bike update

Update: the frozen stem is still stuck... and no amount of whacking it will loosen the beast. I went for a ride yesterday and the bike was quiet and fast. Still need to clean up the grime, and keep working at the stem. It just drives me nuts that the thing is so high... meaning that there is barely any stem holding it in there. The headset bearings... probably need to be replaced as well.

All sorts of solutions ranging from blow torches to liquid nitrogen are suggested through the internets. I think the wedge is stuck in there tight, and that's what's keeping the stem from rotating out of the fork end. The only real solution would be to take it to a shop where they will probably saw off the top of the stem and grind it out of the fork until it finally comes out. Which would be a shame because it is the original stem, and I'd like to keep it... who knows.

I'll post a photo later.