Yesterday, I ordered the Nashbar X cyclocross frame (on sale for $109!) and the Nashbar carbon cross fork (on sale for $124!) and then applied a 20% discount. Total price: $186.
How cool is that? Shipping and taxes were a bit high, but I couldn't resist buying these big items (for my budget, at least) during their 20% off promotion. Anyhow, here's what I'm doing:
I've got a 52cm Surly Cross-Check frame (original blue, first year of production, the only year they made it with Reynolds 631 and 1" steer tube). For years, I've loved the bike, but it's just a tad bit tall for me. Anyhow, I've mostly ridden it as a commuter and I hope to sell it to someone who will rebuild it and appreciate it more than I did. I don't have the original fork, btw. I've got a Tange cro-mo instead. Once all the parts are swapped, I'll be selling it, so lemme know if you're interested.
So I'm excited about this switch. I've never had a carbon fork, or a road bike that really fit me (27.5" inseam, doh!). Hopefully, this will do the trick. Going from steel to aluminum will probably be a rude awakening, but I'll live.
Here's roughly my set up:
Drop bars and Tiagra STI brifters
105 cranks and rear der
Ultegra front der
Campy hubs and Mavic rims
Conti 28mm tires
Planet Bike Fenders
Let me know if you all have any thoughts. The bargain just inspired me to make a change. So, I've got my fingers "crossed" that I'll have no regrets.
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
I believe the rear spacing is 135 so your campy may not fit. There may be a way to add spacers.
That's a good deal - don't forget to post pics when the build is complete.
Tony O
the party foul is - that they continue to advertise the "deal" of ordering both the carbon fork and frame for $299 (at least it was when I ordered it)...some deal. also, careful...they charged my cc full price even though they sent me an email invoice applying the 15% off at that time. Took several calls and emails to get them to refund my money.
anyhow, I had planned on doing much the same thing you are doing, but...
I ended up buying a Kona JTS on ebay and don't have the heart to strip it down and transfer
it all over. Plus, I got Nashbars disc brake set that I want on my Nashbar custom, so I have to
come up with another plan.
Like someone said though, post pics when you are done.
-Tony O
jasonguard
I noticed that "combo deal" too. And thanks for the tip. I'll check my credit card statement once the order goes thru. As for pics. I'll post a before and after. Just hope the after isn't two months away. Something always comes up (like rear wheel spacing or maybe a new headset) when switching parts over. Plus, if I do it all myself, just for the education, then procrastination may take over. But, I should be able to show you all the Surly as-is today or tomorrow.
jhota
yeah, the rear spacing is 135 mm. and you'll need a new headset (as you seem to know already).
other than that, i expect you'll enjoy it. it won't ride as plush as your Surly, though.
jasonguard
Having trouble uploading the file with decent resolution.
Here goes. May need to try again if this turns out to be microscopic....
jasonguard
Oh, the cranks are 600s, not 105s.
SSRI
dude the surly is a little tall.
if dont mind pressing in the frame a bit you can fit in your old rear wheel.(130 vs 135)
otherwise you can change the rear axle to 135 for an easy fit.
I am lookin at the nashbar deal also, but I am debating it with the Motobance cross frame at ebay.
good luck with the built
jasonguard
The Motobecane does look like a bargain, but I like a much more plain colored bicycle. And the geometry of the Nashhbar frame seems like it will create a lower standover height for me. Too bad I'm gonna have to buy a new headset. Any suggestions for a decent one under $40? I'm willing to ebay it if need be.
ldesfor1@ithaca
check out the Scattante cross frame/fork/headset from performancebike.com, I really like mine thus far.
jhota
if dont mind pressing in the frame a bit you can fit in your old rear wheel.(130 vs 135)
otherwise you can change the rear axle to 135 for an easy fit.
you can't "press in the frame a bit" on the Nashbar frame - at least you shouldn't - because it's aluminium.
