How long are peoples stem on their cyclocroos bikes, looking to adjust the reach a bit but don't want to make it too 'twitchy'.
Also going to change the bars as the standard ones (kona jake 58cm) feel horrible and are too wide as well.
Not too pricey as it's only the occasional and child seat equipped bike.
Cheers.
i have 110mm stem and 44cm (c to c) shallow drop bars on my 56cm CX bike, not sure how that's going to help you though
100mm Stem, 44cm Compact Bars on a 54cm CX.
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90mm stem, 44cm compact/ shallow drop bars on a medium Giant TCX 1.
I've gone the other way. Wanted to sharpen the steering as it feels very slow.
100mm stem 44cm bars. Contemplating changing them for something with a shallower drop.
Cheers, good starting point for some fiddling this weekend. 😀
Salsa Bell Lap's are my bare of choice.
I'm broad so Ihave 46cm, which flare out to over 50cm on the drop. Control-tastic.
100mm with 44cm Bell Laps here (59cm frame)
Commuter, bit of off-road and 3 pks CX bike.
just bought and fitted fsa vero and a deda stem bought from merlin after trawling threads on here. came to less than 40 quid for both from merlin, delivered super quickly. 😀
XL Jake the Snake. I went for a 90mm stem allied to 46cm (c to c) bars. Handles fine.
Got a 95mm fitted upside down fitted now, (original was one 110mm and the bars are 440mm centre to centre (but still don't like the shape particularly)) in conjunction with the Hope eternity 'straight' seat post the bike feels just right now, cheers 😀 It's not to twitchy either.
Just need to sort the brakes now, not quite powerfull enough to stop me with the little one on the back when we do loops of Cwmcarn (on road) and stop at carpark 3 at the playground 😀
I've got some Tekro Mini V's for sale - £15 posted for front and rear with partially worn pads if you want some cross rim brakes which work!!
Can do pics tonight if you're interested...
Just need to sort the brakes now, not quite powerfull enough to stop me with the little one on the back when we do loops of Cwmcarn (on road) and stop at carpark 3 at the playground
Avid Ultimates are awesome Cantis...
Stick to the rim like shit-to-a-blanket™
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"I've got some Tekro Mini V's for sale - £15 posted for front and rear with partially worn pads if you want some cross rim brakes which work!!
Can do pics tonight if you're interested..."
I'd be interested. I've emailed.
On brake issues, there's great stuff from Sheldon Brown on setting up cantilevers. The basic thing to take is that you want to have the connector bit (don't know technical term) that joins the canti wires to the actual cable, set very low - at or below the crown of the fork) so that the canti wire has a shallow angle to it. This gives more of the right type of force to the canti arms, which in turn should be sat horizontal to the ground. I thought it all sounded overly technical, but after an age b*ggering about with mine I have to say its made a real difference. Also the pads are important. I find that Kool Stop Salmon work very well.
Just re-read the Sheldon Brown stuff on brakes. By gum its complicated, but the principle of having the transverse cable (funnily enough I can remember its name now) set low is a winner
well I've just changed from froggleggs to trp cx 8.4's and they are easily twice as good! just as good as disc imo
Putting a longer stem on will slow the steering, imagine a bus steering wheel on a sporty car
Cheers for the further input, I'll be having a play with the brakes and some new pads before I send more money.
Can see what Sheldon is saying re. leverage/cable angle.
Salsa Bell lap bars for me too - great bars. I used to get really bruised wrists from throwing the bike around while on the drops and my wrists bashing against the upper bars.
I have 2 stems - a 100mm one for cross and a longer 110mm when it doubles as my winter hack on the road. 10mm is not much but seemed to make a difference.
70 mm flipped stem 42cm compact shallow drop bar but soon to be 90mm 0 rise & 44 cm shallow drop, can't say that i find it twitchy though just fancy a bit more reach now i'm used to the position
i've got some rotchey biomax 42 bars and a 90mm stem for sale off my cross bike. both standard clamp with some croostop levers as well £30 the lot email in profile if interested
well I've just changed from froggleggs to trp cx 8.4's and they are easily twice as good! just as good as disc imo
I've got frogleggs too and have often thought about changing them. So many variables to getting them setup well so I've never totally given up on them - a little change to the yoke cable length and pad type might improve them.
What sort of rim clearance do you get with the TRP CX 8.4s? What levers are you using? The TRPs sound quite lever specific with the 9.0 recommended for newer Shimano levers - my old Ultegra 9spds should be best on the 8.4s but I'd be loathed to have less rim clearance. I've been tempted to switch to discs for ages but that would mean new hubs (and might as well replace the rims whilst I'm at it so really new wheels) and a new fork so prohibitively expensive.
the pad to rim clearance isn't much 5mm ish? but I need better brakes for the 3pcx. I might have to revert back to the frogglegs in winter if I'm plugging around muddy fields (but we'll see).
the 8.4's are ideally for sram and the 9.0's for shimano - the 8.4's are hard to come by and I had to get red ones.
honestly though they are at least twice as good! you can lock wheels no problem and the feel is great too. for under £80 they are a good buy in my book. there are lots of reviews around some of which are about how they deal with mud.
with regards to bars and stems I have a 90mm steam and salsa bell laps - but I cant help think I would get on better with shallow drops. just do I'm not as low in the drops. but they have a nice outward sweep and little kink in the bar for the palm of your hands.
the 8.4's are ideally for sram and the 9.0's for shimano - the 8.4's are hard to come by and I had to get red ones.
If I've read it right the 9.0 are for [b]NEW[/b] shimano levers. Shimano changed the amount of cable pull for the latest generation of levers. Older Shimano levers pull about the same as current Campag and SRAM so are better on 8.4s