Hi, just popped in from next door (mtb forum). I'm about to make a move into the world of cyclo cross. I usually ride MTB, and train a lot on the road, so CX is a natural progression I guess. After my road bike suffered some serious corrosion after a winter of road riding, I fancied getting a ti frame. Looking intially for a road frame I found a nice cx frame which got me all (i.e. more) excited than the prospect of just a road bike.

So far I have a frame (see below), and a smattering of road components (campag veloce/centaur, USE seatpost, bontrager carbon bar, bonty stem, crank bros pedals). I need a pair of forks, a standard headset, and a set of brakes to suit the campag ergos.

I'm thinking carbon for the forks - possibly 4za pythons, or (and cheaper) the Planet X full carbon cross. I've seen ritchey wcs and easton cross forks on peoples bikes, but can't find anywhere selling them. Whats reommended here? Also, can you fit an integrated style fork to a standard heasdet?

I don't really know where I am with brakes. I've heard talk of mini-v-brakes - are these better than standard canti's?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

cheers,

Ian

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Middle ring all the way

thats a cool looking frame.

go with cantis like Paul Neo Retros or spooky's.

You can buy the Forza here: http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesomewh ... /1990/5763

but im sure theres a place on your side of the pond as well. The easton has been reported to being very nice.

you can put an integrated fork on a std headset, sometimes it looks a little weird and sometimes it doesnt. just depends on what it is.

check out my website at www.plusonelap.blogspot.com for more info on cyclocross, there, i also have a gallery so you can get ideas about what other people are doing to their cross bikes.

welcome to the club!
jeremy

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PlusOneLap.com: Everything Cyclocross

Ian,

The 4ZA forks (and the Easton ones as well I think) are available in the UK from wiggle.co.uk.
If you're looking at spending that sort of cash, the Kinesis Evo forks are very good and as light as the Pythons (I have the Evos and am very impressed - much better than the Kinesis frames!)
From what I've seen of them the Planet X's are ok but a bit heavier - to match the frame you might want something a bit more classy.

For brakes, you can't really go wrong with Frogslegs cantilevers, particularly in the Welsh mud! Mini V's work ok but just don't have the mud clearance. Frogslegs are about £40 a bike from Paul Milnes cycles in Bradford or John at Cyclo-cross imports (www.empella.co.uk)

Hope this helps.

Thanks Jeremy - nice website you have there

Spooky brakes look quite cool - I like the mud clearance. Where in europe is a cheap place to get them? I've googled but didn't find much other than Spooky's own website.

Got a bit more info on teh planet-x full carbon forks - they tip the scales at 609g (according to Brant), presumably uncut. Does this sound pretty reasonable (for £125)?

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Middle ring all the way