Ongoing renovations to Spanner Manor mean new bike dreams are on hold.
But I could do with a new practical frame and a s/h CrossCheck seems to fit the bill.

Mini v’s or canti’s?

Used canti’s as a kid, but wasn’t impressed – user error combined with ignorance meant I couldn’t get them working well. Never tried mini v’s.

So, how do mini v’s compare to well set up modern canti’s?
Use will be day rides & local trails.

Thanks in advance.

Get the Straggler 😆

Perfectly good set of wheels and a new 8 speed drivetrain on the old bike.
I do like that pink though.

😀

Get the Straggler.

In black.

I put el cheapo tektro mini vs on a cross bike- clearance wasn’t quite as good as cantis and the straddle wire caused a little hassle if I fitted mudguards for commuting, but those were the only downsides- I’ve used really expensive cantis that the owners swore were the mutt’s nuts and they performed worse than these did on their OEM (rubbish) pads.

Possibly becomes more of an issue if you race- they weren’t especially cloggy (the clearance through the frame and forks was less than the brakes, though it is not quite that simple) so it was only a problem on proper bad mud, which was rotten anyway. So that side never did affect me but it could do someone else.

Oh aye, that was on 5600 105s, and no problem solvers- but the pad clearance wasn’t great, you had to undo the barrel adjuster to get enough room to remove wheels. Either that or have a lot of lever play. So I did the barrel thing, no real bother.

Buy full size V’s and a set of Problem Solvers Travel Agents. Job done.

get the straggler !!

(WTF’s a straggler ?)

Ta folks.
V’s of some sort then.
I only really race ( 🙂 ) at Hit the North and I’m not riding down Rooley’s Chin on a slightly butch racer.

Any shortarses ride a CrossCheck btw?
How tall are you?
What size?

Thanks.

Not with frog legs cantis. I found them appalling on my cross check. Pita to adjust as well.

Has the OP bought a Straggler yet?*

Nothing says I love spacers, like a Surly:

[img]http://i.imgur.com/y0x2YFI.jpg[/img]

*In black.

Bad man.
🙂

Look, the house, which appears to have originally been constructed from cardboard, by a gibbon, has now been reduced to very small pieces.
If I have to buy new wheels and shifters, I can’t afford to put it back together.

Nice though, but I genuinely prefer the pink.
It sparkles so.

Rooley’s chin has been improved spoiled. You could now ride down it on a full on track bike using your trainers on the back tyre as a brake. 😥

I found with mini Vs I couldn’t get cross tyres out without undoing the cable anchor bolts. Fafftastic. Tektro CR270s worked well for me. Like any canti, they need patience when setting up, but they’re the most powerful and least squealy ones I’ve used. YMMV.

But, that said… Buy a Straggler. (Though beware the geometry changes.)

Really Matt?

Bollocks.

Ffs, that little bit of trail should have been in the Guinness Book Of Records for stacks per foot.
Great, wasn’t it?

I took photos there the one year I missed and laughed so much I nearly soiled myself.

You could come and play out on Monday night and see for yourself?

Certainly was a class bit of riding sliding. I’m sure that laughing at people crashing in front of me has caused me to bin it down there a few times.

Straggler. How much! unlikely to get ’em s/h yet either. Colour? mmm. not for me..

Would love a Cross Check as a pub bike though.

Decent price as a frameset. Less appealing as an off-the-shelf bike.

Work most Mondays now Matt. 😐
But will be down that way midweek; will chuck the bike in the car.

Ta for the brake advice folks.

Almost bought some Straggler forks for my Cross Check to replace exisitng cantis (Shorty 6s) but decided to order some TRP CX9 going cheap at On One. Waiting for them to arrive. Possibly a mistake but haven’t found performance on road discs enough to warrant the extra cost (double) yet. If I was starting from scratch would definately get a Straggler though!

rusty – I struggle to do Mondays, shout next time you’re going of an evening, anything after 7 is good for me