Surly Crosscheck Handlebar advice
 

I have a 54cm Crosscheck frame, looking for a more upright position but would also like a couple of different hand positions. I have a pair of Surly Truck Stop bars I planned on installing, but it seems like it's going to take a lot to convert it over from the flat bars it currently has. I've also considered the Velo Orange Crazy bars or similar style bar. Interested in any thoughts or opinions from people who have experience with this frame...thanks!

IMO, if you are wanting a more upright position, you bought the wrong bike. The angle of the seat tube and the frame stack sort of imply that it's intended that you have a certain amount of lean to your body.

Increasing the height of your bars will get you more upright. For that to be comfortable you might have to move your saddle back. But that just messed up your reach to the bars and now you need a shorter stem.

I do agree you need bars with more hand positions. So just about any other type of bar will meet that criteria. Though you probably won't want to do drop bars as those won't work well with your existing shifters.

If you use drop bars you will need a very short stem for it to work reasonably.

as long as the frame is the right size, you should be comfortable. it is not a crazy stretched out or low position according to geo chart. You can try a shorter stem for starters.

This is a spot on take. I have a CC, and I love it, yet I am constantly messing w the fit. It's not my main bike but it's a keeper--such a good project bike. In fact, I actually traded frame sizes with another guy at one point. I went from a 52 to a 50, and between the two bikes I have had drops, super straight MTB bars, swept-back alt bars, risers, different stems, you-name-it. The more upright I try and get myself on this bike, the more uncomfy I get. When I go w drops, or my low, flat bars and get my saddle back and seat up--basically, anything that stretches me out more---I find myself way more comfortable on this particular frame.

EDIT: you could look at the new Surly Corner Bars, they will give you more hand positions, but not any more height, and you can use your existing brakes, levers etc. I'm thinking of trying them myself for kicks (though they're kinda heavy): https://surlybikes.com/parts/corner_bar

I put salsa Bend handlebars on my gravel bike. They are more reachy than a regular flat bar and have a more neutral wrist angle.

Been riding these on my Cross Check. Noirette plus bars. Slightly raised mustache type. Multiple hand positions. I’m happy with them.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...793ff3d35.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cbb48d8a5.jpeg

Try the Moloko bars. I got rid of my beloved Cross Check after 15 years. The race fit just didn;t agree with me any more once I hit 40. I moved everything except the brakes to a Soma Pescadero frame. Much more comfortable, if not as burly.

On my Cross-Check, I tried a Ritchey Kyote bar, a Jones bar, a 60mm stem, a high-rise stem, and an obscene number of spacers before I gave up and bought a different frame. The combination of a long top tube and a short head tube make anything resembling "upright" a real challenge. I'd recommend a Black Mountain Cycles MCD when they come back in stock.

That's why I stopped fighting my CC and just decided to use it for what it is. Even with all the experimenting like you did--bars, stems, heck as I say, I even tried a different size frame--and even with it being adjusted to (in theory) be more like my Kona Rove (which fits me perfectly), I still have a forward-leaning feel on the bike. I don't know bike fit tech but that's the only way I can describe it. I'm not after sitting bolt upright mind you--my Rove is drop bar and the hoods are just a smidge higher than the saddle and I can hang out on that bike all day. So now the CC is my singlespeed, flat bar bomber. Super fun, a little aggressive, and not for long days in the saddle (the Rove handles that).

Yeah, my frustration with the CC was made worse by my aging neck and shoulders. My drop bar excursions are now reserved for my Black Mountain Monster Cross, which has a taller stack than the Surly. It's still not ideal, but good enough for 50 or 60 miles.

Interestingly, I just bought an All City Super Professional singlespeed today -- a true "flat-bar bomber" if there ever was one!

Congrats! Those look awesome. That and the BMC are a nice pair!

A few years back a friend highly recommended a CC. I bought a 56cm. I fussed and fussed with fit, but finally found my sweet spot. I put a 70mm stem with 30 deg rise and a Jones H-bar with 2" rise. I really love these bars....multiple hand positions. . It's worked out well. Wrong bike for me, but I made it work.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4c56814ba7.jpg

Looks good with those Jones! You appear to have plenty of steerer tube left to play with - that's the main issue with mine. I've only got 1/2 the amount of spacers you have and it's maxxed out. Right now I have 90mm stem with a 30 degree rise, and with my Origin8 Space Offroad bars with a 30 degree backsweep it's pretty good, but not quite right still, plus I'd like to put drops on mine--I don't love the steering characteristics of backswept bars, and ultimately, I prefer drops. I've accepted that the best bet for me is to buy a new CC fork so I can have more steerer tube to work with - it'll be so much more flexible.

I am one that believes that keeping the steerer uncut is always the best idea unless you are sure the excess will never be needed. Good luck with that

<br />Yep, I agree! At the time I ordered mine, I was kind of a noob about that stuff--I'm not sure if it came from Surly with the steerer cut, or if the shop did it. I didn't come to understand the significance of it until later!
The shop also, IMHO, advised me on the wrong size for me as well, so after wrestling with it for a couple years feeling too stretched out, I traded frames for the next size down with another guy who wanted to go up in size (same color too). Sadly both of ours had the steerers already cut so nothing changed there. I ended up with a better reach for me for sure, but still limited as to how high I can get the bars.

You could always get a steering tube extender.
Like this one here I wouldn't bunny hop though

I was under the impression that all Surlys come with a full length steerer from factory.

Ooooh boy, I dunno about that. I ride this bike hard, lotsa time offroad, some serious under-biking. Probably not a good idea for me!

Correct, don't ride hard, but can be more comfortable road/gravel rides

If that's the case then the shop cut it when they built the bike, and didn't ask me. But as I say, I was a noob!