SSRI
pressin is not as bad as spreadin but either way your right is not good for the frame.
jasonguard..besides the head set (the crane creek s2 are good buy for the $$) you need to do a little hub surgery. if you have an old mtb hub or doner wheel change out the 130 axle for a 135 it will be cheaper then a new wheel.
jasonguard
Thanks for the tips on the frame. Knowing me, I'd probably just have squeezed it until I was able to tighten the skewer down on it. It turns out that I do have a MTB wheel that could donate an axle. BTW, what's a reasonable price for an LBS to swap over all of the parts from my old bike to my new frame/fork? I'd like to do it myself, but I don't want to mess with my hub, my headset, or my bottom bracket. The rest I could probably manage. Luckily, I know guys who've just opened repair shops in town and and we've got a really cool non-profit bike shop called Re-Cycles (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=27157799). Wish I had thrown the Cane Creek S-2 headset on my Nashbar purchase. They're like $17 bucks right now.
damocles1
you can't "press in the frame a bit" on the Nashbar frame - at least you shouldn't - because it's aluminium.
O RLY?
Aluminum will be just fine if you close down the skewer to accomodate a 130 spaced hub in a 135 spaced frame. It's 2.5mm per side that it's moving, for Pete's sake. Get a longer MTB skewer and clamp the b*tch down.
I've been doing it on my Salsa Las Cruces for 2 years with absolutely no issues.
jhota
firstly, just because you've done it doesn't mean it should be done. aluminium just isn't as flexible or tolerant of stress as steel. fact of life, sorry.
secondly, there is a large difference in quality of construction and materials between the Nashbar X frame and a Salsa Las Cruces. the Salsa's MSRP is what, five times that of the Nashbar? and i don't think that's all in the name and sweet paintjob.
finally, it's not that hard to replace or just put spacers on the axle to change the width. so why espouse doing something the incorrect (and possibly harmful) way, when the correct way is pretty darn simple?
jasonguard
The folks at my LBS won't let me put that back wheel on incorrectly. They're too bike-geeky to pass up the chance to explain to me about the 5mm difference. However, if I were completely on my own, I'd probably Damocles1's attitude toward it.
Anyhow, jhota, your Nashbar X bike was one of my inspirations go ahead and make the purchase. Any major success or regrets? I'm not going to be buying everything black from now on, but the aesthetic will be pretty tight. Wish that fork and the frame looked like they went together a little better.
damocles1
firstly, just because you've done it doesn't mean it should be done. aluminium just isn't as flexible or tolerant of stress as steel. fact of life, sorry.
secondly, there is a large difference in quality of construction and materials between the Nashbar X frame and a Salsa Las Cruces. the Salsa's MSRP is what, five times that of the Nashbar? and i don't think that's all in the name and sweet paintjob.
finally, it's not that hard to replace or just put spacers on the axle to change the width. so why espouse doing something the incorrect (and possibly harmful) way, when the correct way is pretty darn simple?
Then why did Ibis, and now Castellano, make soft-tail mountain bikes out of alu? With 1.5" of travel? I know of 4 guys that ride 'em and there hasn't been a broken or cracked frame in 5 years. KHS made alu soft-tail cross bike for a while.
Less than 3mm per side won't hurt the Nashbar frame, period. There's more deflection at the BB than that...!
It's not beer can thin. If anything, it's likely thicker tubing and drops than my scandium Salsa.
jasonguard
There's a returned carbon cross fork at Nashbar for $65. Here's the link:
I just bought the Motobecane Fantom Cross frame/fork/HS deal on Ebay for $220 shipped. It is nice! I built it up with scrounge stuff and a few used Ebay parts, and it has Ultegra 9 speed STI, ultegra front der., XT rear der., 50-36 compact crankset, and a 11-32 XT rear cogset. Total investment was about $400, minus wheels. You could climb trees with this thing, and it weighs 21 pounds, pretty reasonable I thought. BTW, I have road wheels on it, haven't even bothered to check the rear spacing, and the rear clamps fine.
