Just wondering what people are riding in melb at the moment as I am trying to bring some cross componets into the country and I was wondering how many of us are out there. Also intrested in orgainsing some group rides if people are up for it. I am selling a 55cm merida cross frame as well if anyone is thinking about dipping there toes.
Post you pics of you bike up I will be shortly.
Three of us that I’m aware of.
What sort of parts are you looking at?
SS/CX build is my next project, so I’m interested to know what you have in mind.
Brakes and some of the cross chain rings and single speed set ups. What brakes are you guys using as I am serching for the perfect canti set-up.
Also where in melb are you finding good places to ride I built my cross bike up as an answer to my comute which half off road half on road.
Empella frogglegs paired with Avid SD5 levers (I don’t use drop bars). Crap braking power, hard to adjust but lots of mud clearance and looks good. You will have to define perfect. Cantis are not designed to have good braking … just enough to scrub speed. Those that do have good braking usually don’t have as much mud clearance.
What are you currently riding?
Des
Can you use v-brakes on cycle cross bikes. I am not sure but i imagine that they would be pretty powerful and have loads of clearance for mud etc
even those short armed v-brakes that allot of flatbar road bikes are kitted out with.
Vee’s are great, got’em on me Surly Crosscheck.
My ideal canti setup would be Campag record carbon levers and Pauls component touring canti’s… both light and well made, but I dont have the cash…
I’m using tektro levers (very similar to Snowflakes Cane Creeks) and Shimano r550 cantis… both work well.
Cantis do take a bit of setting up… can be set firm or soft… sometimes it’s not an exact art as I have been trying to set up some old XTR cantis on my retro mtb recently… currently on my third effort 
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllll…!
Normal V brakes (long arm MTB style) will work with a cable travel converter (which I dont like) or with a lever which pulls enough cable for v’s… only one drop bar lever that I know of, which I think is made by Diacompe (unfortunately I dont like the lever shape, I’m a bit fussy)
What do you need brakes for anyway… they only slow you down…
If you like the Tektro shape, why don’t you try the RL520As?
Has any one tried the paul’s stuff it looks good but does it work well. I am using Ultegra sti’s with the r55O shimano brakes they work I just want something more bling.