What makes a frame a cyclocross frame? I found this on ebay and it looks very nice to me. How would it work as a road (commuting) or touring frame?

If anyone knows anything about these, I'd like to hear about them. Is Gazelle a good make? I'm not familiar with them.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=190311174178



531 main tubes, pristine condition,...$200 including shipping. Seems like a steal!

Oh darn, now I've let the cat out of the bag.

It's essentially a road bike but it takes caliper brakes and the chainstays will be wide enough to accept wider knobby tires. Cyclocross is raced on grass/mud/snow, with obstacles that require the riders to dismount and carry or run with their bikes. It's awesome.

Gazelle is a very well regarded maker of classic steel racers. I have an '86 Gazelle Champion Mondial road bike. It's light, fast, stiff. I've even raced it a couple times. Wonderful bike.

I saw this listing and posted it in the ebay/craigslist thread. If it fit me, I'd be all over it.

Usually there is more clearance for the knobby tires to not get fouled by mud/dirt/grass. They take cantilever (caliper?) brakes and generally have a higher BB rather than a low one on a touring frame.

Cross bikes are cool to ride on the road and there are some knobby tires that are a decent compromise for both (Ritchey Speedmax). This bike doesn't have fender eyelets so might not be a great winter/roadie bike.

I like it a lot!

vjp

If it were a 62, I'd have bought it. Gazelle sizes are C-T BTW.

Darn it all to heck, somehow this guy just knows I have a SunTour cyclone GT / superbe group just sitting in a box that would look great on this bike. Throw in some Dia-Compe canti's and I'd have, well, my 3rd Gazelle! Wife would kill me.

Seriously, Gazelles are a great bike. This one is 531 on main tubes only, doesn't have mounts for fenders and racks and such. Geometry is probably decent for a sport tourer or a fast commuter bike if you didn't need to haul much gear. Otherwise, there are better options out there.

It's my size and I'm seriously considering it as well. I've wanted a gazelle for a while, but since I already have a cross bike I really like, I probably should hold out for finding the right "road" frame to build up (with modern campy group of somekind - at least 9-speed era and newer).

It's odd that a Reynolds 531 frame would take a 26.8 mm seatpost. Usually 27.2 for English (28.6 mm OD) tubing, and 26.6 for French (28.0 mm seat tube OD).

Is this 700c or 26"?

it would be horrible. I'd stay away from that one if I were you. If I were me though I'd have already been watching it since the day it was listed, waiting to make my move.

I really doubt it will be going for $200 shipped as you stated though. Especially not if we're both bidding on it

So, just don't bid at all. Then, I'll get it for $200, just as I stated.

All kidding aside, I have pretty much decided against it, as it is too similar to my (non-suspension) mountain bike. It looks like it will make someone a VERY fine bicycle, even if it's only the three main tubes that are 531 - very fine, indeed.

Wow... That's awesome.

The Trim Trophy and Cross Trophy frames are build with 531 plain gauge main tubes (other tubes are ??? hi ten or something similar). That explains the 26.8 seatpost diameter.

Search this forum with 'Gazelle', and you'll find lost of posts, including mine, cuda2k's and others. Should be an interesting read.
IMHO, I wouldnt go for a plain gauge 531 frame, although the fact that it is NOS is nice of course. Full 531 db Gazelle's will give you the whole, undiluted, experience!
I still have some Gazelle road frames for sale ...

A higher BB and shorter TT too.

Sold for $380.

Ouch! I REALLY want a Gazelle cross bike, however, I'd much rather have a full 531 frame. That was a nice one though and was my size. I wouldn't have paid anywhere near that much though.