Opinions on the Surly Cross Check?

[creadinger]

So here’s a question. Any idea when Surly will release the new 62cm Cross-Check or LHT framesets? I was at Spokes last week and they were checking for me but Surly didn’t provide any informtion on when to expect the 2013s (especially the >60cm frames).

That’s great it they’re great bikes, but how the heck are you supposed to buy one if they’re not available? The guy eventually said that they’ll hopefully be around in a month or so.

[wilesto]

Hey! Just started reading on this forum today, but I bought a Cross-Check about a month ago so I thought this thread would be an appropriate place for a first post.

I’m a huge fan. I was in a crash with a car back in May that bent up my beloved LeMond Poprad, and banged me up quite a bit too. Once I was healthy enough to think about getting back on a bike, I was looking for a similar steel ride that would a) fit me better than my previous bike and b) be durable/equipped enough to withstand heavy city-riding.

So far I’m happy – my 60cm frame fits me better than any bike I’ve ever owned and is large enough that no one can borrow it (take that, slightly shorter brother!), and the CC can certainly hold its own when it comes to commuting. Like I said before, I’m a fan.

As for the bar-end shifters, …eh? I don’t really have a preference one way or the other. I had 105s on my LeMond and will probably end up with them again, but I don’t have any serious gripes about the bar-ends that make me want to switch NOW. Someone else mentioned something about inadvertent knee-shifting – that happened to me when I tried out a Trek 520, but the flared dropouts on the CC’s stock Salsa bars seems to have solved that for me, long legs and all.

Glad to get involved with this forum! Hi everyone!

[KelOnWheels]

Howdy, cool Crosscheck haver!

[PotomacCyclist]

Out of curiosity, I looked up the website for the Surly Cross-Check. When you click on the photos, the Back and Forward buttons are accompanied by icons of handguns. What’s up with that? I’m not making a political statement here. I just found it kind of strange.

http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check/

[Bilsko]

@creadinger 28329 wrote:

So here’s a question. Any idea when Surly will release the new 62cm Cross-Check or LHT framesets? I was at Spokes last week and they were checking for me but Surly didn’t provide any informtion on when to expect the 2013s (especially the >60cm frames).

That’s great it they’re great bikes, but how the heck are you supposed to buy one if they’re not available? The guy eventually said that they’ll hopefully be around in a month or so.

I’m not sure about availability, but I know that the Disc Trucker (of which I am a proud new owner) goes all the way up to 64cm in the 700c version and 62cm in the 26er. the 64cm is only available as a frameset IIRC.

Bicycle space had my Disc trucker (56) and I know they had a 58 or two in stock – may be worth checking with them.

[Bilsko]

@wilesto 28510 wrote:

Hey! Just started reading on this forum today, but I bought a Cross-Check about a month ago so I thought this thread would be an appropriate place for a first post.

I’m a huge fan. I was in a crash with a car back in May that bent up my beloved LeMond Poprad, and banged me up quite a bit too. Once I was healthy enough to think about getting back on a bike, I was looking for a similar steel ride that would a) fit me better than my previous bike and b) be durable/equipped enough to withstand heavy city-riding.

So far I’m happy – my 60cm frame fits me better than any bike I’ve ever owned and is large enough that no one can borrow it (take that, slightly shorter brother!), and the CC can certainly hold its own when it comes to commuting. Like I said before, I’m a fan.

As for the bar-end shifters, …eh? I don’t really have a preference one way or the other. I had 105s on my LeMond and will probably end up with them again, but I don’t have any serious gripes about the bar-ends that make me want to switch NOW. Someone else mentioned something about inadvertent knee-shifting – that happened to me when I tried out a Trek 520, but the flared dropouts on the CC’s stock Salsa bars seems to have solved that for me, long legs and all.

Glad to get involved with this forum! Hi everyone!

Welcome – I just purchased a Disc Trucker two weeks ago and now (about 200 miles later), like you, I’m very happy with my decision to go with the Surly. I’ll be pulling around a trailer and also hope to do some touring so the Trucker made more sense than the XCheck for me, but I really liked the one I test rode.

[Tim Kelley]

@wilesto 28510 wrote:

Glad to get involved with this forum! Hi everyone!

Welcome! Out of curiosity, how did you happen to find the forum?

[wilesto]

@Tim Kelley 28548 wrote:

Welcome! Out of curiosity, how did you happen to find the forum?

Good question, I think it was just some link-surfing and googling that led me to a thread. I don’t remember exactly what it was.

