Considering a Steel Cyclocross Frame

[vvill]

I haven’t used hydros, but have been happy with my BB7s. That said, based on a sample size of 1, the MTB BB7s on my MTB seem to squeal less than the road BB7s on my CX bike.

If you get BB7s they will be cheap and fine but will you be tempted to upgrade to hydros (or a mech/hydro hybrid) at some point in the future. If you get existing hydros they will be not as cheap, but also fine and you will be tempted to upgrade to better hydros in the future. Road bikes with hydraulic brakes is something that is still changing quite a bit year-to-year I don’t know about different brifter compatibility and hydros. For me, the road BB7s are reasonable with my Shimano 105 levers, although they’re not the best modulating brake I’ve used. (Another reason to begin with a stock/complete build would be if you wanted hydro discs: the road shifter/hydro brakes compatibility would be done correctly and brake lines bled and ready to go.)

One thing I’ve noticed with my disc brakes on CX tires on the road is that because they’re “grabbier” it’s easier to lock up and skid them inadvertently which is not ideal if you do it while going fast. Perhaps mine could be set up better but in any case I think it takes a little getting used to, coming off of rim brakes which are easy to modulate. Hydros I assume will be smoother, but as I said I haven’t ridden them.

If I was building a new bike today I’d probably go with the TRP hybrids.

[vvill]

New Raleigh models coming soon. Perhaps too heavy for serious CX racing, but some nice looking stuff in here
http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/07/29/2015-sneak-peek-raleigh-brings-back-steel-new-willard-gravel-bike-new-womens-mtb-and-more/

[KayakCyndi]

@vvill 91753 wrote:

New Raleigh models coming soon. Perhaps too heavy for serious CX racing, but some nice looking stuff in here
http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/07/29/2015-sneak-peek-raleigh-brings-back-steel-new-willard-gravel-bike-new-womens-mtb-and-more/

That women’s specific 27.5 hardtail looks appealing ….

[Phatboing]

@vvill 91753 wrote:

New Raleigh models coming soon. Perhaps too heavy for serious CX racing, but some nice looking stuff in here
http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/07/29/2015-sneak-peek-raleigh-brings-back-steel-new-willard-gravel-bike-new-womens-mtb-and-more/

Quote:

Called the Grand Prix, Raleigh’s travel bike will use the Ritchey Break-Away system and include a travel bag all for just $2100. Designed for 28mm tires, the Reynolds 520 butted chromoly frame uses a matching 4130 lugged fork with long reach rim brakes and a Campagnolo Veloce 10 speed group. With a claimed weight of 22.7 lbs, the bike will be offered in 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62cm sizes.

Oh.. oh my.

[mstone]

@hozn 91577 wrote:

I will do a little more research on that, but think I will give this a shot …. I was also a little nervous about hydro in freezing temps, but hopefully not an issue (?).

I think you’re more likely to have issues with cables freezing up than either brake fluid or mineral oil.

[hozn]

@mstone 91758 wrote:

I think you’re more likely to have issues with cables freezing up than either brake fluid or mineral oil.

Perhaps, but loss of stopping power is something others on winter MTB rides (with hydros) complain about. I have not had problems with cables.

[JeremyCannon]

Thanks, this has been very helpful. I still haven’t decided on the frame yet, but it is most likely going to be the felt or trek because of my EPs. Here are some other questions if someone is willing to answer them:

Shoes?
Does anyone have preferences of shoes for cross? (Again, I’m looking at PIs, Bontragers, Shimanos or Sidis because of my EPs)

Pedals?
Anyone have preferences? Would Speedplay Frogs work for racing? Opinions of Egg Beaters? It seems like people love to ride them, but hate to maintain them.

Shimano vs SRAM?
You’ve been saying weight is key for cross bikes. I’ve been leaning towards sram since they would shave some weight, while being less expensive compared to the equivalent shimano groupo, but would Shimano be a little better from a durability?

[KLizotte]

^^I miss the days when everyone wrote everything out. What does EPs stand for? As an economist, all I can think of is Earnings Per Share.

[rcannon100]

It’s a rare teenage genetic disorder (that skips generations!). Because of this disorder, NIH recommends only the use of Treks or Felts (or whatever else is the most expensive thing for him to buy at the moment).

[bluerider]

@JeremyCannon 91790 wrote:

Thanks, this has been very helpful. I still haven’t decided on the frame yet, but it is most likely going to be the felt or trek because of my EPs. Here are some other questions if someone is willing to answer them:

Shoes?
Does anyone have preferences of shoes for cross? (Again, I’m looking at PIs, Bontragers, Shimanos or Sidis because of my EPs)

Pedals?
Anyone have preferences? Would Speedplay Frogs work for racing? Opinions of Egg Beaters? It seems like people love to ride them, but hate to maintain them.

Shimano vs SRAM?
You’ve been saying weight is key for cross bikes. I’ve been leaning towards sram since they would shave some weight, while being less expensive compared to the equivalent shimano groupo, but would Shimano be a little better from a durability?

Shoes: I like Giro shoes a lot especially the higher end one. The adjusted insole is nice. Personally, I use the Gauge MTN shoes on my cross and tour setup.

Pedals: I have been an Eggbeater guy for over a decade. They need maintenance but rebuilding them is cheap and easy. I love riding them. However, I have been tempted lately to try Time ATACs.

Shimano vs SRAM: I like SRAM but ride both in pick which one you like. Generally, I think Shimano cuts too many corners on the lower end stuff so unless you are considering Ultegra or Dura Ace I would go with SRAM and buy what you can afford.

[vvill]

I have no idea what EP in that context stands for either, and urbandictionary didn’t give me any good ideas.

Shoes: try them on, over time you may find you prefer one brand over another. I wear Shimanos because they’ve never given me hotspots, and I know my size. I also have Chrome shoes which I’m not huge on fit-wise, even if they look nice. You’ll likely find many fans of Giro, Specialized and Sidi shoes, but I’ve only ridden Specialized out of those. I have wide-ish feet and I found Specialized (and LGs which I tried once) too narrow.

I like Crank Bros (especially for CX), they reportedly don’t have the best lifetime, but they are cheap at least. I have lots of miles on Candy pedals. Time ATACs seem to be the other option mentioned (other than SPD).

I have Shimano on all my bikes but I don’t mind SRAM either (I’ve done 100+ test ride miles). I have had no reliability issues with Shimano and I’m familiar with how they work so I’m sticking with them. I’ve used everything from below-Sora to Ultegra.

[DismalScientist]

I think EP means “employee discount. “

[dkel]

@DismalScientist 91810 wrote:

I think EP means “employee discount. “

Wouldn’t that be ED? Oh, wait—that’s something else!

[hozn]

Yeah, “employee purchase”.

As for shoes; just find the ones that fit you. They are all different, so likely among the ones you list there are only one or two options.

Pedals – I use Time Atac now. I have a bag of 6 (or more?) worn out Crank Bros pedals from the last 3-4 years, so I decided enough is enough. Shimano is probably the smart money, though.

I like SRAM because you can rebuild them. I just had to do that when I broke my right lever and shifter paddle in a crash. OTOH, if you have big hands, you might prefer Shimano ergonomics. I do, but SRAM is good enough. Or get Shimano hydro disc + Di2 (and let that drive your decision).

[JeremyCannon]

At first i didn’t realized that we were a Time dealer, but now i know we are, i’m gonna go with the ATACs.

If i go the shimano route, since 105 5800 is here, would it really be worth doing Ultegra anymore? I still might go SRAM anyways.

[Author]

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