Let me see your Cross Checks, Croix De Fer's or Similar

Mike’s is a Deuter one?

Yup.

nedrapier
OCB, silver rims look good!

Thanks, they are Mavic A719’s – not 100% sure you can still get them in silver now tho’. Kinda on the heavy side, but very tough. Perfectly happy running everything from 700×32 slicks to 29×2.1 Bonty XR3’s (which come up big for a 2.1).

That’s a far better pic of my bike than any of them that I posted 🙂

It’s in focus for a start 😛

Thanks for replying Jamie. There seems to be some discrepancy on Wiggle’s q & a regarding the size! Pics would be good though.

Bit later than planned, as Wiggle sent me the regular Triangle Bag instead of the Front Triangle one, so just sent it back and re-ordered from CRC.

Fits fine on my 52cm frame. However, will have to use a side load cage on the downtube, Lezyne Flow SL pictured, and cannot use anything larger than a Camelbak Podium 610ml. Anything smaller will be fine.

So far have fitted a Lezyne pump, 28-32c innertube, iPhone and a banana in there comfortably 8)

2013 Day One Disc. Use this for commuting most days and love blasting it around woodland at weekends. Have also spent some pretty long days in the saddle on this and will be doing a century on it when the weather dries things out a bit.

thanks for the measurements on the Jandd bag and the tip on side entry bottles – looking for something similar

Kinesis pro6, 9speed 12-34t XT on rear, SLX “touring” ie 48 36 26 chainset, ultrega STI (because I had them) BB7’s but will swop to spyres when they are available and work – wheels off a cotic x, have a 2nd set of lighter wheels with 11-28 which I use for sportives and out with recreational roadies – will take a rack and panniers -only negative is sometimes get caught by toe overlap when thinking about where a route goes and do a hard u turn plus not such a relaxed riding position Edit and bar mounted levers – great for long descents and sat up in traffic but mean no handlebar bag which I miss

Fingers crossed bike hear back from Madison on Monday…

Cheers Jamie, it looks good and you sound pleased. I’ve always used side entry bottle cages as they just seem easier. What size is the bottle on the downtube then? Looks larger than a 750ml one.

I will post pics of mine at some point, it’s off to the lbs for something to be changed.

“cinnamon_girl – What’s so good about cowbell bars?”

The drops flare out a little, this gives you a more elbow out riding position, with is much better off road, as you have more leverage. It’s also comfy.

They are short drop, this puts the drops I a usable position, a little higher than normal. This is also comfortable.

Two versions one at £35, one at £55 ish, one is a bit lighter. Loads of widths inc a nice big 46cm

Cheers Jamie, it looks good and you sound pleased. I’ve always used side entry bottle cages as they just seem easier. What size is the bottle on the downtube then? Looks larger than a 750ml one

The big bottle is a 710ml Camelbak Podium. A friend lent me it to see how it would fit, as I would have preferred a bigger bottle. Bit too big as it goes.

The drops flare out a little, this gives you a more elbow out riding position, with is much better off road, as you have more leverage. It’s also comfy.

They are short drop, this puts the drops I a usable position, a little higher than normal. This is also comfortable.

Two versions one at £35, one at £55 ish, one is a bit lighter. Loads of widths inc a nice big 46cm

Interesting stuff, Charlie. Built my Croix De Fer up with 42cm FSA Omega Compacts, and think they are a bit too narrow when off road. Might have a look at the cowbells, as seem like a good idea.

Cowbells are fantastic.
They just feel ‘right’

Hmm. So just whether to go for 42cm again, or 44cm in the cowbells.

Picked my original bars as they seemed not too big, and not too small. I guess there is a more scientific way to choose bars than using the Goldilocks method 8)

I saw a straggler in the flesh this weekend, now I NEED to get a new commuter! Looks like such a fun bike.

Who makes cowbell bars?

Salsa.

Don’t know what to do first with my standard Croix.
Change to 105 shifters
New wheels (but what)
New bars/seat post

Let me see your Cross Checks, Croix De Fer’s or (DIS)Similar

Erm… probably shouldn’t be posting this here as the only steel bits on it are a few nuts and bolts here and there. It weighs ?FA and I am indeed utterly ‘overbiked’ on it:

And I’m still shocked that the 20/24spoke wheels that came with it have withstood my not so delicate 15st…

And I’m still shocked that the 20/24spoke wheels that came with it have withstood my not so delicate 15st…

Looking at that pic, it too me a few seconds to see you had spokes. Looks like your wheels are held in tension by straw.

