Hi

any weight wenies doing cross?

im about to build myself a fairly light-weight cross bike.

but i would like som inspiration :-)

will post pictures when finished

thanx
cannonsnail

1870g custom frame, but just over 8kg complete. Fastest weapon for typical CX trails I can think of.
8kg is with the Zipp rear wheel I usally run. For the race where the pic was taken, Super Prestige of Sint Michielsgestel 2002, the rear was missing a tubular tire so I went for a tubular clincher on a spare wheel.

Hi cloxxki

what brakes are you using?

i am thinking about avid ti shortys - and mavic open pro ceramics.

is it a good idea with ceramic rims or should i save the money - in other words, how good are the brakes with normal rims?

thanx

cannonsnail

cool to see other weight weenies being interested in cyclo-cross bikes. here's mine, posted in the old forum: "It's just porn Mum!" (http://forums13.consumerreview.com/crforum?14@58.mne0aJk77Ij.7@.efdef81)

i have changed my specs though: tektro oryx brakes (look like the avids, easy setup, came in at 160 g/pair), different kind of front brake cable hanger (rear hanger attached between front plate and stem itself, where the handlebar is mounted) and another chainguide.

maybe i will post some new pics in a couple of days - right now i'm really busy with learning for my university exams :(

weight right now is between 8,0 and 8,1 kg. My new truvativ parts will bring it just under the 8 kgs, and tufo clincher-tubies would save even more weight. but there'S only one race left for me during this season, so i will buy the tufos next fall.


are you from europe? then i would know a cool shop where i got most parts from (frame, fork, wheels,...). very light and fair prices.... 329 € for an 1500g frame ain't bad, huh?

Raced a Redline CX frame and Fork (both Al) with a Ritchey Pro OS stem, Salsa Bar Lap bar, Alpha Q CF seatpost, light WTB saddle, Eggbeater pedals, and lots of leftover Campy Daytona parts,-- oh and some sweet Paul's cantis! Raced on Mich Mud cross tires. Good bike- using it as my winter/trainer bike.

Coolhand

what brakes are you using?

cannonsnail

Spooky's. 159g for 2 brakes. Used by many pro's at least when I bought them. A PAIN to setup, due to flimsy aluminum bolt and parts. The rear brake has huge tension on it, nothing to do about that, my frame only has one set of holes to put the springs in.
Some people say Spooky's are the best they've ever tried, but mine don't stop at all, partly at least because I run carbon rims (anyone know good canti pads for carbon?).
true experts say ceramic is always worth it, but I wouldn't really know, last I owned were '97 CrossMax's.
My experience is that in CX, every bit of stopping power is welcome, especially when it gets slippery. I lost my rear brake later last weekend's race, and when I went back onto the course to guide a lady racer around it, I fell pretty unavoidably, being unable to enter the corner properly with a bit of rear feathering.

Ben Berden, TOP-5 CX racer in the world, uses similar brakes to mine, with shortened koolstop pads, to stop the brake shattering only CX'ers know and hate.

Up front on my spare bike is a new 105 canti, but so far I've been unable to get much stopping power from it, despite the V-type pads. I may have to tweak pad setup some more.

I wish V's would clog up so much in CX, and would work preperly with road levers, canti's just are past history IMO, and someone thought it was a good plan to ban discs in CX racing :mad:

What's that chain retention device you use? I customized a Rohloff one, 70g stock, can be dremeled down quite a bit, but it still kinda rubs on the 12 and 27 cogs.

I'm building a 1x9 29" race machine, my goal is 8,2kg with FAT tires, every gram to be saved while improving funstion of course is welcome. Thanks in advance!

http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Pic1(4).jpg

Great looking bike indeed, and the frame is dream deal for sure.

I was lucky too, the Duratec distributor wanted to promote the brand by going direct to consumers for the first 100 frames. I got a fully custom *56cm c-top, 48cm c-c, looooong toptube) at under dealer cost, around €350 today. 1870g and the fastest bike I own, especially on 30mm Elite Tufo tubulars. In my first-ver race on it 3 years ago, I held up 48mins on a ~6min lap, against Sven Nijs untill he finally lapped me. I did 2 corners at his pace, which turned out to be 40kph where I did 30kph. Unreal, and experience I'd pay the complete Disney World ticket for, rollercoaster extraordinaire! One more ultra-tight chicane practically in his draft, and when I rolled out of it, Nijs was at the end of the next long straight already.