Cynikal
Then why did Ibis, and now Castellano, make soft-tail mountain bikes out of alu? With 1.5" of travel? I know of 4 guys that ride 'em and there hasn't been a broken or cracked frame in 5 years. KHS made alu soft-tail cross bike for a while.
Less than 3mm per side won't hurt the Nashbar frame, period. There's more deflection at the BB than that...!
It's not beer can thin. If anything, it's likely thicker tubing and drops than my scandium Salsa.
Simple answer...because they were designed to do so.
If you are comfortable squeezing your frame then that's your option, but I would never advise anyone to do it, nor am I going to argue about it. Do what works for you. I'm just giving the info so someone can make their own choice. Let them make it.
jasonguard
If one of you doesn't buy that returned carbon fork at Nashbar, I'm going to buy it and return the one that they're shipping me right now for the difference. I talked to Nashbar on the phone and their 15-day price match doesn't extend to returned goods.
damocles1
Simple answer...because they were designed to do so.
If you are comfortable squeezing your frame then that's your option, but I would never advise anyone to do it, nor am I going to argue about it. Do what works for you. I'm just giving the info so someone can make their own choice. Let them make it.
You're missing the point here. Squeezing the dropouts closer together isn't hurting the aluminum. Once the drops are clamped in the QR, they aren't moving/flexing. There is more deflection in the frame at the BB than the 5mm by which the spacing is being reduced.
Take the back wheel out of your bike and squeeze the drops with your hands. I'm betting it moved WAY more than 5mm.
The Ibis and the KHS softtail bikes were designed to move, but they are also still aluminum. Alu is elastic, to a point. If 3/4" of movement doesn't break the chainstays on a KHS cross frame, 5mm isn't going to bother the dropouts on the Nashbar frame.
Tony O
Good luck there. I ordered that RETURNED fork last friday and just checked my email to verify that it was indeed being shipped. Well, this will probably be the last time I order from Nashbar. They didn't ship the fork saying that the item is being discontinued? what the F is that? They still list the item TODAY, the 30th. Needless to say I am going to have a word with their customer service people tomorrow about this and since my last order was also screwed up having to contact them three times to get them to refund what they overcharged me, I think I will take my business elsewhere.
oh well. Luckily I didn't start taking my headset off...
Tony O
Tony O
I ordered that same fork AGAIN last night to see what would happen this time. I figure if they somehow decide that it IS in stock this time, I will make them refund me the difference and get free shipping since it should have been part of my last order. Not sure why, but I think I like the masochism side of this.
cheers
Tony O
jasonguard
Tony: Okay, you won't believe this (or worse, you've experienced the same from Nashbar). Even though I selected the frame and the fork as individual items on my order (totaling $186), they charged me the "Combo Deal" price of $299 (minus 20%). That's about $45 more than the price that was reflected on my screen when I got rung up. On top of that, they didn't send me an email confirmation, so I have no record (should have printed the screen!).
I found this out today when half of the order showed up (larger items coming in their own boxes) and the receipt reflected overcharges. I called and was put on hold for 20 minutes. When I got a person, I spent another 25 minutes walking them through the complex math problem of adding/subtracting. The result? They're supposed to call me after the webmaster verifies that the items were priced as I listed at the top of this post. Arrrggh! And no, I did not give them the link to this discussion board. Surely their people use this site though.
Tony, let me know what happens with the returned fork. It's still listed. Discontinued item? WTF? Is there a way to get someone at Nashbar to help out (email, Instant Relay, or phone) faster than I experienced today?
PS: The fork is pretty.
jasonguard
Returned carbon fork for $65 finally removed from Nashbar site. Any luck Tony?
