S & S Couplers

Today I drafted out Nick M's road frame and got all the tubing ready. I'm really excited about this build. Its my first frame with S & S couplers and I'm really excited to see how it turns out. Here are a few photos of the couplers and their set up.

Here is all the tubing and the couplers laid out. Yes the headtube is missing, it arrived late this evening. True Temper 44mm headtube stock is soooo sexy.

Here is a picture of the two couplers. 31.8 for the top tube and 38.1 for the downtube.

Here are the couplers assembled with the brazing nuts on them. You have to use different snap rings and different luck nuts during the brazing process. That way you don't overheat the stainless steel nuts that will be used after the frame is built.

Here I am measuring the butt section of the tube and where the coupler will be located. It is very important that the coupler is located in the thicker butt section of the tube. This ensures that the coupler strengthens the frame and not weaken it.

Thats all the pictures I have today. I won't be able to work on it much tomorrow because I have to help the local bike shop do our inventory of the store. I will be back to work on it early wednesday morning. Thats when the torch will be pulled out and we will start getting the frame together. 

On another note we raced cross this last weekend and did well. The race was just over the hill at Chamberlin Ranch. It was a blazing 97 degrees. Here are a few photos of John and I in our new kits.

Here I am on the run up. That run up was crazy steep. I have run up some gnarly stuff and that thing was ridiculous. 

Here I am on the next lap. Pre run up. You had to get as much speed as you could before the incline.

This is John looking good in his Stinner Kit

And the sandpit. Gotta love the sandpit. It can make you go from feeling great to going completely anaerobic in an instant.

Over all we did well. I was able to place 5th, which was my best placing so far this year. I will be hoping for a top 3 next race. I just need to find some time to train, its hard to race on 2 hrs a week on the bike. The heat got to John but he finished strong with a 15th. 

Its been getting cold down here in so cal. I have been enjoying shop time even more with the cold weather. It also helps to have good tunes.