+1 for the Kaffenback!
If you already have a featherweight carbon road bike, but fancy a bit of 'steel' in your stable, don't make your decision purely about weight. Concentrate on the geometry, and the purpose for which you will be using the bike.
The Kaffenback is a really good all-rounder, and ticks all the boxes for me.
Stick to rim-brakes if you fancy going touring though...
Seen the steel 2012 Ritchey Swiss Cross?.... oh man!
Love my Kaffenback, it works well on and off road, not many bikes have that magic combo imho.
Cass F+F is 500gm lighter! Rides A LOT lighter too.
Having replaced a small midge drop bar v braked Pompino with a flat bar compact geared Roadrat a few years back here's my twopenneth of experience.
On towpaths a set of Schwalbe 28c marathons are easilly robust and tough enough but weigh a ton and you really feel that rotating mass. They still cut through mud though so can work in a fashion off road. Spesh Houffalize 32c cross tyres weigh less, puncture more (though not much) and roll a bit slower but allow more comfort and work very well off road and snow etc. 25c Conti 4 seasons will still cope with towpaths and are much faster than the other tyres but still have noticeably more cush than a 23c Conti (as fitted to my carbon roadbike).
So what? Well the 32c was the biggest that would fit the Pompino and still work off road. The Cotic has no such issues (of course disc brakes also great in mud on the Cotic). The On-One had toe overlap even with skinny rubber and mud guards made it a real mare. Again not such an issue with the longer Cotic.
The On-One has more roadie handling and felt much better to ride over any distance generally (more sprightly) and so I miss it in lots of ways. Indeed even my Mrs who also had a similar Pompino but swapped for a bottom of the range geared Trek 1.2 still misses hers.
Now part of the Pompino/Kaffenback weight issue (if there is even a weight issue) is probably down to the forks. A set of Carbon cross forks on one of their frames would be blinding as an inspiring fun bike to ride.
The Kaffenback is just disgusting in the brown.
Cotic now do the X cross bike and I'd love to give that a go as it can be had with a carbon fork and should be less leaden feeling than the Roadrat.
Fixie inc Pure Blood tested some time back in Singletrack would be high on my list if money were not an issue.
My mate had a short drop bar Roadrat (no longer produced) and in the end found it too limited for riding with proper roadies, yet also not good enough to ride and keep up with the MTB rides so sold it on.
So remember if you are looking at something like this it probably falls right between the two schools and so will be better for those solo rides where you just want to explore or commuting purposes. Well unless all your mates are after cross bikes too.
Did the CXSportive in the summer with a mate who has had a Planet X Uncle john for a few years and that was quite a fun alternative to the usual Merida 100/Mayhem/SITS/D2D type enduro stuff we usually do. Also did a cross race on the Cotic once - not for me.
*Any* bike that's not built from neurotica will handle a bit of fireroad surely? Strong wheels, bit of tyre width, decent innertubes, avoid the drop-offs. Things were much easier when we all had less choice 
OP - get in touch with this lot: RSF
FWIW, for road bike capable of riding on towpaths/fireroads, read "road bike".
Both my alu winter bike, and fancy-dan carbon job go fine off road. Both have rattled across the cobbles and farm tracks of Flanders and closer to home on many an occasion. In fact, I consider it a normal thing for road bikes to be taken off road.
Singular Osprey possibly? Will handle tyres up to 34mm (without guards) but is more road bike than cross. Rack mounts, mudguard mounts, looks nice, pretty light, rides nicely....
Oh the shame. From BMX to touring bikes. Next you'll be asking which pipe and slippers
Oi! You're always taking the piss. I cant get the miles in on a bmx can I!
Anyway, thanks for the ideas, at the moment its looking like either a Kaffenback, Cross Check or Casseroll I think. Reason being, I'll be trying to keep the costs down, and I dont think those Singulars ever crop up for sale 2nd hand.
Oi! You're always taking the piss. I cant get the miles in on a bmx can I!
Sorry mate, I can't help it 
You know I'm only pulling your leg. Ride what you like gramps 
...at the moment its looking like either a Kaffenback, Cross Check or Casseroll I think....
I was not familiar with the Casseroll until it cropped up on this thread today. I've just been to the Salsa site to check it out... and in terms of geometry, it is alomst identicacal to the Kaffenback.
In size 'Large' (Kaffenback) vs 57cm (Casseroll), there is virtually no difference in geometry.
Head angles and seat tube angles are within half a degree of each other, effective top tube lengths are within 5mm of each other, and the chainstays are both the same length. The only difference I can see between the two is the Casseroll has a slightly taller head tube and seat tube, which gives it a more 'traditional' look with its more conventional high cross-bar - compared with the Kaffenbacks' 'compact' style sloping crossbar.
The critical geometries however, are pretty much the same for both frames. Likewise, they both have stupid names, and come in a similar wierd sand colour...
I've got a Small size Kaffenback frame and fork up for grabs just as soon as I find myself a replacement in Medium... just in case you are interested??
Thanks monstermarrow, I hadnt really bothered comparing geometries as of yet. I think I'd be looking for a 2nd hand Kaffenback (not keen on the new dropouts and I'm not fussed about disc brakes)
However, Im 6'2" so a small would be.....too small.
Anyone know how they size up compared to the planet x road bikes?
I had a carbon sl in X-Large which worked with a 90mm stem and a layback post, or a 110mm stem and an inline post. It was probably a touch large, but I enjoyed the long TT length for out of the saddle climbs.
The Kaffenback is shorter by the looks of it, but the angles are slightly different. What does this mean exactly? Im assuming they're shorter as they're supposed to be more relaxed. So would the XL size work? I'd probably be looking to run a layback post and a 100mmish stem I'd guess.
Ta
rode a roadrat in a single ring cx guise for a while, but the racer in me wanted faster acceleration after i messed a corner up and overshot an exit.
so i went to a longish chainstay cx bike from kona in alloy..kicks me about a bit too much at slower pace but the faster you go off road the better it gets so i guess pace or aggresion needs to be considered too..whatever you choose, there's nowt like a two wheel drift (and save) on 35mm rubber!
just spotted..6 foot 2 on a steel frame bike..compliant is the word
"...at the moment its looking like either a Kaffenback..."
Hey, cynic-al, EAT SAMURI'S WIN.
Have a look at the Soma Double Cross - or the Double Cross DC if you want to run discs. Pleasingly unheard of on here, but really nice in a skinny-tubed, proper steel sort of way.
Ha Bez *munches*
DTF my Casseroll would be ideal, I'm 6'1" and it was spot on. I got disc mounts put on though. I have brake calipers, seatpost, headset, mudguards to match...
You must log in to post.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
