A Bike Build

Zipp 70 XPLR Handlebars for Surly Cross Check

Unlike saddles, handlebars are normally an easy component choice, generally based on the use of the bike. With higher bars, like on my Bob Jackson, I prefer deeper drops, the Nitto Noodle works brilliantly giving varied positions, on my Condor with a lower front end, a shallower drop works well so both the hoods and drops can easily be used.

When I built this Surly, I chose Nitto RM014 Dirt Drops but I haven't been completely satisfied with them - they are a bar of extremes - the deep extreme flared drops are very comfortable and give good control, they are a little too low compared with the hoods on this bike though, the tops are narrow and consequently riding in the hoods feels a bit cramped and the angles a little awkward.

Zipp recently released a silver Service Course range of components including stems, seatpost and handlebars and the new Zipp Service Course 70 XPLR bars caught my attention - similar to the well liked Salsa Cowbell, but with some positive difference, in my opinion, to the shape.

I went with the standard 42cm width, specifications show a 70mm reach, 115mm drop and an 11 degree outsweep and 5 degree flare. There is also a 3 degree backsweep on the bars. Lots of numbers but translated, this is a mild curve on the tops of the bars back towards the rider, neutral hood position and then a gentle outward flare in the drops giving additional width and wrist clearance - a subtle but noticeable difference from a more standard modern road bar. Finally the flattened section of the tops provide a comfortable platform if that's your preferred position. It's a great fit for the Surly Cross Check and as my mixed use bike for both road and off road, the perfect match.

The Nitto bars have a logo engraved at the front which I use for centring and calibrating adjustments in position, the Zipp bars have a clear cross and calibration marks for this purpose as well as marks on the bends for aligning the levers properly. This makes setting up much easier, particularly as my Thomson stem is open at the front.

Finally, I have belatedly discovered Supacaz bar tape - as much as I like my "go to" Condor perforated tape it's excellent value and better quality than the "branded" equivalents, the Supacaz is a different product altogether - superb quality, stretchy, clean edges and a pleasure to wrap. It is fairly thick when wrapped but not lumpy - no additional gel padding is needed. Length is reasonably generous, I wrapped with the figure of 8 method and there was easily sufficient.

Nitto S65 and Nitto S83 - Fitting a new Seatpost to the Bob Jackson

Since switching from the Brooks Team Pro to the Specialized BG Romin Evo saddle on my Bob Jackson World Tour, I have found the angle hasn't held perfectly. The Nitto S65 "crystal fellow" has been on the bike since I built it and has never caused any issues... until now.

Obviously the first step was to dismantle, clean and reassemble. The S65 has a very polished surface, including where the surface of the gripping washer clamps on to the post - to obtain a good hold on metal-to-metal friction connections, I find carbon assembly paste can do wonders - however even that trick didn't work in this case.

My conclusion was that over time the post had slightly indented at the angle of my previous saddle and naturally slotted back to that under pressure.

The Nitto S65 is the only single bolt seat post I currently have in use, my Condor has a two bolt carbon seat post and my Surly has a Thomson. Two bolt posts require less torque in my experience and logically are able to set and hold their angle position much easier. The Thomson posts are probably the best I have used but aesthetics are important too and the Bob Jackson, with Nitto quill stem an Nitto bars "needed" a matching seat post.

The S83 seemed a logical choice and relatively easy to obtain in the UK. Silver components are more tricky to get with pretty much everything black now, Ritchey and of course Thomson continue to do silver and a few days ago, Zipp introduced their "Silver Service Course" range which would be very high up on my list for any new bike build.

The Nitto S83, 250mm, 27.2mm version, shares the same outstanding quality of the S65. The finish may be slightly more polished or less pearlescent, not sure. The branding is subtle with laser etching on the post sides, albeit quite large - given the choice I think I prefer the more subtle black logo at the top of the S65. Mechanicaly there is no doubt the design is better, more easily set up and adjusted. There is a slightly larger clamping area, so although there is 1mm less set back according to Nitto, 23mm (24mm on S65) the design is such that you will need the saddle further forward on its rails to achieve the same relative saddle position. Be aware of how this might impact saddlebag fittings or even the ability to position the saddle optimally. Weight is 25g greater on the S83.

