# The Future? Carbon Hydraulic Disc CX Bike



## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Coming out of Asia... here is my friend's factory prototype CX bike build. 

It is a CX frame outfitted for road training right now.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

Nice!! What's the weight?


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

why you need dics on a CX bike ?


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Salsa_Lover said:


> why you need dics on a CX bike ?


Well, that didn't take long... :lol:



Bike looks great, btw!! Sign me up- I need all the mud clearance I can get! :thumbsup:


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## 42ti (Mar 13, 2007)

Wow, 
Not really sure how I feel about discs yet, but I really like the look of the bike.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

I don't know the weight yet. I'll post it if I find it. The hydraulic system is still in prototype testing. Not sure where this frame is going to go either. The rear triangle is interesting. In this pic the wheels are Crank Brothers Cobalt 29ers and the groupset is SRAM Apex with a mountain bike derailleur for the 11-32 cassette. That is overkill for racing, but that is the configuration now.


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## outhere (Apr 11, 2011)

It is hard to tell from you picture but it appears that the master cylinder is located under the stem and the hydraulic lines leave the master cylinder and head to the brakes. Is the master cylinder actuated by the brake levers using traditional brake cables? I assume this must be the case but please elaborate on the system.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

I believe that is correct. It is a hydraulic converter for mech brakes.


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## ZoomBoy (Jan 28, 2004)

That sure doesn't look like Apex to me. If it were there would be no need to use a mountain derailleur for the 11-32 cassette.


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## JeffS (Oct 3, 2006)

Sorry, I can't see past the saddle position.


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## wibly wobly (Apr 23, 2009)

JeffS said:


> Sorry, I can't see past the saddle position.


maybe he's a fan of the hipster fixie crowd. looks like a bike for a pretty tall guy.

I'm waiting to see all the cool pics of people trashing their forks when discs start becoming really popular.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Very tall guy.

Don't know why he did the derailleur. I think there is some RED in there too.


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## maxxevv (Jan 18, 2009)

Looks like a TRP cable-hydraulic convertor ... they are releasing it really soon as far as Eurobike news has been.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

That's the one. This is one of the prototypes. Pretty sweet.


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## c_rex (Jun 3, 2010)

cool. any chance at a ride report from your pal or is he under NDA?


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## maxxevv (Jan 18, 2009)

I'm quite sure NDA for the adapter is over as it was already shown at Eurobike.


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## Crank-a-Roo (Mar 21, 2003)

Cool bike!!

hydraulic brakes = low maintenance!


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*but I think overkill*

the amount of stopping power from even a cable actuated disc will overpower the contact patch of a cx tire
point about maintenance is valid though


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## jmoote (Nov 29, 2007)

Having used both for mtb I don't view cable vs. hydraulic as having anything to do with power. Lever feel, and as has been mentioned maintenance are the biggest differences. Hydraulic brakes are the least work by far.

In any case, cantis overpower the traction available with cross tires easily so I don't really see making the change until the whole industry switches over.


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## Nater (Feb 7, 2003)

atpjunkie said:


> the amount of stopping power from even a cable actuated disc will overpower the contact patch of a cx tire


I agree with this completely. I use a Singular Gryphon (drop bar 29er) for some cross practicing and it's disconcerting...and that's with a 140mm rear rotor. If I ever get a dedicated cross bike again, it'll have cantis.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*but with this set up*



jmoote said:


> Having used both for mtb I don't view cable vs. hydraulic as having anything to do with power. Lever feel, and as has been mentioned maintenance are the biggest differences. Hydraulic brakes are the least work by far.
> 
> In any case, cantis overpower the traction available with cross tires easily so I don't really see making the change until the whole industry switches over.


you still have cable actuated outboard reservoirs so that yummy hydro lever feel isn't going to be there anyhow


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## kdtx (Apr 15, 2009)

Where's the cable loop for the rear derailuer?


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

At Nittany I had no mud or grass clogging issues, unlike the canti folks who's brakes acted like big old grass catchers. I also had no "over powering" brake issues in the sloppy mud despite my small contact patch. My brakes were consistant throughout the race and I had no reason to pit due to brake issues. 

The problem with over powering the brakes isn't an issue with the brakes.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

It looks threaded straight down.


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## dmcgoy (Nov 5, 2007)

kdtx said:


> Where's the cable loop for the rear derailuer?


I think that's a SRAM MTB rear derailleur - with "direct route".