/blah mode off

though it's a porky steel frame/fork from Surly. could easily drop 2# with alu frame/fork, or custom steel/ti, but i like the steel, and keeping it SS and fixed. excuse the missing rear wheel. it's doing double duty on my pure road fixie at the moment.....

20# right on the nose.

I haven't attempted to lighten my cross rig yet, but when I built it up, I made sure I that it would be possible in the future. The frame is a voodoo scandium frame, which I weighed at just under 2.9 lbs (56 cm). I also use a Alpha Q cross fork and Mavic Helium wheels. Right now the bike is in it's road bike configuration since I use this in road races too. The ride of the bike is absolutely incredible!

Chris

Man, you can't image how much I hate myself for never having gotten a ti VooDoo when I had the chance (and got deals on them from the LBS).
Great bike!

@scrublover : I've been thinking of hacking my bars short like that for years, it should shave close to 100g. That's worth a lot on a high-end bike, like $100+. How's it been working out for you? I only ride the drops once or twice a cross, but half my road races (somehting on the crosser because of chi-chi Zipp wheels).

Man, you can't image how much I hate myself for never having gotten a ti VooDoo when I had the chance (and got deals on them from the LBS).
Great bike!

@scrublover : I've been thinking of hacking my bars short like that for years, it should shave close to 100g. That's worth a lot on a high-end bike, like $100+. How's it been working out for you? I only ride the drops once or twice a cross, but half my road races (somehting on the crosser because of chi-chi Zipp wheels).


I don't think those bars are cut. Those look like triathalon bullhorn bars...inverted. I'd just make darn sure that those brake levers are on tight! I would hate for one to slip off!

Chris

yep, they are hacked. from some nashbar cheapy 46cm bars. love wide bars, and never ride the drops. not for weight, just like them without. even on my geared roadie, they are shortened. not this much; still have just enough to use, if i wanted to on them.

yep, levers on tight. no slippage.

my newest, a pure road fixie has some super narrow van dessel moustache bars at like, 40cm. not sure if i like them. 46cm on two drop bar bikes, 25.2 inches on both my mtbs. love the wide bars!

ctxcrossx I have a Limba too.Great bike.I love it and also use it for road races.
How do you like the carbon fork?

The bike is just amazing. It is so comfortable to ride on and off road. The fork is wonderful! I have the Ti steerer option. I can't say enough good things about it. Let me know if you have any questions that I can answer.

Chris

I'll just ask some questions 'cause last time I tried to reply the site crashed.
Is the ride that much different with the carbon fork?How much weight did you save?
What parts do you switch when you race 'cross?What brake pads do you like the best?

I'll just ask some questions 'cause last time I tried to reply the site crashed.
Is the ride that much different with the carbon fork?How much weight did you save?
What parts do you switch when you race 'cross?What brake pads do you like the best?

I'm not sure if the ride is really different from anything else. I'd guess it gives a nice (but different) ride to steel...but with a generous weight savings. I personally don't notice though. If I'm in a cross race drooling on my toptube because I'm so tired, I forget to notice the nice ride qualities of carbon. ;) I'm not sure how much weight it saves....I weighed it when I got it but I don't remember.

When I switch the bike over to cross mode, I have a different handle bar setup with barcon shifters (pic). It's a quick swap with the cables and housing installed already. I change the big ring to a 45, I switch the wheelset to the helium wheelset (the red accents look incredible on with that frame!), and switch to a 12-27 cassette.

I use XTR brakes. I used to use the SRP cross brakes but they had almost no adjustments, so I ditched them. I use kool stop thinline (maybe?) pads. They stop great and I love how thin they are as compared to the ritchey red canti (with posts) brake pads. They were so cumbersome, the brakepad was bigger than the rim surface, so it would constantly create a groove on the bottom of the brake pad (the part that wasn't hitting the rim) and it would get stuck when you used the brakes in the repair stand. I hope that makes sense.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I love talking about that bike! It's my baby!

Chris

Here it is!