citycyclechic

Hello forum!

My LBS is putting together my new Tangerine Dream Surly cross check. I know a little about bikes, but main goal was to build a really solid commuter for super hilly and uneven (read: potholed) terrain. The LBS suggested building it with a Shimano Tiagra group- however my cyclist friends think that is a cheap solution. This suits me fine since it is only available in grey- and I wanted everything black.
My options become: the 105 group set (in black), custom ordering the SRAM Rival group (which would cost an extra 500$ approximately because of the special order)...

1) Does any one have any other ideas/ suggestions?
2) How would you build your perfect commuter with the cross check frame?

Things to note:
- I opted for a riser bar and trigger shifters
- I was suggested a 2 ring compact with 11 speed cassette instead of a 3 and 10 (by my friends, not the LBS)

He seemed annoyed that I wanted to re-work the quote- I just want to make sure I make the right decisions!
Please let me know what you would do if you had the choice,
Thanks!

bikemig 

You need new cycling friends, . Tiagra is not a "cheap" group. For super hilly terrain, there is a lot to be said for a 3 x 10 group which was your original choice.

Leebo

Do not cut the steerer tube. Maybe you want to have different bars, drops vs flat bars. Leave some extra for later adjustments. Super hilly? A triple usually has more range than a double. What range of gears do you need? Potholes, think at least 35 mm tires. Mine has a 38 -48 front, and a 30 T large rear. A compact with a mt rear der. might be an option. You could get a 36 T rear cassette.

rmfnla

Nothing wrong with the Tiagra group but the 105 is significantly nicer.

Riser bar and trigger shifters makes sense; I built my own commuter with those on a road frame because I like the way they work (see photo).

I think the 3 x 10 is a better choice; compact cranks are trendy and slowly losing favor as people get tired of their limitations.

I like SRAM stuff but $500 upcharge for special order is absurd, especially for the Rival group.

I'd go with the 105 w/ 3/10...

cale

Tiagra isn't cheap but it isn't the most pricey either. I ride a 34/50 compact with 12-30 in the back. My 25 lb "commuter" sports 1.75" tires on 26" mountain bike wheels. It's a fairly complete Tiagra build. Seattle is very hilly so I guess it depends what you're looking for in gears.

rmfnla

She did mention "super hilly terrain"...

HillRider

Sorry but your friends are wrong and and agonizing over a color choice is foolish. Tiagra is a very functional group and spending $500 more for the SRAM group is a true waste of money. As note a 3x10 drivetrain is far more versatile than any 2x11 group and will match your hilly terrain far better.

Earl Grey

Current generation 105 doesn't have a 3x option, does it? You probably know this, but worth pointing out for the O/P, 3x 105 means the 5700 series (or earlier).

Retro Grouch 

Trigger shifters with a compact double creankset. Have you investigated the compatability of those parts?

cale

A 34/30 combination with my wheels yields a 29 inch low gear. That's what is often recommended for climbing steep hills with anything short of a loaded touring bike.

cale

There are front derailleurs that are compatible with trigger shifters and a road crank. The FD-R440 is designed for Rapid Fire shifters. I used this in combination with a 39/52 double and 11-32 9-speed cassette, rapidfire shifters and a Deore rear derailleur. Great shifting in fact!

westrid_dad

Lots of good advice here. You may also want to query the folks over on this Surly forum.

Surly - Mtbr.com

Bill Kapaun

+1
Trigger shifters and a "road" FDER don't play well together.

Personally, I'd go 3X9 Deore, but I'm cheap.
Doesn't the Surly handle either 130 or 135MM DO spacing?
If so, 135MM spaced rear wheels are inherently stronger than 130MM.

