Surly Crosscheck?
09-28-18, 11:58 AM
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Surly Crosscheck?
Looks like a functional relatively old school bike. Steel frame and V brakes. Seems everything has gone bonkers with the new tech my bikes all have disc brakes etc etc now there is even 1x12 drivetrains 
my first real bike back in the mid 90s was a steel Gary Fisher rigid MTB and had a blast riding it slowly upgraded everything got that Rock Shox Indy fork and at the time that was great. I was looking at the Surly cross bikes and they look well made have decent old school components which would make maintenance and repairs easy and inexpensive. I like the latest stuff but sometimes I get retro grouchy like fellow poster retrogrouch 
what y’all think?
my first real bike back in the mid 90s was a steel Gary Fisher rigid MTB and had a blast riding it slowly upgraded everything got that Rock Shox Indy fork and at the time that was great. I was looking at the Surly cross bikes and they look well made have decent old school components which would make maintenance and repairs easy and inexpensive. I like the latest stuff but sometimes I get retro grouchy like fellow poster retrogrouch what y’all think? 
09-28-18, 12:19 PM
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I'm surprised you haven't come across a CC yet. Google them, Surly has sold MILLIONS of them and there's more info out there than you will ever be able to read. Bottom line: they're solid, no-frills workhorses. Aren't too expensive, aren't light or fancy, but have a cult following for a reason.
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09-28-18, 12:21 PM
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Looks like a functional relatively old school bike. Steel frame and V brakes. Seems everything has gone bonkers with the new tech my bikes all have disc brakes etc etc now there is even 1x12 drivetrains my first real bike back in the mid 90s was a steel Gary Fisher rigid MTB and had a blast riding it slowly upgraded everything got that Rock Shox Indy fork and at the time that was great. I was looking at the Surly cross bikes and they look well made have decent old school components which would make maintenance and repairs easy and inexpensive. I like the latest stuff but sometimes I get retro grouchy like fellow poster retrogrouch what y’all think?
my first real bike back in the mid 90s was a steel Gary Fisher rigid MTB and had a blast riding it slowly upgraded everything got that Rock Shox Indy fork and at the time that was great. I was looking at the Surly cross bikes and they look well made have decent old school components which would make maintenance and repairs easy and inexpensive. I like the latest stuff but sometimes I get retro grouchy like fellow poster retrogrouch what y’all think?Also, the crosscheck can fit a wide variation of tire size, from road slicks to fairly fat off road options so it can be a bit of "one bike to rule them all".
09-28-18, 12:43 PM
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I think most riders would end up finding a CrossCheck more useful / comfortable than the race-y carbon bikes being sold (pushed).
But it's a bike that will last decades - like y'all said, simple components, easy to replace, durable. How's a bike company gonna survive if they do that!?
Folks get fixated on the weight and think a 25lb or 28lb bike is too heavy. But when you see 250lbs stuffed in Lycra on a 17lb bike - help me here - what's too heavy !?!
I'll stop.
I am staying on the look out for a used 60cm CC locally. Seen a few 58cm pop up. I still regret passing up a brand new CC a couple years ago my LBS was trying to blow out the door - $600. ugh. passed it up... ugh.
woulda coulda shoulda.....
But it's a bike that will last decades - like y'all said, simple components, easy to replace, durable. How's a bike company gonna survive if they do that!?
Folks get fixated on the weight and think a 25lb or 28lb bike is too heavy. But when you see 250lbs stuffed in Lycra on a 17lb bike - help me here - what's too heavy !?!
I'll stop.
I am staying on the look out for a used 60cm CC locally. Seen a few 58cm pop up. I still regret passing up a brand new CC a couple years ago my LBS was trying to blow out the door - $600. ugh. passed it up... ugh.
woulda coulda shoulda.....
09-28-18, 01:14 PM
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Been riding a CC as my drop-bar 1x11 gravel/adventure/everything bike for a couple years. Handled everything I ever threw at it, even rougher trails than one might expect. Running the stock Knard 41s. I was planning on it being the be-all, end-all bike for me, but I bought a size a wee bit too big, and after 2 years I just decided this week it was time for a new rig that fit me better. I'm still keeping it though, putting my FSA Metropolis bars on it so my wife can ride it as well--more of a casual upright setup.
