Cross Check
06-03-21, 10:16 AM
#1
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Cross Check
Looks like Surly finally got some frames flowing to Europe again after being out of stock for the last eight or so months so I ordered a frame a fixings this morning. Are there any gotcha’s or Surlyism’s I need to worry about before Monday?
06-03-21, 11:14 AM
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06-03-21, 11:30 AM
#4
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The rear spacing is 132mm and I've found that I really have to clamp down the rear skewer when I'm running road (130mm) wheels.
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06-03-21, 12:11 PM
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Don't cut the steerer tube until you've ridden the bike a lot with various spacers and stems; Cross Check head tubes are notoriously short.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
Last edited by Rolla; 06-03-21 at 12:14 PM.
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06-03-21, 12:48 PM
#6
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Don't cut the steerer tube until you've ridden the bike a lot with various spacers and stems; Cross Check head tubes are notoriously short.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
06-03-21, 01:06 PM
#7
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Oh, and you'll want to get a couple of those things that cover the downtube shifter bosses, and brake cable guides front and rear if you're using cantilevers.
Last edited by Rolla; 06-03-21 at 01:40 PM.
06-03-21, 02:09 PM
#8
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You really only need one for the drive side.
I like my bars level with the saddle, too. The rise on the Kitchen Sink bars will be helpful, but you'll still want room for a stack of spacers. I think I ran 2" or so under the stem on my Cross Check. You can probably lop a few inches off the fork steerer to make it rideable, but err on the side of caution when you do.
Oh, and you'll want to get a couple of those things that cover the downtube shifter bosses, and brake cable guides front and rear if you're using cantilevers.
I like my bars level with the saddle, too. The rise on the Kitchen Sink bars will be helpful, but you'll still want room for a stack of spacers. I think I ran 2" or so under the stem on my Cross Check. You can probably lop a few inches off the fork steerer to make it rideable, but err on the side of caution when you do.
Oh, and you'll want to get a couple of those things that cover the downtube shifter bosses, and brake cable guides front and rear if you're using cantilevers.
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06-04-21, 05:09 PM
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oh, it's not that bad. i mean, not unlike any other bike frame with the same average front end geometry. it's there, of course. i got used to it (when i had one) and learned how to avoid it. there again, i only ran 40mm tires at the largest
06-04-21, 05:12 PM
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Don't cut the steerer tube until you've ridden the bike a lot with various spacers and stems; Cross Check head tubes are notoriously short.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
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06-04-21, 05:28 PM
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06-16-21, 11:33 AM
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I got it done Sunday night and have commuted on it all week. IMHO it’s worth twice the price
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06-16-21, 01:19 PM
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06-17-21, 04:07 PM
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Most excellent Chris, I have a 56 cm and found that with my weight, 220lbs, and a rear pannier load the handling was not at all to my taste. Rear end kind of whipped around when out of the saddle. It’s a sturdy general use Cross/road bike with a slightly high bb and not a touring specific bike designed to tolerate a heavy rear load bias. But with front panniers on low riders or top mounted rack it’s great. I eventually went with a small Nitto front rack and narrow rear rack. Were I to go for max carrying I’d use low riders, Revelate medium or small frame bag that occupies area 3-4” under top tube and rear rack with ten lb load on top and no rear panniers. Those tires look plush.
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06-18-21, 03:49 AM
#17
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Most excellent Chris, I have a 56 cm and found that with my weight, 220lbs, and a rear pannier load the handling was not at all to my taste. Rear end kind of whipped around when out of the saddle. It’s a sturdy general use Cross/road bike with a slightly high bb and not a touring specific bike designed to tolerate a heavy rear load bias. But with front panniers on low riders or top mounted rack it’s great. I eventually went with a small Nitto front rack and narrow rear rack. Were I to go for max carrying I’d use low riders, Revelate medium or small frame bag that occupies area 3-4” under top tube and rear rack with ten lb load on top and no rear panniers. Those tires look plush.
I have a Blackburn local basket I’m considering putting on the front which is why a wrapped the wires around the fork, if I put the basket on I’ll see how it holds the weight on front.
09-08-21, 12:23 PM
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====
This is where we ended up:
- 2021 Cross Check 58cm
- Bethoud Aubisque
- Redshift Kitchen Sink 52cm
- Brooks brown bar tape
- Paul Tall and Handsome 27.2
- Paul Boxcar stem 110mm w/red face plate
- SRAM Rival 1 shifters
- Surly seat post clamp
- Wheelman spacers
- Cinq5 Plus
- Chris King Sotto Voce
- Paul Motolite w/red spring adjuster nut
- King Iris cages
- Tubus Vega rear rack
- Tubus Tara front
- Busch and Müller IQ-XS front light
- Curana C-Lite fenders w/integrated Busch & Müller tail light
- SRAM Rival 1 crankset w/ red Wolftooth chainring bolts
- Chris King bottom bracket
- SON wide body laced to a DT TK 540 w/ DT comp spokes and brass nipples
- Velo Orange locking skewer
- Chris King R45 laced to a DT TK 540 w/ DT comp spokes and brass nipples
- Velo Orange locking skewer
- SRAM Rival 1 w/ red KCNC jockey wheels
- SRAM 11-42 cassette in black
- 700x44 Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tires
—Rest—
Ortlieb Ultimate six classic 5L handlebar bag
Ortlieb Sport-Packer Classic panniers front and rear
Ortlieb Micro Two seat bag
Jagwire cables and casing
I finally can't think of a single thing I'd change which is probably fortunate since I have a Karate Monkey that need's built, and I'm about to strip the Bruce Gordon and drop those parts on another Cross Check frame.
Last edited by Germany_chris; 09-08-21 at 03:01 PM.
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09-08-21, 02:25 PM
#19
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09-08-21, 06:46 PM
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Don't cut the steerer tube until you've ridden the bike a lot with various spacers and stems; Cross Check head tubes are notoriously short.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
You might want to order a Hurdy Gurdy tensioner to keep the rear wheel from pulling forward under load.
Decals are on top of the paint, so you can scrape any/all of them off if you want a cleaner look.
EDIT: glad you kept the steerer long! I wish I could find a Cuba Libre brown CC fork, uncut, for mine--I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
09-08-21, 07:37 PM
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