Hairy Hands

Hi all, does anyone have any experience using the TriCross in long distance road events? I would like your input in how it worked. I'm looking at the full carbon Frame only.

I have a Colnago C50, but to me it has shortcomings as the distance gets longer (400k +), and the roads get rougher. I am looking for a modern materials frame that can handle 35mm tires, fenders, and have a little more relaxed geometry than my C50, and not break the bank. I will be using a Generator hub, lights, handle bar bag, behind the seat water bottle cages, and a small seat post bag. The specialized frame is under $1500 new.

Can't afford Parlee, or Rene Herse, and I really see no valid reason for steel. Any other frames you might suggest? Thanks John

unterhausen

The tricross should work fine. As a cross bike, it is made to take large tires with clearance. It's possible that 35s and fenders might be a little tight.

Road Rash

I have used an Sworks Tricross for the past three years (3 complete SR Series) and it is an excellent option for Randonuerring. The bottom bracket is not as high as some other cross bikes so it is very stable and the combination of a large headtube and the additional height of the fork means that the Bars can easily be brought level with the seat.

I have only used 25's with no fenders, although I have fitted fenders but have not needed them. The frame and fork should easily handle 35's.

The zertz inserts work extremely well and eliminate much of the roughness on chipseal.

As a point of reference my other long distance bikes are a 1983 Trek 720 and a 2004 Lemond Zurich. For 90% of my long distance rides I choose the Sworks

shorthanded

no valid reason for steel? there's ALWAYS a valid reason for steel.. lots of brazeons for fenders and a rack being the first and foremost.. or was that comfortable ride? eh... whatever, i reckon.. preferences.

all joking aside-- i'd think cross bikes would do great with their geometries for randonneuring bikes. a little more comfortable than a road bike, a little less stretched out than a tourer. looking at a tricross online-- i'd think you're a decent set of wheels, a brooks saddle, and some storage capacity away from a respectable ride.

of course.. if you can live with yourself for being anti traditionalist and rocking modern materials and a fancy paint job .

Bacciagalupe

Cross bikes are generally good for long distance, just *cough* attempted a century today on my Cross Check. The ride didn't turn out great, but it wasn't the fault of the bike. With a Brooks B17 it was comfortable the whole time without obliterating the feel of the road.

Anyway, cross bikes can take wide tires, have moderately long wheelbases, are quite rugged, have rack and fender mounts. They aren't speed demons but aren't terribly slow either.

The Tricross should be fine, iirc many of them come with road triples. If you want to get all fancy-like, iirc Kona now makes a higher-end carbon cross bike (Major Jake iirc), there may be a couple of others out there by now.

Hairy Hands

[QUOTE=Road Rash;11562249]I have used an Sworks Tricross for the past three years (3 complete SR Series) and it is an excellent option for Randonuerring. The bottom bracket is not as high as some other cross bikes so it is very stable and the combination of a large headtube and the additional height of the fork means that the Bars can easily be brought level with the seat.

Hi, thanks for responding to my questions. I have a few more. How wide of a road tire do you think I could use with the fenders on? Do you have a few photos you could forward so I can get some ideas on how you mounted the Front & rear lighting, may be how you carried extras, stuff like that. If you can I will appreciate it.

I'm using 25's on my C50, but I cant get comfortable on a 400k or above. I was hoping after reading Jan Hein's magazine that wider tires and some spoked wheels may help with the comfort ( im currently using full carbon wheels = stiff). I also want to use different gearing on the chain rings. Something in the neighborhood of 46-34. So it seems easier and cheaper to just build a rando specific bike. Any advise will be appreciated.

John
johnpawlak@sbcglobal.net

Chris_W

I have a '09 TriCross Comp (mainly alu frame with carbon seat stays) and have used it on several 8+ hour rides, on which it has been very comfortable. My other main bike is an all-carbon Madone, which is also pretty comfortable, but I sometimes prefer the adaptability of the TriCross when it comes to tires, fenders, and racks. Drawbacks of the TriCross are that it is signifitcantly heavier (although this is due to component and wheel choices as much as the frame) and the handling of the TriCross is a lot slower/less responsive - I am not as comfortable on fast, technical descents when riding the TriCross because I find that it won't change lines in the middle of a bend if I need to.

A big advantage of the TriCross is that I can set it up with big fat tyres and go on mountain bike trails with it and show people how unnecessary suspension is!

Another option for you would be the Pearson Carbon Audax - 1300 UK pounds for the frame, 2500 UKP for the complete bike. After removing the UK sales tax (17.5%) and converting to US dollars, the frame would be about US$1750 plus shipping and import fees.

Hairy Hands

Help me out guy/gals. Apparently the Carbon TriCross Frames for 2010 are sold out. Specialized is not making a carbon model with provisions for fenders & racks in 2011.

Can you help me compose a list of Carbon Fiber frames that will handle 32 to 35mm tires, fenders, and a front rack is optional. I've done lots of searching but the few like Compton and Parlee are too expensive (>7000k). Tell me whats out there.

