Elad63

Would a Motobecane Fantom Cross make a decent LD bike, and do you think the geometry is ok for a front rack and rando bag? I added a long cage RD and a 12-32 cog set. I will try finding a smaller chainring, it has a 46/36 on it right now.

unterhausen

I probably would leave the chainrings as they are. It will not handle that well with a front bag. I suggest just getting a rear bag and maybe a bento bag for the few Items you really need to get to on the bike

Elad63

I have a spare rear rack lying around, might put that on with a trunk bag. I.m getting fenders also on Tuesday

Barrettscv 

What tires are you considering?

Elad63

Right now it has Bontrager T2 28's on it that are in excellent shape. Will be running them until I need new ones. I replaced the half clips and pedals with some Shimano mtb clipless pedals.

texasdiver

I'm riding the titanium frame version of that bike. I don't know if the frame geometry is the same or not but I've taken it on perhaps a half dozen centuries and it rides great. The ti frame is very plush....don't know how the Al frame rides though. I put on a traditional rear rack and use a Novara trunk bag for tools, jacket, snacks, etc. I stripped off the cyclocross brake levers and put on a shorter and higher stem. And put on a Brooks B-17 ti saddle to replace the junk plastic saddle it came with.

I'm currently riding with Continental 700x28 Grand Prix 4-Season tires which are pretty nice but I think I'm going to go up to something like the Grand Bois Extra Leger in 700x32 because I run into a lot of rough chipseal and some gravel roads around here. Nice thing about the cyclocross frames is that they have huge clearance for big tires.

Haven't tried it with a handlebar bag but I'm getting an Ortlieb bar bag for the tandem for a tour this summer with my daughter and will probably try it out on this bike as well.

Oh....I've also contemplated swapping out the compact FSA crank for a Ultegra triple. I about spin out on the downhills around here (and they aren't that down-hill as this is Central Texas). Be nice to get a few higher gears without losing the low end. And perhaps getting some still lower gears for the mountains if I ever take it out of Texas. That would also mean replacing the derailleur as well so might not be worth it.

Elad63

I too was thinking of removing the cross levers. I don't have it dialed in but it's pretty close. Will be putting my Brooks B15 on tonite. I did put a standard rack on and I have several trunk bags to try out. As for the stem, I'll ride it a few weeks commuting and see how it handles.

Chris Pringle

The fork trail on this bike is already pretty high: ~65mm. So, it's already designed to handle very stably with an unloaded front end. What front rack were you thinking of getting for this bike? The most important thing here is safety. Some manufacturers design these carbon fiber forks for fenders only but discourage the use of front racks/bags which may even completely void any warranty. Look into this, first. I concur that you might be better off carrying your gear in the rear of your bike. Should you decide to add the front rack/bag anyway, I would keep the total weight under approx. 5 lb. This should keep the handling somewhat responsive, especially when encountering road hazards at night time.

ThermionicScott 

I would stash tools, tubes, etc in an under-saddle bag so that you can distribute the weight more evenly between front and rear. I like the 46/36 crank setup.

Elad63

Thx for suggestions.