My new bike has discs, 650bx47 road plus, y'know, the new-fangled stuff--it is awesome, I love it. But if I hadn't had the sizing issue with the CC I never woulda looked past it. Killer bikes, you wouldn't regret getting one.
My new bike has discs, 650bx47 road plus, y'know, the new-fangled stuff--it is awesome, I love it. But if I hadn't had the sizing issue with the CC I never woulda looked past it. Killer bikes, you wouldn't regret getting one.
09-28-18, 02:59 PM
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Oh I have seen Surly bikes all over The Katy and the GAP/C&O and even out where I live cycling on gravel roads in the boonies. I have too many bikes as it is but I like the Surly bikes so maybe I will look for a used one or just buy one and not worry about it 
09-29-18, 07:32 AM
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I have one. I bought it new as a frame and fork in 2012 and built it up to my own taste. Looks good, rides great, handles great.
09-29-18, 08:00 AM
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Let’s see some examples!
09-29-18, 08:07 AM
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Same idea, different brand. Black Mountain Cylces Monster frame.
simplified tech like bar end shifters placed on the hoods for easier shifting, canti brakes(30 years old), steel fork, QR dropouts, and external cable routing.
even still- its a modern 2x11 drivetrain, the frame is heat treated double butted steel, and it fits up to 50mm tires.
balances old and modern well. Ive thought about going disc, but the cantis scrub off speed so well and stop me great, so I just haven't found the want/desire yet.
there are a small handful of frames like this by different brands still, but most steel frames have gone to a carbon fork and/or disc brakes for the obvious reason of marketability towards trends.
simplified tech like bar end shifters placed on the hoods for easier shifting, canti brakes(30 years old), steel fork, QR dropouts, and external cable routing.
even still- its a modern 2x11 drivetrain, the frame is heat treated double butted steel, and it fits up to 50mm tires.
balances old and modern well. Ive thought about going disc, but the cantis scrub off speed so well and stop me great, so I just haven't found the want/desire yet.
there are a small handful of frames like this by different brands still, but most steel frames have gone to a carbon fork and/or disc brakes for the obvious reason of marketability towards trends.
09-29-18, 08:42 AM
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Love that 1st pic interesting location for the pump
09-29-18, 09:45 AM
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because of the frame's tire clearance, the pump being there is great as it gets it away from the crank arms, stays away from my calf, and gets it away from dirt/grime since it isnt on the downtube.
I wish my road bikes had that clearance(but still the same handling). I use an offset pump holder for my road bikes where it attaches under a bottle cage and the pump needs to be placed just right and in the proper orientation to ensure it doesn't interfere with my leg or the crank arm.
I wish my road bikes had that clearance(but still the same handling). I use an offset pump holder for my road bikes where it attaches under a bottle cage and the pump needs to be placed just right and in the proper orientation to ensure it doesn't interfere with my leg or the crank arm.
09-29-18, 04:27 PM
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I have a Straggler (Cross Check with disc brakes and brifters), I absolutely love it.
Theres really nothing special about the CC, it’s just a well designed bike. Over engineered and can take a lot of abuse. And everything about it is very generic, so you can slap on just about any part and it’ll work. They’re great bikes for a good price.
Theres really nothing special about the CC, it’s just a well designed bike. Over engineered and can take a lot of abuse. And everything about it is very generic, so you can slap on just about any part and it’ll work. They’re great bikes for a good price.
09-29-18, 09:29 PM
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09-30-18, 08:34 AM
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That's a 30 in the front. 11-40 out back. I know, pretty small! I live right next to the San Gabriel mountains. And I'm a geezer
That said, my new bike is 38T 11-42, 650B. I'll be giving up about 3 GI on the low end. Will see how I fare with that around here.
That said, my new bike is 38T 11-42, 650B. I'll be giving up about 3 GI on the low end. Will see how I fare with that around here.
Last edited by pbass; 10-01-18 at 12:17 PM.
