Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Building a SS Cyclocross ride...

I'm thinking about it... my question is: if i were to get a frame, would i be better off getting a single speed road frame, a single speed mtb frame, or really hold out and get a specifically single speed cyclocross frame? Money is a bit of an issue, but i feel like it would be easiest to find an affordable road frame before mtb and then cross. advice me up, please.

Are you racing or just riding CX for fun?

If you are racing, then I would suggest:
- When in doubt, do what people who have been doing this longer than you and who are faster than you are doing.
- If you can afford it, buy a bike that is "faster than you are now" and grow into it.
- Jump in feet first and go for it. Because if you go half-way and realize, "Man, I really like this and I'm sort of fast." you will wish you'd saved $200 more for the faster rig.

Most road frames and caliper brakes lack the clearance for cyclocross tires. Moreover, cyclocross frames have different geometry than road frames....the angles are a bit slacker, the wheelbase is longer and the headtube a bit taller. A mountain bike frame is just going to be way off. If you want a cyclocross bike, get a cyclocross frame, otherwise its not going to be a cyclocross bike. Cross frames aren't really any more expensive than road frames anyway.

Tire clearance.

you need to look at Bikesdirect...

Get a frame designed for what you are doing. You will enjoy it more and have less issues in the long run.

Fantom Cross Uno... obviously?

I'm looking at just doing it for fun. I recently moved into an area with some nice dirt trails (and by nice i mean they're nice for running, too tame for my mtb) literally across the street. I have no intention on racing any time soon, and if i were to do so, i could always make the effort to buy a better bike, but that's getting ahead of myself...

you need to look at Bikesdirect...


Fantom Cross Uno... obviously?

WHOA! Thats some good stuff. I'm new to that site. And that bike. Very promising, and that fantom cross uno is super-affordable. wowee. maybe if i can find a '10, i wont even feel bad about skimping out on x-mas presents... cheers to all of you.

it's not a bad bike, but it is kind of a one trick pony.

the surly crosscheck isn't as affordable but it's way more versatile and about as heavy.

then there's options like the nashbar X frame, which has vertical dropouts but is a freaking awesome frame. that's what i have. you can easily run a singlator on a frame like the nashbar X, and not need to buy derailleurs or anything.

this is basically just because i think the fantom cross uno is ugly, heavy, and cheap.


take this all with a grain of salt, because if i didn't have any bikes and i wanted a bike, i would either have the all city nature boy or no bike at all. that's how much i love the nature boy.

bianchi san jose

you need to look at Bikesdirect...
may be you are right

Surf City this weekend. SS go at 1130
You can check out some there

http://www.cyclo-x.com/schedule.html

just to be clear, any frame + tensioner = SS fun.

i would buy a dedicated cyclocross frame. having run cx on several non-cross frames, i finally got one and haven't looked back. the canti brakes and tire clearance are a must, but the higher bottom bracket of a cx frame is a huge help. before i was catching my bash on things all the time. a good, used cross frame can be generally had for much less than a good, used SS specific cross frame, just based on the numbers out there.

Surf City this weekend. SS go at 1130
You can check out some there

http://www.cyclo-x.com/schedule.html

DUDE! thank you so much for enlightening me! I'll be definitely be there. Cheers!

WHOA! Thats some good stuff. I'm new to that site. And that bike. Very promising, and that fantom cross uno is super-affordable. wowee. maybe if i can find a '10, i wont even feel bad about skimping out on x-mas presents... cheers to all of you.

backdoor shill


;)

because if i didn't have any bikes and i wanted a bike, i would either have the all city nature boy or no bike at all. that's how much i love the nature boy.

I have a friend who just got one and raced it at cross crusades last weekend and loves it... I have to say that it is one sweet sweet sweet ride...

I had a Cross Uno for a while and it was a fun bike. Heavy but always felt stable beneath me. There were a few quirks like the 120mm spaced rear and the under the top tube cable routing. If BD would make this out of Alu and fix those two issues I would buy another tomorrow.

backdoor shill


;)

Did i mention it makes you a better lover? Because it does.

All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy

it's the answer.

All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy

it's the answer.

What this guy said!!!!!

Save your money and get the Nature boy.

All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy
All-City Nature Boy

it's the answer.

Wow...how have I not heard about this bike until now? Looks like an awesome frame. Time to do more research!

I had a Cross Uno for a while and it was a fun bike. Heavy but always felt stable beneath me. There were a few quirks like the 120mm spaced rear and the under the top tube cable routing. If BD would make this out of Alu and fix those two issues I would buy another tomorrow.

I believe the cable routing is now above the top tube, even though the photos on their site don't reflect the change. And the spacing seems easy enough to resolve. What I don't get is the geometry -- isn't it a bit steep for a cross bike?