[NicDiesel]

Cross Check lover here. Originally when I decided to get a new bike to help with weight loss I was strongly considering the Bianchi Volpe, which I test rode and loved, but decided on the Cross Check after a test ride of one that was sale ($900). I knew that going into the purchase I’d probably need to upgrade the rear wheel (I weight 400lbs) so I couldn’t justify paying $1,350 for the Volpe when my total budget was $1,500. Still, I really love my Cross Check now that I’ve put 1,500 miles on it; can’t wait to finish my first century on it!

I will say that the geometry of the CC is a little odd and most of the stock components aren’t that great but I really love mine now that I’ve made some upgrades to it. I’ve replaced the stock bar tape with Lizard Skin, upgraded the rear wheel to a Phil Wood 48h-Velocity Chukkar monster, swapped out the stock 90mm stem for a 130mm one, and gotten the Brooks B17 saddle I got for my birthday broken in. Now it rides like a dream. My next upgrade is to swap out the bar end shifters for the standard brake lever ones most road bikes have and upgrade the front wheel to match the back so I have a full 48h touring set.

That said it does have its problems. The bar end shifters are horrible, the frames run large (I’m 6’2″ and have a 56cm Cross Check but ride a 60cm in the LHT and a 58cm in most other bikes), the stock rims are really poor for larger riders (which is to be expected), and the stock seat could be used as a torture device. Still, for ~$1,000 it’s a great do-it-all “road” bike.

[wilesto]

@4st7lbs 28587 wrote:

Cross Check lover here. Originally when I decided to get a new bike to help with weight loss I was strongly considering the Bianchi Volpe, which I test rode and loved, but decided on the Cross Check after a test ride of one that was sale ($900). I knew that going into the purchase I’d probably need to upgrade the rear wheel (I weight 400lbs) so I couldn’t justify paying $1,350 for the Volpe when my total budget was $1,500. Still, I really love my Cross Check now that I’ve put 1,500 miles on it; can’t wait to finish my first century on it!

I will say that the geometry of the CC is a little odd and most of the stock components aren’t that great but I really love mine now that I’ve made some upgrades to it. I’ve replaced the stock bar tape with Lizard Skin, upgraded the rear wheel to a Phil Wood 48h-Velocity Chukkar monster, swapped out the stock 90mm stem for a 130mm one, and gotten the Brooks B17 saddle I got for my birthday broken in. Now it rides like a dream. My next upgrade is to swap out the bar end shifters for the standard brake lever ones most road bikes have and upgrade the front wheel to match the back so I have a full 48h touring set.

That said it does have its problems. The bar end shifters are horrible, the frames run large (I’m 6’2″ and have a 56cm Cross Check but ride a 60cm in the LHT and a 58cm in most other bikes), the stock rims are really poor for larger riders (which is to be expected), and the stock seat could be used as a torture device. Still, for ~$1,000 it’s a great do-it-all “road” bike.

Awesome! I also made a few changes on mine as soon as I got it home, the seat being the first. That thing is seriously uncomfortable. Honestly, who’s shaped like that? The guys at the shop helped dial in my stem when I was test riding, so they got me what I needed when my bike was ready.

As for sizing, my understanding is that CX bikes generally run big because of the higher bottom bracket. More clearance below = shorter seat tube = smaller measurement for the same top tube height. I’m 6’4″ with somewhat long legs, so I’m on a 60cm CC instead of a 62 or 64cm road bike. That’s quite the haphazard explanation, so if anyone can do better/correct me then please do!

[NicDiesel]

Yeah, I was given a similar explanation but I chalked it up to me having extremely short legs but a long torso. Can you ride in the drops? I can’t but that has a lot more to do with my carrying an extra 100lbs of belly fat than anything else. Still, a great bike for the price.

[wilesto]

I occasionally use the drops, but not much since 90% of my everyday riding is in the city. I’m actually surprised that I can sometimes, since my seat is so far in the sky that it almost looks like a track bike.

[NicDiesel]

Whew, looks like I’m not the only CC rider violating the “more than a handful of seatpost” rule.

[DaveK]

I think I said it earlier but that’s why I sold my CC – too long of a top tube and too short a head tube for my desired seat tube length (aka my torso and arms aren’t long enough for the right size frame). If you have short legs and long monkey arms it would fit great. I mean long monkey arms in the most flattering way, of course, to allow you to swing from streetlight poles and whatnot.

4st7lb – is your CC black? I think I’ve seen you at Hains and thought to myself how generally awesome you are. Keep killing it out there.

[NicDiesel]

@DaveK 28613 wrote:

4st7lb – is your CC black? I think I’ve seen you at Hains and thought to myself how generally awesome you are. Keep killing it out there.

Yep – I’m usually in a plain white jersey doing laps there on the weekend. I ordered the wrong color bar tape so I’ll be even easier to spot – large guy, white jersey, black CC with orange bar tape. Say hi if you see me out there.

[Author]

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