I "accidentally" bought a green Kona Major Jake frame. A 2008, size 56 (i am 181 cm/5'11).

I have only really been riding MTB, and a bit of road in between. But I would really like to try CX.

However, my knowledge on CX builds are really limited, so I would really appreciate your input on the following two subjects:

1) I need a fork, but I don't really know what to look for. I am not in for ridiculously expensive stuff, but it still has to be good enough for racing. I've been told that I should look for a carbon fork, but other than that I am pretty much lost.

2) I have also been told that CX wheels are essentially road wheels. I have also been told that running a tubular setup beats a clincher setup by miles. So basically I am after a not too expensive tubular wheelset (aluminium I suppose, carbon would be very expensive I guess)?. I am thinking something along the line of ZTR Alpine/CX-ray/240s (MTB wheelset, pretty light and sturdy, and also not TOO expensive), but for CX.

I would be really thankful to receive some help on deciding on these important parts

If you are in fact wanting to run tubular cross wheels the ZTR Alpine rims are tubeless not tubular. Some good alloy tubular rims for cross would be Velocity Major Tom, HED C2, Kinlin TB-25.

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If you read my post again it didn't say that I would be using Alpine rims for cross But something like them (= tubeless rims).

I did however go with a pair of Reflex/DA wheels, and I have been very happy with them

I am on the lookout for another wheelset though, to use in the summer, and as a spare wheelset in the cross season.

I have been looking at Open Pro/Ultegra/Revolution (230 eur) and Ultegra 6700 (275 eur) wheelsets. What would you guys recommend? It is possible to run the Open Pros tubeless?

I haven't tried the OP's tubeless myself, but I haven't heard many good things from the people that have.

That said, I've been running DA/OP's as clinchers on my cross bike for 2 years, and they've been really solid. Nothing out of true, no pinch flats.

As a backup wheelset, even with clinchers, I think you'd be really happy with the OP rims and a DA or Ultegra hub. You can use them for summer gravel road training, etc, without wearing out the more expensive tubular tires on your race wheels. And you can throw on road tires for longer pavement days.

Did you decide on a fork yet?

Thanks. However, I think I will be going for a pair of Ultegra WH-6700 wheels since I already have a set of tubeless-ready Hutchinson tires.

I got an Alpha Q CX 20 fork

Good call on the fork.

I've used tubulars for a few races last year and loved them. I've never used tubeless for CX, but I've heard good things, as long as you can keep them from burping. Let me know how they work for you.