Dawes CX

So, I had grand plans for today, recabling, drops, bar ends...

... but in the end building the rear wheel and finishing off the front took longer than expected and I realised I still hadn't bought gear cables.

So here's the set:

http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad106/hugo7_photos/89A94B79-B76A-4C84-BE4A-578FB4C9940E-11014-0000136BFD6B7E44_zps479720b3.jpg

...and here's the front all done and dusted with velo plugs.

http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad106/hugo7_photos/310F7D7C-BE7F-4B62-B570-90BCCFD85ED2-11014-0000136B73A95229_zpsb09aaeb8.jpg

Also for my own interests and to put the scales to good use I weighed all the bits:

36 Veloplugs = 6g
105 QR = 56g
105 front hub = 159g
A319 = 605g
X1 ACI DB 294mm spoke = 6-7g
X36 ACI DB 294mm spokes = 227g
X36 brass nipples = 35g

Total weight on those ^ scales (rather than the) fish/hanging ones = 1029g

Your scale looks really happy.

That's what I thought too :)

In other news, I seem to have moved 3 steps forward and 4 steps back;

The silver wheels seem to make quite a big visual difference, and the silver / back components seem to tie together well.

I've only ridden the front wheel as my only 28-32 inner tube immediately got a puncture on inflation. But it feels good, I like the extra size and cushioning.

New issues;

• wider rim means the front vbrake pads don't clear the fork properly
  
• gear cable ferrals still aren't right dispite measuring a million times before purchase
  
• rear mech set-up is a pita
  
• BB is now loose (possibly install error, possibly not having the sides shamferred, possibly just not that good)
  
• outer chainring is the wrong way round and the DS crank has a bolt and my wrench bits are at my folks
  
  
  

So if anyone knows if there are some very slim (but good) vbrake pads and holders it would be appriciated.

As you can see even with no spacers there isn't much room.

I think the wheel might be a couple of mm of centre due to my truing stand being out.

Does anywhere recalibrate park stand?

Where did you buy your black, fork mounted brake cable hanger Hugo?

Where did you buy your black, fork mounted brake cable hanger Hugo?

You can buy them from Zepnat, a CX specialist. I asked them nicely if they'd get some stock of the Tektro ones with a cable adjuster, and they did.

http://goo.gl/lxBXm

I have a Condor one with a cable adjuster you can have for a beer, miro?

Or Condor sell them.

Both brilliant, cheers.

Doppelkorn you have a PM.

^^ good to know.

I couldn't find one anywhere that also had a cable adjuster. My one came second hand from a spesh cx bike. I had to do a bit of bodging as its designed for a larger rear hole like a normal caliper brake.

Finally ticked off a few of the things on my TDL... although when I say ticked a couple of them have been worked around more than resolved.

New issues;

~~* wider rim means the front vbrake pads don't clear the fork properly

• gear cable ferrals still aren't right dispite measuring a million times before purchase
  
• rear mech set-up is a pita ~~
  
• BB is now loose (possibly install error, possibly not having the sides shamferred, possibly just not that good)
  
• outer chainring is the wrong way round and the DS crank has a bolt and my wrench bits are at my folks
  
  
  
  

Pics will follow, but I thought I'd just give a little summary of some of my thoughts.

Overall, it's been a massive PITA and has more or less put me of old bikes completely for anything other than beaters.

#1 The forks do my head in. I'm guessing this was an actual proper cx bike in it's day and had skinny rims with cx tyres, possibly tubs. I am now seriously considering picking up a pair of 1" surly cross check forks... but it's yet another expense.

#2 I've been sold on the virtues of threadless/ahead for a while, but fuck me has this confirmed it! Dialling in the headset was a bore. Arsing about trying to make a Nitto stem and a Nitto handle bar fit together...etc....etc.. it's really a overly complicated and unnecessary design.

#3 Cantilevers look nice, but really are an antiquated brake set up. I am sure lots of people out there can set them up neatly, efficiently and easily. But in my book a brake that needs 3 hands and has +4 moving parts which all seem to require adjustment is just overly complicated.

#4 Bar ends are great.

#5 I know contact points are personal preferences, but I really do think modern leavers are significantly more comfortable than the old 105's I've got.

#6 I still like the ride. It's got a good balance of stiffness and comfort for an old lugged frame.

#7 It has way too many gears for my current use and I'm seriously thinking about getting a road cassette and a single speed front 44t chainring for a 1x9.

#8 I wish it was a 10speed so I could use one of my spare cassettes. Again with using outdated technology!

#9 Ed is right! Good quality fast 32mm tyres on wide rims in the city feel great! Not slow, nice and stable. Would definitely use again.

