# Cyclocross bike that accepts wide tyres?



## blazingsaddles (18 Nov 2009)

Other than the Surly Crosscheck can anyone please advise of a Cyclocross bike that accepts Wide tyres also?

Thanks,
bs


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## jpembroke (18 Nov 2009)

How wide are we talking here? All cross bike are designed to take wide tyres.


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## ianrauk (18 Nov 2009)

The Specialized Tricross seems to be a popular Cyclocross bike on these forums.


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## blazingsaddles (18 Nov 2009)

I was thinking about 42mm - 45mm?


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## jpembroke (18 Nov 2009)

Wow! That's a big tyre. Which tyres were you thinking of? And what do you want to do with the bike? Cross bike usually run tyres between 28mm and 35mm so quite a bit smaller. Mind you, my Planet X Uncle John has plenty of room for larger tyres should I ever want them.

Is this for heavy duty touring by any chance? If it is then it's worth noting that a lot of cross bike don't have mounts for racks or bottle cages.


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## mr-marty-martin (18 Nov 2009)

ive only saw a like single speed 29'r with tyes that big


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## Steve Austin (18 Nov 2009)

mr-marty-martin said:


> ive only saw a like single speed 29'r with tyes that big



that was what i was thinking.
A cyclocross bike will be good up to 35ish
a 29er will take up to 2.3/5ish

and then you get the surly pugsley


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## blazingsaddles (18 Nov 2009)

I wanted an allrounder really and my uses would be on road 40-80 mile trips or and also on tracks that can be quite stoney and bumby in places, but not unmanagable.

A Surly Crosscheck would be suitable for my needs but I reckon a good inch or two more clearance between myself and the top tube would be more preferable on the rough stuff. So I was therefore thinking perhaps about a compact frame geometry and the ability to take the same size tyres as the Surly. A sort of freaky allrounder, but definately capable on the road also.


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## Crackle (18 Nov 2009)

The Pugsley:That's the one that bloke rode across the Australian dessert; epic.


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## Dave5N (18 Nov 2009)

UCI rules state a max of 35mm I think.

I guess bike builders would build to that?

I don't see ant advantages to running a bigger tyre on a 'cross bike.


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## MacB (19 Nov 2009)

blazingsaddles said:


> I wanted an allrounder really and my uses would be on road 40-80 mile trips or and also on tracks that can be quite stoney and bumby in places, but not unmanagable.
> 
> A Surly Crosscheck would be suitable for my needs but I reckon a good inch or two more clearance between myself and the top tube would be more preferable on the rough stuff. So I was therefore thinking perhaps about a compact frame geometry and the ability to take the same size tyres as the Surly. A sort of freaky allrounder, but definately capable on the road also.



the Surly Karate Monkey would give you the sizing you need with the slope on the top tube and the tyre clearance. The Crosscheck will take up to 45mm with guards but the straight top tube means a big bike, I've got the 60cm frame. I'm not happy with my 'pub' bike, the frame's a bit small but the parts are good, Mavic A719 rims etc. so I'm looking at switching the stuff onto a KM frame and running Marathon Big Apple or Supreme tyres at 50mm. Give me a bike that can go on road and do trails with the kids. I was planning on running it with a single 42t chainring and a 8/9 speed 11-34 cassette. Without rack or guards that builds up to around 26lbs in weight, not bad for a bike that versatile, and with those huge tyres.

Ideally what I'll do is have 2 wheelsets for it, the Mavic A719's with the Marathon Supremes for road stuff. Then a second set built around the Rigida Sputnik rims, with knobblier tyres, for rougher stuff(but that may be just wishful thinking). Same cassette etc so literally just a case of swapping wheels. I'm also looking at the KM frameset for one of my boys next bikes. 

Regardless, if you want more clearance for tyres, and crotch, than the Xcheck then you need to be thinking 29er frame.


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## jpembroke (19 Nov 2009)

You don't need massive tyres for riding on the odd stoney track. 35mm would be fine. Otherwise it'll be really sluggish when on the road and that'll no doubt be where you ride it most of the time. Something like a Schwalbe Land Cruiser 35mm would be a good (and cheap!) option.


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## RedBike (19 Nov 2009)

This is more or less exactly the sort of bike i'm after too. 

I've more or less decided to go for the slot dropout inbred 29er. The only trouble is they've been out of stock for months 

Failing that I might go for something like the Cotic Roadrat. Run it with wide-ish 26" wheels for the rough stuff and slicker 29er wheels for the pub.


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## blazingsaddles (20 Nov 2009)

MacB said:


> the Surly Karate Monkey would give you the sizing you need with the slope on the top tube and the tyre clearance. The Crosscheck will take up to 45mm with guards but the straight top tube means a big bike, I've got the 60cm frame. I'm not happy with my 'pub' bike, the frame's a bit small but the parts are good, Mavic A719 rims etc. so I'm looking at switching the stuff onto a KM frame and running Marathon Big Apple or Supreme tyres at 50mm. Give me a bike that can go on road and do trails with the kids. I was planning on running it with a single 42t chainring and a 8/9 speed 11-34 cassette. Without rack or guards that builds up to around 26lbs in weight, not bad for a bike that versatile, and with those huge tyres.
> 
> Ideally what I'll do is have 2 wheelsets for it, the Mavic A719's with the Marathon Supremes for road stuff. Then a second set built around the Rigida Sputnik rims, with knobblier tyres, for rougher stuff(but that may be just wishful thinking). Same cassette etc so literally just a case of swapping wheels. I'm also looking at the KM frameset for one of my boys next bikes.
> 
> Regardless, if you want more clearance for tyres, and crotch, than the Xcheck then you need to be thinking 29er frame.