Bacciagalupe

Given your requirements, I don't think a CF cross bike is the way to go.

CF cross bikes are high-end racing bikes -- e.g. Cannondale Super X SRAM Rival ($3800 list). They aren't designed for long-ride comfort; like your Colnago, they're made to be light and super-stiff.

If you really want CF you should check into "Endurance" road bikes like the Specialized Roubaix, Cdale Synapse, Jamis Enduro, Cervelo R3 and so forth. They're designed for all-day riding on less-than-ideal pavement at decent speeds. With these bikes, 28c slicks should be all you need. You will get equal, if not more, comfort with these bikes than with a CF cross, and at a much better price point.

Look into "race blade" fenders for bad-weather days. They should fit on almost any bike.

By the way, I highly recommend you read the Bicycle Quarterly survey of PBP equipment. They concluded that other than fenders, equipment choices don't matter much in terms of DNF rates or finishing times.

https://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/BQPBPEquipsurvey.pdf

Barrettscv 

Just to make your selection process a little wider, consider a Titanium frame designed for long distance events: https://www.lynskeyperformance.com/a/...lete-promo.php

I agree with B-G, 700x28 tires are enough.

I use a Lynskey made model that is almost identical to the Sportive. It's a great bike.

SPORTIVE Overview
Designed specifically for medium to long endurance road riding, the Sportive is the perfect bike for Century rides, Gran Fondo’s, and of course….Cyclosportive racing. A well balanced geometry not only provides day long comfort but is also very stable on long twisty descents.

Sportive Features
•Curved seatstays for added comfort
•Endurance oriented geometry allows more comfortable riding position
•Mudguard mounts keep you riding in all weather conditions
•Rack mounts should you choose to carry extra gear
•Short reach brake design allow a wide choice of braking systems
•700c wheels
•34.9 clamp-on front derailleur
•130mm rear spacing
•27.2mm seatpost for added comfort
•68mm English bottom bracket
•Clearance for 28c tire (25c when using mudguards)
•Shamrock Dropouts
•Downtube Shifter Cable Routing with adjusters on downtube for easy access
•1 1/8" headtube
Standard Finish is Natural Matte Satin with choice of Lynskey decals.

Hairy Hands

[QUOTE=Bacciagalupe;11591410]

By the way, I highly recommend you read the Bicycle Quarterly survey of PBP equipment. They concluded that other than fenders, equipment choices don't matter much in terms of DNF rates or finishing times.

I have been a long time subscriber to BQ, and have read most articles many times. I was trying to stick with Jan's premise that wider tires are faster, higher mileage, and more comfortable than the standard road bike tires. The widest I can get on my colnago are 25mm. I would like to go with 32mm minimum and experiment with 35's. I also like the idea of having a permanently mounted fender, and as such would require the frame mounting points. Clip ons just don't do it for me.

I do want a race bike of sorts, but with wider tires, fenders, compliant spoked rims, generator hub, lights, and designed more for credit card touring than a load.

I'm sorry for all the dumb questions, I have had 20 different bikes over the years but none have been quite this difficult to decide on. Lots of planning to minimize costly mistakes.

StephenH

That's an interesting read.

I liked this statement:

"Of the riders in our sample who would change their frames, about half want a lighter frame, whereas the other half would replace their carbon fiber bikes, presumably with something heavier. Perhaps these riders should swap bikes?"

One of the problems with this type of survey is that the participants have already adjusted some equipment based on past experience, and then are adjusting other stuff as they go. If everyone used identical bikes, or was randomly assigned equipment, the statistics would mean more. For example, in real life, heavier people probably use stronger wheels, but in the statistics, no wheel failures could be used to imply that it doesn't matter what wheels you used. A lot of people were unsatisfied with their baggage, but then again, a lot of people were probably toting more stuff than they normally do, too. From what I've read, the riders that started later actually missed some of the worst weather, and that seems to have been overlooked in the survey results.

lhbernhardt

Here's the contrarian view: I don't think it matters what bike you ride PBP on. I did last year's brevet series on a Mexican-made steel Benotto track bike with 42x16 fixed gear and 23mm tires front and rear. The only issue was the saddle; I found the San Marco Era was only comfortable to 300km. Have since switched to the Regal with good results.

This year I rode one brevet of 1000 km in order to get an early pre-reg date for the 2011 PBP (I always do the minimum possible!). This was on a carbon fiber Trek with 10sp Campag and 23mm tires. Lowest gear was 38x23, which I used over three long mountain passes in BC and Washington. I actually thought that the steel track bike was more comfortable than the carbon fiber Trek. Go figure... (the steel frame was certainly more lively and gave me a much better sense of the road, but in fairness, much of Washington state has very bumpy secondary roads, including over 50 km of new chipseal along Highway 97 that I rode over on the Trek).

Anyway, I'm planning to do PBP on a steel Rodriguez track bike with couplers, and probably with a Sturmey S3X 3sp hub with a BMX freewheel on it. 23mm tires again. No reason, no analysis, just ride. It's not the bike, it's the motor, as they say.