Cheers Jamie, it looks good and you sound pleased. I’ve always used side entry bottle cages as they just seem easier. What size is the bottle on the downtube then? Looks larger than a 750ml one.

Just an update. This might not affect you, but round my way a lot of the riding off-road, has to be borderline cheeky to a certain extent. As such there is the odd lifting over styles/fences from time to time. The Deuter, and I guess any frame bag on a small frame, gets in the way to an annoying degree. So looks like it’s going back.

Back to the drawing board for how to carry pump/tube/phone. Probably frame mount the pump and put rest in pockets….which I was trying to avoid.

*….must resist rucksack 😉 *

One of these


Used as a bar roll? I quite like them. It’s probably an age thing.

Which model carradice is that ? Wonder if it would fit with current tiagra sti’s ?

Thanks to Charlie for educating me on the merits of different bars. 8)

Jamie – that’s a pita as you thought you had it sorted. Dare I suggest a bumbag, OK no points for coolness but practical? Mine isn’t for off road although perhaps the odd hard-packed cycle track.

I’ll post a pic of mine when I next go for a ‘bag lady pootle’. It’s seen a couple of changes though so I may test you. 😉

Zipped Roll bag

14cm cm diameter x 30cm wide

Many thanks

Shame that Carradice only make the black one with white straps, not the natural leather colour. The other one is Velo Orange’s.

Cheers for the suggestion, James. Will have a look.

Jamie – that’s a pita as you thought you had it sorted. Dare I suggest a bumbag, OK no points for coolness but practical? Mine isn’t for off road although perhaps the odd hard-packed cycle track.

No. No you may not 😛

What annoys me is bottles/saddle pack were just fine when on the road bike. But since get the Croix De Fer and going off road more I seem to be getting more punctures, so a pump/extra tube seems to be needed.

😆 At the weekend I used a very tiny Camelbak and didn’t really notice I was wearing it. What’s wrong with attaching pump to the frame? Have you tried a large saddle bag?

What’s wrong with attaching pump to the frame?

Probably be the way I will go. Just would be handy to have something to chuck pump/tube/phone + food in. No saddle bag is going to be long enough for the pump, apart from the Carradice that James linked to.

Someone say zipped roll?

Just about fit in camera, waterproof, tools & cheese sarnies.

Can you fit in a pump, Lezyne Pressure Drive measuring 23.5cm, Tinribz?

Also, how you fitting the bag to a non-Brooks saddle? Having a quick look on the Carradice website, looks like an adapter kit is needed in most cases, and costs another tenner 😐

Just ordered one of those for the bars, looks ideal assuming I can get it between cables ok

Just ordered one of those for the bars, looks ideal assuming I can get it between cables ok

I want it for the rear, but looking like a £10-30 bracket/fixings is needed as well. Which, to be honest, rules it out after spending £40 on the actual roll.

Shame, as it looks like the problem solver.

I have some bolt-on saddle hook samples from taiwan if anyone needs some and wants to be a ‘tester’. 2 prs spares, 1st come 1st served etc. Will need to find them in the workshop next week.

This post is reserved for possible calling of dibs.

Are they like these, James:

Just a few reviews saying if rails are narrow, I have a Madison Prime so no idea if narrow or normal, the bag will hang loose.

Easy to fit and secure. However, if your saddle rails are too close together the bag will hang low and swing around. Great if you have a Brooks without loops already there, but otherwise they don’t solve the problem. I gave up and invested in the QR Bagman Sport support* which is brilliant.

*£25

Count me in on that please Jameso !

Another fan of Carradice here.. I use the zipped roll as a bar bag..
I’ve got the green & gold one.
Love it.

Will have them next weds so PM me then.

Will do, cheers

Teetosugars – Member
Another fan of Carradice here.. I use the zipped roll as a bar bag..
I’ve got the green & gold one.
Love it.

What is your cable set up ? I am hoping it will fit in with conventional tiagra sti’s which come out the inner sides of the hoods