I've looked at the Karate Monkey and think it looks great but I think I still want the ability of the Cross Check on the road, so I reckon the best thing for me is perhaps to alter the top tube on a Cross Check. That I suppose would sort it out along with a set of One On Midge bars.
I do also own a 60cm Cross Check and its a great bike but this project is for leaving in Spain with family so I don't have to transport it when I go twice a year. There's lots of tracks and quiet roads there. I could only leave one bike there though so I'm trying to find the bike to suite the best of both worlds i.e. rough tracks and the road.


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## blazingsaddles (20 Nov 2009)

RedBike said:


> This is more or less exactly the sort of bike i'm after too.
> 
> I've more or less decided to go for the slot dropout inbred 29er. The only trouble is they've been out of stock for months
> 
> Failing that I might go for something like the Cotic Roadrat. Run it with wide-ish 26" wheels for the rough stuff and slicker 29er wheels for the pub.



I do like the look of those Roadrats but unfortunately I reckon both the straight and drop bars versions are a couple of cm too short for me. On one are always out of stock too (they must be good)!


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## MacB (20 Nov 2009)

blazingsaddles said:


> I do like the look of those Roadrats but unfortunately I reckon both the straight and drop bars versions are a couple of cm too short for me. On one are always out of stock too (they must be good)!



Yep, top tube geometry can be an issue, in my case it's due to my choice of bars. Most geometry seems to assume the additional length of stem and then forward sweep of bars from clamp line. If your bars sweep back, then they negate some, or all, of the stem length. I'm not getting rid of my Crosscheck but felt the KM would be a better all round beast. The Crosscheck is also reserved for commuting only and I didn't really want to buy another identical bike. I have the same concerns you have re the sacrifice of the Crosschecks road ability. But I've read a few reviews that rate the KM pretty close on road when set up right. The KM top tube effective lengths are also longer than most frames I've looked at, without also getting a silly long seat tube. In my view you can run either CC or KM with anything from 23 to 50mm tyres on 700c rims. They can both take SS, fixed, gears, hub gears, rack and guards. The stock forks both have long steerer tubes allowing plenty of experimentation before cutting down. The CC's higher and squarer and the KM longer and lower, if that makes sense. It's about a 1lb weight penalty for the KM over the CC but the KM will take more abuse and bigger tyres.

During my original selection process I looked closely at On-One, Cotic and various frame builders offerings. One of the aspects that swung me is how many Surly frames, or bikes, you see up for sale second hand. I know my search was far from exhaustive but I definitely got the impression of bikes people keep hold of. 

When I complete my KM your welcome to try it out against the CC if you're ever in the Hampshire neck of the woods.


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## blazingsaddles (20 Nov 2009)

When I complete my KM your welcome to try it out against the CC if you're ever in the Hampshire neck of the woods.[/QUOTE]

Thanks,

Looks like a few people think much the same about a versatile 700c/29er. I bought my Crosscheck frame 2nd hand, initially to put old stuff on, but then I thought instead about speccing it up properly with a paint job and all.
I got a local frame builder who works from home and is very well priced and reputed by all the lbs to put rack bosses on the front forks, a rear canti bridge, put in a longer steerer as the original had been cut, an extra bottle cage boss, and a pump peg. Its well sorted and a great ride. The set up is bar end shifters with on one Midge bars and Deore mountain bike set up. Wheels are xt 36h hubs with DRC st19 rims. This is my everyday bike here and gets used in winter too.
It was my thinking that the same fellow could lower the top tube of another Crosscheck frame making it compact. I'd have to buy another used one though for that.
I hope the KM build goes well. Certainly Surly make bikes that seem a bit wacky but when you look into them they seem to make sense.


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## MacB (20 Nov 2009)

blazingsaddles said:


> I hope the KM build goes well. Certainly Surly make bikes that seem a bit wacky but when you look into them they seem to make sense.



Ta, yeah, wacky could be it, as I looked for geometry not made with flat bars, or drops, in mind, they seem to tick more boxes for me. I still want a Van Nicholas Amazon though


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## blazingsaddles (20 Nov 2009)

Yes. I'd love a stable but keep telling myself I can only ride one at a time :-)


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## Stephenite (4 Dec 2009)

At the mo' i'm running on 40mm studded tyres on a Kona Jake The Snake. The studs'll bring it up to 42mm (ish). A very confident ride thru 2 or 3 inches of snow. The bike will take 50mm, but there won't be room for mudguards.


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## MacB (4 Dec 2009)

Stephenite said:


> At the mo' i'm running on 40mm studded tyres on a Kona Jake The Snake. The studs'll bring it up to 42mm (ish). A very confident ride thru 2 or 3 inches of snow. The bike will take 50mm, but there won't be room for mudguards.



What's it like riding studded tyres in snow? genuinely curious never ridden either part of the equation.


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