Helmet Head

On Friday I ordered a new 07 Specialized Tricross Sport because it seemed to meet my requirements:

1. Road bike "style"
2. Rack mounts to mount Burley rack to pull child on Burley Piccolo trailercycle.
3. Fender mounts
4. Wide range of gears with sub 1.0 gear ratio for going uphills while pulling 60+ lbs of child + trailercycle
5. Around $1,000.

Most touring bikes and other cyclocross didn't have the low gears; that's why I went with the Tricross.

It should be in this week, but now I've been reading about all the fork shudder problems, and I'm concerned, especially given all the extra weight I will be loading on it. I don't want the CF fork snapping on me and my daughter while I'm slowing down on some high speed descent!

Any suggestions/advice? Should I cancel the order? Is there a particular steel fork that I should use instead? Anyone have an 07 Tricross Sport with no fork shudder problems? Should I wait and see whether my particular bike has the problem?

vanwaCX

Uh, You shouldn't be doing a high speed descent with that setup. Anytime you tow something (trailer, trail-a-bike, etc.), you need to be extra cautious about managing speed. You are going to take longer to stop. Also, a child on a trail-a-bike isn't going to be the ideal stoker for trimming the system for descents. Also also, while the Burley system is pretty good, it ain't a tandem and won't behave like one for descending and general riding.

That said, the fork should be fine as long as you properly set up the brakes. Toe in is crucial. If you don't know how to do that, find a shop that does.

Helmet Head

I don't know what you mean by "trimming the system for descents", but I have used the Burley Picollo for years on the back of our road tandem as well as on the back of my mountain bike. On those setups I've had no braking issues on high speed descents up to about 40 mph. My only concern has to do with the potential CF fork shudder on the Tricross. I'm glad to hear that it should be fine as long as the toe in is correct. Has this been explained in detail anywhere?

nycphotography

Or just get the tektro mini-v brakes on ebay. $27 delivered and it's widely reported as curing shudder permanently.

Helmet Head

Thanks, that's the kind of tip I'm looking for. If I have any kind of fork shudder problem, it's good to know there is this option available. I'll also ask the guys at the LBS about it.

Helmet Head

The ebay ad states:

"Please be aware that in order to use these with your STI shifters you will need "travel agents" although if you are using aero mountain pull levers you should be able to run them with no problem."

What's a "travel agent"? What's involved in using them?

nycphotography

I suspect it is a "leverage ratio converter". But I've seen a tektro mini-v that's cyclocross specific... ie... intended for use with brifters. I can't confirm, but would suspect, that model won't require any adapters.

EDIT: I suspected wrong. I just looked on ebay... the cyclocross ones indicate needing the "travel agents", and I have not the first clue what that could even mean.

Anyone?

Renny

Pretty sure they're these BMX mini-Vs, not actually cross-specific. The arms on those mini-Vs are 22mm shorter than their MTB offerings, so they should work with less cable pull. I have a set of the RX-5 (85mm arms), but no drop levers to test them with.

Lots of mini-V discussion at Weight Weenies.

Helmet Head

I did have the fork shudder problem at first, but the wrench at the LBS has been able to manage it with brake adjustments. Now I get no shudder even with hard downhill braking with child attached.

Bekologist

doing 40 with your child on the back on a tag-a-trailer. nice.

amazing, head, absolutely amazing.