Finally some fitting tips:

1 - to obtain the same height I measure from the BB centre through the seatpost line to the top of the lower clamp of the front clamping area, where it would meet the saddle rail. This means I can get the seatpost fitted perfectly before worrying about mounting the saddle and is an easier measuring point than a contoured saddle surface.
2 - I have always used copperslip (or similar copper based anti-seize grease) on bolts and between metal surfaces, it allows good connections without over-torquing and it lasts. So for a seatpost fitting, I would apply it sparingly to all contact surfaces, the post itself, the bolts, washers, seat rails etc.
3 - Nitto seat posts are easy to scratch, so if you insert it to far and then pull it out, it will likely show very visible scratches, take care, do it slowly and carefully.
4 - to get a straight saddle is tricky by eye, so I clamp two long poles into the rails to accurately align the post.

Upgrading Shimano Cantilever Brakes

So the performance of my Shimano BR-CX50 Cantilever brakes has improved a bit as expected now they have bedded in, they work well in the dry but are not great for wet muddy rides. Short of spending over £200 for another set of Paul Touring Cantis, I have looked to upgrading pads as the geometry and construction of them actually appears pretty good.

Unlike the more expensive Shimano BR-CX70 brakes, the CX50s do not have a two piece holder / pad construction, instead using a single piece - not bad in and of itself but it does mean you are restricted in pad choices.

Looking at the construction, I thought I would try a mix and match upgrade. I have replaced the CX50 pads with Shimano R55C3 brake shoes, these are Ultegra series shoes for their standard road calliper brakes, the fitting screws and washers are different but the thread is identical and there is some swivel in the mount so they fit perfectly. The included pads look to me to be a bit softer than the CX50 pads but I have not used them, instead swapping them out immediately for some Kool Stop pads. I have gone with the KS-DR2TR, this is the newer Dura2 road pad and have chosen the “triple compound” - meaning a third black (standard dry presumably), a third salmon (wet) and a third dark grey and mysterious - Kool Stop describe this combination as their “most aggressive compound combination for superb braking and controlled stopping in all weather conditions”.

The swap over was easy - just a few minutes - I needed to keep the spacers and washers from the original brakes. The overall depth of the pad / holder is fractionally bigger than the CX50s, a couple of millimetres or so, a slight adjustment was needed of the barrel adjuster.

The first ride was in dry conditions so not a true test, but braking was noticeable improved and nice and quiet. It’s not easily explained but I do still have a fondness for the simplicity of cantilever brakes and if set up correctly, whilst lacking the power of disc brakes, they can be easily good enough for what I need.

Gravel and Dirt with the Surly Cross Check - 2 weeks on

So with the bike build complete, I have done a number of rides and made a couple of changes. Overall the Surly Cross Check has proved great fun as a go anywhere bike.

As expected, brakes needed some tweaking, my initial thoughts are that the Shimano BR-CX50 cantilevers are pretty good, better than Tektro and the Avid Shorty Ultimates that I had on my last Cross Check, but not quite up to the standard of Paul Touring Cantilevers, close enough though and I suspect they will improve once bedded in. 

The WTB Nano 40c tyres are impressive, admittedly I don't have much experience off-road, but they have worked faultlessly through gravel, rocky paths, woods and a bit of mud, most surprising is how well they roll on the road. Obviously there is more rolling resistance to them than my Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 32c tyres but they are pretty smooth, quiet and comfortable, I am currently running at just below 40psi front and just above on the rear which seems a good compromise for the mixed riding I am doing.

I am not greatly obsessed with bike weight and haven't weighed things yet, from general handling the bike weight feels pretty close to my Reynolds 631 tubed Bob Jackson World Tour, which would be about right considering the Surly Cross Check has a heavier frame and forks, but lighter (and fewer) components.

The only significant change made is to the wheelset. I originally put the Surly together with my Royce hub / Mavic A719 rim wheels "borrowed" from the Bob Jackson. I will be using both bikes through the winter so a new wheelset was always on the cards. Harry Rowland is my wheel builder of choice and following a couple of emails and a conversation, we decided on 36 hole Shimano Deore LX hubs with DT Swiss TK 540 rims. These make for a strong build, on strong touring rims, for what is now commonly termed a gravel bike or monster cross, a touring wheel designed for durability in a mix of conditions is a good fit. Weighing 545g with an inner width of 18.2mm and outer width of 23.6mm, the DT Swiss TK540 rim is in fact very similar to the Mavic A719, of course the handmade Royce hubs are in a different league to the LX hubs but I see no reason why they won't be durable and work well.

