Cross Check Complete

[scotch]

Hiya,

I'm trying to get a ballpark for what folks have paid for their Cross Check Completes. I'm going to get prices from two different LBSs and was hoping some forum riders could tell me what they paid for theirs, just in the way reference.

Thanx in advance.

[gonesh9]

I've seen them complete with lower end parts for around $850, and built up with decent parts for around $1300. Mine was somewhere in-between there, with nice parts but no deraileurs or multiple gears.

[Herbsinator]

My Crosscheck was about 1400, but that was with full 105, ritchey, and a brooks saddle.

[-=£em in Pa=-]

bicycleblowout has them for about 899.00
and gene spicer has them for 819.00 (??)

[scotch]

bicycleblowout has them for about 899.00
and gene spicer has them for 819.00 (??)

Thanks a lot for these links. Think I might have to go for the black '05 once I get my sizing nailed down.

Scotch

[Stubacca]

I paid $750 in '03, ordered through my LBS. You may find your LBS will give you a slight break on price if you order through them, since they don't actually have to hold the bike in inventory (that's how I was able to get the price down a bit).

$800-850 should be in the ballpark for a decent price.

[-=£em in Pa=-]

Thanks a lot for these links. Think I might have to go for the black '05 once I get my sizing nailed down.

Scotch

I have a black 04 that I got from BicycleBlowout.
If you have any questions you can pm me.
I hammer mine and it keeps going, going, going............
heavy, prolitarian looking but one of my favorite bikes !
I think they size a little big. Im 5'10 and got a 58c and it
was too big. I had to change the stem right away to
get it rideable.

[scotch]

Im 5'10 and got a 58c and it
was too big. I had to change the stem right away to
get it rideable.

That's good to know. I'm 5'11 so I'm assuming I'd want the 56. The only thing I'm not sure of are the bar end shifters...never used them before and I'm interested to see how I like them now that I've gotten used to the 105 Flight Decks on the Axis.

Thanks again!

[-=£em in Pa=-]

That's good to know. I'm 5'11 so I'm assuming I'd want the 56. The only thing I'm not sure of are the bar end shifters...never used them before and I'm interested to see how I like them now that I've gotten used to the 105 Flight Decks on the Axis.

Thanks again!

I like the bar ends, but I also liked ye olde stem shifters of ye daze of olde :roflmao:
Really though, to me they are very easy to get used to and maintainance free.
I have mine set to friction just because I highly suspicious of post 1950 technology !
:D

[deinonychi]

That's good to know. I'm 5'11 so I'm assuming I'd want the 56. The only thing I'm not sure of are the bar end shifters...never used them before and I'm interested to see how I like them now that I've gotten used to the 105 Flight Decks on the Axis.

Thanks again!

I just built up a CrossCheck a month ago (the frameset was an EXTREMELY cool present from my girlfriend!), so before ordering it I did some research on how they're sized. They definitely size at least one size large. With Surly's, the "center to top" measurement is not from the center of the BB to the top of the seat tube, but is from the center of the BB to the point where the centerline of the seat tube intersects a line projected from the top of the top tube. So they come out at last two centimeters less than you'd expect. For me, at 6'0", I normally take a 56cm to a 58cm frame depending on the top tube length; with my CrossCheck, in order to get the right length frame, I had to get a 54cm frame. So for you at 5'11", I'd say take a good look at the lengths of the CrossCheck for the different sizes, and seriously consider a 54cm.

As for the shifters, I used 9s bar end shifters for about a year, and while they were no problem to reach or shift, they did tend to shift "sloppy". My girlfriend's touring bike had the same problem. Try as I might, changing housing and cables and even warrantying one set of shifters, they just couldn't be improved upon. I've worked on other 9s bar end shifters since with the same problem. Both of us have since switched to downtube shifters, and haven't had a problem since. So if you're like me and prefer precise shifting, you might be disappointed with bar end shifters.

By the way, I LOVE my CrossCheck. Commuter, winter road bike, touring bike, there's just nothing that this bike can't do, and do it well.

[trackandtrials]

http://www.fullcycles.com/product_info.php/cPath/80_81/products_id/471

no sales tax and free US shipping too....

[scotch]

With Surly's, the "center to top" measurement is not from the center of the BB to the top of the seat tube, but is from the center of the BB to the point where the centerline of the seat tube intersects a line projected from the top of the top tube.

