Frameset for touring and commuting?
 

I want to build up a frameset for paved-road touring and commuting. I've looked at a few touring/cyclocross bikes (Surly Cross-Check, Bianchi Volpe), but I'm not crazy about the stock components. I want to build it from a bare frameset so I can customize the components, and also for the learning experience.

I'm close to settling on a Campagnolo Veloce or Athena groupset with disc brakes (something like the TRP Hy/Rd) and 25mm or 28mm tires. The frontrunners for the frameset are the Surly Straggler and the SOMA Double Cross Disc. I'm not really into the Surly grunge feel, and I'm worried that it might be heavier than I need. The SOMA is a little cheaper and prettier, but maybe not strong enough for extended touring. Which is better? Are there others I should check out?

The Soma is plenty strong enough for extended touring and would be my choice. I would lean towards the Avid BB7 disc for mechanicals; they have a wicked reputation and should last for damn near ever with minimal fuss.

I would edge toward 28mm tires. You likely won't notice a loss in speed, but you will notice an increase in riding comfort.

Athena is an awesome groupset. You're gonna lose some money building from scratch, since frameset stock components come at a cheaper price. As long as you plan on spending a bit more, you're fine. it's also a great opportunity to skimp to lower end componentry on parts that don't take a beating, like front derailleurs and crank arms, while investing in things where your money really counts, like the wheelset and rear derailleur.

At any rate, you should totally try to do the build yourself. You'll gain an irreplaceable knowledge about your bike, which can come in handy on a long tour. Building a bike from scratch was one of the most fun things I've ever done in my years as a cyclist.

Just Out here, you wont find any Campag parts in any small shops .. Gear Heads Dilemma..

when people need something , and dont want to stay while the orders are shipped (Plenty to eat and drink while here)

the LBS Calls the next bigger town shop, 2~3 days down the coast,

they order stuff and try to have it there when they arrive ..

Logistically, Shimano is safer.. since the parts are more Common

Also check out the Soma Saga disc version. Very cool bike and Orange, which is worth bonus points. I have the canti version of the Saga and love it, very nice riding and handling for a tourer.

BTW, I also own a Ritchey Breakaway Cross, and the Soma Saga does not ride or handle much differently. Don't get caught up with marketing names/categories -- focus on the geometry, fit and features of the frame.

Saga Disc Frame Set | SOMA Fabrications

I built my touring bike up from a Surly Cross Check frame with SRAM Rival drivetrain. You can see some photos in this blog post. I'm very happy with the bike overall, but I can say after three years of riding this bike that I wish I had disc brakes. I might swap out to the Straggler frame at some point in the future.

Heck, if I was going Soma, I'd go with the Wolverine. I'd never regret getting more tire clearance...

+1

I would reserve Campy components for your day ride road bike. Finding spare parts for Campy on a tour would be extremely difficult. Also, for many riders, Campy doesn't make gearing options low enough. The best you could do is 50/34T up front and 12-29T in back, which is pretty steep for loaded touring.

IMHO disc brakes are totally unecessary for road, cyclocross, gravel, and touring bikes. Please don't spread the disease of disc brakes on bikes. :p Please also feel free to completely ignore my opinions about disc brakes.

Another vote against Crampandgoslo. They make nice looking stuff, it is pretty and performs like fine Italian parts should but they don't really make much for the touring market and their stuff is very hard to find and expensive. The only Campy I have ever really wanted was an old 60s/70s vintage Nuevo/Super Record or old Pista stuff.

The HY/RDs seem like a good choice if you want a hydro but use cross levers or just want more repairability on the road. I am planning on going with the Spyres on my new Co-Motion because I want full mechanical and I like the idea of dual pistons. However the Avid BB7s are a fine brake and I have used them with no problems for two years.

I do like Surly and I think they make a fine product. They may have a grungy logo but their bikes are far from grungy. Solid steel bikes with decent enough builds for someone wanting quality without bank breakage. I like my Disc Trucker but like you I wanted to build something from the ground up and also want to lose a touch of weight so I am going to build up a co-motion (there was a post about it not that long ago if you care and I will probably post when it is done or as I build it)

Soma seems to make a nice bike and I have considered if I get some greenbackery in the future I might build up a Triple Cross (I want a stainless steel bike) or possibly try out the Grant Petersen designed San Marcos and build it electronic but use sprinter switches to make a down tube DI2 shifter and go full whacky.