Over the next few weeks I will probably re-tape the bars with thinner 2mm tape and gel pads, Fizik's 3mm thickness "Performance Handlebar Tape" is not bad, just a bit of the worst of both worlds, bulky in all the wrong places! I also suspect the platform pedals won't stay - whilst the MKS MT Lite pedals are comfortable and I love the idea of being able to hop on without changing footwear, I miss the feeling of being properly attached.

The Surly Cross Check is often classified as a jack of all / master of none. It doesn't really make sense as a road bike and there are better options available for pure off-road use, but there is something I just love about this bike and it feels like it is really reaching its potential far more than my first Cross Check that was built up purely for tarmac. It remains one of the few non-disc adventure bike frames around, whilst I do see the value of disc brakes for this sort of bike in both power and the ability to cope with water and mud, the simplicity of cantilevers remains a big advantage for me.

Time for a long term update and another Surly Cross Check bike build

I have left this blog live, despite not updating it as it still gets a fair number of visitors and hopefully remains as a helpful resource. I have just built another Surly Cross Check (for me this time), so thought I would detail the build and also provide an update generally.

So what's changed... cycling habits and kids

I am continuing to cycle regularly, a bit of commuting but mostly general short leisure rides - all road riding and a mix of the Bob Jackson World Tour and Condor Acciaio. Older kids has meant family rides have become more popular and the trend is definitely MTB rather than road bikes.

The Bob Jackson remains a terrific, comfortable all weather bike, it is a bit heavy but runs well and silently (I hate rattles and squeaks) - testimony to high quality components and fairly regular cleaning. More soap less grease as Maggie at Brixton Cycles once told me. My Condor Acciaio remains a fun and comfortable quick bike - I have used much less use of the Brompton and tend to be walking around town more - although I have used it locally when I need to hop on a bike and don't want to bother changing shoes!

Lately I have "needed" something to do gravel tracks and off road - with the kids mainly, initially an MTB seemed the best, or at least the obvious choice. I had a look at some of the big name MTBs, Specialized, Cannondale, etc. but was a bit uninspired. Rather than going for something conventional, I sought out a test ride on the Surly Krampus. This is a "plus bike" according to Surly. Steel frame, fully rigid and 29 x 3" tyres. It was superb but felt huge - not heavy, but like driving a limo! Definitely not an easy transition from road bikes!

So, a sensible compromise seemed to be a Surly Cross Check. I loved my first Cross Check which I sold after the Bob Jackson took over as my main bike, my second build was for my sister, so this is number three and my first built for off rather than on road.

Towards the end of the season, a 56cm frame has proved difficult to source but perseverance paid off and I was able to get the "Mule Mug" that I was after - a sort of orangey brown with a sheen. I sized up from a 54cm on my previous build to a 56cm. I wanted slightly higher bars - reach is identical between the two sizes and the extra cm of head tube and 2cm of stack seemed sensible whilst maintaining adequate standover height. The 1cm additional top tube length offset by using a non-set back seat post. I've always thought it strange that all bikes seem to have set-back seat posts now.

Stem calculation is always tricky but I went with a 10 degree 110 stem and 3cm spacers before the bars - 2cm of spacers and a 1cm brake cable hanger.

The fun part is always working out the build kit - I knew I wanted to go silver rather than black, a bit different and I still like the look, but it is getting much more difficult to source silver parts now. I already had a Thomson seat post and went with a matching stem. For off road, I knew I wanted to keep drop bars, but went with something more "gravel" oriented - the Nitto RM-014 "dirt drops". These flare at the drops to a wide 52cm maximum. There's always a few small parts to seek out, hangers for front and rear canti's, down tube cable stops, spacers, etc. I went with a Hope headset - never tried one before but their reputation tempted me. They do nice matching spacers too!

A Tiagra groupset with compact 50/34 chainset and an 11-32 cassette seemed sensible - their current 4700 ten speed running gear seems very similar to the older 105 5700 and is good value - time will tell if it shares the durability. The only substitution from the groupset was for Shimano's own BR CX50 Cantilevers. I have tried Avid, Tekto and Paul - Paul are definitely the best by far, but with the very high cost of Paul brakes now, I thought I would give the Shimanos a go. I always use a Wippermann Connex link for quick and easy chain removal and cleaning and calculate length using Leonard Zinn's method of wrapping round the largest chainwheel, largest cassette (ignoring the derailleur) and adding one link overlap.

