Originally Posted by Emerson
This is semi-crossposted from commuting. Sorry if that is a problem, I though the 'cross folks would have good info.
Hi all,
I'm thinking about a Crosscheck--my LBS has a lightly used frame for $350 (is that a good used price). I've read what I could on-line about the Surly. Everyone loves the bike, but a lot of folks complain about how heavy it is.
The other bikes I'm considering are the Soma Doublecross, the Gunnar Crosshairs, and the Specialized Tricross. I called Speedgoat and they say the Surly is maybe a pound or so heavier than the Gunnar. I get that a pound is a big deal if you are racing, but doesn't seem like much for other types of riding--and a small part of the total weight of the bike. I'd like the bike to be 22-24 lbs.
I'm hoping to use the bike for year-round commuting, light touring, a little off-road, and all-around riding. The final piece of the puzzle and the reason I'm even thinking about weight is my seriously screwed-up back--two surgeries so far. I need a pretty light bike if I want to be able lift it myself (like to put on my car.) This back stuff also means I need to get the bars (pretty set on the Jones H-bar) higher than the saddle by an inch or two.
So, any opinions on the various bikes--advantages or disadvantages? Anyone actually know the weight of their Crosscheck. Did you choose one of the above bikes over the Crosscheck for some reason? Any and all information is appreciated. This is a big purchase for me and I want to get it right.
Hey, do yourself a favor and save $300 bucks. Buy a old Schwinn World Sport, it's basically the same frame and geometry. It has 4130 main tubes. It'll weight about the same, maybe even lighter. It'll have lugs. It has plenty of tire clearance for tire up to 38c maybe 40c. You can find them at yard sales and flea markets. The surly has more tire clearance, but for $50 you're getting something that basically Surly copied. The spacing is 126mm, but it's steel so you can easily spread that sucker to 130mm easy.
Surly build bikes from generic 4130 tubing from China. Nothing fancy. They use to build Crosschecks out of Reynolds 631 for the first year or so, but quickly move onto 4130 since it's cheaper.