So I bought a Cross Check on Gumtree. I really wanted to find a cool Monstercross or whatever frame but they’re rarer than hens teeth on the second hand market in our part of the world. Cross Check came up and they’re nice frames and close enough, I suppose. It’s still with my friends in Tasmania who are driving back in a few days.
I’ve been putting together a build list and wouldn’t mind some advice etc. Most of the parts I already had from hoarding. (As an aside I’m moving house soon and need to clear a lot of shit - might as well put some of it on a frame).
Frame - Surly Cross Check
Stem - Velo Orange something
Bars - Nitto Noodle
Shifters - Campy Veloce 10a (LHS is stuffed so 1x10)
Dérailleur - Campy Veloce 10s
Brakes - Paul Cantis
Cranks - White Industries ENO - 34t chainring. Thinking of getting a 32t.
Cassette - Campy 13-29.
Saddle/seatpost - Fizik Kurve to a random post.
To come -
Wheels - Currently tossing up options. I think I might finally go down the road of custom built. Either Centaur or Record hubs to H Plus Son TB14s.
Tires - I have no idea what to get yet. Suggestions for 60/40 dirt/sealed riding? Would love to go for 40c.
Now - 1x10. Will I need a chain guard thingo?
Long cafe dérailleur? This short cage one has always been fine shifting up and down on compact cranksets.
Any suggestions for affordable but quality Campy compatible hubs?
WTB Nano’s in 700x42 are great and will fit in a CC. Or Surly Knard 700x41’s.
I’d be tempted to sell the WI cranks, and use the money to get a decent sub-compact crankset 42/30 - 38-26 - 42-28 etc etc and then put any old friction downtube shifter on the LH side boss. Strip the shifter guts out of the LH broken one.
That will make it much more dirt hill friendly, cheap and it’ll be all wacky and eccentric inviting unsolicited comments from weird bike people.
Dunno about hubs, but there must be some cheap-ish sealed bearing hubs that aren’t loud as Hopes.
I’ve run 39/24 x 13/30 with a short cage Chorus mech no worries, so 1 x will be aces. On my cross bike - which I race - I run 1 x 8 Shimergo (40 x 14/30) with Campy 10sp shakes; it works really really well. Shimergo would give you way more hub options and you could go 36+ on the back, but bigger jumps 'tween gears eh. Just an idea.
I’m big onto using the inner and middle of a triple, run as a double thinking of it essentially as a 1x with a bailout option. It means no need for a long cage RD, and you still get plenty of range. The DT shifter for the front is a perfectly good idea. They work so well, and you don’t use it often really. Your LH shifter is probably repairable eh; have you pulled it apart?
I’d get Archetypes over TB14s for this bike ATMO. How much do you want to spend on rims? Stans Alpha 400s? HED Belgiums? They’re both tubeless ready. Affordable/good Campy hubs can be tough. Used Campy can be found. Velocity/Formula are reliable. SP SV8 for the front, obviously.
I’ve got the following parts which may suit too, if interested:
2x 32h hplusson archetypes (black. ~3300km old).
1x 28h a23 and 1xa23 OC - both silver anno and 1500-2000km old.
Both set of rims de laced (not cut) from wheelset running straight and true.
Oh, and a 32h SP PV-8 dyno hub which would go nicely with the archetypes.
Have been thinking about this for my new pub/rain/camp/jack of all trades/master of none bike. Mainly to simplify the amount of wayward cables shooting out the front of my bike due to the angle of the On One Mary Bars I have and how rarely I’ll be using the front mech. More of a 1x10 build with a Bail out option of a 28 or 30 tooth ring like WestToastPete mentioned.
Already have the Surly Knards on Belgium +'s laced to your favourite loud Hope’s (from my CX bike).
YAY NAGESH!! MORE BIKES!! I use schwalbe sammy slicks for commuting but they are only made in 35. Having said that, I still ride some pretty loose stuff on them (fire trails around Mt Taylor) and they go alright. I would recommend these to start with as they are pretty cheap.
Lauren’s has Resist Nomads on it. They’re pretty great ATMO, if you don’t go GB/Compass for slickies. Otherwise, what MikeD said, or Rock n Roads. Or what BigAdz just said.
Personally, I don’t like those tyres. I ran them on Lauren’s commuter for a while, but they were pretty stiff and puncture prone. She had Paselas before and has them again now; they’re one of my favourite utilitarian tyres.
That snot to say these Michelins are bad tyres, I just haven’t had a great experience with the one set I ran.
I’m using Clement X’Plors MSO in 32 size way on the Space Horse. I rate them for road and hard packed dirt. Yet to take them on single track and proper, proper gravel. They come in 40 as well.
Fair enough - I’ve used mine on there for maybe a year now, everyday commuting (rain/hail/shine) and have never had a puncture, nor anything to make me pay quadruple the price for paselas again.
FWIW / IMO - gum walls on a crosscheck are like putting sick mags on a 93 charade.
