# customizing my cross check



## dirtroad (Feb 15, 2009)

after buying a cross check complete and getting time in the saddle, i've made a few changes. it would've been much more cost efficient to have just bought the framset and done a custom build from the get-go, but this way gave me a chance to decide exactly which direction i wanted to go and just what changes were necessary. i ride mostly for fun with the occasional errand thrown in, things like biking to the grocery store and the bank. being a carpenter, i can't exactly commute to work (bummer).

so i started with a 56cm surly cross check in black. before i left the shop i swapped the saddle for a b17 in black. i later added pb cascadia fenders in black and the bike started to take on the "henry ford" look.









shortly after that, i found a like new b17 in honey for a song. i figured this was a good place to bring some color to the bike. next came the carradice barley, which has been an excellent bag. small enough to cover the essentials and not be too bulky, but with plenty of room for those unexpected items one may want to pick up on the ride or a quick trip to the farmers market.

a crane brass bell on a stem spacer mount and stainless bottle cages were added next.

i had a credit at another shop that i used to pick up a cat eye strada wireless computer. easy to set-up, has all of your basic functions and a nice clean look.

by now i had started to reconsider pretty much everything on the bike. i grew tired of all of the black components, and really needed to add some lower gearing for the hills. the bars were less than comfortable, and the brakes left a little to be desired.

a friend had just finished his build and used nitto noodle bars. one test ride on his bike and i was sold. the noodle was on the parts list. 

the other item his bike sold me on was the mks grip king pedals. i'm not a fan of clip-in shoes mostly because of the expense and i like to be able to ride in anything from sandals to sorels. in the past i've used clips and straps, but decided to try just plain old pedals for a while. i started with mks touring pedals and immediately enjoyed the freedom that comes with the absence of clips. i generally ride in chacos and that first ride on my friends bike i immediately noticed how comfortable the pedals were. so on the list they went.

i didn't much care for the look of the original crank and needed lower gearing for climbs. so, a new triple it was. my LBS had a nice sugino xd2 500 in the back with 48/36/24 chainrings and the crank arm length i was looking for. i added a tiagra triple front derailer and a new ird bottom bracket and the list grew.

i wanted the bars to be set a bit higher so i started looking for a 17 degree rise stem. i figured a polished stem would do nicely with the noodle and also sprung for a velo orange grand cru headset. i found what i was looking for in the stem with an origin8.

the seat post that came standard had a notched tilt adjustment. as luck would have it, one notch was too much, the next too little. VO to the rescue again. it's a nice polished post with micro adjustment. they advertise it as having a really long set back, but i found the set back wasn't much more (if any) than the kalloy post. in any event, it adjusts well, and looks great!

the original textro oryx brakes were ok, but the front had a tendency to squeak even when dry. looking at all the options it came down to tektro cr720s and ird cafams. both were silver to match all the new shiny bits on the list. it pretty much came down to cost and the recommendation of my LBS mechanic whom i had been consulting with regarding all of my choices, although the ird's finish is nicer and they have a great rep., apparently they have a small plastic cap on the underside, which were it to break one would lose braking function. little stuff like that just bugs me. the cr720s have been given great reviews as well, so they were the choice.

i sourced everything through my LBS with the exception of the brakes, which i found at less than their cost through tree fort bikes. took my cross check in and a day later had a whole new bike. they did a great job with the install and finished it off with some blue cork tape that i picked out. 

after getting it back i decided to go with sks silver p45s. the cascadias i moved to my girlfriends jake. the sks fenders were much more of a pain to install, but the end result seems a bit nicer and the silver lightens things up a bit.

after a long wait my LBS finally got in the panaracer tserv tires i'd been wanting in a 700x32. these are so much nicer than the ritchey speedmax cross tires. another great addition has been the ultra light mirror. it's the same one from the rivendell site. it offers a great clear view, mounts easily and doesn't vibrate.

i've ridden about 50 miles since the transformation, and i must say that it turned out great! the bars are as cozy as can be. the crank is fantastic and the ird bb feels much nicer than the previous shimano. the cr720s have more stopping power than the oryx did and look nicer too. i'm still contemplating whether to swap out the rear cassette and derailer for an xt and 11-32, but i'll ride it the way it is for now. i've been in touch with peter white cycles and will have a custom wheel-set built up in the nest week or so. i'm less than impressed with the alex/deore/32spoke wheels that came with it. being 235 and looking forward to some light touring/weekend camping, i want something that will hold up and be more trouble free. aside from that, i've been contemplating racks and bags, and trying to determine what the best set-up would be in that dept. 

