# Road/cyclocross bikes with disc brakes



## seattlesyclist (Dec 22, 2006)

I'm looking for foul weather bike for the rainy season in the Northwest. I prefer a bike that has a compact double or a triple, takes a 700 tire, and has either Shimano 105 or Ultegra, or SRAM Rival or Force.

I know that there are road and cyclocross bikes that have disc brakes (Trek Portland, Lemond Poprad, Redline Conquest comes with tabs for disc brakes) . I also know that Trek used to make the FX 7.5 with disc brakes and 700 tires, but no longer does.)

Are there others I should be aware of?

Thanks.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Salsa La Cruz is a really great option. Soma Double Cross Disk might work.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Traitor Cycle's Ruben model is a disc bike, with a chrome crown fork too.

Sizes are rather straight though, the seat tubes are very tall if you read the actual center to top measurements.

https://www.traitorcycles.com/Bikes_Ruben.cfm


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

R.E.I. has their houes brand Novara Buzz Road
https://www.rei.com/product/779985

I was looking at this today at REI while waiting for my girlfriend at the mall. It's looks very well built. The handlebars are very wide, they are the drops made by WTB for mountain biking, quite a cult following over on mtbr.com


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

seattlesyclist said:


> ...Redline Conquest comes with tabs for disc brakes) ...


The Redline has a 130mm rear spacing. Off the shelf disc wheels come in mainly 135mm spacing for mountain bikes. 130mm disc hubs are made, but not much variety and options to choose from.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

holy cromoly said:


> Traitor Cycle's Ruben model is a disc bike, with a chrome crown fork too.
> 
> Sizes are rather straight though, the seat tubes are very tall if you read the actual center to top measurements.
> 
> https://www.traitorcycles.com/Bikes_Ruben.cfm


Interesting. Does anyone have any info on this company?


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

seattlesyclist said:


> I'm looking for foul weather bike for the rainy season in the Northwest. I prefer a bike that has a compact double or a triple, takes a 700 tire, and has either Shimano 105 or Ultegra, or SRAM Rival or Force.
> 
> I know that there are road and cyclocross bikes that have disc brakes (Trek Portland, Lemond Poprad, Redline Conquest comes with tabs for disc brakes) . I also know that Trek used to make the FX 7.5 with disc brakes and 700 tires, but no longer does.)
> 
> ...


It depends on what you are looking for, but you could build up a 29er frame with more of a road/cross build (a.k.a. "Monster Cross"). In case you don't know, 29ers use 700 rims, just like road and cross bikes. You'd get more tire clearance and more variety of hubs, and a more up right position, which may or may not be a plus.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Pablo said:


> Interesting. Does anyone have any info on this company?


They are an offshoot of the mountain bike company Transition Bikes.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

You could also add a Tange or Salsa steel disc fork to any cross frame and get front disc, where 70% of your stopping power is.

This would open up the options for you.


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## battaglin (Apr 19, 2002)

If you have a sizeable budget, take a look at Everti Odyssey. I've been wanting this.
USD1595 frame. Bonty disc fork about USD300. Ouch! too much for me.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

*Kona Dew Drop*
https://www.konaworld.com/09_dewdrop_u.cfm
Commuter city bike with drops, whereas other Dew models have flat bars.


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Pablo said:


> It depends on what you are looking for, but you could build up a 29er frame with more of a road/cross build (a.k.a. "Monster Cross"). In case you don't know, 29ers use 700 rims, just like road and cross bikes. You'd get more tire clearance and more variety of hubs, and a more up right position, which may or may not be a plus.


I have commuted both on cross bike and a 29er rigid setup with 32c tires.

Big plus is that you can run any size tire you want from thin roadie 23c all the way up to massive 2.3 inches wide mountain bike tires.

One bad thing about the 29er though is that the have a longer wheelbase and I did not fit in many elevators without having to stand up the bike on the rear wheel vertically. My cross bike would easily just lean and fit the width of the elevator. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is for me. I want to share nice with others in the elevator and the 29er was just annoying.


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## seattlesyclist (Dec 22, 2006)

Thanks one and all for the suggestions--it looks like I've got lots of options.


