Grasschopper

Hey gang, not sure if this scene cares about the latest and gratest but I was talking to the GM of my LBS yesterday and got a couple of tidbits on about to be released cross bikes. Specialized is going to release a full CF version of the Tricross which will retail for $3k including frame, fork, HS, seat post and integrated crankset (they have an integrated crank similar to Cannondale's SI system...designed by the same guy but supposedly with a few improvements). It is the S-Works Tricross.

Cannondale also has a new cross bike coming out with their new CAAD9 frame...don't know much more about it than that, sorry.

cyclintom

Err, the IDEA behind 'cross was to use old bikes that you didn't mind breaking.

Ih8lucky13

Not in my opinion, I say there is always room for a newer bike.

Grizzattack

The new 2007 Specialized Dealer catalog is in at my LBS (Lee’s: Fort Collins, CO) and I got a chance to take a peak at the all new Tricross. I don’t have all the details so I will report the bits and pieces I remember:

This years Tricross will come in three versions, Sport, Comp, and Expert. (Not sure about the S-works all carbon version I have heard about here and elsewhere?)

Frame: The Sport model very much resembles the current 2006 Sport with a Carbon fork and aluminum frame. The Comp and Expert however now includes carbon seatstays.

Components: The major change is that the Comp and Expert now have a 10-speed ultegra rear derailer with a triple crank on the front for a total of 30 gears to choose from. The comp features an array of Shimano 105, while the expert will have more ultegra goodies. The comp's Cranks are Truvativ Rouleur.

Wheels: the Comp and Expert will continue to use the same beautiful Roval Hubs that the '06 Comp offered.

Colors: The Comp is offered in “Black Sand” which resembled a matte black which looks sharp. The Sport and Expert where in matte brown and olive. I don’t remember which had which.

xccx

this news nas been out for some time...here she is:

kytyree

Uh, did I read correctly a guy with 11 bikes is giving another a hard time for looking at new bikes? :-)

Not that I don't have a serious addiction myself but...

mosovich

I'm sorry, but I think if you'd pay 3K for a cross bike, you'd be crazy. There are SO many other great frames out there for MUCH less. Plus, not trying to PO anyone, but it's a specialized. I'd much rather have an IF ti, or Hot Tubes.

flipped4bikes

Not POd, but Specialized rocks! I have the '06 Comp and I love it! Don't see how adding carbon seatstays would double the price. And I hope that it retains eyelets for racks and fenders. And as for the component changes, dunno if 10-spd is the way to go for 'cross, whether racing or just tooling around. And I really have to say I'm disappointed that the compact crank is going away. A triple? On a 'cross? Yuck...

OK, the Comp frame also changes from A1 to E5, and the seatstays also have Zertz. Man, that's one pricey ($2200) 'cross with an ugly-a** triple, which is an FSA Gossamer MegaExo, not the Rouleur.

Felicity

Not in the store yet but they said it would be in a couple of weeks. It is on their website.

Grizzattack

Hey Felicity, On which webpage did you see the tricross on?

Felicity

Here is the bike to which I was referring:

https://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=352

My title line seems to have gotten chopped off so I don't think people had a clue what I was talking about!

jeremyb

I got some photos on my blog:


https://plusonelap.blogspot.com/2006/...zed-bikes.html

trick

Just looked at a Tricross Sport and that Raleigh today.

Interesting change in the Sport for this year: No more Sora STI, Tiagra instead, and an LX rear deraileur. Aside from that looks like the 06. Didn't have time to test ride it today, going back to give both it and the Raleigh a try in a week or two.

