Originally Posted by
Malleabis
It comes with 29'er mtn bike rims, which apparently fit 700c tires? I'm a little confused about this as I though my old 27" schwinn rims were BIGGER than my 700c's? I guess 29er = outside diameter of tire? not the rim? could I run 700c x 25c road tires If i was so inclined, or would the rims be too fat since they're designed for mtn bikes?
Yes, you can run 700c tires on "29er" rims. Both have an ISO diameter of 622mm which is the diameter of the tire bead. The difference is usually width, and you're right that you can't run too skinny a tire on a wide rim. But The La Cruz is a cyclocross bike designed for tires in the 35mm range which is typical for touring.
105 gear is good from what I hear. Am I going to need new derailleurs if I run a triple chain ring on the front?
Yes. You'll need a triple front derailleur, and a medium or long cage rear derailleur if the bike doesn't come with one already.
Would you all suggest I just buy the frame and get the components piece by piece? I don't have time to sit on ebay & craigslist for months trying to win auctions to save money... So will I save money buying the complete setup and just swapping out gears? will a double chain ring set up be OK if i get a cassette with taller gears? 10-speed cassette makes it a 20 speed w/ a double. My current schwinn setup is only a 24 speed with a triple & 8-sp cassette, so It doesn't seem like a huge difference, but my understanding of gearing is lacking.
I'm assuming that the BCD of the stock crank is 130mm, so you're limited to a 38 tooth small ring (not even worth replacing the 39). I don't think you'd be happy with that setup going up a long hill fully loaded. Better to have a triple or at least a compact double (110 BCD, comes standard with 34 tooth small ring). Buying the complete bike will save you hundreds of dollars over buying the frame and components separately. If you're just replacing a few things and selling the stuff you take off the bike, you'll probably still come out ahead. If you're going to replace other things as well, then you probably should get the frame and build it up.
Oh and I will be using this bike unloaded most of the time since it will be my only ride. Tire suggestions??? size and brand? mostly road I'm guessing, but should be capable off road as well. No plans to be riding in deep mud or racing cyclocross. I love my armadillos on my schwinn tourer as I've never gotten a flat! and they seem to last forever. I'm guessing tires with tread are going to wear faster, and that's quite alright.
Armadillos would be a good choice if you don't mind the weight. 32-35mm width is nice and comfy for touring, commuting, etc.
If you go with disk brakes, then you'll need a rear rack that is disc brake compatible. Most are not. Disk brakes seem like liability to me for touring. The cost, complexity, and availability of parts would make me shy away from them. Good canti or V brakes will give you all the stopping power you need for touring. It's not like you're railing into sharp corners as fast as possible all the time. The La Cruz doesn't come with canti studs which is odd for an "all-around" kind of bike. I might consider something else like a Cross-Check. But if you're really into the disk brakes, the La Cruz is certainly a good choice.
To further comment on gearing, you could possibly keep the 12-25 cassette if you got a triple crank with a 24 or 26 tooth small ring, but even this would be too tall for some folks. You could get a mountain triple crank with a 22 tooth little ring, and then you'd likely be fine with the 12-25 in back. Gearing is really a personal choice, and you just have to decide what you like. Some people want the option to remain seated and pedal a nice easy cadence up a long climb, while others don't mind getting out of the saddle and working harder. Depends also on how much weight you're going to carry. The difference between a 25-30 lb. load and a 50-60 lb. load is very substantial when it comes to long climbs and the requisite gears. The most versatile set-up is probably a road triple with 24/36/48 rings and an 11-32 or 11-34 cassette in back. You'll want a long-cage mountain rear derailleur with this combination.
On edit: The La Cruz comes stock with 10 speed cassette, chain and shifters, so you'll want to stick with 10 speed cranks/chainrings up front if you buy the stock bike. This precludes a mountain crank. Personally, I would rather have 9 speeds for touring -- cheaper replacement parts like chains and cassettes and more configuration options. This might tip the scales in favor of building up the bike yourself.