Parts have been procured to convert my cross bike into single speed. Im hoping that this is the first step towards a shiny new race bike for cross this fall. This first spiritual step, sacrificing the ability to shift. Once I dont "have a cross bike anymore" it will be easier to justify to myself that i need to buy a new one. Igleheart even offered to start me on a payment plan for next fall.
Ive been thinking for a while i needed a better race bike. I've been riding on a Mudhoney that I got while I was working at Seven Cycles. Its a nice bike, and I cant complain about it being Ti. But I agreed to some things in the design that Now that ive been racing a while, I shouln't have. The most annoying one is the sloping top tube. It closes up the front triangle enough that I cant cleanly shoulder the bike. Its something I notice every race and Ive had to learn how to shoulder the bike "wrong" to deal with it. Second is toe overlap. It hasnt happened every race, but it has happened enough that ive gone down several times. Slow speed manuevering + toe strike on tire = me on the ground, annoyed. I really only have myself to blame. No-one at Seven has really designed a proper race bike for cross. Their system is aimed at high end race bikes and almost race bikes. So all of their bikes are pretty close in terms of lengths and angles. If that the bike you want, your in good shape. But I definitely noticed that "track frames" that came though the system were basically crit geometry with track drops. So when the design came back and I had yet to race cross, i didnt think that having toe overlap on a cross bike would be any worse than having it on my track frame. My Track bike is basicly a crit bike and it works for me, so why not just lengthen the chain stays for cross, right?
Well now I know better, and luckily the rack mounts I speced on my seven means i have a very nice touring bike. Although at the moment there is a single-ator and some studed tires in that frames future.
Ive already started the list for the new igleheart, in addition to toe overlap and level top tube. Ive taken a real shine to the Break-away system, after flying with the seven to the west coast and racing out there, I think a foldable bike could be a hot ticket!
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I don't think that anyone can properly spec out a race bike for themselves until they've raced on something that is less than ideal. Experience allows us the perspective to know what is acceptable and what will put us on the ground cursing.
ReplyDeleteJust so that you are warned, if you plan on using that single speed as an "excuse bike" in races, I will heckle you even more viciously. Single speeds in races are affectations so that the mid pack finisher has an excuse for their result.
Also, just so that you know... Mudhoney's draw big bids on eBay. Just get some new decals, and the money it brings would likely pay for the Igle outright.
ReplyDeleteI do well on eBay and would be happy to help you sell it.
seth, i had similar experience with my first Tsunami. I had it designed (by Zac, the GodFather of Hup United) before I had any serious 'cross racing experience. Leaving it to the "experts" resulted in a touring bike with shorter chainstays and a canti-post. I was able to talk to Rob about my dissatisfaction with the design for its intended purpose: 'cross racing, and we worked out a deal on a re-design (to my requested specs).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have a Ritchey Break-Away 'cross bike that I traveled extensively with when work had me getting on a plane 70% of the time. I's a great design and I think it has zero compromises in terms of ride characteristics but now that I don't travel as much I find the bike sitting idle a lot of the time. This may be because I built it with "utilitarian" components that would be less susceptible to damage or inexpensive to replace if damaged during travel.
You might want to consider parting with the Mudhoney as RMM said and using that to fund a new custom cross bike as well as the Ritchey Break Away 'cross (you can order the Ritchey from QBP for under $1000 with frame, fork, case, and headset). The Ritchey version comes with rack mounts too in case you want to tour on it.
If you want feedback on any of this, let me know.