# Guerciotti Cross Force - SRAM project completed.



## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

Hi guys!

I just finished my first cross bike project. Incidentally, it also was my first SRAM project. I just took it around the block for testing. I should be able to bring it out for a ride this weekend. 

I'm at a loss on what to get for pedals. I am leaning towards Crank Bros. Eggbeaters though.

So, here are some pics.


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## crossracer (Jun 21, 2004)

It is way to pretty to get muddy. LOL It looks great. Question what is your impression of the sram componets? 
thanks Bill


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## Albino (Mar 24, 2007)

That's a huge ring up front. Is that normal for you to race cross with? I'm down sizing to a 34/42 compact this summer.

And yes, feed back on the SRAM!!


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## Phat&SlowVelo (Nov 27, 2004)

*Santos*

that bike is really schweet! really turned out nice.  man, that is a looker!
swap out the 50 outer ring for a 48 or 46 and your ready to race that thing. :thumbsup:


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*Thanks crossracer!*



crossracer said:


> It is way to pretty to get muddy. LOL It looks great. Question what is your impression of the sram componets?
> thanks Bill



Hahaha.... thanks! However getting muddy was the intention for this bike. With regards to the SRAM group, I haven't given it a good ride yet. However, while dialing my position and calibrating the drivetrain, I was pleasantly delighted with the double tap shifting. I can't wait to give it a good ride this weekend. It incorporated the hood ergonomics that I loved about Campy together with what I could describe as Shimano-type smoothness. (By no means am I intending to awaken the FLAME-WAR bear with this comment).

Most of the articles I read about SRAM reviews wrote about shifting while on the drops via some wrist action. This is an added plus. I thought it would require quite an amount of effort that may set my balance off but all I read was true. You can just pull the double tap lever while on the drops and flick your wrist. It was like butter....

As you can see, it looks clean and devoit of antennae like cables on the bars. I love its simplistic design.

The two hitches I found in the build was not at all SRAM related. It was more of the frame design. (1) I had to sand the excess paint off the break bosses as my cantis would not go in. (2) I also had to grind an angle off the tip of the drive crank (175) as it was rubbing on the chainstay. Apart from that, it was a good build.

Cross geometry feels very strange as of this point. It is my first cross bike, evidently. Nonetheless, I am very excited to give it a spin.


Joe


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*Maybe by the end of the summer...*



Albino said:


> That's a huge ring up front. Is that normal for you to race cross with? I'm down sizing to a 34/42 compact this summer.
> 
> And yes, feed back on the SRAM!!


I may drop to a smaller ring this summer. I dunno yet.

Joe


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*I, too, were pleased..*



Phat&SlowVelo said:


> that bike is really schweet! really turned out nice.  man, that is a looker!
> swap out the 50 outer ring for a 48 or 46 and your ready to race that thing. :thumbsup:



Thanks P&SV!!!

Its not nearly as nice as your Moots cross bike. 


Joe


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## Guest (May 9, 2007)

Lovely, indeed.

What are the bottle cages you have there and what did you use to mount them there??


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## plussa (Nov 10, 2006)

Yellow or black handlebar tape would suit the color scheme a lot better...


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

toomanybikes said:


> Lovely, indeed.
> 
> What are the bottle cages you have there and what did you use to mount them there??


Hi Toomanybikes!

Thanks! That is the Profile Aquarack. It comes with an aluminum clamp towards a 26 to 27.2 seatpost and 2 cages. Since there's no bottle cage bosses for my Guerciotti, this was my alternative for hydration storage.

Minoura has an adaptor you can latch to your saddle to fit 2 bottle cages. I think it's like 15 bucks plus the cost of two bottle cages.

Joe


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*I thought about that...*



plussa said:


> Yellow or black handlebar tape would suit the color scheme a lot better...



... but I wanted to deviate from obvious choices. On my other Guerciotti (Twister) with a color scheme of yellow and black, red tape worked.

Joe


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Nice rig*

I have a 99 or 2000 Ridley that matches her well


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*Thanks!!!*



atpjunkie said:


> I have a 99 or 2000 Ridley that matches her well


Aptj!!

Do you have pics of this Ridley you speak of?  I'd like to see it.


Joe


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## Guest (May 11, 2007)

santosjep said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> I just finished my first cross bike project. Incidentally, it also was my first SRAM project. I just took it around the block for testing. I should be able to bring it out for a ride this weekend.
> 
> ...



Santos,

Beautiful bike.

Hope you love it to death.


