Bored.... So I brought my workhorse to pieces:



As you can see, I'm not exactly the neatest in disassembly, but got the job done. I think the neighbours must have been wondering what this guy was up to...




Yup, so here's the bare frame. TCR size L (2003) frameset. It was last in this stripped down state i guess at least 4.5 yrs ago, before I even bought it. And my, it sure feels light just holding on to the frame. There are numerous spots where the paint has been rubbed off. I'm not even talking about the protective clear coat, but the actual base layer for many parts actually came out to expose the aluminium! These were most likely caused from tire rub, and chain suck when the chain got wedged between the outerchainring and the driveside chainstay (i'm sure zhihao and jiansheng would remember something similar at the ubin trip). Other areas, I think my sweat and the abuse of locking the top tube to trees, metall railings, pvc pipes must have nicked of the layers bit by bit.

The major damage on the bike would have to be a small dent on the right seat stay. I suspect I might have unknowingly slammed the door on the bike during some rushed hour leaving hall for training last time.

Also, taking out the bottom bracket, I realised that true enough, water and sand indeed accumulates over time inside the frame! Old water mixed with grease and sand fell out when I pulled the bottom bracket cups out... Yikes. All this stuff mysteriously enters the frame via the gaps in the seatpost collar and the fork area. In the long run, it'll actually corrode the frame from inside out! I guess aluminium has it easier than steel though. This makes me wonder how my 1987 Bridgestone steel frame survived.... I wonder how it's doing internally.


Anyways, I shall spend tomorrow cleaning up the individual parts, and then figure how to piece it together again