Building a Dirt Jumper Bike

 My project was to build a dirt jumper bike using new and old parts.  I refurbished the frame and assembled all components.

 I have always enjoyed jumping my bike at Valmont Bike Park and anywhere I could find a jump.  I wanted to further extend my knowledge of how bikes function and how they go together. Jumping at Valmont

 Met my mentor, Sean James, and planned out my project.  Saw what parts I already had and took measurements for parts I would need to buy. Sean James

 Attended VeloSwap to purchase additional parts I needed.  Gathered all parts by the end of the month. VeloSwap All parts ready to be assembled

 Sanded down the aluminum frame with a drill head and low grit sand paper.  Masked off the threaded holes and applied two coats of primer. Masking off parts of my bike Sanding my bike frame Spraying primer on my bike

 Applied one coat of fluorescent green paint then lightly sanded the frame.  Sprayed on final coats of paint. Spray painting my bike

 Applied several layers of clear coat to the frame.  Removed masking tape from headset and threaded holes. Refurbished frame Clear coating

 Met with my mentor at Golden Bear Bikes to begin assembling my bike in their repair shop.  Assembled many parts such as the handlebars, front fork, front and rear disc brakes, bottom bracket, and chain guide. Workbench at Golden Bear Bikes

 Went to Golden Bear Bikes to finish assembling all parts.  Had a fully-functional bike by the end of the month thanks to the guidance of my mentor.

 I tested my bike and made the necessary adjustments to ensure that it was a comfortable ride for me.  I put together a video of me riding my bike at some local dirt jumps to prove it works. (Video will be displayed at the Open House Night)

 Some roadblocks were finding the proper parts to complete my bike and getting my seat post to fit.  Also, sanding the entire bike was very hard work and was very time consuming. Seat post

 I learned about the complete process of refurbishing a bike frame.  I also learned how to disassemble and assemble all parts, along with how they all work together as a whole.

 I found myself really interested in building my bike.  I see myself continuing to expand upon my knowledge of bikes and hope to apply what I learned to situations later in life.

 First, I am most proud of how smoothly my final bike rides.  I am also proud of how clean and professional the bike looks.

Works Cited Allen, John. "Bicycle Frame Refinishing." Bicycle Frame Refinishing. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec "Bike Painting Tips." Instructables.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan Blk Mrkt Riot Dirt Jumper Build - Time Lapse with Canon 5D Mark II. YouTube. YouTube, 12 Dec Web. 23 Sept Build My Bike + Bikecheck. YouTube. YouTube, 23 Jan Web. 23 Sept Erik, Service Manager. "Bike Build Questions." Personal interview. 25 Feb "How to Paint a Bike." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan "How to Spray Paint a Bike Frame." YouTube. YouTube, 12 May Web. 01 Dec James, Sean. "8th Grade Project Questions-March." Personal interview. 25 Mar Kopecky, Greg. "Bottom Bracket- How to." Slowtwitch.com. N.p., 12 Sept Web. 28 Feb Methven, Sean. "Cannondale Chase." Top Stories. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct Mtbr Forums. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb "Repair Help and Education." Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Chain Length Sizing. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar "Repair Help and Education." Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Pedal Installation and Removal. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar Saracen ALX Build with Lance McDermott. Youtube. N.p., 17 Dec Web. 24 Feb "The Fix Bicycles." The Fix Bicycles. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept