Fixed gear, disc brake winter commuter. Advice please!

I've not had replies from Ted/ Oak/ Velvet cycles, and haven't managed to find a 2nd hand steel frame- so it looks like the Pre Cursa route wins.

I normally ride a 56 frame, but wonder if a 54 frame maybe more appropriate given the raised front end? I Need to measure up really.

So the parts list is as follows:
I need to buy:
Frame: Pre Cursa- preferably blue, but I can only find black is in stock.
Fork: Carbon Cyclocross- Poison bikes or 2nd hand from Howard on the forum. Custom steel forks would look too strange on the Dolan with it's integrated headset unfortunately
Bars - Pro-Lite Vercelli compact drops

I already have:
Rear wheel - Goldtec track hub laced to Open Pro
Front wheel- Novatec disc hub on unknown rim
Chainset - Sugino 75
Brakes - Avid BB5 road front disc
Levers - Cane Creek SCR-5
Stem - Ritchey comp 4-axis
Seatpost - Ritchey comp 4-axis
Saddle, SPDs and so forth will come off another bike...

I'm as yet undecided on Guards- probably Chromoplastics- they'll look a little odd on the Pre Cursa- but I think any guard will.

a 54cm is shorter, which could mean a much longer stem needed.

It is higher, but not noticable so, it simply mean you can get away with no spacer if necessary, or even a -17 stem.

Given that this is a winter bike, Mavic A319 or Rigida Grizzy would be a better choice than the Open Pro.

I'm all legs, so tend to ride with a fairly short stem anyway- <100mm. But yes, 54cm may require an overly long stem.

Point taken on the rear wheel, for the moment I'm trying to buy as few new parts as possible so it'd be something to do in a few months along with a carbon seatpost and black chainring once the existing one wears.

Given that this is a winter bike, Mavic A319 or Rigida Grizzy would be a better choice than the Open Pro.

Why those rims? Granted they take wider tyres but the Open Pro takes 700×28 mm. Is there really a need for wider tyres on the road?

The Grizzly is only single-eyeleted I personally think a doyble-eyeleted rim is better.

if you would read the topic (winter commuter) you would understand why wider tires (32 and bigger) would be better

Why those rims? Granted they take wider tyres but the Open Pro takes 700×28 mm.

The Open Pro take up to 28mm tyres but doesn't mean it'll ride well with 28mm.

Is there really a need for wider tyres on the road?

Yes, speed and comfort being the main highlight.

I'm initially planning to use 28mm tyres (given my current wheelset). But the option to fit 32mm tyres in the future is definitely a positive.

I had 35mm tyres on the Roadrat last winter- though truthfully I spent much of the winter riding 23mm tyres on a geared road bike. The narrow tyres were OK but far from ideal, the drivetrain wore out horribly.

I rode all through last winter including the snow and ice on 23 mm tyres with no issues. Granted larger tyres provide more cushioning but I'm not convinced 32 and above are faster if so pros would be riding them.

I rode all through last winter including the snow and ice on 23 mm tyres with no issues. Granted larger tyres provide more cushioning but I'm not convinced 32 and above are faster if so pros would be riding them.

Actually the pros are riding bigger tyres, right now the average are 25mm on wider rims.

Check out the tractor tyres Matthew Goss is riding on, you can clearly see the bigger size;

Actually the pros are riding bigger tyres, right now the average are 25mm on wider rims.

I agree but not 32, 35 and above. I know of one rider using 32 for cobbled stages but Grand tour riders are not using such wide tyres.

32's aren't faster, but more comfortable, also pros don't ride solely on the side of the road in the winter with road muck from all over the place, i ride 28's in the winter and find them to be a happy balance between comfort/security and speed

Rim wise i'd definitely reccomend something wider, creates a better profile and gives better handling, kinlin adhn (£15 @ hubjub) if it's box-section you're after or velocity a23's if you're not fussed with box section and would like something a bit lighter (£30 @ hubjub)

32's aren't faster, but more comfortable, also pros don't ride solely on the side of the road in the winter with road muck from all over the place, i ride 28's in the winter and find them to be a happy balance between comfort/security and speed,

Precisely my point, thought I never said faster, just that it make no difference to the averages.

Biggest factor are aerodynamic, hence the introduction of wider rims (as well as improved comfortable, lower rolling resistance, lower pressure etc.).

I reckon non-machined a23s would look good on the bike, far better than my current wheels- but again unfortunately out of scope for the time being

Actually the pros are riding bigger tyres, right now the average are 25mm on wider rims.

Check out the tractor tyres Matthew Goss is riding on, you can clearly see the bigger size;

He's hardly a good example though, is he Ed? He couldn't buy a win last season, these big tyres have clearly slowed him down.

Can you get the A23s in that reflective option?

I always thought that was a good idea as they look dark grey in the day and light up at night. Dyads definitely do, and from memory they're one of the lightest wide tough rims. I think about the same as OPs.

£15 a rim at hubjub

He's hardly a good example though, is he Ed?

I agree, but my Google power is seriously lacking.

^^ those KinLin's are a seriously good deal.

Shame they don't do 28h's otherwise I'd nap a set right now.

Did you get the set up? I'm gonna be selling my Enve road disc fork, brake and wheel on this forum ASAP (when I can post classifieds of course!)

Did you get the set up? I'm gonna be selling my Enve road disc fork, brake and wheel on this forum ASAP (when I can post classifieds of course!)

No, a combination of work and my son have meant that I've not had the time to do anything about it.

Does your fork have a straight steerer? Actually do Enve make straight steerer discs forks at all?

Cheers

yes they do ^

Great, I couldn't see them following a quick look on the Enve website.

Hi
It's a tapered ,I'm sorry
1/8 - 1/2
Will post it up as soon as I'm able

@ Zombie- thanks for the info and good luck with the sale. I doubt you'll have much difficulty selling it

So after months of inaction I've finally got round to doing something about getting my winter commuter ready, just in time for spring.

Frame will be ordered tomorrow. However I'm undecided on frame size. I generally ride a 56ish cm frame, but the increase in stand over height a cyclocross fork will bring makes me wonder if a 54 will be better. Dolan claim an 80cm stand over height for the 56 pre cursa which is not far off my inseam measurement. So a size down seems a possibility, though a longer stem will be required.