Tony O
I actually just checked my email from them before I popped on this forum. As I suspected, there was another email telling me that the item, the $65 fork, did NOT ship because this item was discontinued. Not sure why they are using the word "discontinued" when it should be out of stock or unavailable, since a NEW one is clearly still for sale on site. ( I bought one a while back, not mounted yet...looks nice though, agree). I just sent them an email telling them of my disproval with their ordering system and my experiences with my last 3 orders (2 bad ones). I also said they should send me a new fork at half price since I am tired of them wasting my time with their faulty ordering process. I understand being out of the item the first time, but 3 days later to still have it listed..etc is annoying to say the least.
aside: second half of my order just arrived from fedex while I was typing this...lol.
anyhow, good luck with your over charge snafu. I had the original email showing me what they said my order would cost, attached in my reply to their customer service and they still couldn't figure it out. They send me an email claiming the frame cost like $175 and the fork was $170 or something. I replied and asked them where the h*ll were they getting THESE prices and told them to check their own website. I then decided phone call would be in order and she wanted a fax from me with original order...said she didnt' have email access, but at least she realized the prices they were quoting me were way off, she did a little math and agreed that they owed me a refund but would have to verify prices on that day (hence the fax) I don't have a fax so I tried one more email attempt and I guess the 3 time was a charm because they finally figured it out and refunded my money.
I would suggest a phone call as it easier to deal and get replies from someone instantly, which I realize you have already tried, but persistence is key here. Tell them you will get credit card company involved if they drag their feet.
good luck again.
-Tony O
jasonguard
So, I've got the frame and the fork here in my basement. I've also got a Cane Creek S2 headset, Forte inline brake levers, and some new grip tape. Hmmm, here to start? I went for a ride on the old Surly today just to take inventory of any pros/cons of my old set-up before embarking on the new.
I know that I'll end up taking he bike to the shop to have the headset/fork mounted properly. But, I'm really not sure what I should do first on my own? Anything? If I just took all the gear to the shop, what should they charge to swap it all over? Maybe I'll just start switching the gear myself and write you all with questions.
Lastly, I exchanged 6-7 emails with Nashbar over the past week, trying to get them to correct their overcharge. Finally today there was a break thru and they're refunding $52. But, what about my time? Such a freakin hassle. Oh well. Time to get greasy makin a new bike.
SSRI
you can start taking off all the drivetrain parts brakes and wheels and start cleaning.
after cleaning
polish and reoil/grease/lube the parts. (polish is optional)
jasonguard
Well, I'm stripping the ol' Cross Check and cleaning the parts. Can't find a crank wrench in my Nashbar tool kit that will fit. Guess I'll leave that for the LBS. Need a larger seat collar though. Also, this frame needs a derailleur hanger. Wasn't it supposed to come with the frame? Anyone know? I've complained to Nashbar (again... sigh). Nonetheless, the frame is looking pretty hot. Can anyone tell me what sort of grease needs to go on new parts before they're installed?
SaddleBags
Well, I'm stripping the ol' Cross Check and cleaning the parts. Can't find a crank wrench in my Nashbar tool kit that will fit. Guess I'll leave that for the LBS. Need a larger seat collar though. Also, this frame needs a derailleur hanger. Wasn't it supposed to come with the frame? Anyone know? I've complained to Nashbar (again... sigh). Nonetheless, the frame is looking pretty hot. Can anyone tell me what sort of grease needs to go on new parts before they're installed?
Wow. Reading your posts on the Nashbar frameset makes me glad I chose another route.
Good luck with your build.
Just a FYI - for build questions (ie which grease to use) - post it over on the Mechanic's Forum or check out Sheldon Brown's site (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/) and/or Park Tools site. Between all those sites, you'll get all your questions answered quickly.
Vibes
The hanger should have come with the frame. I bought the similar but now discontinued MTB frame and the hanger came installed.
Tony O
Just wanted to confirm that my Nashbar Cyclocross frame also came with hanger. Wasn't mounted but came taped to the plastic piece keeping the rear dropout from being damaged during shipping.