So in summary, when Wiggle are doing the basic Charge FIilter for £400 or even the disc Charge filter with Apex for £780 I can't help but feel this build is over-priced, out-dated and seems very hard to rationalise.

http://barndoorcycling.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/rivendell-bicycle-cult-i-mean-company/

Spec wise the Charge look fantastic for the money, you can easily buy it, swap the decent part from the Dawes to the Charge and make the Dawes into a budget beater while the Charge into a decent all-rounder.

I know. But I've got two beaters already - KingPin and an old track frame that's just been put away for the winter. So this plus my nice fixed and road bike suddenly just becomes a bit too much for my shared flat to take.

I think I'm just a bit disillusioned with "from scratch" projects. Admittedly, this frame does have some fundamental issues. But it just seems like better value to buy something half decent and OTP :(

That said the basic charge is rocking Sora, so I'd probably want to upgrade the shifters, and as it's 1 1/8" switch out to a carbon fork. So maybe it wouldn't be as cheap :)

So...

...in a moment of weakness I bought this on eBay:

Kinesis Crosslight carbon fork (1 Inch Steerer)

http://bit.ly/S1Ib0q

I'm hoping it will solve my front braking woes and give me some more stem and bar choices. In any event I'm sure a pair of 1" carbon cx forks will hold their value.

Admittedly I'd have been better off committing the funds to sorting the BB out.

I've also now got a sort of vision for a 1x9 modern slash old lugged mix in my head.

I'm watching a Dawes Super Galaxy atm... I shall be referring to this thread if I have any success.

New forks now on. Just in time for the snow to go away.

I actually think they look ok (in spite of the inelegant picture).

I'm also going to be switching to on-one midges.

Still to get is a spacer cable hanger as there's no hole for a fork mounted one :( not really sure what my odds of getting a 1" one are but I'll have a look.

Still to get is a spacer cable hanger as there's no hole for a fork mounted one :( not really sure what my odds of getting a 1" one are but I'll have a look.

I have one! (or had one). It's fugly and has a notch you may need to file off, but you can have it for free if I can find it.

Look smart but dude why your saddle is on a TT position?

^^ cheers.

^ faster commutes innit.

In all seriousness I was playing about with the position. The new stem is 90mm so I think it may require some more playing.

Anyway the most important thing is having clearances for the front wheel so the brakes can finally work!

Depending how it rides I might be tempted to look into some options for sorting out the BB and get an all black respray.

Trying to get this back on the road, with the aim of being able to put minihugo7 in a baby seat on the front. Progress is slow as it's not at my place and time with a little one is almost non-existent.

It was meant to go to NYC with me, so I've got all the parts more or less.

Initial build is SS just to get it on the road, followed by 1x9 with a bar end shifter.

Changes:

• TRP CX8.something mini-V for the front so I can use the carbon fork (prob the rear time permitting)
  
• Nitto B352 / Albatross
  
• The venerable Tektro FL750 flat bar brakes
  
• aliexpress silicon downhill grips - mainly to see what they're like
  
  

Still to do:

• find a saddle
  
• change tyres back to 32mm
  
• fit brakes
  
• find some shorter chainring bolts to move the single ring to the middle ring to improve chainline - esp. for 1x9
  
  

Frustratingly this bike seems to be jinxed as...

• the brakes are too tight for the Albatross bars, so need to be filed out a little. So as a temp ride-home fix it's got an old 105 drop bar brake lever.
  
• the gear stops still have no known feral that fits
  
• the 1x front ring needs to go on the inside and the short chain bolts are too long.
  
  

Most frustrating of all is when I threw my leg over with the current 28/25mm tyres, I remembered as an old CX bike it's actually quite high. With the 32mm tyres it will be even higher, so I am now not so sure this is actually a suitable bike for a baby.

Anyway, here are some pics, space is tight, so they're not great. Once I can get it back to mine I'll have a bit more space.

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^ temporary stem is temporary.

It was the only 1" stem I had and couldn't find my shim.

If anyone has a spare 25.4mm stem - either 1 1/8" or 1" let me know.

Bike is now back with me.

@NurseHolliday kindly gave me a weeride which fits along with the kid in it.

Still to do:

• set up front brake
• file brake levers to fit bars
• find a headset spacer
• fit grips
• change tyres back to 32mm

Debating shorter chainring bolts as I'm going to stay SS for now, and I think I may be able to jig about the rear cog.

Also considering a lay back seatpost, but pretty sure the only one I have is unsuitable.

Not a great picture, but will get some better ones up once I've done a bit of fettling.

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The only Dawes logo I like : )
The 25.4 stems you seek, what rise/length?
Spacer for a canti hanger - I have one for a threaded headset. You need to file a tab off it, though.

Cheers.

It would need to be threadless though.

The Ti ITM one at the moment seems to work... albeit upside down.

The front brake will be a mini-V as the brake judder was awful. Rear canti is well set up so will probably remain out of laziness.