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*loving it....*



toomanybikes said:


> Santos,
> 
> Beautiful bike.
> 
> Hope you love it to death.


 I took it for a short spin last night. I'm really digging the SRAM group and the cushy tires. I'm still getting used to the geometry. I feel like being in the nosebleed seats. 

When I got back, I swapped my stem from a 120 to a 130. I feels a bit like home now. 


Joe


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## Guest (May 11, 2007)

santosjep said:


> I took it for a short spin last night. I'm really digging the SRAM group and the cushy tires. I'm still getting used to the geometry. I feel like being in the nosebleed seats.
> 
> When I got back, I swapped my stem from a 120 to a 130. I feels a bit like home now.
> 
> ...



Joe,

What size is yours? The 54?


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*yup 54x54*



toomanybikes said:


> Joe,
> 
> What size is yours? The 54?


The top tube measures 54.5.

Joe


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## Guest (May 11, 2007)

santosjep said:


> The top tube measures 54.5.
> 
> Joe


That's the size I needed ..


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*www.bellatisport.com*



toomanybikes said:


> That's the size I needed ..


They have the 54x54.5 for 670 bucks... 


Joe


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## Guest (May 12, 2007)

santosjep said:


> They have the 54x54.5 for 670 bucks...
> 
> 
> Joe


I almost ordered one today.

Figured I should sell the "big" one first ..


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*I guess.....*



toomanybikes said:


> I almost ordered one today.
> 
> Figured I should sell the "big" one first ..



.. it's time to contact Bellatisport!  You have an empty stall in your stable now. 


Joe


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*Swapped the outer ring!!!!*



Phat&SlowVelo said:


> that bike is really schweet! really turned out nice.  man, that is a looker!
> swap out the 50 outer ring for a 48 or 46 and your ready to race that thing. :thumbsup:



I'm now running 46/34..  Muuuuuuuuuuuuch better 


Joe


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## cbuchanan (Mar 6, 2006)

Sweet looking bike santosjep. :thumbsup:


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## jeremyb (Jun 16, 2004)

santosjep said:


> .. it's time to contact Bellatisport!  You have an empty stall in your stable now.
> 
> 
> Joe


white, yellow or black are the only bar tape options, sorry.


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## Kung Fu Felice (Apr 17, 2007)

very sweet looking ride.

How do you like the saddle bottle cages? More convenient?

Very nice wheels by the way. Looking forward to a report/review on those wheels at the end of CX season.


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## Slartibartfast (Jul 22, 2007)

santosjep said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> I just finished my first cross bike project. Incidentally, it also was my first SRAM project. I just took it around the block for testing. I should be able to bring it out for a ride this weekend.
> 
> ...


Santos,

Now that you've had your new ride a few months, what do you think? I'm mainly interested in your impressions of the frame/fork, not SRAM. I'm considering this very frame, and I'd appreciate any feedback you have Thanks!


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## santosjep (Jul 15, 2004)

*I'm a very satisfied customer*



fougasg said:


> Santos,
> 
> Now that you've had your new ride a few months, what do you think? I'm mainly interested in your impressions of the frame/fork, not SRAM. I'm considering this very frame, and I'd appreciate any feedback you have Thanks!



Hi Fougasg!

The CrossForce is my first entry to the sport. Unfortunately, I would not be able to give you any type of comparison with other CX frames. However, I'be been a Guerciotti fan for years. I have to say that this frame is a testament to their heritage. This might seem too one sided and biased towards Guerciotti but I'm very happy with this bike.


Joe


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## rich caramadre (Jul 31, 2007)

*I love my Guerciotti force*

I have this same frame and love it. Your right about it feeling odd at first. It puts you up high compared to some other cx frames but I love that feeling while racing on a cx course. The bottom bracket is a little bit higher. I raced 12 cx races this year and never once clipped a pedal on sharp corners. Which I did last year a few times. I have a tendency to pedal as far into a corner as i can and it's nice to have the confidence of a nice high bottom bracket. (although alot of people on here have argued against a higher BB). The top tube is actually slightly higher at the seat tube than at the head tube which is really nice when you have to shoulder the bike on a run up. And dose not get in the way of mounts or dismounts. If you rack yourself on it you've done something wrong and would probably racked yourself no matter what your top tube height is! The fork really soaks up the bumps without feeling flexy, and I've had no brake shuddering issues. I like your blue tape. I also have blue but also a blue seat so it may have a different visual effect. 
Well, good luck now get out and race that thing. Thats what it's designed for. Hence the lack of water bottle cages.

Rich


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