CX build, parts and opinions

for a while now ive wanted to ride some offroad jive, but i just dont get on with traditional mountain bikes. much to my suprise and joy i discovered cyclocross! i set my crappy old SS up with some 35C schwalbe CX tyres and gave it a spin. it was great, but now i want an SS bike built for the purpose. im not particually rich so lower end, but good quality parts are the name of the game.

ive basically fallen in love with this:

what are your recommendations:

frame: as much i like the look of steel and traditional geometry, i dont want a bike im routeinly getting dirty, wet, and being washed with a hosepipe rusting to death. but yet still want somthing atractive and with a horizontal TT. should i be more realistic?

brakes: the choice has got to be between V-brakes and the avid BB disks. i like the BB disks but from my limited experience i couldnt say if they are really any better than V-brakes. are they worth the effort or should i stick with good quality Vee's?

wheels: without going mad with money what are the best (strength + lightweight) rim/hub, and spoke pattern combinations for dirty offroading? do people use standard road wheels cause i have a bunch sitting around.

gear ratio: im at home on 70" on the road, but this was clearly far too high when i tried my SS, and it wasnt even muddy. what do we reckon?

im new to this jazz and ill proably have more questions, thanks for anything you can add

Steel is heavy. Take alu with a nice, lightweight fork.

Forget about discs. If you use V's, think about mini-V or travel agents

32H Open Pro's

No experience with S/S I guess something like 42/15 or 16T

is that chain a bit slack?

That is the sexiest bike ever, kept going back to the porn thread to look at it over and over again!

+1 for 42/16. Worked for me.

http://www.singularcycles.com/bikes.htm

Look at the peregrine.

Fuck V's and mechanical discs its canti all the way for cyclocross. They offer all the power you need and far better modulation than v's, thats why all cyclocross bikes come with them.

Oh and steel is great for the job, I've got a crosscheck and it is wicked.

I think you're a little above your station in wanting an alu frame with horizontal top tube and enough clearance for big tyres.

the only option is those sloped top tube OTP one like the Specialized one, but if you really don't mind steel - Surly Steamroller seemed to be more than enough for the task (and massive mud clearance too).

for gearing, try 65ish gear inches, like a 47-19 size, it's a little spinny on the road but enough off road (at least from experience).

[quote=edscoble;756354]I think you're a little above your station in wanting an alu frame with horizontal top tube and enough clearance for big tyres.
quote]

Not so.
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http://monoc.co.uk/frames.htm#c[/CENTER]

Or just get an on-one il pompino (£100 ish for the frame brand new), fit some moustache bars, and away you go!

...and it comes with canti mounts front and back. I really want one at the moment for some reason.

http://www.singularcycles.com/bikes.htm

Look at the peregrine.
Meh its pretty darn nice! seen it before loads of times, singular make beautiful frames, but that eddy6 merckx is something else!

Basically steels gonna be more comfortable than aluminium alloy. However, if you do want horizontal t/t alu frame, ridleys tend to come in this formation. Pompino or surly would prob be my choice.

Canti's are the "winner", get some of the old style like the old mafacs if you can, paul price makes bling interpretations of these or iirc Tektro/(one of the Tai companies) do something similar.

As for pushing; I ride 61" on road which is nice, but also compatible with off-road work, try something around the low sixties and if you need bigger or smaller, change your sprockets accordingly.

Surely all cross bikes come with canti's because you are not allowed to compete with anything but canti's?

A well set up V-brake has way more power than a canti- it's why everyone has moved to V-brakes.

A 160mm disc brake has more or less the same power as a well set up V-brake.

Until it rains or gets muddy, then the disc brake will annihilate the V-brake (or canti).

If you want to have powerful brakes come rain or shine, discs- the Avid BB7 are good for a cable brake.

if you might want to race at some time then cantilevers are the ones to go for.

Remember that you can only use 'mini' V-brakes with regular road brake levers. If you want to use full size V-brakes you'll either need to buy a brake lever designed to pull the right amount of cable (like a Dia Compe 287V) or use Travel Agents. FWIW, stick with cantilevers, IMO.

If you're on a tight budget you cannot do better than the Specialized Single Cross (the singlespeed version of the Tricross). It's ridculously cheap for what it is. I have a few friends with one and they are extremely happy, great tyre clearance, great geometry, not too heavy, rides really nicely; you just have to put up with a rather unattractive fork (easily swapped at a later date).

Oh, and I have a Singular Peregrine which is an amazing bike, really, really nice, which replaced a Cross Check (although selling that was the worst bike decision I've made as I'd love to have it built into a SS 'cross bike now!). However, you'd be lucky to build up a Peregrine for less than £800 minimum.

My Crosscheck, pictured with Randonnuers rather than my CX tyres, but a great all rounder on and off road. Can't fault it.

Apart from the sloping top tube a Felt Breed would be an easy way to get a good riding bike.
I have had one for 4 months and haven't been tempted once to change it (which for me is a miracle!)
A nice quick handling frame, pretty light at 19lbs stock with some pretty good components.

I use a gearing of 62 which suits where I live fine. Makes sure I avoid road sections as much as possible as maintaining a good speed on road with 62 is hard spinny work.

Surely all cross bikes come with canti's because you are not allowed to compete with anything but canti's?

Disc brakes are banned in UCI approved races, which only really covers National Trophy races in the UK. Most cross leagues allow the use of disc brakes.

I'm currently planning a build for a new winter/cross bike based on one of these framesets;

The frame and fork are ordered and should arrive in 2-3 weeks.

If anyone is after a cross frame, then I've a steel Gios that I'm going to sell. It's a 57 cm seat tube (c to c) with a 56 cm top tube. It's been ridden but is in good condition.