Cross Bikes and Cross Function

[Coyote!]

Which of the brands makes the best transition from racing/training to touring? [e.g., pannier frame hard-points, ride, etc.]

Wounded, Old, and Treacherous

[Diesel]

Lemond

[xccx]

waterford, gunnar,....anything custom

and there's a new trek called the "portland" that has disc brakes...

[sucka free]

Vanilla cycles...actually, they're just awesome looking bikes and since I don't use a bike for touring, I'd be using it more for cx.

http://www.vanillabicycles.com/

[gobes]

Lemond

I was looking at the Lemond Poprad to replace my touring (trek 520) and commuting (trek 1000) bikes but the Poprad seemed to lack a couple of features.
1. There weren't any eyelets at the top of the seat stays to attach a rack. I suppose you could use clamps?
2. There is not bridge on the chainstays to attach a fender. This may or may not be important.

[Lectron]

I guess this one would do.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lectron/Nettbilder/th_CD005.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lectron/Nettbilder/CD005.jpg)
You get the alu version with a 10 spd Ultegra for $1299 (http://www.flyte1.com/soar/janette/store/xls3.asp) (FSA crank)

[cyclintom]

Someone already pointed out Waterford. When you order the bike you order it with full eyelets on it and then you can swap it back and forth.

Waterford also makes a much more classic type of cyclocross frame. You don't gain diddly squat from wild geometry except the fact that semi-pro riders are using that stuff at this point in time.

[cyclintom]

How are you planning on mounting low-riders on a carbon fork?

[cyclintom]

What I did was to tie some zip-ties around the seat stays above the brake bridge. I then zip tied the rack onto the seat stays. This all has a little flexibility which is a sore point with the cheap aluminum racks which HATE to have hard connections.

Or you can buy the best racks and the adapters from Tubus or Bruce Gordon Cycles. Top end racks are expensive but you buy them once and then you have them forever. Buy a cheap aluminum rack and it will break in one month of touring use.


http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.asp
http://www.bgcycles.com/racks.html

I did the same thing with fenders. Modern fenders are MUCH better made out of that tough and relatively silent plastic. I drilled two holes and put a zip tie through the fender and around the seattube. This in fact worked MUCH better than the old method which had a clip that clipped over the chain stay bridge and cause all sorts of crap.

[Lectron]

How are you planning on mounting low-riders on a carbon fork?

Why would I ever want to try that? Why would i put on the lightest CX fork avaliable and low-riders
Most crown races are sold separately, well at least Chris Kings are, so of course I'd change the fork if
I ever would need more than my rear panniers. Done in a minute. :rolleyes:

[cyclintom]

Well, in case you missed the question, Coyote was asking which bike would be more easily converted between 'Cross and Touring.

The problem here is that all out Cross bikes now have a lot of carbon parts on them that are entirely unnecessary on a touring bike. Also this makes it difficult to use the special purpose bike for anything else.

I've converted three cyclocross bikes to touring bikes but they were all steel. The related problems is that modern cyclocross bikes tend to have short stays, no eyelets and high bottom brackets. Touring bikes have long stays, eyelets everywhere and low bottom brackets.

Now, when you change from cross knobbies to street tires you normally bring the Cross bike bottom bracket down to normal level. But the lack or eyelets and the short stays are still a problem.

The classic cross frames such as the Waterford are sort of in between the two extremes and they in fact are good for both.

[cs1]

The classic cross frames such as the Waterford are sort of in between the two extremes and they in fact are good for both.
I agree, I have a 1999 RSE-11 and it's a fabulous do everything bike. I'm thinking of dumping some of my other rides and using the money to upgrade from Veloce/Mirage to Chorus. Waterford makes a truly wonderful ride.

Tim

[linux_author]

I guess this one would do.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lectron/Nettbilder/th_CD005.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v482/Lectron/Nettbilder/CD005.jpg)
You get the alu version with a 10 spd Ultegra for $1299 (http://www.flyte1.com/soar/janette/store/xls3.asp) (FSA crank)

- don't discount Specialized's new Tricross? (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=12394)

(although, alas, the previous comments regarding carbon forks is true - but i looked at one in a shop yesterday, and those forks are STUDLY!)

:-)

[jjones]

They all work....pull a BOB.

Jay

[cyclintom]

I went on a five day Tour this year and I carried Pannier and my friend pulled a BOB. I have to say that I think that the BOB is a better idea. It carries a lot more, the load is lower, and when you get where you want to be you can just unhook the BOB and ride around sightseeing.

[Jarery]

Kona Jake the Snake

Switch my wheelsets : 3 minutes
Remove fenders : 4 min
Remove rack : 1 min
Remove lights : 2 min

Total time to go from tour mode to cross race mode : 10 minutes.

Takes a bit longer putting the fenders/rack back on to go into tour mode again, but not that bad :)

[Huffer]

If you check out Gunnar's site (forums and rider gallery), you can see some examples of their Cross-Hairs used for either one. From some of the forum comments, you have to make some choices when ordering (e.g., choose between rear disc brake OR canti's and rack eyelets - can't have eyelets and rear disc due to cable routing). Also, I think I recall them mentioning that there are weight limit recommendations for rack / panniers, so it may not be the ultimate long-haul touring answer. But, it CAN to both, and well.

Personally, I only have a Gunnar Roadie, but I'm looking at a Cross-Hairs for a possible future Commuter / CX / light off-road bike and probably unloading my old, heavy Raleigh MTB. I've got a thing for American-made steel bikes, I guess.

[MrEWorm]

The Surly Cross-Check handles cross, touring, all around riding, racks, fenders and clydesdales etc. And it IS affordable. You might want to check it out. Go to the "search" function on this page and search for "Surly"