Seeking advice on whether to buy an old ti cross frame

[mhespenheide]

Personally, if the cost of retrofitting Ti coupling is $1500, I'd probably just go get a new frame from Carver to start with...

[happycampyer]

This is a tricky one. Obviously, the frame (a Dean ‘cross) is something you’ve been looking for for a long time. However, all things being equal, I’m sure you would’ve preferred a newer version with headtube for a 1-1/8” steerer, and certainly with a matching fork. But now you’ve found this frame with a headtube for a 1” steerer, and no fork. Does the owner know what happened to the original fork? With Alpha-Q long since out of business, and my own personal concerns about the longevity of their thin-walled steerers reinforced by a glue-in insert, I would probably want to replace the fork anyway, even if it came with the frame. In addition, a steel canti cross fork probably has less brake shudder than a carbon fork with a 1” steerer (one area where forks with 1-1/8” steerers were a known improvement).

That leaves only a few (reasonable) options. I would consider having a fork built to be on the unreasonable side, since the fork will cost as much if not more than the frame. There is a NOS Vicious Cycles fork on the ‘Bay for $200. It has a taller span than the Soma, so it may be a better match since both it and the Soma have greater offsets than the Alpha-Q.

So now you’re talking $400 for the frame, $200 for the fork, ~$1,500 for someone like Bilenkey or Ti Cycles to add couplers (don’t think that price includes a case), and then the rest of the parts (which you may have laying around). ~$2K isn’t outrageous for a coupled “dream” bike, but bear in mind that it’s probably only your dream bike. More modern coupled ti bikes pop up from time to time for less than that.

I’m in sort of a similar boat. I’m debating whether to add couplers to an Eriksen-built Hampsten Strada Bianca ti. I like the idea of a travel bike that can take tires anywhere from 25 up to 35 mm, without the complication of disc brakes. For me, cantilever/v-brakes would be suboptimal for places I would like to travel to, but caliper brakes would be more than adequate.

[HenryA]

I’d want to ride it before spending the money on couplers. No reason to pour money into something that you didn’t love. If a used fork is a real possibility do that first and find out if you love it.

[happycampyer]

Originally Posted by HenryA

I’d want to ride it before spending the money on couplers. No reason to pour money into something that you didn’t love. If a used fork is a real possibility do that first and find out if you love it.

This is an excellent point. I would be willing to have a coupled bike built for me (so by definition not being able to ride it beforehand), but I would not add couplers to a secondhand bike without riding it fairly extensively first to know that it’s worth the time, effort and cost of having it modified. If you got a cheap fork to try it out, you could also have the headtube replaced by Ti Cycles at the same time couplers are added, so you could use a more modern carbon fork. Yet another expense, though...

[bart998]

Here is a carbon, 1", 700c, canti fork in mtb style.

https://www.amazon.com/eXotic-Rigid-...0c+fork+1+inch

Or this one in cro-mo

https://www.amazon.com/Fork-700-Hybr...0c+fork+1+inch

[weisan]

My Merlin cyclocross bike (1" inch headtube canti brakes) came with a winwood carbon fork which is pretty good and decent. You might also consider that.

[pbarry]

So you bought it?

That Vicious fork is a decent buy. Maybe throw the seller an offer via ebay messaging? $200 all-in would be nice.

Give Ari at Dean a shout and see if he'll do the S&S retrofit. $1,500 seems high, (and I know the fittings aren't cheap), but still, that seems too dear.

[Ronsonic]

I just looked. Nashbar is not offering their surprisingly decent 1" forks at the mo.

[11.4]

When I find a frame without a fork, I always wonder why it lost the fork. Too often, it's a crash and too often there's frame damage if one looks closely.

I appreciate the interest in a relatively vintage bike, but after the fork issue is solved you'll be left dealing with trying to find stems for 1-inch steers, with wheels that are dated and getting very cheap at the moment but will also become harder to find. Geometries have changed a bit, bottom bracket heights (drops) have changed a bit, and bikes today are stabler and better performers than older ones. Any second-hand bike is a crazy deal these days, so going farther back in time to this bike isn't necessarily an advantage. If it's just your desire, so be it. But if you want a bike to live with for a while, think about something with somewhat newer features. There's no need to go disc, and if you go to cantis you can get a good discount on almost any used bike, yet have more modern options available to you.

[Dekonick]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

1)Older titanium..doesn't wear out, hasn't broken by now.
2)Not off hand but Richard Schwinn can make you a 1 inch steel fork.
3)See above..

4)Richard Schwinn, David Kirk, Kelly Bedford... and if you are having a fork made, why not have the fork use whatever brakes you want? Hydraulic disc, Paul brakes, canti's...

No reason not to mutt it up a bit... most of your braking power is up front anyway...

[Dekonick]

You know, if they are doing a S&S conversion for ya, see if they will just re-make the front triangle with 1 1/8 instead of the existing 1". You aren't talking about much welding... could tweak the front geo for a more custom fit... and fatties up front

[VoyTirando]

... is increasing! coming back to this thread is great! So many thoughtful replies and links and etc.

I've been mulling this for another day, still no end in sight. Thanks for the links to those forks.

FWIW I don't in any way need this bike: my Bilenky couplered steel all-road whatever that I got from @joost here does everything my steel Pinarello doesn't, wonderfully. But I've just.... wanted a Dean forever.

Per above, ideally it would have a 1.125 headtube, opening up options for forks as technology continues to develop. And a new headtube, couplers, fork, etc. etc (even though I have virtually everything else in the parts bins) would still make this a head scratcher (the question being, "how did a $400 frame turn into such a money pit?"). Maybe this whole thing is heading toward, "no." Maybe it's best to pass on this particular project, wait for something better to come along.

I imagine I could sell the Bilenky frameset and its Racer M brakes, keep the build/wheels and the case, and recoup some of the cost.

[MisterMurray]

Wound-up could fit the bill for what you're looking for in a fork and they can do a pretty wide range of custom measurements.

[cribbit]

If you're going to drop $1k+ doing the couplers, why go for a $400 frame?

Also, 1" frames can be had even cheaper than that. My record is $100, though it was an Airborn not a Dean. A Dean should bottom out at around $250.

For example, https://www.ebay.com/itm/323510995278?nordt=true (saved on wayback too - $350 bidding end, $50 shipping) is a much newer frame (and disc!) and only got $400. Seller's net was minus shipping and fees.

Why the attachment to Dean? A lot of the stuff from that era was just Sandvik anyways - might want to make sure it's a "real" dean.

[fogrider]

Originally Posted by VoyTirando

... is increasing! coming back to this thread is great! So many thoughtful replies and links and etc.

I've been mulling this for another day, still no end in sight. Thanks for the links to those forks.

FWIW I don't in any way need this bike: my Bilenky couplered steel all-road whatever that I got from @joost here does everything my steel Pinarello doesn't, wonderfully. But I've just.... wanted a Dean forever.

Per above, ideally it would have a 1.125 headtube, opening up options for forks as technology continues to develop. And a new headtube, couplers, fork, etc. etc (even though I have virtually everything else in the parts bins) would still make this a head scratcher (the question being, "how did a $400 frame turn into such a money pit?"). Maybe this whole thing is heading toward, "no." Maybe it's best to pass on this particular project, wait for something better to come along.

I imagine I could sell the Bilenky frameset and its Racer M brakes, keep the build/wheels and the case, and recoup some of the cost.

if you want a Dean, get the it and slap a decent fork on it and riding around for 6 months...is there really a reason to spend $1k plus to make it a travel bike? ride it around and see if you really like it. how often do you travel?