Need advice on updating 2011 Salsa La Cruz TI to 2021
08-15-21, 03:07 PM
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Need advice on updating 2011 Salsa La Cruz TI to 2021
Preface: I love riding this bike. It's like butter. But the brakes are pretty terrible and I'd like to change to so wider tubeless rims so I was wondering how bad of any idea it would be or if anyone can recommend some builders to change the rear dropouts to something disc and boost capable. I'm hoping someone can also point me in the direction of a new fork with multiple braze-ons for fenders/mounts/racks. I'm unsure it the new fork rake must match or about head tube fitment. Something like what Salsa put's on there new bikes would be ideal but I'm not sure about fitment.
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/bi...re-gravel-fork
I found this fork in a 1/1/8 with 50mm rake. The current fork in the bike is a python brand, I'm not sure of the rake but I'd prefer the bike to be a bit more stable at lower speeds. The recommended rake is 45-47. I understand that a greater degree of rake increase trail thus increased stability. Any input would be appreciated.
I'm in the process of selling my business (in the US) and will travel the world over the next few years.
I'm thinking I'd like to leave the rear wheel QR and rim braking but update the fork. Any feedback on wheels or other insights would be appreciated.
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/bi...re-gravel-fork
I found this fork in a 1/1/8 with 50mm rake. The current fork in the bike is a python brand, I'm not sure of the rake but I'd prefer the bike to be a bit more stable at lower speeds. The recommended rake is 45-47. I understand that a greater degree of rake increase trail thus increased stability. Any input would be appreciated.
I'm in the process of selling my business (in the US) and will travel the world over the next few years.
I'm thinking I'd like to leave the rear wheel QR and rim braking but update the fork. Any feedback on wheels or other insights would be appreciated.
08-15-21, 03:26 PM
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Pretty bike!
Reworking the frame is quite an endavour and running mismatched wheels (one through axle, one QR and rim brake) and brakes sounds like a pain. Could switching to a more modern set of brakes improve matters?
Shimano CX70s or something would probably work better.
Reworking the frame is quite an endavour and running mismatched wheels (one through axle, one QR and rim brake) and brakes sounds like a pain. Could switching to a more modern set of brakes improve matters?
Shimano CX70s or something would probably work better.
08-15-21, 04:47 PM
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Absolutely. I wanted to reach out for opinions because I really have no idea what the best course of action is. What are some good wheelsets/tire optionsI should look for. I'd like the option to run tubeless. I can fit up to 35mm.
08-15-21, 04:50 PM
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Preface: I love riding this bike. It's like butter. But the brakes are pretty terrible and I'd like to change to so wider tubeless rims so I was wondering how bad of any idea it would be or if anyone can recommend some builders to change the rear dropouts to something disc and boost capable. I'm hoping someone can also point me in the direction of a new fork with multiple braze-ons for fenders/mounts/racks. I'm unsure it the new fork rake must match or about head tube fitment. Something like what Salsa put's on there new bikes would be ideal but I'm not sure about fitment.
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/bi...re-gravel-fork
I found this fork in a 1/1/8 with 50mm rake. The current fork in the bike is a python brand, I'm not sure of the rake but I'd prefer the bike to be a bit more stable at lower speeds. The recommended rake is 45-47. I understand that a greater degree of rake increase trail thus increased stability. Any input would be appreciated.
I'm in the process of selling my business (in the US) and will travel the world over the next few years.
I'm thinking I'd like to leave the rear wheel QR and rim braking but update the fork. Any feedback on wheels or other insights would be appreciated.
https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/bi...re-gravel-fork
I found this fork in a 1/1/8 with 50mm rake. The current fork in the bike is a python brand, I'm not sure of the rake but I'd prefer the bike to be a bit more stable at lower speeds. The recommended rake is 45-47. I understand that a greater degree of rake increase trail thus increased stability. Any input would be appreciated.
I'm in the process of selling my business (in the US) and will travel the world over the next few years.
I'm thinking I'd like to leave the rear wheel QR and rim braking but update the fork. Any feedback on wheels or other insights would be appreciated.
