Cyclocross - MTB frames for CX? 135 mm?

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alreadyblue
08-08-06, 09:59 AM
So, after my introductry season at road racing I've decided to continue, and I want to take a stab at Cyclocross this fall to stay in shape and to continue to develop my handling skills.

So, I need to build up a cyclocross bike. I already have a spare set of pretty heavy duty road wheels that I can put some knobby tires on. I have some other spare parts sitting around. Of course, I need a frame. I don't want to go nuts on cost. Because I can get a basic Redline Conquest (New) for not too much. That said, all the Cyclocross specific frames seem to fetch a pretty penny. Can I use a MTB or ATB frame? I know the rear spacing for the wheels will be 135mm instead of 130, but can I use spacers of some sort?

Or does any body have any other good ideas for cheap frame build ups? What about the generic road frames that you can get on Nashbar? Any help would be greatly appreciated? Thanks

Ronsonic
08-10-06, 09:27 PM
Get the Conquest and run 130mm axles. Or the Nashbar cross frame for what? $150 - 200.

You can use a MTB frame but you'll have a lot more problems than the axle width, like brakes and the top tube being way too long and the headset being way low.

Post around here and on rec.bicycles.marketplace with your size announcing you want to buy. I did that last season and picked up a used Conquest with fork, headset, bb, singlering cranks and drilled stem for like $175 shipped. There's a lot of guys with last year's or three years ago's bikes to get rid of.

Ron
8200rpm
08-19-06, 11:26 AM
If you go with a MTB frame and successfully overcome all of the mechanical hurdles mentioned by Ronsonic and probably plenty more (700cc wheels for a 26" MTB frame?), in the end, you will look at the thing and still want a "cyclocross" bike.

Why not save yourself the hassle of doing it twice and just buy a cyclocross specific bike to begin.

Ebay... another person's mistake can be your bargain.

fogrider
08-23-06, 01:00 AM
If you go with a MTB frame and successfully overcome all of the mechanical hurdles mentioned by Ronsonic and probably plenty more (700cc wheels for a 26" MTB frame?), in the end, you will look at the thing and still want a "cyclocross" bike.

Why not save yourself the hassle of doing it twice and just buy a cyclocross specific bike to begin.

Ebay... another person's mistake can be your bargain.

yeah, what he said. you could just use mtb frame and mtb wheels, but really mtb frame and tires then to be heavier. you could build a cross bike and get it less than 20lbs, but a mtb build will be more like 22 or 23lbs...ok, there are cross bikes that build to 22 to 23lbs also.