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## Magdaddy (Feb 23, 2007)

88 rex said:


> At Nittany I had no mud or grass clogging issues, unlike the canti folks who's brakes acted like big old grass catchers. I also had no "over powering" brake issues in the sloppy mud despite my small contact patch. My brakes were consistant throughout the race and I had no reason to pit due to brake issues.
> 
> The problem with over powering the brakes isn't an issue with the brakes.


the first race of the season last Sunday, was an epic mudfest. Even though it hadn't rained in days, two weeks and two huge storms laid about 9 inches of rain in the area.

I was the only disc crosser there. At the Masters start, more than a few racers commented how nice it would be to have discs today. I told them I didn't plan on being fast enough to actually need brakes.

The course deteriorated all thru the race. There was a very fast downhill wooded section that was sketchy at best, my brakes stayed steady and allowed me to carry much more speed thru that section than many others. My bike was noticeably cleaner-not all that build up cake and mud held by traditional canti's.

I for one, will never go back. When integrated hydro's become available, and manufacturers start making super hi end carbon wunder bikes...I'll lay down the cash.

Until then, I'll carry on with my Posser mechanical disc crosser.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Start saving now. 2013 Season will be here soon. This is what I'm hearing. They need time to get bikes and components on the market first. That is what I am hearing.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Foundry Bikes may have purchased a little short-cut to the future. 

Pretty close...


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## BlacktopBlackbelt (Sep 15, 2011)

Dajianshan said:


> Foundry Bikes may have purchased a little short-cut to the future.
> 
> Pretty close...


Beat me to it.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

If too much brake power is the problem, why not run 140mm rotors? What will we do now in the cross forum now if we go to disk brakes? No more front fork chatter posts.


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## Mr. Scary (Dec 7, 2005)

Is that part of the wall the Purple Gang was shot to death in front of?

The bike uses an XO rear derailleur, SRAM Red crank-so not sure what is Apex-maybe the cassette? I like when somebody reporting on the bike don't know what they are looking at...


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## shomyoface (Nov 24, 2007)

Magdaddy said:


> Until then, I'll carry on with my Posser mechanical disc crosser.


Firstly, I love my hydro disc brakes on my mtb especially on down hills where I need the power. I understand they are superior in action and for mtb, but not *that *superior in a CX race that mechanical discs wouldn't work just fine. For CX courses in which we typically "feather" the brakes into corners anyway, why not just use BB7's.


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## maxxevv (Jan 18, 2009)

shomyoface said:


> Firstly, I love my hydro disc brakes on my mtb especially on down hills where I need the power. I understand they are superior in action and for mtb, but not *that *superior in a CX race that mechanical discs wouldn't work just fine. For CX courses in which we typically "feather" the brakes into corners anyway, why not just use BB7's.


Well, I use BB7 roads on my commuter/CX bike. I've had it for some 4-5 years now. The BB7's have sufficient power for everything that most people can safely handle, be it on or off road. But the problem with them is the lack of 'feel'/modulation or whatever you can call it. Its not quite like a quality road specific rim brakes like a Dura-ace or a hydraulic like an XTR, where you have a very precise feel and control of how you want to bleed the speed off the bike while going into a corner or approaching a traffic stop. 

It just doesn't feel so assured. Of course you can get used to it in about an hour worth of riding but, its not as reassuring as a quality road brake or hydraulic disc.


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## Duci (Feb 1, 2006)

Dajianshan said:


> Foundry Bikes may have purchased a little short-cut to the future.
> 
> Pretty close...



What size of dics are these? 140mm or 160mm?


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Those are 160mm rotors. The feedback on the bike and the brakes...

Avid XX full float brakes working better. *The TRP converter is getting low marks*. The frame and SRAM mix is getting higher marks. The rider has been mixing things up on components to find the best mix.


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## PaleAleYum (Jan 12, 2006)

Dajianshan said:


> Those are 160mm rotors. The feedback on the bike and the brakes...
> 
> Avid XX full float brakes working better. *The TRP converter is getting low marks*. The frame and SRAM mix is getting higher marks. The rider has been mixing things up on components to find the best mix.



If the TRP is not working out, your buddy might consider the 324 clamp. Designed by a local singlespeed guru that has been pressing the dics envelope for a few years. He teamed up with a local machinist/frame builder to refine the concept. A prototype was at Nats in Bend and a batch of 50 was recently completed. Not sure if they are all spoken for, but more info here

Ahrens Bicycles - Blog for Bike Geeks: More 324 Press & Progress


Me, I still haven't worn out my trusty Pauls and have a good inventory of salmon pads that seem to work pretty well.


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