Rick Powell (?) / Giant Cyclocross

[Old Ned]

This morning I spoke with a mate who was intimately connected with Giant in the 90's. He reckons that Giant never had their own CX team but there was a team local to their base in Nottingham that they sponsored for a season or two. Mainly local Notts area riders managed by a 'well known' person in the bike trade.

Your frame has come out well after the respray. Any photos of it complete?

 

[jeddere]

Thanks Old Ned for the history info.

Lots of things got in the way of this bike but finally getting some time to build it up. Wheel build is nearly finished.

I was going to go with a 1x8 drivetrain using the bar end shifters but have recently been doing more day rides mixing up road and bridleways/byways so realised that close gears (for the road and the occasional cyclocross race) and a wide range (to cover on and off road) would be better. I'm sticking with the 8 speed bar ends, so gone for a 11-28 8 speed cassette, and a 28/40 chainset using the inner and middle positions of a Spa Cycles TD-2 Triple crank.

Interestingly the weight difference of my 2 options is not that great:
1) Spa TD-2 175mm crank + 28T steel chainring + 40T 7075 chainring + all bolts + UN55 BB + front mech + 11-28 8 sp cassette + gear cable = 1.45kg
2) SRAM S-series 175mm GXP crank + 38T narrowide + bolts + Hope BB + 11-34 8 sp cassette = 1.20kg, or 1.32kg with an 11-40 8 sp cassette. The 1x options would probably also need a goatlink or similar (~20g).

I've been looking at the best front mech I have to use with these chainrings. I've got a FD-MT60, FD-1056, and FD-M770 for comparison. The profile and length of the outer plate of the cage is almost identical for all 3 of them, however the MTB mechs have a much lower inner plate, which I think will work better. I'll start with the FD-MT60 and see if it works.

 

[jeddere]

finished today!

 

[jeddere]

And 2 hours later.... already lost some paint from mud rub on the chainstays!
Bike rides very well, feels quick to accelerate, and great in tight corners. Don't notice it being much more flexy in use than my modern.

 

[jeddere]

Chainset below: Spa Cycles TD2 chainset with 28T ring in inner position and 40T ring in middle position. Fitted to a 113mm UN55 bottom bracket gave a measured Q factor of 162mm and chainline at the 28T is 37.5mm and 44.5mm at the 40T.

To my surprise the 1056 front mech was able to be fitted much closer to the 40T ring than the MT60 so I've gone with the 1056 and the shifting is very good, just reluctant to downshift when full of mud...

I'm happy with the chainring sizes, managed to ride most things on the 40T and the big jump between the rings means less tight spots for mud to get stuck in - and also easier to clean out (this is also the reason why I went with the Spa TD2 chainset as opposed to the XD2 which looks like there might be a spot for mud to jam between the crank and the hidden 5th bolt).

 

[jeddere]

Front brake setup is tight but works well:
Brake posts 55.5mm centre to centre, external rim width 24mm, Brakes BR-M732, pads Koolstop canti thinline.

 

[jeddere]

Needed a bit more reach so put the Cinelli bars back on and a longer and lower stem.

 

[Old Ned]

I understand that Rick is working with Dave Marsh on frame repairs and the like. A friend has had a couple of frames repaired by him.

 

[mattr]

This morning I spoke with a mate who was intimately connected with Giant in the 90's. He reckons that Giant never had their own CX team but there was a team local to their base in Nottingham that they sponsored for a season or two. Mainly local Notts area riders managed by a 'well known' person in the bike trade.

Yeah, it was basically a well funded shop/importer team, i can remember riding against them in the Notts and Derby league.
Pretty sure Giant didn't actually have a CX suitable frame in their line up, so most of the frames were resprays from other manufacturers or custom built. I have a niggling suspicion that Shokwave had something to do with the team and Geoff Beetham is a riders name i can't help but think rode for them for at least one season in the mid/late 90's

 

[peetee]

Yeah, it was basically a well funded shop/importer team, i can remember riding against them in the Notts and Derby league.
Pretty sure Giant didn't actually have a CX suitable frame in their line up, so most of the frames were resprays from other manufacturers or custom built. I have a niggling suspicion that Shokwave had something to do with the team and Geoff Beetham is a riders name i can't help but think rode for them for at least one season in the mid/late 90's

I hate to hijack a thread but while you two folks are here are you able to recall a cyclocross team that would have ridden Raleigh’s back then? I have a SBDU frame that might well be a Reynolds/Raleigh development frame for 708 tubing. IIRC I bought it from a chap in Chesterfield.