Biopacer

I have been looking for a bike I can start using for CX (and I do not want to build it up), and I was wondering: the Surly or the Salsa?

This may be my first "real" bike, apart from some beaters and disposable x-mart mtbs driven through hell (and I regret even buying them), and changing into the best cycling sport the Midwest can offer: CX.
I'm thinking of swapping the Surly's derailleurs (front and rear) into some Deore LX's.

I like the Surly's capability as a frame, but I also want a mean, CX orientated machine.

If anyone has pictures of their build (salsa or surly), could you post ;em up? I want to compare.

seat_boy

I bought the Surly. The biggest advantage for me was the single-speedability, but I also didn't care for the discs on the La Cruz. They're heavier, and they make fenders and racks more difficult to install. The CC also has a snazzier fork: I much prefer its lugged fork vs. the generic unicrown on the La Cruz.

The La Cruz is made with better tubing, but it's only nominally lighter (the frame and fork together are less than 0.2 pounds lighter than the CC), and that will quickly be erased when you add in heavier disc wheels and discs.

I do like the sloping top tube and longer head tube on the La Cruz, but not enough to choose it over the Surly.

Finally, if you like the La Cruz, buy it soon as I hear it's going away for 2010.

Here's my CC:

jdeane4

I too went with the Cross Check due to its ability to easily run single speed. Its such a versatile frame and pretty strong. I'm not a fan of the disc brakes for the la cruz.

jdeane4

BTW, here's a picture of my Cross Check:

pwdeegan

i liked the la cruz, and not just because it's sexy orange. for stopping, nothing beats disc brakes, which for me is important because, as you can see, i'm frequently stopping in inclement weather, and (not pictured) also usually tow about 70# of trailer behind me. as you can see in the picture, mounting fenders with disc brakes is a non-issue; i also have a rear rack on at the moment (not in picture), that is designed to be used with disc brakes (mine is by Axiom; others also make them). disc brake weight-gain is negligible in real world use; i keep up with rim brake riders on their carbon frames on all of our club rides with zero problem (it's all about the engine, folks!).

in all, the la cruz costs more, but both bikes do the same thing. for me, the disc brakes are a real advantage, and worth the price up. however, you won't be disappointed with the CC, either.

thatguy

Even though disc brakes are going to be better in almost every situation, there is one that keeps me from buying/building a disc bike: you can't swap wheels around with other bikes. Though if you're building one do-everything bike, I guess that's not a problem.

jtgotsjets

If you're like, real serious about CX, disc brakes are illegal.

Andy_K 

...but very effective if you're only doing local races where they're allowed. Check your local listings.

bdcheung

I went with the crosscheck.

benda18

I went with the Surly, but I use it for commuting in addition to cyclocross. The surly is great, but I had to replace rims (worn from braking) after 15 months / 5,000 miles. Wish I had disc brakes for that reason alone.

looie

I'm riding a La Cruz and I'm loving it. I'll bet if I were riding a Cross Check, I'd be loving it, too. I focused on a disc brake requirement because I've got 10 month old twins who will soon be riding in a trailer and I wanted maximum braking power. Probably I'm not gaining much by having the discs, but I wanted all I could reasonably get. I don't think you'll go wrong if you go Cross Check. I know you won't if you go La Cruz!

I would be surprised if they dropped it for 2010. It seems like there was a period when there were a few disc brake cross bikes available. Most of them got dropped by their manufacturers, and the La Cruz was really the only one I could find when I was looking in August. Now several are available, so I'd guess Salsa might keep it in the lineup.

I know Surly has a dedicated following. I will point out, though, that there's a guy I don't know who rides a La Cruz in the opposite commute direction from me regularly and the sense of brotherhood we feel for about 90 seconds is powerful, man!

Also, I've got fenders and an Axiom Streamliner DLX rack mounted. It required a little creativity, but it wasn't all that hard. If I can pull it off, so can you!

thatguy

Don't forget the Soma Doublecross is available with a disc AND canti mount version. You could try both on one frame.

Lycc825

my soma in road tires and fenders in the picture. Now it is ready to hit the mud w/o fender and cross tires

Biopacer

Thanks for all of the responses. I personally dislike disc brakes (unless they are the kitschy dead weight vintage moped-parts-on-bike) and love V and cantilever brakes. Here's another question: Should I build the CC up as a custom SS/Fixed or buy a complete (with the Deore LX upgrades) and a cheap flip flop rear wheel?

bikeultimate

hey this is for jdeane4, how do you like your handlebars on the cross check? i was planning on getting some drops that flair out for my single speed since bar ends are a no go, and also what brand are those?

pwdeegan

--> sure you can, as long as all of your other bikes use discs, too which of course, mine do. no legacy issues here.

Crack Monkey

Depends on intended use. The stock build looks to be very budget-friendly build for a commuter/all-rounder. For a race bike, I'd build it myself from ebay/craigslist parts and try to get the weight down a bit.

moralleper

In the same price range you should throw the Masi Speciale CX. The most glaring difference is the Masi has a lifetime warranty as opposed to the 5 year on the Surly.

seat_boy

Most glaring apart from the Surly's lower price, more available sizes, long horizontal dropouts, and great tire clearance. Really, if a problem doesn't show up quickly on a basic steel frame like this, it's probably not a manufacturing defect.

Jawn P

Plus it's a pain in the arse to put a front fender on a Masi.

grolby

Hey bd, what size is that frame? Thinking about a crosscheck as a budget build next year.

kmanpfk

waht are the ritires on you cross check?

looking for something for off-road/winter riding