Building a Cyclocross bike looking for component ideas

[nat]

My wife got her new cyclocross frame and now I need to build it up. The frame is from Rock Lobster here in Santa Cruz and the fork is a composite type from Easton, before they changed them.

I am thinking either Ultegra components, or maybe XT

Any wheelset suggestions?

The fork steerer tube looks like it is carbon fiber 1 1/8" diameter. I guess a King headset and clamp type stem are what to use?

Any seatpost suggestions? Carbon fiber would be a mistake I think.

Thanks

 

[Dirtgypsy]

hey Nat:

I am very new to the cyclocross scene with my first purchase just 2 weeks ago of a 2007 jake the snake but through some friends and some cool web sites have a pretty good set up for a beginner with full 105, mavic open wheels, 105 hubs, and the rest easton bits.

Here is a link to what the pro's were riding last year to give you some ides. I don't think carbon fiber is such a bad thing depending on your riding style and weight.

The Rock Lobster is a very nice bike. I hope to go steel in a few years. Good luck on your season I am sure you will enjoy it.

Clint

http://www.cyclocrossworld.com/BOSS.cfm

 

[cary]

Wheel's are easy, call Mike Garcia at Odds and Endoes, and get whatever he recommends. Not only is he one of the best wheelbuilders in the country, but his prices are incredibly reasonable.

Headset, skip the King, get a Cane Creek for 1/4 of the price. King stuff is way overpriced and headsets don't wear out.

Seatpost, simple, there is Thomson, there is everything else.

 

[OZCAL]

Wheelset?

No brainer.

Seriously.

We used old flatspotted road rims for cyclocross.

Don't spend more than 5 minutes in the dumpster behind the bike shop looking for 'cross wheels.

A 'cross bike is not a "going concern"; rather, it is the end of the road for used road components and an awesome excuse for cantilever brakes.

 

[hudyhue]

i use to live in colorado springs ,broke my mnt bike.... had a trek 12 spd road bike 105 set up new seat bigger back tire look clipless pedals .... cyclo cross bike....rode it for years little to no problems....

 

[evathomas]

I am wanting to get into cyclocross. I don't have a lot of cash but I do have an old(1989) Panasonic road bike that needs some serious upgrades. I was thinking of converting the Panasonic into a cyclocross racer but I have no idea where to start, what to buy or if this is even a workable idea.
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florida flowers

 

[wxm]

I am wanting to get into cyclocross. I don't have a lot of cash but I do have an old(1989) Panasonic road bike that needs some serious upgrades. I was thinking of converting the Panasonic into a cyclocross racer but I have no idea where to start, what to buy or if this is even a workable idea.
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florida flowers

Converting from an old road bike to cyclocross is not an easy task. Your options are very limited. The immediate problem is the brake. Your road bike calipers might be too narrow for the cyclocross. But if you are willing to stay with the 27" road wheels (possible the fatter tires), you can just take the Panasonic into the mud. The frame is certainly more than adequate to take the beat.

 

[gearguywb]

Your build really depends on what you plan to use the bike for. My GF and I both ride cross bikes quite a bit but we set them up as dirt road exploration/winter training rides. I just built mine a few months back and went with Ultegra everything, Pauls brakes, and a set of wheels built with DA hubs, DT Swiss rims, built 3x.

Decide what you want it to do and then build from there.

 

[cruiser enthuiser]

Your build really depends on what you plan to use the bike for. My GF and I both ride cross bikes quite a bit but we set them up as dirt road exploration/winter training rides. I just built mine a few months back and went with Ultegra everything, Pauls brakes, and a set of wheels built with DA hubs, DT Swiss rims, built 3x.

Decide what you want it to do and then build from there.

Hmmm, Ultegra being used for off-road riding. I'm no cyclocross guy but do lots of road and off-road riding. My road bike has Ultegra and I have never been thrilled with it...couldn't imagine it standing up to off-road abuse. Wish I coulf afford dura-ace. My set is bout 8 years old tho so maybe ultegra is a lot better now?? I would think XT way better for cross. My .02

 

[wxm]

Hmmm, Ultegra being used for off-road riding. I'm no cyclocross guy but do lots of road and off-road riding. My road bike has Ultegra and I have never been thrilled with it...couldn't imagine it standing up to off-road abuse. Wish I coulf afford dura-ace. My set is bout 8 years old tho so maybe ultegra is a lot better now?? I would think XT way better for cross. My .02

X2 for XT, which is what I used on my Kona Sutra - works great.

 

[MT-PTK]

Heck, I have Dura Ace 8spd STI on my cross bike and the freakin things won't die. When it finally does I might make the leap to SRAM.

The thing about trying to convert old road bikes is the clearance of the tire/fork and the rear brake bridge. It can limit the size of tires you can use. Plus if you're getting muddy they'll gunk up real fast. Cross bikes running canti's will give you much more clearance.

As far as forks, I personally will ride nothing but steel. My experience, plus watching all the carbon forks chatter and flex at the cyclocross Nationals convinced me that for my size (a lean 255- 260) steel is real.




William

 

[nat]

I need to take pics of the completed project. It has some cool older thick profile rims on it.

 

[Lugboot]

Screw all of that component group stuff. Get a White Industries ENO eccentric rear hub, build a wheel, go SS, and get rid of all that pesky shifting crap that just breaks anyway!

I'm in the midst of turning two old Bianchi touring frames into SS road/cross bikes.

Seriously, you may end up mixing some component groups around, depending on the gearing you use--I've seen long cage XT rear derailleurs mixed with road stuff to handle the wider gear ranges on some cross bikes. Depends on the cassette range and crank.

 

[MT-PTK]

Screw all of that component group stuff. Get a White Industries ENO eccentric rear hub, build a wheel, go SS, and get rid of all that pesky shifting **** that just breaks anyway!

Can't argue with that logic.



William

 

[Radd Cruisers]

X2 for XT, which is what I used on my Kona Sutra - works great.

XT is workhorse stuff, XTR is lightweight high price stuff that last a fraction of the time XT does.

 

[Sizzle Chest]

I have full XT on my cross bike, but keep in mind that you will run into compatibility issues if you use road shifters with mountain derailures. For example, a front road shifter does not pull enough cable with each click to shift your front derailure. You can fix this but it's not easy. Then, if you have an XT front derailure, the cage is too small for a road size chainrings on your crankset, so then you'll have buy mountain chainrings or a new crankset. A rear XT is bombproof and will shift perfectly with a road shifter, which is why many people run rear XT and front Ultegra or Dura Ace, which saves all the hassle of compatability.

salsa makes the best components for cross, such as brake disrupters and stout delgado rims