What's that noise?

So there was I, merrily cycling around London, enjoying my new wheels, with my backside becoming used

Clissold Park, London

to the rather hard Selle San Marco Regal, cool wind in my face and whistling in my ears, when I noticed a slight crackling noise, very low, and a bit like ice cubes in a drink, just very subtle. What the heck? I pulled out my headphones, grabbed the rattling right brake (I somehow don't get round to tighten that damn screw) and listened. Crackle, crackle. Right, brakes aren't the problem, maybe the cables snapping against the handlebar? Unlikely, but I tried to hold them in place, too. Silence for a few seconds, then again: crackle, crackle. I stopped, dismounted, and examined the handlebar closely for anything that could hint to it breaking. Something I do regularly, since old alloy parts are always more likely to sudden failure than steel. And if a handlebar snaps in the midst of London's busy traffic ... Well, I'm not in a rush to be the next one in the news. I found nothing on the handlebar. Weird. Perhaps it's the spokes, I thought, the wheels are new and maybe the tension still needed settling. After a nonchalant shrug I hopped on the bike and continued my journey.
Over the next week, it went on with its crackling and because it got on my nerves, I decided to give good ol' Shawn a once-over. It's an old bike with very thin-walled fillet-brazed frame, therefore it's necessary to check the joints, which prone to breakage, regularly. I checked the front, the bottom bracket, the seat- and chain stays and finally worked my way up to the seat tube, where horror was awaiting me with a wide grin.

Cracked seat tube

There! I found a crack about 1cm long. It's exactly where I had suspected one ages ago, when Noah and I removed the stuck seat post. Read the full blog here. Someone before us had tried that already and must have damaged the seat tube in the process. We hadn't been sure if it was a crack, as it could well have been just a scratch, and we'd decided to wait what would show up.
As the old seat post had been scrapped, I'd got another one, 26.8mm, a size quite standard for all Aerospace Sport frames. Somehow, though, I felt it was a bit too big. I believe that it caused the crack to finally open up and become bigger. Not really what I had wanted. This means for now, I'll have to leave Shawn in the shed and ride either the blue one or the Lococo. I was playing with the thought of stripping the bike and transfer all the components onto the restored red frame, with Viscount graphics, which I have sitting in my bedroom. Given that I have new wheels, NOS Weinmann centre pull brakes and a cable guide knocking about, too, it would make sense, but I'll wait a bit longer to make up my mind. I mean, it would be great to get this frame onto the road, and it would give me the opportunity to get Shawn re-painted as the frame isn't exactly in mint condition and the graphics are all faded or peeled off. Maybe it's a great way of honouring Shawn, by giving him a complete overhaul and restore him to his former beauty, while riding the other Sport frame which has been patiently waiting to be completed. Oh, so much to do, so little time and even less money ...

Micycle Ferme Park Rd.

I went to report my bad news to the boys from Micycle. A latte and laugh later, I was back to my cheery self, riding away on my Japanese city bike.
Note to self: check your bike regularly from top to bottom; don't ignore any weird noises, search for the cause until you find it.
Safe cycling, everyone.