Cyclocross

retro steel on Ebay

I ride a Ritchey Swisscross and it is gorgeous - older steel bikes like this come up on Ebay from time to time. Check out cult manufacturers like Hunter, Rock Lobster, Croll, etc. They make great bikes and can oftern be had pretty cheaply.

Lemond Poprads get great reviews as well. i am a niche kind of guy and Lemonds are a bit too much like a Trek, but everyone says that they are great machines. I would go for it.

Surlys are great blue collar bikes as well. Nothing but good to say about them...

frame

Go for something in steel or Ti. I got a Seven recently and it is nice and light and comfortable and the cables are run across the top tube which makes it good for carrying.
These are the things to look for. Light, comfy and logical cable runs. Plenty of clearance is another, but it is tricky to work out until you build it or at least put a pair of wheels on it.
A friend of mine uses an Orange Evo2 with 700c discs - its a winning combination - quite literally. Its really light and with decent tubs is also comfy. It feels 'right'. Not much clearance at the circumference of the tyre but there is loads of room between the stays. And, of course, he can use 100mm bouncy forks.
Not for the purists of course. And theres a question as to whether it really is a 'cyclocross' at all!

Cheers to you all for your advice on this.

Time to start looking around i think

Been using an old Isla bike frame bought of the bay a few years ago.Decked it out with some 105 SC 7speed running gear,bar end shifters.Its a Reynolds 531 frame and has plenty of clearance for 32c tyres too! Did a bit of cross racing on it last year.Its great! Doubles up as a general hack bike as well.Just gotta love the steel!
Thanx Max

s_zigmond":fraxtnk9 said:

MadCowKev":fraxtnk9 said:

I've just bought a Lemond Poprad - looks great, no idea what it rides like though

(ask Wu-Tangled for riding review)

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Where have you bought it from? I cant find any dealers who seem to stock it

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they're not impoted to the UK anymore. I got a 2007 model from ebay.com

I've just found this particular thread


I used to ride cross a few years ago (early-mid 90's) & initially used my RC100 (on 1.5" Hardpack tyres), then bought a Paul Milnes 653.

When I quit due to work & getting the time off to race, the 653 was eventually sold to someone who subsequently shortened the wheelbase by over 12" on the Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross :roll:




After a return to cycling in 2007, I used a Trek MTB (2007 model 6000Disc) for a while for cross.
Then, whilst we were at 'Xscape' (Castleford) one day, the wife asked me if I still wanted a proper cross bike again.

What could I say??, if I said I really wanted a Columbus/Yeti ARC-X/Ridley cross-bike, she might have changed her mind by the time I got her to the relevant dealers?

So, I ended up in Evans buying a Pinnacle Expede 1.0 (a 2007 model in the sale, with £300 off the marked price!!)

It's a decent bike, very comfy, but I still need to address the problem of brakes!
With the standard fitment Shimanos, an inflated tyre cannot be re-inserted in the drop-outs - the brake pads catch on forks/seat-stays & can't open wide enough!!! (not a problem at the minute, as I have no spare wheels yet)

In fact I'll be riding it tonight for a round of the 'YCCA Summer Cross Series' at Elland (barring any unfortunate circumstances that stop me from getting there)
Plus, at Ampleforth College (near Helmsley, North Yorkshire) on Sunday

Click on 'me' below for series details

I don't race but have got a 1990 Miyata Alumi Cross which is bonded Alloy and cro mo. It's a great bike, probably my favourite of my steeds. But needs a tidy and some new components to get it where I want it.

Tel":1lpgf0sk said:

I don't race but have got a 1990 Miyata Alumi Cross

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Go on!!, put it to its intended purpose!!