrado custom made in Liverpool and specified the BB drop. The completely ignore it even though it's in the drawings.

That said, they got the extension on the HT right. Same for my Roberts. Unfortunately, once it's built and painted, it's too late. Have you thought about painting the extender?






tarwheel2 said:


> I took my Bob Jackson on its first long ride yesterday, 51 miles on a fairly hilly route, and that helped me make some final adjustments on the fit. It also convinced me to put some fatter tires on the bike, and luckily I had some Michelin Pro2Race 25s that fit the bill. They look nicer and should provide a cushier ride. I really like the Centaur compact crank and I'm glad I made the switch. The bar-end shifters are taking some getting used to, but riding for 3 hours helped in that regard. The bike shifted flawlessly, despite mixing Campy and Shimano components.
> 
> The weather was pretty lousy here today and I needed some rest, so I decided to install the fenders and swap tires. I was dreading the fender installation, but it was surprisingly easy and I finished the whole job in a couple of hours. Having a bike with plenty of clearance and all of the right fittings and mounts really helps. Plus the Planet Bike Cascadia fenders were pretty much ready to go, except for connecting to the rear brake bridge. The fenders were designed to connect to a bridge drilled for caliper brakes, except my bike had a connection on the bottom.
> 
> The bike as pictured is ready for commuting. It weighs 29 lbs with all this gear attached -- racks, headlight, taillight, computer, fenders, seat bag loaded with tools and lock. Without all the gear, it weighed about 21 lbs.


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