CX/Commuter build

New job start in 2013 is going to cut my commute down drastically (direct route is less than 2 miles each way) and has spurred me into a new build.
The quickest way into work will be via a steep leefy lane that's just too slippery for a big gear and me knees will hate me so I don't really want to ride it fixed and I can't be bothered using the crabon road bike for such a short run, basically I've convinced myself I need a new bike so it's going to be a bodge of shed bits and a new frame which should hopefully work.
I've bagged a nearly new forme hiver frame and forks off ebay
Plan is to use my old shimano 600 7 speed bits to build it up as cheaply as possible for commute and a bit of light trail/mud messing about on the weekends.

I'm fairly clueless but I'm hoping that I can make it work.
Front dereileur wont fit so I'm going single chainring up front with a bashguard in place of the outer ring, replace the rear axle and space it to fit the rear dropouts. A chap in work has donated some Vbrakes which I think will work with one of those travel agent jobbies then it's just fit the biggest tyres I can fit on my open pro rims.

I'm not sure if any of the above will work until I try, the rear mech is pretty short but worked ok with the 13-28 black I have on there now.

What tyres size tyres should I be looking at for? Mostly tarmac duties but with some dirt action when I can.

Are Vbrakes the best option for what I'm thinking of?

Any problems anyone can think of before I get stuck in?

frame is on it's way so I will post pics as the build comes together, I'm jst trying to pre-empt any foreseeable problems

Has her in doors forgiven you yet?

as a commuter will it take mudguards and a rack?

Are Vbrakes the best option for what I'm thinking of?

I am completely put off canti's now, so v's sound sensible, but they do have a different cable pull ratio. I haven't used them with a travel agent, but if you're using STI's you will mos def need a travel agent. They are verging on unridable without.

I'm a bit confused tho, were there 7 speed STI's or are they down tube shifters? In which case it might be worth seeing if you can get some bar ends and then use levers with a v-brake cable pull ratio.
Or you could go for a flat bar set up as standard mtb v-brakes are cheap as chips. I've got some 8 or 9 speed shifter pods you're welcome to for a fiver.

Most front mech's should do the job as long as they can reach between the front rings, so maybe just buy a second hand one.

Personally I'd have gone for a cheap 2nd hand mtb if the run is that short and rough.

@Spotter she was fine, conversation went a little like this
"how much was that frame?"
"£150"
"oh ok I just bought a new pair of shoes and a dress"
Looks like there will need to be a new bike shed now as 3 bikes in the living room is apparently "taking the piss"

no guards or rack mounts, I was searching for something sensible but saw this and got excited, it's such a short distance I reckon I'll start riding with a bag again and use guards that don't need eyelets.

It'll be 7 speed sti's with a travel agent on the Vbrakes, I think that will be the best option for the time being, I'm hoping that 39x13-28 will be ample.
The road in isn't rough but it's steep and slippery.

New commute is all just a petty excuse to build up a new bike, sensible choices seem to have gone to the wayside somewhat.

fugly chainring setup, I'm almost sure I can live with this

notbad.jpg

Since it's a CX frame, you can easily get away with putting adaptor for the mudguard, like this;

Since it's a CX frame, you can easily get away with putting adaptor for the mudguard, like this;

cheers , haven't seen them before

frame turned up today

reminds me of how high the front end of the madone is, it will require a mighty stack of spacers or an upright stem to try and match it.

Still undecided about the brakes. Are travel agents any good, they look like a bit of a bodge?

Huge clearance! why don't you go for mini-v?

normal V with travel agents make it feel like a normal caliper brakes, they're that great.

maybe mini V is the answer?

Mini-v are still very powerful despite having an on-off feel with road levers (but right amount of pull), but once you get used to it, your only limitation is the grip on the tyres.

Even stock pads is plenty enough on mini-v.

I think we just posted at the same time. I think mini V or travel agents are the answer as I don't have hangers yet alone canti brakes

coming along slowly

problem solver cost something like £20 each rather than pairs, so if you're sticking to budget, mini-v would be a better buy.

my local shop convinced me to go canti in the end, they will set them up for me so hopefully I will get on with them ok
hopefully they arrive in time for the weekend so I can go play

was that just because Ron had some in stock and he needed to shift them?

ha! it was Craig who convinced me in the end but they have to order them in

After a fair amount of internet research, my conclusion was that cantis are terrible for stopping you but good for modulation, mini-vs were worse for modulation but better for power (at the expense of mud clearance), whereas Vs with travel agents were good all round but felt a little different on the lever. I went for cantis (tektro cr720) as I needed the clearance for cross use and wanted something relatively simple, and also not too pricey.

Once I got them set up properly (including pad placement, toe in etc) I found they actually work pretty well on the road, no worse than the shimano calipers on my road bike, when comparing them both with stock pads. When these pads wear out I'll replace them with swissstops and they should be even better. That said, this bike is 90% for cross, where (in our conditions) you don't want to brake too hard anyway.

Unless you need the clearance I'd chose something over canti's just because of all the extra hardware and the pain of set up.

Also you can get really good v brakes cheap.

That said if someone else is going to set it up for you then it doesn't matter. Or maybe I just need more skillz.

yay, all sorted finally

had a quick run around the block just to try it out and it felt good, brakes aren't the best on the road if I'm honest, coming down a particularly steep bit with all my weight forward the fork judder was pretty intense, it took me by suprise as I'm used to using the front brake more than the rear.
I think once I am used to it and start using the rear brake more it will be ok. I've read a bit of toe in on the front pads helps?

I routed the front cable over the top of the stem to give a better curve, ti was pretty tight going under the stem

Only a quick around the block spin so far but tomorrows commute should be a better test, I've already spotted a gravel track across an old railway line via google maps that I can hit on the way in to work.
39x28 will be fine for the commute but I think it might be a bit too much on proper off road stuff, it was wheel spinning a fair bit on the wet grass, I think a lighter gear might help

all in, I'm happy, it's going to be a fun bike for sure

can I have a go when i'm back in Swansea next, it looks great fun

I think once I am used to it and start using the rear brake more it will be ok. I've read a bit of toe in on the front pads helps?

Toe in the front pads, and increase the straddle cable length.

failing that, get a fork mounted cable hanger.

^^ What Ed said.

If you have a drilling in the fork crown an uphanger is a great idea.

Tektro do adjustable ones, I have one fitted to my Cross Check. They can be a bit hard to get hold of, but I reckon a friendly LBS would order one for you, I grabbed mine off eBay.