Felicity

I bemoaned fit issues in my prior posts and finally got to ride the Raleigh. Bought it. The LeMond had to go back. LeMond was/is a nicer bike components-wise (except fork and crank arguably) and love that slim steel made in USA frame but it is all about the fit and the Raleigh is sort of squished upwards and the LeMond is elongated (squished downward to continue my tech parlance). The Raleigh handle bars were a good 2" higher with the seat and standover in the same places. It was a LeMond 55 vs. the Raleigh 57. LBS guy said some serious CX racers purchased the Raleigh due the frame geometry and were going to swap over all their better components; they just happen to be built like me - proportionally longer in the leg than the torso and/or arm.

flipped4bikes

'06 Tricrosses are nice, but speccing a triple for '07 (from compact crank) is silly, considering if you want to race the thing. Commuting with it fine, but the Sport is heavy. Another Sport owner pointed out the Fuji Cross Comp '06 as a good alternative. Lighter, cheaper and very similar spec. Check it out. I have an '06 TriX Comp, but I really wish Specialized kept the line simpler for '07, carbon frame or not.

flipped4bikes

I take some of that back: 2007 Tricross Comp with E5 aluminum frame/carbon seatstays with Zertz and 10-speed 12-27t, nice. Triple crank, still not nice.

jpearl

Tim Johnson has been racing his new Cannondale CAAD 9 CX with some good results so far this season. He rides for cyclocrossworld.com, and the website has a nice expose on his new rig (check out the "BOSS-bikes of the super stars" section on top of the site's homepage).

No doubt a few of these sweet new CAAD 9s and full CF Tri-Crosses are gonna end up on JeremyB's site (plusonelap.com)!!! As for my Cannondale ending up there, I'm still a couple of thousand of dollars and about 6lbs away from that.

cyclintom

Well, while I understand the addiction, cross is ALL about the rider and almost nothing about the bike. Especially in the lower classes where you'll see some guy shouldering a 36 lb MB-2 Bridgestone up a climb kicking everyone else's ass.

cyclintom

In the early days Specialized made good quality bikes. Now they are TOP quality bikes. There's NONE better in the world. That includes Trek, Colnago, Pinarello, Cervelo or anyone else you care to name.

jpearl

Possibly true, but some bike manufacturers get better input from pro riders than others. Specialized does make some of the finest bikes out there, but right now, Ridley, Colnago, Kona, and Cervelo are sponsoring the best CX pro riders in the world. Not to discount the quality of the Specialized CX bikes, but this is an area where discerning riders do pay attention to.

The reality is that there is a difference between the percieved "best" bike and the "right" bike chosen after a wise and thorough search process. Not to belittle Specialized in any way, though. I too have fond memories of ol' skool bikes like the Allez and the Stumpjumper, riders like Ned Overend, and movies like American Flyers. Specialized threw thier hats into the pro racing ranks long before Trek, and were ridden by the likes of Mario Cippolini (ahh the zebra and world championship stripes of Domina Vacenze).

sfcrossrider

I'd spend my money on a Van Diesel. For 3K you get a full Dur-Ace bike built by a small shop (2K gets you an Ultegra bike).

As far as Specialized being the "best" bike in the world. Maybe for box bikes they are. I'd take ANY number of custom steel frames made by a master craftsman over something made in a factory by a computer. Spend five minutes on an IF, Steelman, Vanilla, Sycip... and tell me something from a box rides better.

knykersnatchurs

GO redline!

txtricrossryder

This is a late reply, but I have a 06 TriCross. the bike is great and I attached a rear rack for panniers. I kinda wish I had waited a few months for the 07, but I couldn't wait and had to get into biking. I really can't say I would have used the third ring on the 07. The 06 only came as a double. Two things I really noticed a diiference in the pics is the the rear brake cable is seated differently on the 06 than the 07 and there are new zerts postioned in the rear portion of the frame that were not on the 06.

The TriCross I feel was perfect for me.

Oh yeah! I talked to the guys at Specialized. They have an accessory PDF file that has a front/rear rack kit for the TriCross for 75.00 I Like the front one. They state it will hold a 6 pack of your beverage of choice and it has a built-in bottle opener in the front portion of the rack!

Ride On!

Carvey

ronbridal

I am really eyeing the Conquest Team. I've been waiting for one to show up on ebay in my size (48cm) A 52 popped up the other day but it went pretty fast. The seller had a buy it now for only $529 and it was sold the day it went up. I couldn't convince myself I could make it fit Looks like I'll just have to wait a little longer.