Ritchey Swiss Cross

bendertherobot

they also get better the faster you go. Was sprinting after a car tonight up a slight incline at what felt like 30 mph. Bike just kept on accelerating. Felt like Cav.

gaanrowl

thanks chaps, im looking into building one up

xcMuttley

My jealousy for your bike is of the scale! Hope it rides as nice as it looks!

bendertherobot

New saddle

gaanrowl

Nice, it goes well are they comfy

bendertherobot

Very comfy considering there's no padding. Great saddles.

ugo.santalucia

much better saddle

bendertherobot

This might seem odd but I am considering changing the chainset to a Force number. It might look better aesthetically.

bendertherobot

Last night I swapped wheels, also Pacenti SL25, because one of the ones pictured above has developed a slight rattle. It's a loose weld sleeve thing. No danger or performance issue. Messes with my OCD.

So I stuck those Pacenti SL25' on my PX and the PX ones onto the Ritchey. Couldn't be arsed with changing tyres so went out today with the Vittoria XG TNT Cross ones on.

Impressions? Bike felt massively lighter (!?!?!?!?!?) and plusher. And then I took it off road.

My God. Oh, my, God.

rowlers

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19620411#p19620411]bendertherobot[/url] wrote:

New saddle

What is the saddle please?

bendertherobot

Brooks Cambois c17

rowlers

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19624316#p19624316]bendertherobot[/url] wrote:

Brooks Cambois c17

Very nice...

bendertherobot

Damn spell checker. I meant Cambium, of course. And should have written C15, the thinner one!

RealCycles

Lovely bike. Here's mine. Very similar spec to yours too.

bendertherobot

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19542285#p19542285]Ber Nard[/url] wrote:

Oooh, this is going to be good. Not normally bothered by such things but I'd de-sticker the wheels.

Think I might do that later...

bendertherobot

And I did. It now looks very very mean. I might change my cockpit this week. Not keen on the thickness of Ritchey Evo Curve. Might go for a thinner classic bar.

bendertherobot

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19538817#p19538817]ugo.santalucia[/url] wrote:

Not tempted by the 35 Deda stuff?

There's a set of this about to end on ebay. Stem (alu) and bars (carbon) for £80. Or best offer.


Hmm..........

bendertherobot

Changes afoot this week. Changing to a Fizik cockpit and an Aliante Saddle

ugo.santalucia

Front tire brand is not aligned with the valve... sort it...

bendertherobot

It might be on the other side!

stevie63

Mr therobot, what happened to the Cambium saddle? any reason for the change.

bendertherobot

It was annoying my arse and rubbing my shorts away.......

snipsnap

It's beautiful.

Seriously considering one of these frames to replace my Genesis Croix De Fer frameset which I'm struggling to "love" again currently - it's just so damned hard work to get up to a decent speed and maintain it......feels like i'm driving a tank most of the team. Already got TRP HY/RDs and decent wheels (Archetypes, Shimano Ultegra CX hubs).

is the frame nice and light - imagine it would be quite a difference from the Genesis.

I've also got a Planet X XLS, which i love to bits, but it's my dedicated crosser, and I'd like a general commute (every day - 30 to 50 miles) / all weather bike that doesn't make me feel like i've just done 10 rounds with a heavyweight boxer!

Any thoughts Mr therobot after your time spent on it? (they're all going to be positive right?!)

bendertherobot

Yep. It's very light (these things being relative). I think my old Logic and Acciaio were around 1800g. This is 2300g or so with the fork. So, given that the fork is very light I think that means 1850 for the frame. The Acciaio had a heavier fork so was heavier overall.

Now, clearly, I'm giving away 800g or so to a middle of the road carbon or, if you like, 500g or so the PX. But it's built up with lighter kit to do away with that difference.

It's much much lighter, of course, than the Croix. Very firm, good for sprinting. A nicer bike to ride than the PX. Which I find a very good bike itself. I even took it off road the other day and it was bloody brilliant there. So, the dry CX races this year will be done on this. Because it's that nice, and I've lost my OCD about keeping bikes pristine.

I think I've pretty much nailed the fit now. Down to 2 spacers, still have 2 above, so I will get it cut for neatness. I MAY even go down to one spacer, so pretty much slammed. We'll see.

Now there ARE days when I lust after a lightweight carbon. But those days are so rare. This thing gives nothing away to them and can be used without fear all year round. Oddly enough it's on the hot and sunny days that it really excels. It can be sensitive to tyre pressure. Get the front around 80 psi and that's comfy. Rear around 100.

I think that's it. For now. Any question please ask!

bendertherobot

Oh, I've blinged it with full Fizik stuff now as well.

ugo.santalucia

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19676984#p19676984]snipsnap[/url] wrote:

It's beautiful.

Seriously considering one of these frames to replace my Genesis Croix De Fer frameset which I'm struggling to "love" again currently - it's just so damned hard work to get up to a decent speed and maintain it......feels like i'm driving a tank most of the team. Already got TRP HY/RDs and decent wheels (Archetypes, Shimano Ultegra CX hubs).

is the frame nice and light - imagine it would be quite a difference from the Genesis.

I've also got a Planet X XLS, which i love to bits, but it's my dedicated crosser, and I'd like a general commute (every day - 30 to 50 miles) / all weather bike that doesn't make me feel like i've just done 10 rounds with a heavyweight boxer!

Any thoughts Mr therobot after your time spent on it? (they're all going to be positive right?!)

The letdown of the CdF is the "iron" fork... the latest model has a carbon fork and should be a lot better... other than that it is a nice frame, not many grams heavier than all other steel CX frames on the market

bendertherobot

Sort of, it depends. The Croix weighs 2200 against the Swiss Cross 1800. But the fork, even though carbon, adds 250g over the Swiss Cross one. So the Swiss Cross is 650g lighter. Indeed, my lighter frame Bivio ends up being the same weight as my Swiss Cross by virtue of a very heavy carbon fork.

The XLS is, arguably, the worst. A decent 1250g frame let down by an awesomely heavy 750g fork!

ugo.santalucia

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19677147#p19677147]bendertherobot[/url] wrote:

Sort of, it depends. The Croix weighs 2200 against the Swiss Cross 1800. But the fork, even though carbon, adds 250g over the Swiss Cross one. So the Swiss Cross is 650g lighter. Indeed, my lighter frame Bivio ends up being the same weight as my Swiss Cross by virtue of a very heavy carbon fork.

The XLS is, arguably, the worst. A decent 1250g frame let down by an awesomely heavy 750g fork!

I have the XLS fork on my Fugio, after the original 460 grams one fell apart... 300 grams well spent...

bendertherobot

The Ritchey one is sublime.............(ignoring the need for a crush washer...............)

bendertherobot

I think we're finally there for fit. It's taken me ages to get it right. And to accept that it's not a carbon road bike. Once you change your mindset, you're there. It also flies, when you are in the mood. We have finally bonded properly.

I may well get the Schwalbe S-One tyres (30c) for it. They seem like a good "fit" with the ethos.