This was confirmed by my LBS where they have a 56cm Crosscheck on the floor. It's built up w/ 105...thing is beautiful...but a bit more than I want to spend. They want me to bring my 55 Axis in and see how how I sit on it/seat height, etc before we decide on the 54 or 56 Surly.

As for the shifters, I may just have them put on a set of flight decks for me. Other than that, I'll leave it as it comes.

Thanks for the input.

[MrEWorm]

My cross check is 105 and 4 years old. Also, I believe my rear hub has 36 spokes and front is 32. I'm glad I had it built up that way.
Its is setup more as a road/tour bike than cross bike. Performance bike in Naperville, IL built it up for me and did a great job fitting it to my clydesdaleness.
The only thing I added was a Brooks B17.

[SteelCommuter]

I just built up a CrossCheck a month ago (the frameset was an EXTREMELY cool present from my girlfriend!), so before ordering it I did some research on how they're sized. They definitely size at least one size large. With Surly's, the "center to top" measurement is not from the center of the BB to the top of the seat tube, but is from the center of the BB to the point where the centerline of the seat tube intersects a line projected from the top of the top tube. So they come out at last two centimeters less than you'd expect. For me, at 6'0", I normally take a 56cm to a 58cm frame depending on the top tube length; with my CrossCheck, in order to get the right length frame, I had to get a 54cm frame. So for you at 5'11", I'd say take a good look at the lengths of the CrossCheck for the different sizes, and seriously consider a 54cm.

As for the shifters, I used 9s bar end shifters for about a year, and while they were no problem to reach or shift, they did tend to shift "sloppy". My girlfriend's touring bike had the same problem. Try as I might, changing housing and cables and even warrantying one set of shifters, they just couldn't be improved upon. I've worked on other 9s bar end shifters since with the same problem. Both of us have since switched to downtube shifters, and haven't had a problem since. So if you're like me and prefer precise shifting, you might be disappointed with bar end shifters.

By the way, I LOVE my CrossCheck. Commuter, winter road bike, touring bike, there's just nothing that this bike can't do, and do it well.

Even if you account for the different way they measure it, there are several other factors that are important. The BB drop between the axles and the size tires being used can really change the standover. Also, the intended use.

If this was primarily a commuter with tires between 23-30 mm, I'd get a different size then a trail/cross bike with fat 35-45 mm tires.

Your bar-end shifters were "sloppy"? Do you mean integrated shifters (STI/Ergo)? My bar-end shifters and downtube shifters have hardly any difference in shifting. If you really mean bar-end/barcon, then they were definitely not set-up correctly. That's not a dig at ya, it's just that it is a very simple shifting system that works on the same principle as DT shifters. The only difference is more cable, which with barend friction shifting has no impact.

There is no meaningful difference in shifting performance between the two that I've ever observed. There is, on the other hand, more maintenance involved for integrated brifters to operate optimally.

Your bike sounds great, and so does your girlfriend. Lucky guy.

[endform]

Did you do something funky like route the bar end cable all the way up the bar? Also it could have been plain old cable tension issues.

[borasam]

I wanted it to be safe and fast to keep with trafic so I used Shimano Ultegra hubs, cranks, deralier (back and front), shifters and hand made Veloce wheels. Richey handlebar and thomson post and stem. Michelin Cross Pro tires and SLK sadle. $1600.00
PROS:It does very well on the streets, paved trails and gravel roads even on snow.
CONS: the large crank makes it a bit difficult to go off road, it just hangs too low.

[cs1]

This was confirmed by my LBS where they have a 56cm Crosscheck on the floor. It's built up w/ 105...thing is beautiful...but a bit more than I want to spend. They want me to bring my 55 Axis in and see how how I sit on it/seat height, etc before we decide on the 54 or 56 Surly.

As for the shifters, I may just have them put on a set of flight decks for me. Other than that, I'll leave it as it comes.

Thanks for the input.

I wouldn't worry about barcons. I've been using them since 1989 on all my road bikes. The big advantage over brifters is durability. Barcons just don't break. I've seen lots of busted brifters on ebay but no barcons. They get scratched but still keep working. Plain old brake levers are about $20, very cheap. Most of the time in a crash it's the levers that take a beating. Try replacing a brifter for under $100. Good luck

Tim

[-=£em in Pa=-]

I :love: barends !
Set on friction, mine have been flawless !
The bike has gotten blown over by the wind twice
and all I had to do was pick it up and straighten the
brake lever on the bar.

I think any shifting system that 'clicks' sets
sets bicycling back to just above the wooden rim era! :D