Moving Bike Components

[TwoWheelsDC]

@ebubar 106475 wrote:

What am I missing/what other expenses should I consider?

If you’re going to go all-in and do the bottom bracket yourself, make sure you have a good torque wrench, since you’ll need to properly torque your BB cups and crank bolts when you install the BB. I’ve never used that Nashbar BB tool, but in my experience, BBs can be incredibly difficult to remove, and the head on that BB tool won’t let you use a beefier tool (pipe wrenches work like a charm) if your BB is really stuck. For an extra $5, I’d say just go with the Park BBT-22.

Also, despite the extra cost,the Park cable cutter can mean the difference between an easy cable installation and wanting to throw your bike off a bridge. Seems like a total uni-tasker, but it was definitely a worthwhile investment for me.

[hozn]

Unless I am misunderstanding, you are trying to move parts from a road bike to a CX bike? You will need new brakes. And a new fork; the axle-to-crown measurements are different on CX and road forks — so a CX frame is built for a CX fork.

Edit: and with the frame you list, you will need a new rear wheel: that frame has 135mm rear spacing (which is [the current] standard for disc brakes).

Really, you might as well get disc brakes and disc-brake wheels and do it right. I have some road bb7s I will sell you very cheap

And of course new cables (and housing) as you note. New bar tape.

I would buy a road frame instead if you want to just move parts with minimal expense.

Also, you can get a full 11-speed Shimano 105 group *new* for $380. Just throwing that out there.

[ebubar]

Thanks for the info. I could convince my wife that a frame was a good purchase. Getting a frame, fork, wheels and disc brakes is a much tougher sell.

Really looking to do a relaxed drop bar frame with beefy tire/fender clearance for under $150. Alas that seems unlikely.

[hozn]

@ebubar 106507 wrote:

Really looking to do a relaxed drop bar frame with beefy tire/fender clearance for under $150. Alas that seems unlikely.

Well, not sure what you mean by relaxed (e.g. what HT angle?), but what about just something like: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_543556_-1___204685

I’m a little puzzled by that geometry chart, though. Not sure what’s going on there.

Also don’t know about the clearance. To do something with larger clearance than the former bike (a Jamis, right?) you’ll probably need different brakes — e.g. long reach calipers — and even then you won’t have clearance like you’d have on a touring or cx frame. If you do go CX frame then you’ll need canti or (better) mini-v brakes, but you’ll get the clearance you desire. But, yeah, you’d need a different fork, etc. Probably not worth it.

[Rod Smith]

Jamis crash replacement is a frame or complete bike?

[ebubar]

Complete bike. So I should get back everything but the frame.

It’s ready and waiting at Proteus as of last night (EXCELLENT service from those guys and gals!). Just need to find the time to get over there and do a fit.

[Harry Meatmotor]

One other small thing I’ll add is that if you do decide to swap all the parts over, the BB may or may not work. This has more to do with the BB spindle length than anything else – what might be a good spindle length on the old Jamis might not be a good spindle length on whatever new frame you decide to go with.

Also, echoing others, you’re going to need to at least re-lace your rear wheel – depending on hub choice in a 135mm OLN dimension, you could get away with only having to spend $25 on a cheapo or take-off MTB hub plus spokes and nipples. Some frames are built to take either 130mm or 135mm hubs (like Surly Crosschecks), and it’s certainly possible to run a 130mm hub in a 135mm frame and get away with it.

[ebubar]

Tis clearly a larger project than I wished. Thanks for the assembled knowledge!

I’ll probably keep my eyes open for a full frameset like a Cross Check as those seem like pretty versatile and well-loved beasts. Possibly a summer project!

[dkel]

@Harry Meatmotor 106539 wrote:

One other small thing I’ll add is that if you do decide to swap all the parts over, the BB may or may not work. This has more to do with the BB spindle length than anything else – what might be a good spindle length on the old Jamis might not be a good spindle length on whatever new frame you decide to go with.

Theoretically, if the BB and crankset are the same and the rear wheel is the same (hub, cassette, and all), and if the BB shell is billed as the same type on each of the two frames (68mm English threaded, say) and the rear spacing is the same (135mm, for example), the transfer should be seamless, right? Just thinking about maybe moving the geared setup of my Straggler over to something like the Traitor Ruben, and then making the Straggler a fixie. Just…cuz.

[hozn]

Moving components from the Straggler to the Ruben should be the same, assuming also same rear axle (they are [both QR]). There might be a difference in chainstay length that would mean your chain was too short/long, but that is about all I can think of.

Why not get a Crusade and run that fixed instead of the Straggler? 44mm headtube seems like a nice plus.

Is this for off-road (FG, really?) or just a FG with winter-tire clearance? This bike sounds very redundant …

[dkel]

@hozn 106625 wrote:

Why not get a Crusade and run that fixed instead of the Straggler? 44mm headtube seems like a nice plus.