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## Mayday (Jan 22, 2004)

*Gunnar maybe*

The Gunnar Fastlane looks nice for that kind of use. They say the design is based on their cross frame, but intended as a commuter/general-purpose bike with a more upright riding position. Takes disc brakes, wide tires, rack, fenders. Price is higher than some mentioned here -- $900 for the frame.


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## knucklesandwich (Feb 23, 2007)

I was also gonna say the Gunnar Fastlane- looks like a sweet bike.

Also, more toward the “monstercross” end of the spectrum is the Singular Peregrine. If I had the money (and garage space) to have a stable of more terrain specific bikes, I would definitely buy one of these as a winter commuter and dirt road bike: http://www.singularcycles.com/bikes.htm


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

knucklesandwich said:


> I was also gonna say the Gunnar Fastlane- looks like a sweet bike.
> 
> Also, more toward the “monstercross” end of the spectrum is the Singular Peregrine. If I had the money (and garage space) to have a stable of more terrain specific bikes, I would definitely buy one of these as a winter commuter and dirt road bike: https://www.singularcycles.com/bikes.htm


Fastlane is pretty sweet looking.









That Peregrine is worth the dough if you can swing the approx 950 USD conversion of 450 UK. Shipping would be expensive too.


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## scknight2 (Jul 17, 2007)

Steelwool Tweed is disc compatible: https://steelwoolbicycles.ca/bikes/tweed.html


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## longcat (Nov 8, 2008)

Also Cotic Roadrat, comes in 2 geometries, one short and one long









Charge bikes Mixer https://www.chargebikes.com/products/bikes/detail.php?id=15


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

^^ why is the front disc on the wrong side?


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

It's British. ;-)


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

longcat said:


> Also Cotic Roadrat, comes in 2 geometries, one short and one long
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that fork on backwards, or am I seeing things?


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Dude, the pads can come out under hard breaking. That's really dangerous AND stupid.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

The disc is on the wrong side, _and_ the right-side brake lever actuates the front brake as opposed to the rear one. Double-wrong.


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## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Wow! That IS totally messed up. I was thinking the fork was on backwards, but then the canti-bosses are facing the right way. That is soooo wrong.


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## longcat (Nov 8, 2008)

The theory is this I think: the wheel cant pop out since its always forced up into the fork not down/out, anyway those frames/forks are so cheap so you can throw the fork away if you dont like it. _I think_

The brits also made the sea harrier now that one odd thing.

Fish and chips anyone?

I like brits myself tho.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

longcat said:


> The brits also made the sea harrier now that one odd thing.


And then along came an American company by the name of McDonnell Douglas, and they improved upon the design with the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier. I think they got the caliper orientation for this one correct.


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

The 09 Redline catalog has a steel conquest ("classic," maybe?) with BB7s and Tiagra. It's not on their website, though. Maybe worth a call to your local Redline dealer, or Redline itself. I imagine it's well under 1500 dollars.

That Novara is a smoking deal though! I'd be all over it if it meets your needs. It comes with an aluminum fork I guess, but dang, it's only 1000 bucks, and who pays retail for a bike at REI anyways?


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## cromo900 (Jul 17, 2008)

http://www.baronbicycles.com/ - and it's a Seattle company.


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## bigman (Nov 30, 2004)

Surly Karate Monkey would also fit the bill, super versatile.


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## LazyClimber (Jun 23, 2009)

I commute on a Marin Toscana which is a cyclocross bike. I paid $900 for it new (on sale). The frame is aluminum and the forks are carbon and both have mounts for discs but it doesn't come stock with them. It has a triple (30/39/50) which seems rare on these (Axis and Kona JTS were the only others I found). Components are lower end Shimano (mostly Sora / Tiagra) and crappy Tektro brakes. It also comes with some pretty decent Mavic CX-22s (32 spoke with stock 700c x 35 tires)

I've put about 1k miles on it (got it Memorial Day weekend), mostly dry, and so far its been very solid. Shifting on these components can be a little chunky but my only real beef is that the brakes could be a lot better. I'm debating whether I'll make the disc investment or just upgrade to better cantilevers. I tested a Kona Jake and didn't like the overall ride as much but the brakes felt much better (avids).


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