Pricing came out lower than a full build from Surly, with higher end components.

I have no experience with MTB or gravel tyres at all, I occasionally used some cyclocross tyres on my original Surly but was looking to take advantage of the "fatties fit fine" clearances on the Surly Cross Check and after some research (more opinions than tyres on the web), I have selected WTB Nano 700 x 40c tyres. They look like they will do well on gravel and a range of off road, while being usable for the road where necessary - again time will tell!

I will finish with a few tips - think about position of the wheels in the horizontal dropouts, I go almost fully forward as I find shifting has always worked best that way. I always use plenty of insulating tape to secure the cables on the bars - it makes the bar taping easier and with lots of tension on the brakes keeps flex to a minimum. Cable donuts are vital to prevent my nemesis of rattles and particularly needed with the Cross Check as the rear brake cable routes on top of the top tube. And finally make sure you have plenty of spare cable ends and bits!

Cycling in Center Parcs

I have just returned from a great break with family at Center Parcs in Elveden. One of the highlights, particularly for the kids was all the cycling.

It was interesting to look at our hired Schwinn MTBs - these must be abused like crazy and are permanently outside, but they work well - maybe it shows that obsessional cleaning and meticulous adjustments is a little over the top? I believe during 2013 these replaced the previous fleet of Mongoose MTBs which we had on our last visit three years ago, also good and I recall characterised by a strong whiff of GT85, perhaps they have upgraded the lubricant.

Despite the soundtrack of rattles and squeaks from every moving part, they are well maintained to a good standard, and whilst of quite basic spec, they are the perfect fit for the terrain and conditions with rigid forks, comfy fat tyres, gearing via a 7 speed Shimano rear derailleur and importantly, decent Shimano dynamo lighting. Given the suitability of the hire bikes and worries over the risk of theft, I wouldn’t consider taking my own bike.

Pickwick Bicycle Club - a memorable afternoon

New Dura Ace 10 speed Chain with Wippermann Connex Link

This afternoon I replaced the chain on my Bob Jackson World Tour, I expect I have had approaching 2,500 miles from it in all weathers including heavy winter. I noticed last week it had just hit .75% stretch and didn't want to risk damage to the cassette or chainrings.

Although the running gear on my Bob Jackson is a mix of Shimano 105 and Ultegra, with a Sugino Alpina chainset, I installed another Dura Ace chain as I am convinced they are quieter running than 105 or Ultegra. This time I took the opportunity to install a Wippermann Connex link that allows the chain to be easily removed and replaced for cleaning. I always used them on my Surly Cross Check as it was easy to clean after off-road riding but for some reason haven't bothered on the World Tour until now. For chain breaking, I use a Park Tool Ct-5 chain tool, good value for money, excellent quality and easy to use.

Installation is straightforward, after breaking the new chain to match the length of the old one, just remove the outer plates from the other end, wrap and pop in the links. There is a correct way round, the outer plate should have the opening end leading and the flatter profile facing inward on the chainring, the picture above shows the view of the chain on the top side of its travel, between the cassette and chainring. Finally, a quick lube of the chain, I always use Chain-L as I find it very durable and gives me very quiet running. I also took the opportunity to remove and re-grease the jockey wheels from the rear derailleur, I try to do this annually at least. The whole job was probably about 20 minutes, just in time for the rain!

Surly Cross Check with North Road Bars and Bar End Shifters

I built up Debbie's Surly Cross Check in March last year with drop bars, but due to neck and back problems, a rebuild was needed for a more upright and comfy ride.

The choice of bars was the biggest decision and I ended up choosing Nitto North Road bars. Other possibilities included Albatross bars which are very similar and Moustache bars, which I think would have lacked the comfort for city commuting.

So that I could keep the same Velo Orange stem, a shim was needed as the bar diameter for the North Road bars is 25.4mm compared to 26mm on the Deda drop bars fitted previously, Nitto make one specifically for the purpose. Brake levers and shifters were needed to replace the Shimano 105 STIs, for brakes I went with Tektro FL750s in silver, they are really nicely made and well finished - unlike most flat bar levers they take road cables - take note! Dia Compe 131 levers would make a good alternative. Shifters were a choice between bar end or down tube, ultimately I think bar end will prove to be more convenient and I fitted Shimano Dura-Ace 10 speed shifters, they are a bit pricey but of excellent quality. 

