gumtree/ebay special steel tourer with cantis?
i do see them pop up from time to time, pretty reasonably priced most of the time.
Get a MASH, light, fast, track spacing unlike the Nature Boy.
Tapered carbon fork and nice paint.
No fender or bidon mounts.
If you want a wet weather commuter get a Pomp.
Downside is heavier & V4 is frameset only with the ugly as sin unicrown fork included.
Will check these both out!
Booooo!!!
Regarding the Traitor Crusade… I’m reasonably certain they are the same frame as the Transition Rapture if that helps trying to find a stockist - I’m sure I’ve seen Transition bikes around.
Also, mine (a 2010 model) developed a crack in the head tube near the internal cable routing sleeve - could be a one-off, I can’t find any more examples on the net. Hopefully they’ve sorted that out over the last few years.
If money permits, I’d go the mash.
That curve looks expensive for plain 4130, you could get a complete nature boy for that. (also 4130, I know, you could get the zona one for less still)
What ever you do I’d rethink your bike fit for a cx bike
For a SS CXer I’d just go a Pomp like AL says… Maybe chuck a Easton EC70X fork on it too, if you plan to run mini-Vs.
Or if you think you might go geared at some stage down the track get a frame with a PFBB30 and run a Beer Components EBB innit.
my 2c
This.
140 stem will be cray-cray for cross racing or on singletrack.
stock pomp fork is defs heavy but also perfectly capable of running mini Vs (tektro 926AL in my case but should work fine with others) or since it’s SS just get normal Vs and Tektro 520 levers if running drops.
Yeah, have been doing a lot of reading about this and have seen mixed opinions.
Some say size down, others say you need a taller head tube (this i agree with).
Since i already ride a size down with über long stem/post, i figured i’d probably need to size up to get the head tube length.
Lemonskin has a pomp going for a reasonably good price, but i’m not completely sold on the geo… i’ve always wanted an All-City and the Mash is badass… but both are probably more than I want/need to spend…
Keep the thoughts/opinions coming, a lot of good knowledge coming out and google is getting a work out as I try and get my head around all the different styles of brakes.
I’d go v-brakes over cantis. That’s my 2¢.
I’ll be honest even your roadie is probably Two sizes to small.
I’d be aiming for a 110-120 stem max and way less post for a few reasons,
It will put way to much stress on your frame and seat post and something will break.
It will put way to much weight over the front and handle like shit and will be real hard to pop the front up.
It is also a big misconception that lower front end is better.
this
Its not the saddle to bar drop that you have to consider, you also need a longer toptube and shorter stem in order to have better steering, and as Dayne and Tate say, an ability to pop up the front end. Unless you have a very good strength-to-weight ratio I would say that wouldn’t want a stem any longer than 100mm and not slammed.
BTW If you get a Pomp you’ll have to run lots of steerer spacers as the headtube is really short. You’d be better off with something like a Giant TCX or Spesh Crux (which has better CX geo) and running SS with a BB30 EBB - get something with 130mm rear spacing unless you have a track wheelset that you must use.
Supersports is the distributor in Australia. I’m pretty sure they have Transition Rapture’s in stock right now. Even if it’s only 4130, the 44mm headtube and adaptable drop outs should send it straight to the top of the list for tapered steerer and geared friendlyness.
Raleigh do some really cool CXSS, including a carbon belt drive bike. But good luck getting one here.
Or get the Mash, because they’re bad ass.
what DICE has said.
get a BB30/PF30 alloy frame (CAAD, Crux) as these tend to have the best geo for “road” on a CX frame (lower bb). i have been using a beer components EBB30 for 18months now trouble free. in fact it’s actually the best bb i’ve ever had with the really nice Phil Wood bearings.
The benefits of the above are 130 spacing (any road wheels), wheel in/out without brake adjustment, simple wheel on/off for travel/repairs, geared options down the track… many others.
also with sizing, agree with others - keep the stem between 100-120 (although it should be noted that Nys & Stybar were both on 130mm stems at worlds!!!). go a little wider on your bars. keep your saddle, setback and pedals similar (i end up about 5mm lower for CX) and adjust your bars from there. if you are just gravel grinding then you can basically run a road setup, CX you really need to get out as smash it to find out what fits/works for you.