as usual, i'm always open to suggestions and comments. sorry for the long post, i'm just pretty excited about the way it all came out.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

I think it looks awesomer now. :thumbsup:


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## mbaha (Jul 2, 2007)

Looks good, I have been thinking about 720's as well but new pads on my shorty 4s seem to be helping

It look like you need a rack and some panniers!

here is my cross check
http://gallery.roadbikereview.com/showphoto.php?photo=65940&cat=500&ppuser=285735


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## jdeane4 (May 5, 2008)

That looks really good. I love those saddle bags.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Nice! Looks great. I especially like the looks of those tektro cr720s. 

Here's the Cross Check I built up a few years ago. Haven't changed a thing in three years of commuting, other than a few tires and chains.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=78173


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

Actually, I like them both - well done for the purpose.


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## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

yeah, i actually kind of like the all-black one...it's spooky in a grim-reaper sort of way.


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## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

Black components SUCK on real bikes.

YOU sir, have.... IT. You know what I'm sayin; IT.

Nice. Very nice. 

Now go bang that thing up against the real world a few times each day.

and don't forget a custom top cap at www.purelycustom.com


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## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

It's evolution baby.


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## dirtroad (Feb 15, 2009)

thanks for the compliments fellas. a custom top cap sounds like a good idea, redrex.:thumbsup:


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Dig the overhaul, and dig your choice in bags.

Now all you need to do is add QR hooks to the bag.


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## PaulRivers (Sep 11, 2006)

Wow, I've never seen a bike which looked better with non-black fenders than with black fenders before, but yours certainly does. Nice! 

Personally, and I know someone or other is going to try to tell me I'm wrong, the next step I'd take is converting the bar end shifters to brifters (integrated break and shifter levers). I just like not having to take my hands off the brakes so much better.

If you're doing some long riding, I might also think about adding some secondary inline break levers (like they have on cyclocross bikes) so you can ride the bike with your hands on the top tube of the handlebars and still have the brakes within reach:
https://www.salsacycles.com/brakes.html

Like this:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/brake-levers-drop.html


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

I missed this the first time around. Nice looking bike! You got lucky getting the crown on your crank arms- I don`t know when they stopped using it, but it seems like most of the current stock says "Sugino" rather than the cool little logo. Since I liked the crown so much I called around to a few different places before ordering and made sure I`d be getting that style! I sure could go for a set of those cantis, too.


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## TrekJeff (Mar 14, 2007)

Very nice. I have the dark green and considering a brown B17 with matching bartape. It's a stock build from Surly and the all black. Once the bar tape gets enough scuffs and tears, it will be time.


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## alabby (Jul 20, 2009)

You guys have inspired me to custom build a cross check as my next ride


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## bubba9646 (Jun 17, 2008)

*cross check*

This works for me.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Very cool, Bubba. I dig the peach basket on the rear rack. As handy as a milk crate, but much classier. What sort of rack/bag do you have in front?


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## bubba9646 (Jun 17, 2008)

Thanks bro. the peach basket is 75% lighter then the milk crate and it sits low enought that when I throw a leg over it does not catch.
The front pack and rack are from Nashbar and both are on sale now. And they have been an awesome addition to my bike.
Bubba


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

Nice looking bike and what a great transformation!


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

bubba9646 said:


> The front pack and rack are from Nashbar and both are on sale now. And they have been an awesome addition to my bike.


Ah, now I see. It`s that squatty little platform thingy that mounts to the canti bosses and the SP brake hole. Then the front bag is like a trunk with mini panniers built in? I`ve seen those for rear racks, but didn`t know there were smaller front versions. Good idea.


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## SantaCruz (Mar 22, 2002)

with a new frameset, you've got N+1, in black.


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## Markers (Jun 8, 2010)

*Nice Crank*

Hey, nice set-up! I'm about to buy a Sugino, and am wondering what size bottom bracket you used. Is it a 113? Thanks for your help.


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## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

old_fuji said:


> yeah, i actually kind of like the all-black one...it's spooky in a grim-reaper sort of way.


Me too.


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