Cutting my Wicked

[philippec]

This bike has seen me through 21 yrs of singletrack, jeeproads, and mountain scree fields on two continents. It went with me on my honeymoon to Moab 16 ago and on a ride with my wife and teen-agers last weekend...

It's because I love this bike that I've decided to get it cut....

...and coupled! So that I can travel with it easier!!

It will join my other travel bikes -- an S&S coupled Litespeed Classic and a Ritchey Breakaway cross bike (and an S&S coupled Concorde steel retro frame thatserves as a travel back-up) for those times when I want to do more singletrack than the Ritchey Cross can handle... or when I want to do some offroad touring since this baby is kitted out to travel loaded!!

So here are my questions:

Does the triple butted tubing pose any particular problem re. welding in the couplers? (I'll ask Bilenky Bikes in Philly, who have done my other coupled frames, what they think about this ... but I figured someone here would know)

I'd like to upgrade the components and maybe get some 9-speed shifting (any problems w/ the rear dropout spacing?)-- I'm thinking XT 9-speed and a Specilites TA Carmina or Vega crank. I'll be getting new BB axle collars from Groovy bikes. Is the original axle JIS or ISO standard taper?

I'd love to get a boxcrown axle -- but finding a 1 inch steerer tube fork is tough -- any not-too-expensive leads?

Finally -- Il probably switch out the quill sten for the new nodel from Salsa (SUL) with the removeable face plate -- any experience?

FThanks!

[tvcreative]

I am always torn when people cut their bikes...

if the practicality of use -- outweighs the historical value then have fun...

but know there are a limited amount of these bikes left, and the value of yours would hit the toilet.

Why not buy a used MOOTS YBB and do it to that?

good luck...I like your bike the way it is...

not that it means anything

Jim

[Jeeves]

That's a beautiful old bike! I have the same IRD seatpost on my Wicked! I say go for it = assuming you are sure that the ride won't change significantly. You can't beat the ride of a Wicked, IMHO. I like it better than my Fat Ti.

-Raj