L.

njkayaker

A friend with one has 45mm tires on it. 45mm fenders should not be a problem.

Homeyba

I ride a Colnago C-50 on all my randonees and twice on RAAM. For me, it's the most comfortable long distance bike on the road (except maybe my custom Calfee tandem)! For me it is! This is exactly why I tell people to get fitted before you buy a long distance bike!!!!!! Doesn't matter if it's a cross bike a touring bike or whatever! Let your body dictate your bike purchase, not your wallet, what accessories you want on it or what you "think" should be the right bike. A cycle cross bike may be the bee's knees for you or it might suck. You're just rolling the dice. Get your rear end to a good fitter. If they are worth their salt you will come away with all the numbers you need to find the perfect long distance bike for you. Happy hunting!

Hairy Hands

I went to a good fitter before I bought the C50. I spent 400 bucks for some type of computer fitting that spit out all my measurements and such, as well as having some dots put on my body and computer readings taken from a camera. It told me I needed a 58cm along with all the other component dimensions . I've been cycling a long time and have most of this figured out.

I have CarbonSports Lightweight carbon wheels on my c50 that work great for the crits and general training I do. But I know these rims are too stiff to be comfortable for 400k and above. I don't want to have rims built with generator hubs and be limited in tire width. I want wider tires. Therefore I need a different frame. The reason for all the questions are because I have 0 experience with frames that handle tires as large as 35mm. I also have 0 experience with frames that have a more laid back geometry. Just asking for opinions on these type frames. Not on being fitted properly. That I can figure out myself. Please keep the frame suggestions coming. John

CHAS

Have a Specialized Roubaix and a Tricross.
I get on the Tricross for long rides and most other rides.
The Roubaix is comfortable compared to the typical race bike.
Would like to see Trek bring back the CF pilot.

Road Rash

I'm out of the country so I can't post pictures, but you could definitely get 35mm tires with Fenders on the Tri-Cross. As far as comfort goes I have ridden 3 SR series on my Tri-Cross and it is as comfortable as any bike I've ridden with a good combination of acceleration (as opposed to my Trek 720) and the ability to get into cruise control (What Jan Heine might refer to as planing).


For a 1000K this year I did switch over to my Lemond Zurich because there was alot of climbing and I find that is the one place the Lemond beats the TriCross.

Ironically, as much as I like the Tricross I am building up a Waterford as my PBP bike - but thats just to keep myself busy over the winter.

Homeyba

If you went to a good long distance fitter john, you wouldn't be looking for a new bike. The amount you pay is irrelevant. How long were you on the fit bike or did they just measure you and stuff the numbers in a computer? Long distance isn't the same as racing crits and the fit is different. If your fit is right, and since you know that the CarbonSports are too stiff why don't you just save yourself some money and buy some more compliant wheels? It'll do the same thing as putting fatter tires on there. Also since you have the proper geometry numbers from your professional fit why don't you use that to find your bike? Nearly all manufacturers post geometry numbers, it should be just a matter of matching it up. Buying a frame and trying to make it fit is putting the horse in front of the cart. You're an experienced cyclist, that should make sense to you.

Hairy Hands

That makes sense, and I do plan on using the numbers. I dont want to change my c50 because it works great for everyday stuff. Several things I would need to change, like I need probably a 48-34 chainring and that alone would cost a pretty penny, not to mention new front & rear derailleurs . Wider tires are what I want. So I might as well get a new long distance specific bike. You know its only money, I cant take it with me.

By the way I tried to pm you the other day, and the forum says I cannot pm until I have at least 50 posts. Seems to me I have pm ed you in the past so it must me the new software they are using.

Homeyba

Maybe the 50 post thing is new? Kind of odd. What's the widest tire you can fit on your C-50? That's really my only complaint with the bike. I used to run 25's on my C-40HP but the 25's rub on the frame of the C-50 so 23's are as wide as I can go.

btw, there's nothing wrong with getting a new bike! We can always use something new in the garage.

btw#2 I PM'd you, maybe it'll let you respond.

Hairy Hands

Hey Bernie, the PM didnt work so I tried your email. See if it went through.

I'm using tubulars, and I am using the Veloflex Roubaix that are 24mm. I just got a set of Vittoria 25mm tubs but I havent tried to mount them yet. We will see.

Homeyba

What e-mail did you use? My old one isn't working anymore.

Hairy Hands

New one on the way. Just padding my post count. I still need 28 more. Ha ha

barturtle

One thing to think about is that the lower pressure fatter tires will really cut down on the buzz and bumps that are now coming through and allow you to run a stiffer frame without it beating you to death. You may want to consider an AL frame (with either a steel or carbon fork) There are plenty of cost effective cross frames that may fit your needs with fender mounts /etc.

My Motobecane Fantom CX is my LD bike, though I currently only run 28s with fenders there's tons more room there. I'm running 46/34 with a 13-30 9sp. Koolstop Dual Compound MTB pads made the brakes awesome.