Rattling around the hovel

Word on the street is that Monday, we at my place of employment will find out about site closures and possibly gain more insight into the probabilities of losing our jobs.  Possibly because of this, I find myself at loose ends this evening, rattling around by myself.  Fortunately, I have a new bike to play with.

Opportunities are limited, though.  All I have so far is the frame.  Not even a fork, nor a headset.  They're on order, but it'll be a few days.  I do, however, have a can of trusty Framesaver about.  I seized the opportunity to apply the first coat:

It's a very sparkly bike.  Metallic with a capital "M".  True Temper Platinum OX steel, one of the "new breed" of steel alloys that gains strength in the weld zone.  What that does in the heat-affected zone near the weld, as far as losing temper, I couldn't tell you.  I'm no metallurgist.  I figured with my fleet of 20 year old steel bikes, I owed it to myself to try out this modern steel.  An opportunity presented itself - steel frames in my size at below-retail price do not come along too often - and I pounced.  After a week or two of hemming and hawing, but pouncing nonetheless.  The sparkly paint is little too blingy for my tastes, but its growing on me.  It will look better with some parts on it, no doubt.  Right now there's nothing to distract you from the bling-tastic paint.

If I feel motivated, maybe I'll put up pictures of each build step.  We'll see how my motivation holds up.  I have a King headset in black sotto voce (i.e. discrete branding) and a Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork on order.  I was lucky to stumble upon an Ouzo Pro on eBay with the non-integrated crown, the only one I could find.  Pounced again, with only a two or three day delay for contemplation.  Kind of a slow-motion, very deliberate pounce, if you will.

Stay tuned.  I have a sneaking suspicion that I have too many bicycles.  Some may go up for sale at some point.  Maybe.