Cupcakes' Surly Cross Check

Interesting, thanks. I've got a 5600 RD so max sprocket size is 27 teeth. I hadn't realised newer 105 went up to 32t on the GS cage.

Still feeling the draw of the 34t sprocket though... think I need to look at the jumps between adjacent sprockets on that cassette.

sjs website show list of sprocket size.

Used to ride with 11-28, but middle feel either too spinny or mashy, changed it for a 13-26, feel much better in middle, surprisingly did not miss the 28t, as I end up making do with 26t which felt more of a fair trade off (8 speed = bigger jump).

11-34t - 11, * * 13, * 15, * 17, * 19, * 21, * 23, * * 26, * * * 30, * * * 34t

12-30t -12, 13, 14, 15, * 17, * 19, * 21, * * 24, * * 27, * * 30t.

12-28t -12, 13, 14, 15, * 17, * 19, * 21, * 23, * 25, * * 28t.

stars show how big the jump are between each sprockets, hopefully give you some ideas of what sound like an idea ratios for you.

Nice one ed that's quite a useful visualisation. Having mulled it over I now think the 34 might be a bit OTT. Sounds like the best thing is to just ride the setup I have and see how it feels. I guess this kind of indecision is what happens when you have too much thinking time and not enough riding time.

That said I have 50/34*12-27 on my road bike just now and I happily use the 27 in kent. So the logic is that when carrying loads and going up 'real hills' I'll need something a fair bit spinnier.

Be wary of having it too spinny (there is such thing!), it'll be harder to push a rear load when ascending due to the front wheel getting lifted at every pedal stroke when barely doing tiptoeing speed.

Found out the hard way, on a wet 30% hill.

Man alive, this gearing stuff is confusing. Ed, could you clarify on the 8-speed = bigger jump part? How detrimental is that when carrying stuff? I'm hating spinning so much and not going anywhere.

Sorry Cakes, I'm derailing things on your thread a bit.

If you hate spinning away on an 8 speed transmission, it's worth changing the chainset rather to a smaller one, so you'll ride more on the middle of the cassette while laden with a standard gear (as in 11-25t), or a triple.

If you tour on a normal chainset with a 11-25t, you end up cross-chaining due to using the top three cog and accelerate the wear and tear of the drivetrain;

The other advantage of having a bigger jump between each sprocket is that you don't have to change 2 or 3 time to get to the ratio you feel comfortable with (rolling hill for example), for some people, this outweighs the disadvantage of not finding a ratio that's not too spinny or too mashy.

It's all a very personal preference, much like fixed gear ratios.

To this day it amuses me how you have 18,20,22 'gears' on a bike but the small-small and big-big combinations eliminate 2 or so each end.. false economy.. right?

hah!

I run a triple on my 8-speed cross check. Means I can run a narrow cassette (12-25) but still ride pretty much everything, on/off-road and with loads.

http://gear-calculator.com/# is good for comparing gearing across bikes.

Racks and final bits ordered. Should get this finished mid-week.

I'm also very intrigued by the wheel/dynamo setup that JB is showing in his spreadsheet. JB tell us more !

JB JB JB we need moar info on this intriguing wheel/ light combo. It looks good and I've long been tempted by a dynk hub. But why this one - just the best deal ? Any thoughts on the quality of the lamp they supply?

Man alive, this gearing stuff is confusing. Ed, could you clarify on the 8-speed = bigger jump part? How detrimental is that when carrying stuff? I'm hating spinning so much and not going anywhere.

Sorry Cakes, I'm derailing things on your thread a bit.

I don't mind at all so no worries.

As for the ratios I would imagine its down to personal preference mostly, in terms of what is 'too spinny' or ' too big a jump between sprockets'. FWIW I think the idea of a triple with an 11-25 cassette sounds very wise. Not for me though as I wanted the narrowness of a road chainset. And also to be able to use my existing shifters. Everything is a compromise to some extent.

Yo rich, let me dig out the link. The rear light doesn't look amazing but the front has had pretty good reviews. It's a B&M Crypto something or other.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s209p3040

I was gonna get that hub anyway which is £95 and considering the entire front wheel, with lights, is only £180, it seems like a cracking deal.

Just bought an 'as new' Tiagra 4650 compact from BRadar, and have a few cassettes knocking about to try. Is it going to make a difference to gearing when I (eventually) get some 32c Paselas? Basing this on the knowledge that the smaller the wheel diameter the higher the gear inch you need.

Or is the actual diameter between 28 and 32 on standard rims negligible, gearing wise?

Or is the actual diameter between 28 and 32 on standard rims negligible, gearing wise?

You would notice a tiny difference, though probably more from the larger tyre's increased rotational weight than the change in wheel circumference.

Just won a long haul trucker for my girlfriend on eBay. Things are getting awfully Surly-centric around here.

The best kind of centric, Rich.

http://www.lfgss.com/picture.php?albumid=3008&pictureid=17865
(photo borrowed from the eBay auction)

So we're picking this up tomorrow. Or my GF is picking it up rather.
Plan for the build is something like:
*10spd deore mtb group
*Some 26" wheelset: Sputnik x deore?
*On one mary bars, or some other riser/ backswept mashup
*Various parts bin / generic bits e.g. seatpost
*Some front rack (her choice, but I'm currently swayed by the Blackburn one discussed up thread

Assuming she gets on with the bike, she'll probably want to get rid of her Genesis Day One alfine. It'll be a mo nth or so til I can build this up, but shoot me a PM if you fancy some mid-summer Genesis-ing and I'll take note...

Very nice. Do very much like a utility surly. Still waiting for the powdercoaters, gotta phone him Friday, fingers crossed he's managed to squeeze it in.
I'll have same decision to make once the cross check is built, do I get rid of the day one?

^^ Looks good! We should organise a "Cross Check owners with girlfriends who ride green Long Haul Truckers" ride!

My crosscheck frame arrived today.. CP thread to come :)

Has anyone noticed the differences between the LHT and CC forks? they have slightly different drop outs so with the LHT's you cannot fit a an axle mounted strut like on a Wald or Soma/VO porteur rack.

Good news (I think): I've been given the medical go-ahead to ride again, as long as it doesn't hurt too much. Shoulder surgery looms in the future but my Scotland tour seems to be back on.

This means I really do need to move very fast and get this bike finished over the next 48 hours, so I can go for a test ride over the weekend. There's only 8 days until I leave on a train for the highlands.

Has anyone noticed the differences between the LHT and CC forks? they have slightly different drop outs so with the LHT's you cannot fit a an axle mounted strut like on a Wald or Soma/VO porteur rack.

Could you not use the front rack eyelet instead?

^^ Looks good! We should organise a "Cross Check owners with girlfriends who ride green Long Haul Truckers" ride!

I'm keen. The GF wants to go to Belgrade, but maybe somewhere a bit more local first :)