gomango

I'd cut that post, throw on a Swift, fill up the bottles, and hit the road.

Looks good, and probably doesn't weigh any more than a Cross Check.

What wheels do you have on that little charmer?

gomango

I'll ask and report back.

Meanwhile, I am also narrowing the list and this one is still on it.

A Rawland rSogn from the Rawland site.

650B!





I'll check on disc capability on their site.

KonAaron Snake 

There are several bikes I constantly think about selling...but there is a core I'd never consider moving. Basically if I LOVE riding it, it typically doesn't make the "what about this???" fantasies. I think if you're having these thoughts, you're looking for something you aren't getting.

Example - It's never entered into my mind that I could upgrade from, or replace, the Koga Miyata, the Marnati, the Sachs road bike or my Merlin.

gomango

I sold my Merckx AX frameset 4 weeks go.

Not my cup of tea. Underwhelmed with the ride.

If you pm me, I'll tell you what I sold it for, if that's any help to you.

As for a Poprad, they are fun bikes.

I beat mine into submission and cracked the frame in two places riding it hard in the river bottoms by our house in St. Paul.

Commuted on it as well. Decent road manners with Continental 4 seasons.

Off road I used Michelin Jets, which were decent on hard pack class 5 trails, but stunk in mud.

Careful with sizing on Poprads, as I am a fairly easy to fit 57-58 cm kind of guy.

I almost bought a new Poprad before Trek gave them the heave ho.

I was sized into a 55cm.

In addition, mine had some of the worst brake shudder of any bike I ever owned.

The stock brake was an Avid, and I must say, what a piece of dookey.

Before I waved goodbye to mine I had Paul Racers on there, and still have those in a box in the basement.

Lots of front fork flex as well, but I was a lot bigger guy then than I am now.

I think a Poprad with BB7s would be pretty acceptable.

There was a nice one on the local racing board before the holidays for $900.

gomango

How about your De Rosa Primato?

That is a true rider's machine if I've ever seen one.

...and yours is pretty to boot.

That bicycle says so much to me about what a racing bike should be.

Sorry for the drift btw.

KonAaron Snake 

I was only considering bikes I've had for over a year...but I'm POSITIVE the Primato will be on the short list. That bike is just so comfortable and easy on the legs...it's agile and quick. I can't wait to see how the Titanio compares. Given my preference for OS tubing, I think the Titanio is going to be just right.

On the Poprad post above...

I typically ride 54-56. My Poprad is a good fit at 53. Gomango is very on point...try before you buy. They ride larger than their size and the slight slant to the TT makes a bigger difference than you'd think. He's also right about the Avid Sh**ty 4s...AWFUL brakes that are a pain to adjust. I haven't had much squeal with them on my Poprad...I had them on a JTS and they shuddered like an earthquake. Placement and routing with cantis, especially short armed ones, makes a big difference with shudder, and I haven't had the problem with the Poprad. I think the fork also matters...the alpha q I have on the Poprad is a much nicer fork than what came on the JTS (easton ec70 I think?).

$900 for a Poprad with discs is a pretty solid price. The Poprads have a diehard following in cross and they typically go for a decent price. I don't have that much experience with cross bikes, but my Poprad isn't in the same category of bike as that JTS...it's MUCH quicker and more comfortable. It's actually also a lot lighter than the JTS (so much for aluminum!).

ColonelJLloyd 

Thanks to my good buddy fender1 I recently bought a Voodoo Wazoo Reynolds 853 frame. It is light! No rear disc mount, so I'll use cantilevers in the back. But, I bought a Cane Creek threadless headset and 1" Nashbar carbon cyclocross fork with disc tab. I'll get an Avid BB7 for the front.

I'll build it up over the spring/summer as a cyclocross bike, but it has plenty of braze ons to make it a great commuter/tourer once I face plant enough, break a couple bones or otherwise fail miserably on the course. It'll get a powdercoat soon, but I'm still not sure on the color.

Puget Pounder

Would it be worth your while to get disc tabs on the back if you are going to PC anyway?

RFC

Nice bike, Colonel. BTW, I like the orange.

ColonelJLloyd 

I wouldn't think so. There's no local framebuilder to braze them and it already has cantilever posts. Cantilevers will work just fine, especially for the back.

Thanks, I like it too and may have it coated orange. There are a couple rusty areas so it does need treatment and a full blast and coat is pretty inexpensive. I was also thinking about a metallic grey or flat black.

KendallF

The frame is supposed to be 'triple butted', but they must've started with battleship tubes. Frame/fork weighed 9 lbs.. Of course, it was $200. The wheels are Weinmann rims (sold by Origin8 as "Trak Attack"). I had them built with a Shimano Alfine generator front hub and a disk rear hub. I think I might have $700 in the whole bike.

The disk mount is pretty simple, and it's about $10 from Nova. Any competent TIG welder could add it. I'm going to do them soon to a buddy's touring frame.

BTW, I have one of those Nashbar disk forks; I had it on the Origin8 above initially, then ended up wanting to add lowrider rack mounts so I switched to the original steel fork. It's a nice fork, I'm saving mine for a lighter build.

fender1

I have a cross bike (set up as a winter commuter) w/ a disc front/ canti rear. It is a nice configuration if you snag a frame & have to buy a fork.

[IMG][/IMG]

I got he frame on CL w/ a Chris King headset and a beat up cross check fork for a $125. I was going to flip it, as it is a bit small for me but then I gave the fork to someone for another build and bought a Salsa disc fork and built it up. Rides nice!

nikkorod

Here is my Soma Double Cross DC. I frankly love this bike. It is so comfortable. I have a hard time reaching for anything else in my fleet of bikes. I ride a mix of trails/road and have even had it on some singletrack and it performs flawlessly.

nikkorod

If you run Disc you can always run 650b and 700c. No brake adjustments. That is a cool bike. Now I need a set of 650B disc wheels.

gomango

I have two buddies that race Voodoo mtbs and love them.

Yours looks great and should ride well with 853!

gomango

Thanks for the info.

I've literally been ready to buy a Rawlands twice when other opportunities popped up.

I have to get off the fence and buy something for our gravel road series in the Midwest.

I'm just fraught with a little indecision.

4Rings6Stars

Found a frame! Thanks to the facilitation of our very on 3alarmer in CA I will soon be receiving a 2009 Soma Double Cross DC frameset.

Tange Prestige steel tubing so even though it is tig'd it has some C&V appeal.

Now I have to find a disc wheelset, disc brakes and a rear rack that will work with seat stay mounted rear disc brake. Other than that, I have most of the parts on hand to build it into my ideal commuter. Build will be Shimergo with Campy Record 10s shifters and most likely the 105/Ultegra drivetrain from my Raleigh Team with fenders and rear rack.

Sellers' pic.