AS for the email I sent to them, it's been a week and I have still not even recieved a response. I guess they thought my *****ing was just me venting and warranted no response. I really wish I could find a cheaper online vendor, but I guess u get what u pay for and their pricing is hard to beat. I also think their online assistance (LIVE) is quite knowledgable.
cheers
-Tony O
jasonguard
Found the hanger. Thanx. I feel the same way about the company, but the "everything Nashbar brand at half-price" that's going on right now is pretty hard to pass up.
jasonguard
Now I'm picking up a used 31.8 clamp on front der. My old 27.2 Ultegra will get traded in at the 501-c3 LBS. Next up... bottom bracket extraction.
jasonguard
My Cross Check frame is naked now and the Nashbar frame/fork are at the shop getting the finishing touches put on. Pics of the results to follow. In the meantime, maybe you can help me with this...
I want to sell my 1999 Surly Cross Check frame (1" headtube and Reynolds 631 tubing but w/o original fork), however, I don't know if this is a 52cm or a 54cm. I measure the seat tube as 53cm (c-t) and the top tube as 56cm. I always thought I had a 52cm, but the standover has always been really snug on me (31 inches?). Any thoughts? Any suggestions for selling this frame?
jasonguard
Having some trouble posting the old Surly frame pic, because I got a new camera. Anyhow, here's my attempt.
aballas
sent you a PM about the frame I'll buy it...
jasonguard
Developments: My LBS cut the steering tube too short on my carbon fork and so they had to order me a new one. However, Nashbar discontinued the model and is out of the 1 1/8" size. Hence the delay. I think we've decided that the LBS will pay for and install a steel Nashbar fork and write off all of the labor. Bummer, huh?
I also got some in-line brake levers.
The old Surly frame is looking very fly in the hands of another BFer see ("Starting my first CX build (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=340963)")
SSRI
Hey J
its been awhile any pics on the finish build...
jasonguard
Well, I'm going to try and upload a couple pics, both taken with bad light 5 minutes ago. However, I can't seem to get them sized correctly and I don't use one of those web-based photo sites.
The good news is that the 50cm frame fits like a glove. I thought that I needed to go down from a 52 to a 50, but it turns out that my old bike was a 52. Luckily, Nashbar's sloping top tube is just right. The bad news is that I still don't have a my carbon fork. The lbs set me up with this temp replacement chromoly fork that looks a bit outta place. For that matter, I think the stem is kinda ugly too. My in-line brakes will get put on at the same time as the fork. Anyhow, my mostly black bike is shaping up and it's riding very nicely. Much much lighter than the old Cross Check.
-----
Okay, scratch the pics. Couldn't figure out how to resize them. I'll try again when I get home.
Vibes
I just checked the Nashbar site and they are selling the carbon cross fork again today. I read somewhere that this fork is made by Winwood (http://www.winwoodbike.com/purist.html) and when you check out their website their fork looks just like the Nashbar fork but is much more expensive. How short did the bike shop cut your steering tube, is it salvagable?
jasonguard
The bike shop says that the old fork is still useable, just not on my bike. We decided that they could keep it and try to use it on a bike with a smaller headtube. It looks like they're going to write off their labor and are replacing the fork for free. Send me a PM and I'll forward you their contact info. I'd post it here, but the LBS owner is a buddy and I don't wanna drag his name thru the mud. I also heard that the fork is equivalent to the Winwood and that it performs well. Can't wait to see one of these on my bike.
jasonguard
Here's the bike in its current state. See above for some of the disclaimers. The LBS is going to get rid of that red seatpost collar. They also said that my old RSX STI shifters are on their last legs. Any suggestions for a cheap replacement? I've also got a wheelset with Kenda cross tires.
I'm all done "improving on" this bike. The Nashbar carbon cross fork is finally on, same with the in-line brakes. What do you all think? The ride is very smooth, despite the aluminum and the Nashbar brand name. I spent about $200 on the frame/fork and got about that for the old Surly frame that was too big for me. Seriously, no complaints just yet. Just a need for a new set of brifters (holla if you know of any for cheap). The camo tape is also from Nashbar. Not sure how long I'll keep that look, but I think it's fun for the time being.