Is this for off-road (FG, really?) or just a FG with winter-tire clearance? This bike sounds very redundant …

So, I’m really enjoying the fixie I built up, but it’s not an all-weather commuter (it’s also probably a little bit too small for me, so I start getting worn out if I ride it on long rides). I’d love to be able to commute on the Straggler in any weather, and ride fixed because it’s a total blast. If I convert the Straggler, I won’t have a geared bike, and I’m finding it’s a little difficult to ride fixed with other people if they’re not as fast as I am (or as I need to be to get over some hills). For example, I rode with a friend who is brand new to riding and didn’t have lights the other night; I wasn’t planning to ride with her, but couldn’t let her go by herself in the dark. Our average speed was 8 mph, which was feasible on my fixie, but pretty dreadful ultimately. So I thought the Ruben would be a nice middle-of-the-road choice: steel (which I like), geared, able to take a rack and fenders (Crusade won’t take a rack, apparently, though when I look at my Straggler setup, the rack and fenders are mounted on the same eyelets, so I’m not sure why that wouldn’t work on the Crusade), and it actually won’t take fat tires and fenders at the same time (which is fine with me, because i would really only use it on the road). A couple more thoughts on this already too-long post: all of this is just daydreaming, really; sometimes I get tired from all this BAFS, and gears are nice when I’m tired; Im not changing anything until this summer, likely; and I still have my Cannondale Quick, so I don’t actually need another bike, even if I do convert the Straggler.

[hozn]

They claim the Crusade has mounts for rack and fenders in the description, but yes it looks like just a single set of lower mounts. Shouldn’t be a problem, though I don’t know; I have two sets on my commuter, but only use the lower ones for fenders (no rack). [Update: that was wrong; I was reading the “Cutlass” specs.] And, yeah, neither has massive clearance — looks like basically 35c or 30-32c with full fenders. For an all-weather FG, I would think that’s probably plenty if you’re not looking to ride off-road. I was just thinking that the Ruben sounds almost exactly like what you have with the Straggler now.

Your current setup sounds pretty perfect, honestly; a lightweight[ish] FG for when you don’t want/need the all-weather or rack and the all-weather machine for when you want to spin or need the fenders, studded tires, etc. I’d have two commuters if I had room for 4 bikes; but I’m limited to 3 and I don’t want to give up the fast road bike [that I can’t really use for commuting, since the dropouts don’t work for towing the Chariot trailer] and a dedicated mountain bike. My commuter is not over-burdened, though; and honestly in a pinch (or in the winter) it works on the road group rides too. Single-speed is fun (I have no burning desire to run FG), but it’s not optimal for towing a trailer, so I’ll run gears on my commuter for a few more years.

Edit: I just realized I was looking at the “Cutlass”, which does have rack/fender mounts. The Crusade doesn’t really sound it boasts fender mounts, so that is certainly a consideration.

[dkel]

@hozn 106645 wrote:

Your current setup sounds pretty perfect, honestly; a lightweight[ish] FG for when you don’t want/need the all-weather or rack and the all-weather machine for when you want to spin or need the fenders, studded tires, etc.

Yeah…the problem is I’m becoming addicted to FG, and would like to ride fixed as much as possible, but there’s always the rare occasion when a geared setup is required. I’ll think about it later. —Rather, I’ll think about it constantly, and do something about it later!

[hozn]

@dkel 106649 wrote:

Yeah…the problem is I’m becoming addicted to FG, and would like to ride fixed as much as possible, but there’s always the rare occasion when a geared setup is required. I’ll think about it later. —Rather, I’ll think about it constantly, and do something about it later!

+1

Well, you might get addicted to road racing if you give that a shot. But you know, I would say you should definitely do more of whatever it is you’re enjoying. If having 2 FGs is what it takes, then do it! Heck, dcv didn’t stop at 2. (I have no idea how many FG bikes he has; I assume at least one for every of the 7 days of the week.)

[vvill]

@dkel 106649 wrote:

Yeah…the problem is I’m becoming addicted to FG, and would like to ride fixed as much as possible, but there’s always the rare occasion when a geared setup is required. I’ll think about it later. —Rather, I’ll think about it constantly, and do something about it later!

I do exactly the same thing. I’m planning to switch my converted-hybrid to FG full-time. I did 3.5 races on it (0.5 = pit bike usage) as a SSCX but it’s had so many flats (not in races thankfully) that I don’t think the rear road rim really works for that purpose, and it still has a road caliper on the back. I really enjoy my Wabi FG but the hybrid has fender mounts and is aluminum not steel, so I don’t mind it getting salty as much so it should be ideal for winter FG riding. With permanent full fenders and a removed rear brake it’ll still be one of my lightest bikes.

That’s all thinking though – so far this year this bike has a flat from last year that I still haven’t changed and all I’ve done is lean different parts from other bikes on it. I’m also thinking of switching my geared folding bike to fixed gear… damn you Sheldon Brown!

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