ThermionicScott 

...the cheapest, lightest, etc solution while keeping the shifters on the bars, that is.

Glad the 56cm is working out better. I look forward to the new pics.

RubeRad

Touche! It is important to note that the CrossCheck has downtube shifter bosses, so you could always just slap your shifters down there. Assuming bar-end shifters work ergonomically there. If not, a pair of DT shift levers would be cheaper than a set of Retroshifts.

And hey, if you can stand taking your hands off the bar to operate the bar-end shifters, then you could probably stand taking your hands off the bar to operate DT shifters.

rms13

If got the Retroshifts, I can just reuse my bar end shifters? Is this a pretty easy DIY project? I have never replaced derauiler cables or adjusted them on my own but I've done brake cables and I'm good at watching Youtube videos and following along ;-)

If I can reuse my shifters, is it possible to just relocate the Retroshift brakes without re-cabling?

RubeRad

Good questions! First off, Retroshift is all about reusing shifters; it's built into their price structure. You've got I assume stock Tektro CR720 canti brakes, so you'll need the regular brake-cable-pull CX-2. It would be $189 if you wanted to buy their shifters, but since you have your own (which are frankly probably a little better) it's $129. You would have brake levers and shifter 'pods' (bar-end plugs that your shifters are currently mounted on) left over after the conversion that you could probably sell on eBay, get your net conversion cost to around $100.

If you have done brake cables, you can do shifter cables. There are youtube videos aplenty, the park tool website is good too. It will be easy since you shouldn't have to adjust the limit screws at all (and especially not have to adjust the height/angle of FD!!), just pull the cable through again, pull it taut, tighten the pinch bolt, and then adjust tension at the cable stop. I'm guessing that the distance from barend out and back to cable stop is maybe a little longer than brake hood to cable stop, so you might want to trim the top cable housing a little bit. If you don't have a decent housing cutter, you can get clean cuts with a dremel with a cutting wheel. If you don't have that either, you can probably do OK with a hacksaw and clean up the end with pliers or an awl or something.

To install retroshifts you will definitely need to recable, as the cable needs to go through the little 'hood' above the brake lever. Also you will need to take off all of your bar-tape to get the old brakes off and the retroshifts on. Note Retroshifts are packaged with brand-new cables (shorter for the FD, don't accidentally install the long one on the front and trim it!). Even though your existing cable are new, they are squished a little at the pinch bolts. There's a good chance you can easily reuse them, but if they give you any trouble, it's probably worth it to just use the lovely straight new cables. Save the others for a rainy day, or trim the longer rear one for later use as a front.

Also if you re-pull your cables, you should consider crossing them to get a wider radius bend and neater-looking cable routing up front. Here's a current thread with more info.

RubeRad

Actually I take that back, I think my Retroshifts came with cables because I had to buy the shifters too. Just Retroshifts with no shifters might not come with cables. You should be able to reuse, otherwise new cables are only about $1 apiece.

chaadster

Retroshift are cool, but I'm not sure what about this application recommends them over a set of Sora STI levers, which can easily be had from Amazon or other sources for $135 including cable and housing. Short selling the old barcons for $50 shipped would probably get 'em gone on eBay in a day, plus another $25 for the brake levers makes net cost to throw on Sora STI roughly $70.

More than price, it's really a style issue, though for functionality in this app, I'd probably give a slight nod to the STI.

RubeRad

$135? checking amazon right now I'm seeing $167 -- which is still a good price. So yes, this way (minus take-off resale value) would be better cost-wise. So remove cheaper from the list of advantages, and you've got lighter and more durable, but for a commuter those characteristics are not too important. Thus it does come down to style. (Also, Sora is low-level (not that it really makes a huge difference), but even stepping up to Tiagra is a big price jump)

The only thing I would add is, with the traditional brifters, you get shifting both ways from the drops. (These newer Soras have inner return levers, instead of the old thumb-button everybody used to complain about!) With Retroshifts, you lose shifting from the drops, but you gain whole-cassette shifts in a single movement.

So style, and that tradeoff. For me, whole-cassette shifting + style beat drops-shifting. But it's not for everybody. But the original fit pics give me a slight hipster vibe, and I'm thinking OP would like to have a bike which is not just another CrossCheck. We all like our bikes to make a statement about us...

Am I right rms? Are you a little bit of a rebel? Do you want to be different just like the rest of us cool kids? Here, get a little closer to this cliff, we're all gonna jump off on the count of pi: 1, 2, 3, 3.1, 3.14, 3.141...

chaadster

Yes, you're probably right; although I do think of Surly as a more conformist-- or at least common-- choice, probably for those baselining off Giant/Trek/Specialized, it is rather more counter-culture. Yeah, it's owned by giant QBP, but that's probably deeper than most go.

Though their real functional value is probably lost on road bike applications, I agree Retroshift is hands-down the cooler choice from a hipster style perspective. Hell, if style is worth anything, Retroshift is the obvious choice.

Here's the STIs I was looking at on Amazon, in the event pragmatism should have its way: https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-340...d+bike+shifter

RubeRad

OK, thx for the link. Although I don't see an inner return lever on that one, which means no (up)shifting from the drops; thumb return button is accessible from hoods only, which levels the playing field towards retroshift.

chaadster

Well damn! I didn't realize the placement of the Sora thumb lever was so different from the Campy placement, but it is, and yep, looks like only a genetic freak could shift from the drops on Sora!



One thing to be said for the Sora setup vs. Campy's is that it avoids the accidental shifting that I've experienced from taking an unexpectedly jolting hit while riding light on the hoods. Nice, but I'd prefer to be able to shift from the drops if it's an either/or thing.

RubeRad

Looks like Shimano changed Sora to inner levers since then; link

rms13

back on topic. and this isn't my cube so no more comments about the mess ;-)

RubeRad

Looks much better, although perhaps your seat is a little too high. Could just be due to leaning against a desk instead of really riding. But it looks like your right leg is locked and your foot extended.

As for the cockpit, it's got you sitting up a bit more upright than I would favor, but (a) looks like you've got the stem all the way up, max spacers, so you can swap around and experiment if you want lower, and (b) you might like upright.

Loose Chain

You could ride either the 54 or the 56. The Cross Check runs long on the top tube. I ride a 56 (my favorite bikes are 56 st and 56 tt) in most bikes but the 54 Cross Check has the same top tube length as my favorite 56cm road bikes. I prefer a more aggressive seating position and my bar tops are three to four inches lower than the seat crown just like on my road machines. I would not fixate on the numbers, the Cross Check top tube is low, the steering tube is short and the top tube is long for a given size frame. The Cross Check has become my favorite bike, the "56" feel too big for me. I am 5-10.5, 165 pounds, cycling inseam is 86cm. I am not convinced the first bike was a 54. But, your saddle is way too low in the pic. As the saddle goes up it also moves reward and you can further move the saddle rearward on the rails. Riders who like lower bars (like me) typically prefer the smaller frame, but that is a preference, every fit is a compromise and the truth is we can ride a range of frame sizes depending on our preferences and the purpose of the bike.

LC