Frame choices - pure CX? Ridley and Surly.

g00se

Hi,

I want to dip a toe into cyclocross and see if I like it. I've got various bits and pieces to build a bike - predominantly from a winter road bike - the frame and forks are what I need to hunt down. I don't want to spend a fortune to start with but I've got the option of a couple of frames locally second-hand.

First is a NOS Ridley Crossbow - probably from around 2008 - but without forks or headset.

The second is a little used Surly Crosscheck frameset.

The problem - of course - is I can't ride them as they are, and even if I could, it would be on road. The geometries look appropriate.

From my understanding, the Ridley is a 'pure' CX bike whereas the Surly lends itself more to off-road touring. My aim is not to race but to ride local CX routes with guys who do race, so it's not going to be a gentle bimble

The Surly looks a better purchase in that it's a frameset, with headset and cantis included - but would it turn out to be a bit of a compromise for the road that I don't need? Would it be harder to carry because of weight and the narrow top tube?

Thoughts welcome...

Cheers.

FransJacques

That's a hard one to answer. you just need *any* kind of CX frame- go for the surly.

Only issue with an older Ridley for trail noodling is you might find the high BB a bit tippy.

65-70mm drops are the norm for CX (racing admittedly) and I find they really help the cornering manners a lot. But I'm a poor cornerer anyway.

woolwich

I wouldn't worry about the shape of the top tube if your not racing. Narrow tubes are easy enough to manage even if you are.
Some of the fastest vets in our local league still run old style steel frames and routinely lap younger and less experienced folk.
I wouldn't worry about the weight either, cx bikes are beginning to get pretty slim but really even quite late generation ali bikes come in at a fair whack.

We had a Cross check in the family belonging to the misses, awesome machine for general larking about down single track following mates on MTB's and CX bikes.

If you had your heart set only on racing get the Ridley. Otherwise the Surly everytime for me.

g00se

Sorry - I never said thanks for the replies.

In the end, the guy wanted too much for the Surly and the Ridley frame was quoted as the wrong size. I've gone with a Cube Fast Cross Pro frame - bike-discount are selling the 2014 canti frames off for £80! Just finishing the build now.

Thanks again.

mattrixdesign2

YOU have just cost me £100!!!

Googled Cube Fast Cross Pro frame - bike-discount (been looking for a new CX frame!) and they have the disc version for the same price - Order placed! Problem is I will now need wheels and fork and discs etc.

MEH!

g00se

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

YOU have just cost me £100!!!

Bah! They didn't have the disc version last week! Then again, I was doing this on a budget and the new wheels and disks would have made that pointless.

A tip. You need a weird headset for that - a hybrid of two types. A 1-1/8" zero-stack at the top - semi-integrated with an internal cup. At the bottom, it's an integrated 1-1/2" dropped straight into the frame.

bike-discount sell them but they're out of stock for a month:

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/orbi ... tion-63877

The best alternative I've found - other than getting two headsets or individual spares which cost a lot - is a Token TK070 Heggset, which comes with all the parts to build a hybrid set. It also has a crown race if you want to use a non-tapered 1-1/8" fork (it's very wide so the inside fits the 1-1/8" steerer but the race is 1-1/2" in diameter).

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/token-tk070-sem ... d-heggset/

mattrixdesign2

I have a TriCross with 105, and I will be migrating kit over. You are right though, going to be extra costs!

Disc Fork + HEADSET!
Disc Wheels
Disc Brakes

...the current group set it a triple (3x10), my plan is a to turn this into a 1x10. Maybe run a hydraulic brake for the rear and use the left hand leaver.

Going to have to build it up slowly, perhaps won't be ready until next year.

How did you size it up, I normally take a medium/54. My Tricross was bought blindly on Ebay, and it is a 54, but "bigger" than my Allez 54. I wanted something smaller, so ordered the Cube 53cm, a touch concerned it may be too small, but comparing the geometry, the seat tube is 1cm shorter (obviously) and the top tube is 2cm shorter.

Thanks for the info on the headset, had trouble on a previous Cube MTB headset, could be fun trying to get it sorted!

g00se

I haven't got a Specialized but a couple of my mates have and ride 54 Tarmacs (same geometry as the Allez) - they're pretty much the same size as my road bike. I went for the 53cm Cube too and it's definitely the right size for me. The extra fork crown height brings the front up - as does the tyres and higher BB. The standover is similar and on a 56cm, the standover would be too high. The top tube is about 15mm shorter than my road 54 road bike which means I can run a little longer stem too which would make the handling easier - and I think you want to be sitting a little more 'up' on a cross anyway.

Basically, I've got a 10cm longer stem and the fit is very similar to the 54 road bike.

mattrixdesign2

Thanks - been trying to find detailed specs.

Need to make a list of things to consider/purchase - its going to cost me, so will be bargain hunting.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

YOU have just cost me £100!!!

Googled Cube Fast Cross Pro frame - bike-discount (been looking for a new CX frame!) and they have the disc version for the same price - Order placed! Problem is I will now need wheels and fork and discs etc.

MEH!

What sort of price would you be looking at to get all the parts needed (new) to make a singlespeed out of that Cube disc frame?

Would TRP Hylex fit that frame (think frame is IS mount, brakes are post mount I think)?

What sort of price would you expect a LFS to charge for assembling all the parts into a bike?

mattrixdesign2

NitrousOxide wrote:

mattrixdesign2 wrote:

YOU have just cost me £100!!!

Googled Cube Fast Cross Pro frame - bike-discount (been looking for a new CX frame!) and they have the disc version for the same price - Order placed! Problem is I will now need wheels and fork and discs etc.

MEH!

What sort of price would you be looking at to get all the parts needed (new) to make a singlespeed out of that Cube disc frame?

Would TRP Hylex fit that frame (think frame is IS mount, brakes are post mount I think)?

What sort of price would you expect a LFS to charge for assembling all the parts into a bike?

I really don't know, all depends on what you have to hand, and the spec you need.

Oddly I was thinking of the TRP Hylex, I am going 1 x 10, so thought about either 1 at the rear, or front and year with a bar end shifter.

I am doing mostly myself, may give the headset and BB to a local guy to fit.

The cost implications for me are: fork (sorted £50), wheels (may go cheap ebay for now), brakes, headset, BB, cables inner/outer, the rest will come from my Tricross.

g00se

Another option is TRP Hy-Rd hydro calipers - then you can reuse existing levers and cabling will be cheaper. They've got good reviews and simpler to maintain.

mattrixdesign2

The TRP Hy-Rd hydro seems pricey for a pair.