# is there a better bike than trek cross rip for the money ?



## loona

what i want is a carbon frame and light bike. 
i know cross rip is aluminum frame 
but mostly i want a bike with discs brakes .


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## oisiaa

I would definitely go for the Giant TCX 2. Sorry, I can't post links because I'm too new here.

No disc brakes, but it out specs the Trek and there really isn't anything wrong with rim brakes.


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## the mayor

You want a carbon light bike....
So you're going to buy a real heavy aluminum bike?


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## loona

my reason for this purchase is to gain disc brakes.

the cross rip i have access to 
will cost me 900.00

so that is my budget


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## the mayor

The real question is what are you doing with the bike?
The Rip is not a race bike....more of a commuter.


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## oisiaa

So basically, you just want a bike with disc brakes for the sake of owning a bike with disc brakes? 

You can get cheap bikes from Wal-Mart with disc brakes.


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## ecub

A lighter bike, especially carbon frame & fork, means more money.

Disc brakes mean more weight.

With that in mind, if you have a budget, then you're going to have to give up on one or the other.


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## chrisf.10

don't buy it solely bc its cheap. you'll be kicking yourself in the ass until you get what you want. if you have your heart set on a carbon frame/fork with discs, get a carbon bike with discs. another reason i don't care for the cross rip and one of the reasons it is so cheap are the components. you can either go cheap now and expensive when cheap breaks, or go $2-3,000 and get something you want


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## loona

i keep going back and drooling over the chinese carbon thread builds 
and the final weight of them once they are completed. 
even built with discs.,but not sure what they cost to build 
i don't have the important component integration knowledge to build one without asking what parts work and don't work with them.
i am using a canondale cyclocross bike with headshok (10 years old) 
it is too big for me 
so i run the seat post all the way down and have a short stem on it.
selling it to help raise funds towards new this bike
just want to do this right .
and would like to have some help / guidance . 
and avoid discussing other brake options. 
i want the disc brakes on this new bike


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## zippinveedub

I'd do a chinese carbon frame with discs, if your not comfy with the build take the frame to a shop or talk to them before your order and see what they can set you up with as far as building it up.


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## c-lo

ok......you still have told us what you are using the bike for. without knowing that we can't help answer your questions. 

are you racing or commuting or just riding


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## loona

i tried racing my cyclo cross bike a few weeks ago. 
it is too big, to really race it.

when i went through muddy section braking power was reduced 

since i am selling the bike that is too big for me.
i would like to add disc brakes to the bike i want to buy.

i like carbon over aluminum and steel. 
and unsure what the best value is, in a home brew built bike.

would like to have all the home work done 
before the money comes in, 
so i just buy and start build right away.
atleast that is what i think it will go like, at this point.


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## GDeAngelo

I am so lost. Are you wanting to race or use a cross like bike for all around riding? Coming from someone employed by Trek in their sales department, the Cross Rip can race, but isn't designed to be a race bike. You can get a lot of benefits out of it. But honestly, if you are wanting to race, there are better options out there. Also, disc brakes are nice, but unless you are racing, you are just getting them to get them.


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## loona

yes ..the bike will be for racing


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## Erik_A

Higher-end aluminum Cyclocross frames are very light with thinner wall alum tubing (and can dent if crashed). Some of the best are made by *Alan* ( Stellina Sport » Home ): Xtreme DCS cross (aluminum front, rear full carbon); Xtreme CS (aluminum front, carbon seat stay); Xtreme (all aluminum); Roland 5 (aluminum front, rear full carbon); Klaus Peter 2 (aluminum front, carbon seat stay).

I like the Lemond Poprad with disc brakes - it is a fairly light (True Temper Platinum OX) steel frame that is extremely well built (in the USA) but unfortunately now discontinued by Trek. They show up on eBay and Craigslist sometimes but can be expensive (about $400 for the frame); but worth it.

If you really want lightweight than it will be carbon fiber. The going rate for a Chinese carbon frame and fork is $550: You may like the On-One Dirty Disco: On One Dirty Disco Carbon Cyclocross Frameset

If you build it up - look for Avid BB7 "ROAD version" disc brakes with 160mm rotors.

I am sure you know, but make sure you get the correct frame size, especially the top-tube that fits. I recommend that people do your body measurements at these 2 free sites:

Wrench Science: https://www.wrenchscience.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Secure/Fit/Height.aspx (you need to sign up for a password - still free)
and
Competitive Cyclist: Fit Calculator - Competitive Cyclist

look at the averages between what these 2 sites spit out for your measurements should be for a ROAD bike and subtract 1cm from the top-tube dimension.

Then look for a cyclocross bike that lists the top-tube measurement.


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## PlatyPius

I was going to post some snarky comment about how pretty much ANY bike would be better than a Trek. But then I lost too many IQ points reading the posts.


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## loona

i ride a 51 or 52 road bike 
depending on who sells the frame and what they label it as.

or a small mtn bike like a 15 
my gary fisher rig 29r is the smallest model they make


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