tkehler

Hello

I'd like some advice please.

I have a Guru ti bike that I ride an awful lot. I love it but I also have a bike just sitting around: a TST cross bike. So I'm considering rejigging my cross bike to have a training/bad weather/commuter road bike. Note: I will never ride cross, so I don't mind "sacrificing" the bike. The guys at Dekerf will do the welding for me ~ 200$ bucks either option.

I have two options.

First option, I can convert the cross bike into a second road bike. I have a mind Cane Creek road caliper brakeset ready to go. Also, I have a new Alpha Q road fork. So, the upside is that I have a number of the parts (brakes, fork) and a good-ish ROL wheelset. The downside is that the bike will then be limited to 700-28 tires, or smaller. My worry is that I'm just making a second road bike which will essentially be the same as my main bike, though I can use it in the rain.

Second option, I can have the bike welded to accept disc brakes. This will mean buying road disc brakes, and being unable to use my Cane Creek brakeset. I will also have to get another wheelset or replace the freewheels on my ROL wheelset (!?!?). The upside is that I could use the bike with all kinds of tires, and I would have a great bad weather braking system for riding in the rain and slush. (I commute to Burnaby Mountain, which involves an ascent -- and descent -- of about 350 meters, with 3 km being between 6% and 9% grade.) The bike could then also be a randonneur or touring bike, and it wouldn't duplicate my current bike. The downside is having to buy: new disc compatible fork, new disc brakeset, new disc freewheels or wheels.

Withing reason, and assuming I dip into some savings and convince my wife, and sell some stuff, money is no object.

Anyone have an opinion about which of these to choose?

Thanks

mzeffex 

For the freewheels bit - no. New hubs.

nahh

I'd go for the second option. that was you have two different bikes, not two road bikes.

wanders

I would go with option 1.

question. If it is a cross bike, why not just use the cantilever brakes that came with it? Then you wouldn't be limited in tire size. I would leave it as-is before going to road calipers.

tkehler

Ah, thanks, new hubs. Yuck, that'll cost me....

Re: the cantilever brakes. I hate them. They are high quality (Paul's) but man oh man, they give me nothing but trouble, like squealing and needing adjusting all the time. I think it is because I ride down so many hills/mountains. When I got my Guru bike with Force caliper brakes, I was in heaven.

Cheers

mzeffex 

Yeah hubs ain't cheap. Often cheaper to just buy new wheels. Though, I figure, cross wheels with disc hubs are probably not so cheap.

Raiden

How about (road)disc front and anything else in the rear?

Also, touring on 28s is reasonable.