So enough time has passed, and enough parts have been changed, that I can now consider Juliet version 2.0.

I built her with XT M785 brakes originally. The pads on those kept getting contaminated. I thought it was a quality issue and upgraded to XTR M985 Race brakes.

That worked for a while. Then the rear brake started squealing and losing power. Warrantied that.

Then the front and rear went. Warrantied those.

The replacements went again. Told Shimano / Rodalink that I had lost faith in their product. They replaced with brand spanking new XTR M9000.

Front started squealing, pulled the pads out, found fluid on the pad backing metal plate. Looked like a seal leak. And rear had a wandering bite point that has been discussed in forums.

Enough is enough. 

So, new brakes. And new wheels because new calipers don't fit Crank Brothers Cobalt.

And here we are.

Stopping power is on par with XTR M9000. More linear though. 

I'm loving it. Trust God, but Buy XTR Hope

Circle of light

Light show

Could get her down to sub-25 if I go 1x11, but no

I like being able to drop down with just one trigger

Finally perfect

New 35mm stem

And Juliet is the sun!

Thomson carbon bars and masterpiece seat post, xtr m980 brakes, bottom bracket and cranks.

I can't think of anything else to change. Long enough, slack enough, low enough

She's brilliant

Yea, Imma Hardman. Yo. Uh, bee-yotch.

When it rains, while you wusses head indoors, I unrack Juliet, don my wide-brim, load up the guards and go mudding.

Because, Rule #5.

And 
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period. Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.

High on Friendophins

Ride to East Coast from my place, have not done this ride since I rode Gina to Ubin back in 2009.

Cat alert

Or catalogue

Almost sold her for being too long and tall, but a month at 120mm has turned Juliet into a low-slung ballistic missile weapon of destruction. In love again? Sweet spot travel length for the 456. Just hit 1500km 2 days ago. Trying for sweet 16 on her bday

Drive Side Shooting

Finally, a pic from drive-side.

Before bath

After

Days of Future Past

All my bikes. The past, the present, and the future

Bike Bling

 Juliet has 3 simple rules for her build and subsequent wear/tear replacements

1. Every component must be both cost and class leaders.
So, on-one 456 evo ti -- ti frame for un-ti price.
On-one smogasbord tyres for only costing 30 bucks a piece.
SLX crankset for being slightly lighter yet stiffer than SRAM carbon cranks but a whole lot cheaper
Crank brothers cobalt 11 carbon flat bar, weighing only 153 grams but costing only 110 bucks.
Nukeproof electron pedals - 323 grams for only 37 pounds. No other pedal comes close

2. No paint/pigment/oxidisable surfaces on any component unless it has a function. Either brushed or bare metal finishes, or black paint, so it can be recoloured with a black marker. Bike will age beautifully.

3. Black = max flex, silver = stiffest. Grey = somewhere in between.

The result: pure bike bling.

You Are My Sunday Afternoons

I'm lovin it. 120mm of squish is nice and low

Lovin it, lovin it, lovin it.

"“A minute of perfection was worth the effort."

 "A moment was the most you could ever expect from perfection." ~ Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

Gas pipe quarter-nickle-boomerang is 8 in the slot, boots laced suits up.

'Little Girl' angle zero, I wanna bounce and blow.

7uliet

Juliet 1.1 ~ 9th November 2013.

Swapped out the alloy high risers for a carbon flat bar.

Oh look who's back here, TFL. Me. ME ME ME ME ME!

Facebook doesn't suit me. I tend to get drunk too much and post wildly inappropriate status updates.

Sooooo.... Anyhoo. You.

You get to hear about Juliet again. Here she is, with all her sexy bits hidden by cardboard. Muchos cardboardos.

In 10 days, she gets built. Why 10 days? Coz I is broke, suh. I is well and truly fucking broke.

"O Happy Dagger, Here Is Thy Sheath."~ Juliet

From within 4 Boxes of Whoop-Ass.

Update: You are my confession booth.

Build progress:

And wow... seems like I was on a magazine cover once before. The bike, anyway.