DISCLAIMER: DON'T LISTEN TO ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M ON ABOUT
I've been following this closely because I'm also looking to build up a Cross Check and I reckon that this is probably the opposite of how I would have done mine. I saw that glib "Straight into anti" post above and thought WAC but then I kind of saw what he meant, even if he could have expressed it a bit better. I don't like the way people dismiss bikes in the anti thread but one of the frequent criticisms of bikes is that they have expensive but mismatched parts.
I wouldn't say they're mismatched particularly but I think the bike needs something to pull it together. Ordinarily I'd not be bothered but you've spent a lot of money and it still looks like a load of parts rather than a coherent machine. I'd get rid of the yellow bar tape, replace it with brown or leather to match the saddle. I'd try and get the stem and bars horizontal so you've not got stargazy brake hoods. I think you've got away with the beaten guards because they reflect the colour of the frame nicely and they don't look too anachronistic given the old-school looking brakes, bar setup and bottles.
I think you owe it to the bike! I don't speak from a position of experience but if I had spent the money I'd want it to look more like bike pr0n rather than bits pr0n.
DISCLAIMER: DON'T LISTEN TO ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M ON ABOUT
I've been following this closely because I'm also looking to build up a Cross Check and I reckon that this is probably the opposite of how I would have done mine. I saw that glib "Straight into anti" post above and thought WAC but then I kind of saw what he meant, even if he could have expressed it a bit better. I don't like the way people dismiss bikes in the anti thread but one of the frequent criticisms of bikes is that they have expensive but mismatched parts.
I wouldn't say they're mismatched particularly but I think the bike needs something to pull it together. Ordinarily I'd not be bothered but you've spent a lot of money and it still looks like a load of parts rather than a coherent machine. I'd get rid of the yellow bar tape, replace it with brown or leather to match the saddle. I'd try and get the stem and bars horizontal so you've not got stargazy brake hoods. I think you've got away with the beaten guards because they reflect the colour of the frame nicely and they don't look too anachronistic given the old-school looking brakes, bar setup and bottles.
I think you owe it to the bike! I don't speak from a position of experience but if I had spent the money I'd want it to look more like bike pr0n rather than bits pr0n.