I have seen North Road bars with standard grips and bar tape, both would have worked, but bar tape seemed more practical and allowed the shift cables to be routed neatly under the tape. For the moment it is standard Deda cork tape but I will replace it with some Brooks leather tape to complement the saddle at some point.

The whole conversion cost about £150, which is not too bad considering all the components were pretty high-end. The verdict from Debbie is definately positive so far, on a couple of short test rides she has found the bike really comfortable and probably better suited for commuting in traffic due to the improved visibility from a more upright position. More proof that the Surly Cross Check is such a versatile bike, it really is well suited to a traditional "city commuter" build, now I just have to pursuade her to accept mudguards!

Condor Acciaio build - how and why

When I built my Bob Jackson World Tour in 2011, I also had a Surly Cross Check - I sold the Surly last year as the two bikes ended up being quite similar, the Cross Check was a bit more sporty perhaps and could do rougher off road trails, but I was not using it regularly. I started looking for a lighter bike for fair weather weekend road rides, the Bob Jackson is great with traditional touring geometry and good tyre clearance, but it’s not light and very much built for all-weather commuting.

As much as forums can provide ideas, the ultimate answer to the many “which bike shall I buy” threads is obviously to get out and try as many as possible. I tried quite a number, the final short list included:

• Bob Jackson Olympus Road - obviously no opportunity to test this but given how happy I am with the World Tour, it remained an option, however I was after a more modern frame and build on this occasion.
• Genesis Equilibrium - nice bike but a very similar ride to my Bob Jackson World Tour, it felt like a very relaxed ride
• Trek Madone - amazing bike, very impressed, probably my second choice
• Giant TCR - nice but I didn’t get the wow factor, despite trying the higher end TCR Advanced SL3

Condor have a good reputation and I was very tempted by their modern steel frames, what tipped it for me was the full fitting and the outstanding service I received from Julian when I visited their shop in Gray’s Inn Road.

So the frame was ordered, a 55cm Acciaio frame with the upgraded Wave full carbon fork. The frame is always supplied with the headset fitted, I asked them to supply the frameset with the bottom bracket fitted too, the rest of the build I did myself.

The build spec was much simpler than the Bob Jackson, predominantly because I was happy to use a full groupset, in this case Shimano Ultegra 6700 in grey. I think wheels are the most important component and in my opinion there is no point second guessing the experts so a quick phone call to Harry Rowland with a chat on intended bike use ended with an order for Ambrosio Excellight rims on Ambrosio / NovaTec hubs with Sapim spokes 28 hole front, 32 rear, I think the weight is just under 1.7kg. I wanted relatively light wheels that were comfortable and capable of standing up to potholes and slightly rougher surfaces from time to time.

I originally fitted 25mm Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tyres - light (215g), grippy tyres and very comfortable, but they didn’t last suffering bad cuts very quickly, although no punctures. I replaced them with Continental GP4000s, initially in 23mm as that was all I could find, then recently 25mm - they are a slightly harsher ride than the Ultremos (and not as pretty) but seem significantly more durable with comparable grip in all conditions. 

I tried a few handlebars, settling on Deda Newton Shallow bars, they are a really nice shape and seem to fit very well for me. In 44cm width they weigh about 200 grams, the matching Deda Zero 100 stem in 120mm weighs about 110 grams.

Initially I fitted the bike with a Fizik Cyrano seatpost, but despite meticulous greasing and reassembly, couldn’t solve the clicking and cracking noises so changed it for a Condor Supremacy Carbon post which has been fine. The Supremacy Carbon is a full carbon post and clamp, zero setback, weighing a mere 130grams.

Total weight excluding pedals has come in just under 8kg - not bad at all for a steel frame, more importantly it is a pleasure to ride, really comfortable and handles quickly but predictably.

Bits: I use an Arundel Dual seat bag which is one of the best I have found, I am not a fan of the wedge shaped pouches that seem most common, the Dual is smaller but because of its simple oval shape, holds plenty, in my case two tubes, patches, a small multitool and tyre lever - I use a Lezyne Road Drive pump mounted by the bottle cage on the downtube.

(Note: this article is probably a bit overdue, I built the Condor Acciaio back in Autumn last year so a couple of the component specs may have changed slightly since).

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