Surly Cross Check Dad Bike Not Even a Dad

Im not a dad.

Ive had the surly for a year or so (bought from off here - https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/331003/#comment14636283 ), and i've always thought of it as a long term project.

I got it single speed, I converted it to fixed for a long time, and it was a very practical bike with a basket for going slowly because ive not got time to die on my way to work pretending to be in the tour de france riding allong the CS3 into oncomming bicycle trafic.

I recently purchased a shimano 9speed deore group from @cybernck (thanks!) in the hope of turning the surly into something even more practical - it might be able to go up hills while carrying things on it! Or maybe do some off roading! Im excited!

I was building it up yesterday and as ever with a bike build you end up figuring out half way through you need a few things.

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My problems:

1. the front mech clamp is 31.8 but the surly is 28.6mm. Damn. N00b mistake
   
2. I think the chain might be too short. I looked up some chain sizing guides, and according to them im a long way off.
   
3. Im missing that loop thing for the v brakes - easy one to pick up from lbs. annoying none the less
   
4. I had some old brifter brake cables and managed to file the ends down so they work with the brakes. I hope this wont be an issue but I think im golden.
   

oh also wheels! I need some that can fit some fatter rubber underneath. Could anyone recommend anything? I was thinking of having some slick 40mms for the majority of the time

Take a pic of the chain on small/small and also on big/big rings combination.

park tools method of chain sizing is chain around big chainring and big sprocket (bypass the RD) and then add 3 links.
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing
I just used this method and seems to be fine.

Filing down road brake cables to fit mtb brake levers sounds unnecessarily reckless. Spend the £5 on new inners and the life you save could be your own.

Look out for a front mech rubber shin. A few companies produce one that fits in the front mech to use on skinny tubes

Just ask your lbs if they have the FD shims, may have some in a parts bin somewhere, that you'll probably get for nowt or tea n biscuit money.

Progress!

Thanks shipwright for the chain length tip. And I'm confident in the brake cable bodge. No structural change just a few mm off the top.

I've got the new chain on and the brakes all sorted out. However it took about 20 mins of confused googling to figure out that my front derailleur is a top pull type, and therefore can not be used with my frame (which routes the fd cable under the bb). I've never come across these before.

Anyway I went on a quick dash around the block and everything else feels good.

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Some new wheels laced up with kinlin 31 hoops courtesy of @broken_777
Straight gauge spokes and some deore hubs. Nothing fancy is the name of the game.

Been a while since I laced wheels but after ordering the wrong sized spokes at first (calculated for 2 cross but needed 3 Cross), everything went pretty smooth.

I tried lacing them 2 cross but with the straight gauge spokes there was too much interference. :(

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