08-15-21, 07:45 PM
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Thank you for the feedback. I've been out the game for a while. Any bikes in these areas you would recommend to start my search with? Preferably something with my intended use in mind.
08-16-21, 07:16 AM
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OP, you can definitely update the fork, keeping the fork length very similar to what you have currently so that it doesn’t pop the front end up too high. You’ll need to watch out for the steerer type, too; it looks like yours is straight, not tapered.
Using an online trail calculator can help you figure out how much offset the fork should have. I’d stick with the standard road range, and on the lower side of that if you plan to run front panniers. Yojimg.net is a good one.
You could run a disc brake up front and V brakes out back for some serious braking power. Disc mounts are of two types, flat and post mount. Flat mount are a little easier to work with.
You’ll need to use cable actuated discs in order to avoid the hassles of mismatched brake levers, so look at units like TRP HY/RD, JuinTech R1, Yokozuna Ultimo, and Giant Conduct, which are all top performing hybrid styles, meaning they use cable to pull a hydraulic cylinder. All mechanical options, like TRP Spyres and Avid BB7, are also much less expensive.
You should have the option of QR or thru-axle on the fork, keeping in mind that wheel selection is a little more limited with mixed axle sets. I’d probably stick with QR to match the rear. Some will complain about disc alignment with QR, but as someone who ran that setup for 16yrs, I do not think it’s a big deal.
Out back, some short pull mini-V brakes like Paul Minimoto or TRP CX8.4 will work with road levers and vastly improve rear braking.
Beyond that, sky is the limit, and you might want to upgrade your drivetrain for lower and/or wider range gearing, helpful for touring, esp. with luggage.
It all leads to the question of how involved you are in this project, whether you want to dive in and learn bike tech, want to invest in DIY capability and tools, and what the budget is. You could get a ready-to-run, dreamy Ti replacement for around $5k (e.g. T-Lab X3; I find mine dreamy!), or dump a minimum of about $2k just in fork, brake, and wheel updates. Start adding in things like new drivetrain and other parts, and the upgrade case stops making anything other than emotional sense pretty quickly.
Here’s a link to an article on fork brands: https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-with-bottle-cage-mounts.
Using an online trail calculator can help you figure out how much offset the fork should have. I’d stick with the standard road range, and on the lower side of that if you plan to run front panniers. Yojimg.net is a good one.
You could run a disc brake up front and V brakes out back for some serious braking power. Disc mounts are of two types, flat and post mount. Flat mount are a little easier to work with.
You’ll need to use cable actuated discs in order to avoid the hassles of mismatched brake levers, so look at units like TRP HY/RD, JuinTech R1, Yokozuna Ultimo, and Giant Conduct, which are all top performing hybrid styles, meaning they use cable to pull a hydraulic cylinder. All mechanical options, like TRP Spyres and Avid BB7, are also much less expensive.
You should have the option of QR or thru-axle on the fork, keeping in mind that wheel selection is a little more limited with mixed axle sets. I’d probably stick with QR to match the rear. Some will complain about disc alignment with QR, but as someone who ran that setup for 16yrs, I do not think it’s a big deal.
Out back, some short pull mini-V brakes like Paul Minimoto or TRP CX8.4 will work with road levers and vastly improve rear braking.
Beyond that, sky is the limit, and you might want to upgrade your drivetrain for lower and/or wider range gearing, helpful for touring, esp. with luggage.
It all leads to the question of how involved you are in this project, whether you want to dive in and learn bike tech, want to invest in DIY capability and tools, and what the budget is. You could get a ready-to-run, dreamy Ti replacement for around $5k (e.g. T-Lab X3; I find mine dreamy!), or dump a minimum of about $2k just in fork, brake, and wheel updates. Start adding in things like new drivetrain and other parts, and the upgrade case stops making anything other than emotional sense pretty quickly.
Here’s a link to an article on fork brands: https://bikepacking.com/index/forks-with-bottle-cage-mounts.
