Surly Cross Check - Sizing and build advice

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Surly Cross Check - Sizing and build advice

15 posts & 7 voices | Started 6 months ago by davidtaylforth | Latest reply from hardenpeter

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davidtaylforth - Member

I'm getting closer to buying one of these I think. I'm not 100% on the size I need though. I'm 6'2" with a 35" inside leg, so I'm thinking a 58cm?

My current road frame is a 58cm, has a 25mm layback post and a 120mm stem. It has the following geometry:

http://dengfubikes.com/product.asp?id=2&classid=21

Compared to the cross check: http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check

How does chainstay length affect the ride of a road bike? The surly stays are 15mm longer.

Also, as for build. I was considering using my SRAM Rival groupset off my current bike, but replacing the 50T ring with a 46T (11/28 cassette)

Can anyone recommend some decent cantilever brakes that would work with my Rival levers?

Also, wheels. Currently thinking about building up some Velocity Aerohead rims or IRD Cadence rims, would these work ok with CX tyres? Both are about 20mm wide.

Any other advice (apart from: dont do it/stick to riding bmx/stop mincing about etc.)

Posted 6 months ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

may help, but I have a 58cm Surly pacer and i'm the same height and inside leg as you.

I run it with a 100mm stem and straight post.

I tried a cross check the same size and was very tempted to get a 58cm in that too.

Posted 6 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

Thanks Shep, I was also thinking an inline post and about a 100mm stem (with a huge rise)

Whats the pacer like? I was also considering this aswell. Can you fit racks to it? What about tire clearance for fat tires?

Posted 6 months ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

(it has brooks saddle and tape with a campy groupset now)

Yeah you can fit fat tyres to it, Fattys Fit Fine and all that.

You need a seat post adaptors for a rack, it has eyelets at the dropouts for mudguards but nothing on the seat stays.

Absolutly love the bike, Very stable at speed, nice position for climbing and very comfortable.

I do 50-80 miles group rides at a steady pace (15-17mph) and its perfect.

Posted 6 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

That looks awesome. I think I'd probably be going for a more "upright" riding position though.

Posted 6 months ago #
Singlespeed_Shep - Member

Yeah I did, straight after the ride after the photo was taken and went for shallower drops and 28's,

The parts where taken from a very racey giant TCR advanced

Posted 6 months ago #
MrFart - Member

Am 183cm with an inseam of 84cm and ride a 58cm. TBH I was between a 56 and 58 but prefer in general larger bikes (and wanted a higher front end for audax rides). Using mine for everything from pub runs to audax with lots of mincing around on trails in between.

CX/ everyday Setup us is singlespeed (44/18or16) with Cane Creek levers, Tektro brakes and Open Pros/XT hubs + bits from the garage. Audax setup is an XT (with a 48 big ring) drive train with Dura Ace bar end shifters.

It is by far the best bike I own or have ridden for making me smile :D.

Posted 6 months ago #
ajf - Member

6ft 1 and just waiting for a 58cm to arrive.

Tried a 60cm one that was an okay fit but just a little too big, especially the top tube length.

Think a 58 would be a good fit for your size

Posted 6 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

58cm sounds about right then.

What about brakes? Any recommendations for some cantis?

And

CX tyres, do they work with circa 20mm rims?

Posted 6 months ago #
hardenpeter - Member

Hi - what size did you go for in the end. I'm 6ft with 33 inseam so if 58 was right for you assume 56 would be spot on. Looking to build mine up with relatively high handlebars so worried that 56 might be a bit short if I need to keep steer tube high

Posted 2 months ago #
Bez - Member

I've tried a number of cantis on the Cross Check and LHT and the only ones I can recommend are Tektro CR720s (though the pads they come with last about five minutes, so buy decent replacements). Low-profile cantis squeal like pigs on the Surly fork and are underpowered; mini Vs don't let you get a larger tyre out without undoing the cable. Other wide-profile cantis are probably good.

Be aware that the rear brake routing is crap - the hanger flexes and you need to cut the outer millimetre-perfect. But it does the job. Just not as well as a proper frame mounted hanger.

Posted 2 months ago #
Bez - Member

Just noticed that this is an old thread. Doh.

Posted 2 months ago #
charlie the bikemonger - Member

Same size here... But happy on a 60cm. 58 is too small for me

Have a look at this Surly size spreadsheet. It's a damned handy collection of real riders and their long haul trucker sizes.

Cantis are generally a bit crappy so I often spec mini Vs like these... Genetic Vs

Posted 2 months ago #
davidtaylforth - Member

I bought a size 58 in the end. Its a great fit and a lovely bike. I really like it. Pretty lightweight build, Ive mainly been using it for road riding over winter, I think Im going to strip it down and rebuild the carbon bbike for summer though.

I use it with a 120mm stem for road riding, but have a 100mm which I use when/if I take it off road. Only thing I dont like about it is the flex in the back end/bb area.

Heres a picture

Posted 2 months ago #
hardenpeter - Member

Thanks for comments all - measured pbh at lbh and to get bars and saddle roughly level looks like 58 is the way to go - looking forward to hitting the downs with it over next few months!

Posted 2 months ago #

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