My first bike build (CX) (help / recs.)

[awdwon]

Hi everyone. I signed up for the sight a little while back as it seems like a great cycling community. I'm not as hardcore as a lot of folks around here but I have greatly enjoyed cycling for a better part of my 35 years of life. I'm looking to do my first bike build and I was hoping to get some recommendations as it seems a little overwhelming at this point with so many parts choices.

I'm looking for a cross bike for mostly commuter duties and a little bit of gravel riding. I'm in SW Ontario and for the most part it's flat as hell. I rode a Jake the Snake for the past few years and recently sold it as the PF bottom bracket creaked like a bastard and I couldn't take it anymore. Aside from that issue it was a great bike for my uses. I've decided that I'd like to go with a steel cross bike and build it up with some decent quality parts that could be used in the future if a frame upgrade was ever needed. After much deliberation I've decided on a Traitor Crusade frame. Other than that I should be able to score some disc brakes from a friend of mine and I'm pretty sure I'd like to go with a 1x10/11 setup. Not sure if I should go with an MTB groupset, road or possibly even the new Sram CX1 stuff. I'm sure there are advantages of one over the other. Wheelsets are also overwhelming, I need something that is disc compatible but there's obviously a huge range of wheels/hubs out there. My budget for the build is in the neighbourhood of $2000-2500.

If anyone has any ideas or recommendations, mostly on groupsets and wheels it would be greatly appreciated. Heck, even if you want to sell me some stuff I'm game. (If this is out of line for this thread just let me know, as I can't post in the classifieds with my current post count ) Thanks in advance.

[Lewis Moon]

My suggestion is to start with a Stoemper Eddy frame and hang "affordable" parts on it and replace them over time.

[awdwon]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

My suggestion is to start with a Stoemper Eddy frame and hang "affordable" parts on it and replace them over time.

Look like some pretty nice frames, however quite a bit out of my price range. Thanks.

[vav]

For 2.5 K you shouldn't have any trouble finding a bike more than suitable for your needs.

If you ride a 56-58 I'll be all over this: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=165476

good luck in your search, that's half the fun

edit: find a lemond poprad disc and you should be good to go too.

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by awdwon

Look like some pretty nice frames, however quite a bit out of my price range. Thanks.

If you concentrate on finding good deals, you should be able to keep it under 2800 or so. Get in touch with your inner scrounge....

Example: I have a pristine Ridley X-Fire hung w/Campy 10, Archetype, wheels, ASUs and 3T Pro cockpit that I spent ~$1500 on. Or my NIB Raleigh Hodala with much the same except SS, that cost me less than ~$1300.

[awdwon]

Originally Posted by vav

For 2.5 K you shouldn't have any trouble finding a bike more than suitable for your needs.

If you ride a 56-58 I'll be all over this: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=165476

good luck in your search, that's half the fun

edit: find a lemond poprad disc and you should be good to go too.

I've been watching that post and it really is awfully tempting, I normally ride a 58 and that is a gorgeous bike. The only thing holding me back on that is the CDN dollar. Add roughly 25-30% exchange and 13% tax and the price doesn't seem that tempting anymore.

[jackattack]

Get that Desalvo. Dress it up in 5800 and some disc wheels. You could stay under $2.5k if you're careful. 1 bike to rule them all.

[jackattack]

duplicate

[a4racer]

I'm a former SWO biker myself--used to live in London. CX is perfect for that area--would be a great bike for Fanshawe, Hydrocut, and of course, the Paris - Ancaster route!

I third the motion on the DeSalvo. I almost pulled the trigger and bought it myself. Alternatively, and the next bit of advice may be unpopular, but here goes...consider the Trek Crockett line. It is around the price point you're looking at, and the bits and bobs can be easily upgraded as cash and time permit. I enjoyed my Crockett--built it up with Thomson cockpit, Stan's wheelset, and full Ultegra mech, and sold it a month or two later for sub $2K (to my best biking buddy who still lives in London, no less!)...just something to consider.

[awdwon]

Originally Posted by a4racer

I'm a former SWO biker myself--used to live in London. CX is perfect for that area--would be a great bike for Fanshawe, Hydrocut, and of course, the Paris - Ancaster route!

I third the motion on the DeSalvo. I almost pulled the trigger and bought it myself. Alternatively, and the next bit of advice may be unpopular, but here goes...consider the Trek Crockett line. It is around the price point you're looking at, and the bits and bobs can be easily upgraded as cash and time permit. I enjoyed my Crockett--built it up with Thomson cockpit, Stan's wheelset, and full Ultegra mech, and sold it a month or two later for sub $2K (to my best biking buddy who still lives in London, no less!)...just something to consider.

Damn you all with this DeSalvo talk, making it harder to resist.

I've only ridden Fanshawe once and had a blast, and the Paris - Ancaster is definitely on my list. Wanted to do it last year but ended up with a mangled wrist for a good part of the year (part hockey and part medical negligence).

[4Rings6Stars]

To further complicate things...

Here is my main squeeze. Built it up a few years ago from a used frameset and lightly used parts I scrounged for. Ended up just within your budget I believe. (Chorus 11/Dt240 wheels/Campy seatpost/Thomson stem/king headset).

[vav]

Originally Posted by awdwon

I've been watching that post and it really is awfully tempting, I normally ride a 58 and that is a gorgeous bike. The only thing holding me back on that is the CDN dollar. Add roughly 25-30% exchange and 13% tax and the price doesn't seem that tempting anymore.

$ 1300 Shipped to Buffalo. Drive across the border.
+ - 400 for Shimano 5800

$ 800 left for wheels and cockpit. Easy enough (we are a bunch of enablers mind you)

[Ken Robb]

What tax would be due on a private party sale?

[awdwon]

Originally Posted by vav

$ 1300 Shipped to Buffalo. Drive across the border.
+ - 400 for Shimano 5800

$ 800 left for wheels and cockpit. Easy enough (we are a bunch of enablers mind you)

Michigan is 10 min away and I actually do it all the time, I have a US shipping address so it's a piece of cake. It's pretty lame but they charge you tax (Ontario tax rate 13%) on private sales. I buy and sell a fair bit of music gear and it happens all the time, unless you get lucky with the border guard (which happens a fair bit) and they just let you slide on through.

[mtb_frk]

I just bought a Crockett here on the forum. I have yet to build it up, but it fit many of my desirements: Disc, fender mounts, tapered steerer tube, room for big tires etc. I was looking for something for quite a while and it seemed to fit the bill nicely.

On a side note what is fanshawe like? I travel to London to for work and want to start bringing the bike in the summer.

Originally Posted by a4racer

I'm a former SWO biker myself--used to live in London. CX is perfect for that area--would be a great bike for Fanshawe, Hydrocut, and of course, the Paris - Ancaster route!

I third the motion on the DeSalvo. I almost pulled the trigger and bought it myself. Alternatively, and the next bit of advice may be unpopular, but here goes...consider the Trek Crockett line. It is around the price point you're looking at, and the bits and bobs can be easily upgraded as cash and time permit. I enjoyed my Crockett--built it up with Thomson cockpit, Stan's wheelset, and full Ultegra mech, and sold it a month or two later for sub $2K (to my best biking buddy who still lives in London, no less!)...just something to consider.