# Ti Roadie -> Gravel



## bm (Mar 10, 2002)

After reading Rebecca Rusch's interview in Road Bike Action of July '13, I am considering riding my TST Titanium roadie frame at the Crusher of Tushar this year. Questions for those with more experience on Tushar are ... 

Will my EC90 roadie carbon fork suffice? or should i switch to a cyclocross fork? 

If i go with a Canti fork up front then i can ride anything bigger than 32mm up front and then what do i put in the rear?

I'm very comfortable on dirt with tires as narrow as 35mm -- so how narrow could i go @ the Crusher race? 

Will 30mm knobbies fit under a roadie caliper? and between my TST frame stays, if anyone happens to know?


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## bm (Mar 10, 2002)

... as an alternative to the Ridley CX i have ready to go, because i'm trying weight-weenie idiot. Lol


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

25mm fully inflated don't clear my Tektro dual pivots too well....

I doubt my cross wheel/tire will clear the road brakes.... unless I install it deflated


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## bm (Mar 10, 2002)

I used to ride 28mm (slick tread) under dual-pivots on a Felt50r ... but i do recall having to deflate the tires to install the wheel.


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## krisdrum (Oct 29, 2007)

The easiest answer is you will need to check clearance on your frame and figure out the biggest tire you can get in there. I can pretty easily fit a nominal 28mm in my Ti road frame. That seems to be the upper limit on most modern road frames in my experience. But YMMV. 30-32mm+ usually needs a cross/touring frame. If it is just gravel and hardpack under it, I would think 28s would be sufficient.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

tried mounting my cross wheel (Alpha 400) with Vittoria XG Pro TNT 700x32 on my road frame. 

I didn't try too hard... because I don't want to break the seal on my tubeless setup... but I simple could not get past the brake pads. If I removed one of the brake pads, I can see it work, but it is simply too much effort (especially in a case of a flat tire)


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## Thom H (Aug 25, 2009)

Putting a cross fork on most road bikes would probably change your geometry as they are generally a couple cm taller hub to crown. That would raise your BB (that is ok) and slacken your seat tube and head tube angles and probably change your rake and trail numbers. All of that may be ok, but it will change your bikes geometry some. 

You might be able to get one of the faster cross tires with a diamond tread under your existing brakes. I have seen some guys 28s riding in stuff I would not have seemed big enough, but usually you can get away with a lot if the roads are somewhat packed. Sounds like fun either way you go.


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