If you have the cash, Co-Motion makes quite a nice bike and soon I will have one in my possession. Not too heavy (but strong) and plenty of options for touring.

Not true. Campy offers a triple at the Athena level.

I switched my touring bike from 1995 Campy Mirage 8 to 2010 Shimano Tiagra 9 because 8 spd cassettes are only special order at special shops from special manufacturers (Miche). Once a technology trickles off the bottom of Campy groupsets, the whole system becomes obsolete, no matter how fine it is.

I looked at the Soma DC disc but other members that owned one didn't recommend it for fully loaded touring (more than 30 lbs) so I went for the Soma Saga Disc instead. It's very stiff, which is what I wanted, I expect it rides similar to the Disc Trucker since it weighs the same. I use the Saga for commuting and gravel grinding but I have not toured with it yet.

Someone who works near my office has one that he/she commutes on regularly. Every time I see the bike locked up outside I want to steal it. ;)

You're right. My mistake. But even with the triple, many riders will agree that the gearing is still too high. I still stand by my opinion that Campy isn't the best choice for touring.

My mix and match was all in friction Shifting, 6 speed freewheels,etc. Got closeouts in the 80's when Campag tried then withdrew from the MTB sector.
derailleurs and Cranks .. square taper BB's..

Now that I live , in a popular cycle touring route area, I see Hundreds passing thru on the coast , stopping in with broken gear .

Needing the occasional spoke , and finishing an east to west tour Here.

With that, I won't disagree. Inexpensive/common/robust is my choice when heading out on a bike. :thumb:

I like my cross check for commuting. Not sure how much weight I would put on it though. Intended weight + rider weight?

Love my soma doublecross as an all round bike and wouldn't think twice about taking it touring. I have had mine now for 12 years and I recently rebuilt/upgraded pretty much all the parts on the bike. It's a fine rider for all sorts of road surfaces and has all the right braze ons for carrying stuff. I don't disagree though with post no. 6 about the wolverine being an option; everything else being equal, more tire clearance is a plus esp. if you are thinking about some rough stuff touring. The saga is a bit better as a pure touring machine but the shorter wheelbase of the doublecross is a plus for all other uses so I'd go with that. Agree with what others have said about staying away from campy on this build.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...8&d=1409428267

Interesting about Campy parts not being available on the road—I hadn't thought about that. I based the idea on (1) having a Veloce groupset on an old Bianchi that's never given me trouble and feels great and (2) the flimsy feel of the Shimano Tiagra group on the stock bikes I tried (like the Volpe). I like the Shimano 105 shifters/levers a bit more, but I still prefer the Campy feel.

Is Shimano the only choice? Should I also look at SRAM, or is their stuff also unavailable in remote spots?

Also, it looks like some Campy shifters (which is the main part I care about) are compatible with some Shimano cassettes and derailleurs (http://www.cxmagazine.com/shimano-ca...-compatibility). Is that advisable?

Maybe 40 + 140 pounds—but possibly several weeks on the road.

I like Wheels Mfg 8-spd conversion kits to use Shimano or SRAM cassettes/cogs (I assemble my own cassettes from loose cogs) on Shimano hubs with Campagnolo 8-spd shifters on four bikes. The bike with the Campy RD and brifters is picky about having a matched cassette, but shifts fabulously well with a respaced SRAM 11-30 cassette. My Sachs New Success RDs and their Campy-built brifters shift just fine with any of the custom cassettes that I've tried. The limitation is the maximum size of the large cog, but we're both fine with a 30t cog and 24t granny ring, although I suspect that Campy RD could handle at least a 32t cog.

Campy Ergo front brifters don't care what FD is used, unlike Shimano brifters. And the Campy brifters can be inexpensively rebuilt, although I've only had to do four rebuilds in 20 years using these. FWIW, the chrome-plated Shimano cogs also last longer than Campy when we were still using the latter.