So I finally got the whippet frame built up, it’s taken ages and is still missing one part but it’s good enough to take for its first ride today.

First impressions are good, this probably sounds weird but it ‘feels’ fast. Didn’t test it on anything other than bridleway and a tiny bit of singletrack but it covered the 20 miles very comfortably, well the bike found it comfortable my arse didnt. I can’t get the seat to sit level with the cannondale seatpost I picked up 2nd hand, and due to this I found it rather uncomfortable.

Handling, not that I am in any position to give an authoritive opinion on this subject being an amateur, felt good. Wide flat bars that I was unsure of felt fine and I not clobbered a tree with the end of the bar once. 100mm travel RS SID WCup needed a bit more air and I sorted that when I got home but not really a problem.

Everything on the bike is secondhand so I was a little nervous combining that with my shocking building expertise but the thing held together with only one funny noise that seems to be coming from the cassette, makes a slight clicking noise which decreases in volume the higher I go in the gears. No idea what it is and am not going to fiddle unless it gets worse.

Back to the final piece of the jigsaw, I still haven’t found a solution for the problem of the jump stop not fitting to the weird shaped tubing, I have no money left and the current suggested solutions would set me back another 35 quid which I just don’t have right now, anyway the chain didnt pop off once during the 20 miles so maybe I am worrying about nothing?

Anyway, here are 2 pictures, nothing special to look at, no bling, just a nice fast little bike. Thanks for all the advice on here during the last few months, most appreciated.

Whippet pictures