I've found a Pinarello Cyclocross frame and fork for a nice price. Not cheap but not expensive. Somewhat used but not beat up.
It's an aluminum frame with a steel fork. It's also a 55 cm frame but is 57 cm to the top of the seat post. This bike would seem to be too small for me.
Presently I have a 59 cm Raleigh Team CX bike. It's a really nice bike but it seems to me that it's too tall for me. That may be because I've ridden mountain bikes off road a whole lot and prefer the small bikes off road. In any case I'm going to try the Pinarello adjusted for me to see if it's a size problem.
The standover seems to me to be about right on the Pinarello. I like a couple of inches of top tube clearance.
In the picture there is a set of sew-up CX wheels on the bike but those racing wheel wouldn't be used nornally. I bought a set of those $90 Supergo Koda's and may either use those or a set of wheels I got off of a Felt. These are a little heavy but heavy is relative since my style of cyclocross RIDING isn't like cyclocross racing where you carry the bike.
I had a set of Coda (Cannondale) cantilever brakes I got off of Ebay for $30. These are nice brakes and although I PREFER Diacomp 986'sp, if I had to buy a new set I'd go for the Radius Cantilevers sold by Cyclocross World (
http://www.store.yahoo.com/cyclocrossworld/racabr.html ). They install easily and adjust easily though the Coda's adjust the easiest.
I had a bar and stem sitting around so I dropped that into the VERY NICE old-style threaded steerer. The bike already had a Campy headset so there was no sense in changing that since anything else would be a step down.
I ordered some 105 derailleurs and went onto Ebay and bought a set of DuraAce bar-end shifters. Nashbar is having a really hot sale on 105 stuff and they even had STI shifters for $120. I bought a set since I figure that if the bike doesn't work for me it will be more saleable with STI so I'll chang off the bar-ends if that's the case. And truth be known, I build up a lot of bikes for other people and so I can always use the STI for something.
The cranks were a problem. I really like the Trekking crankset from Shimano - it is almost perfect for my uses, but the price is bizarre. (
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...eid=&pagename= ) So instead I bought the much cheaper 105 Triple and will change off the small ring for a 24 tooth if I feel like buying one or one of the 26 tooth rings I have laying around. If the bike didn't come with a Shimano BB I would probably have gone with the Trekking cranks though since it does include external BB cups etc. So it would have run about the same as a 105 cranks and a normal bottom bracket.
I have saddles coming out my ears for a change (all of them good one's as well) but I've run out of seatposts. I ordered a Ritchey two bolt seatpost. I put on of those on my Fuji Newest that I just built up and really like it. The only negative thing about it is that it has "notches" for position and I suppose some people are too sensitive to exact seat position and might not like them. I've had enough of super light seat posts bending so I'm more particular now.
So now I'm hung up waiting for the parts to come in and then I'll be able to ride the Pinarello.\
(drumming fingers............................................................where are my parts**********)