Wolf Dust

First off, congrats on choosing one of the most awsome mass production frames available! I have one, and I am in love with it! Personally, I prefer a minimalistic approach...I've been running 1x9 on mine, 32 front and 11-34 rear with a top mount thumb shifter. There are some steep hills around here, but most of my commutes are long subtle hills. The 32t front ring is really well suited for everything I've encountered as long as you don't need to pedal beyond 20mph. If you have a frequency for tall hills, I'd just recommend a 2x9 setup. Ideally I'd say like a 28/36 up front with an 11-34 rear. BTW, the trigger shifters sound good. Here's mine...

FastJake

I'm going to take it one step further. Your friends suck, and are giving you really stupid terrible advice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Tiagra. 2x11 on a commuter? Give me a break. 3x anything makes more sense if you genuinely have "super hilly" terrain. I would use a 7 or 8 speed rear which makes everything stronger, cheaper, longer lasting, and less finicky to setup. But I know 10/11 speed rears are the thing these days...

Don't worry about the color. Personally, my commuter bikes are almost always ugly. I don't feel bad beating them and don't worry about scratches or dings. But it's your bike.

Have you ruled out drop bars? They are my only choice for commuting, even in the winter. But if you're only going short distances and are not concerned with speed I suppose a riser bar is a fine choice.

An extra $500 for the SRAM is insane. That's a mechanic's "I don't want to do this" price.

Wolf Dust

Potholes? Think FAT tires like 38 to 40, and maybe a sprung leather saddle...very comfy for the harder unexpected jolts. My Cross Check has 700x40's and still fits fenders with ease.

Velocivixen

@citycyclechic - congratulations. I haven't seen the orange in person, but think I read somewhere that it has a shimmer to it. Is this true?

On Saturday I sold my 2011 Robins Egg Blue 52 Cross Check. It was a size too big and I just couldn't get comfy on it. I'm still in mourning. For what it's worth I bought the bike new and it came stock with a 2 x 9 and it got me over hills with effort. However, my 3 x 7 on my old mountain bikes really made it a lot easier. So it depends on the types of hills, your fitness level, etc. remember, that as you ride more you will get stronger.

Anyway, have fun and please report back when you ended up with. We like photos.

citycyclechic

Woah!!Thank you everyone for an overwhelming amount of input!

The result is that now I am doubting all my decisions...will post a picture when the bike is finished with the final components!!
(and thanks for the forum tip @westrid_dad !)

rmfnla

I actually didn't know this if it is so; thanks...

rmfnla

I went 3X9 XT on my Curtlo (with a Dura Ace triple crankset) and it works great!

However, I found I never used the small chainring so I yanked it and swapped the BB for a double and I'm a happy boy.

That might make it sound like the compact would work for the OP but my normal terrain is only moderately hilly so my situation does not apply to hers...

rmfnla

Yeah, lots of knowledgeable people here and almost as many opinions...

rms13

Current Tiagra is much better than older Tiagra...but also new 4700 Tiagra will be out in a month or two. Maybe wait or look into 105. You can buy 11 speed 105 for about $375 shipped from UK which is probably less than LBS is charging for the old Tiagra. And no, 105 doesn't have a triple option anymore

deepgreens

I've just gone through a similar process with a Cross Check SS that I want to build up with gears. I had the intention of going with a Tiagra groupset and would have even been happy with a mish mash of components but, after checking prices everywhere, I ended up ordering a 105 5800 11-speed kit minus the brakes. When Tiagra or older 105 is the same price or $50 less, there's just no point. The only cheaper option would have been buying a bike on craigs or kijiji that I could raid for parts but haven't seen anything cheap enough yet. So I'll soon have a compact double (50x34) and a wide spread cassette (11-32) in the back, which will give me pretty much everything other than a true granny gear. This bike will be used for fun on and off road rides, hauling my kid in his trailer, commuting, etc. As I'm not doing any touring under heavy loads, I'm hoping I won't miss the granny.

tadswana

Pics please of the new Tangerine model, am looking at getting one myself in the next few weeks!

As for the SRAM, agree with everyone here - waste of cash for what you want, stick with Shimano, you may regret having the SRAM components later (read Sheldon Brown's page).