Gin & Trombones, by Van Dessel
Reasonably priced tourer. Seems to be worth a spot on the list.
So my bike should be ready in about a week or so. I’ve already been thinking about possible rides I might want to do:
May: Pedal Pittsburgh – Too late
June: Tour de Cure
August: Mingo Mon Valley Century (the 30 mile loop)
September-October: VO Bike Tour – Great Allegheny Passage, Venture Outdoors
I’m also designing a regular ride that I can do right out of my front door. It will probably be an easy back roads loop to Evans City. I wish I had a safer route to get to North Park.
Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen has weekly rides in Cranberry on Thursdays. I’ll check them out soon.
Final finalists
1. Soma Double Cross
2. Salsa Casseroll Triple [2008]
3. Surly Cross-Check [2006]
4. Masi Speciale CX [2008]
5. Surly Long-Haul Trucker
6. Kogswell Model P (used, ebay)
7. Bianchi Volpe [2008]
8. Jamis Aurora [2008]
9. Steelwool Tweed [2008]
10. Pake C’Mute (frameset)
5/15/08
And the winner… Salsa Casseroll Triple [2008] 57 cm
I put this together in response to the frequent requests on our message board for bike-buying advice. It’s still very much a work-in-progress. If you have any suggested additions, leave them in the comments and I will incorporate them in periodic updates.
Obviously I have not ridden all of these. The inclusion on this list (and the ranking) is a distillation of reviews, spec comparison and countless threads on bicycle community message boards like bikeforums and mtbr.com.
edit: Updated 6/02/08
A. Swiss Army Bikes
1. Surly Cross-check ($930)
2. Soma Double Cross (~$475 frameset)
3. Salsa Casseroll (~$540 frameset)
4. Kogswell Model P (used only)
5. Masi Speciale CX ($979)
6. Pake C’Mute (~$370 frameset)
7. Bianchi Volpe (‘07: $899; ‘08: $999)
8. Steelwool Tweed ($1450 CDN)
9. Planet X Kaffenback
10. Kona Jake (‘07 $799; ‘08 $849)
B. Touring
1. Surly Long-Haul Trucker ($985)
2. Jamis Aurora ($850)
3. Cannondale T800 ($999 MSRP $1,299)
4. Trek 520 ($1099; MSRP $1239)
5. Novara Randonee ($949)
6. Raleigh Sojourn ($1099)
7. Kogswell P/R ($540 ffhs+)
8. Fuji Touring (‘07 $829; ‘08 $950)
9. Urbane Cyclist Urbanite ($1150 CDN)
10. Rocky Mountain Sherpa 10
Hon Men.:Windsor Tourist ($599)
C. Street/Commuter
1. Raleigh Detour Deluxe ($710)
2. Motobecane Café Noir ($699)
3. Marin Muirwoods (‘07 $419; ‘08 $455)
4. Jamis Coda Sport (‘08 $600)
5. Bianchi Valle (‘08 $899)
6. Kona Dew Deluxe (‘07 $599; ‘08 $649)
7. Novara Safari ($849)
8. Specialized Globe City 6 ($910)
9. Swobo Dixon ($899)
10. Trek 7.5 FX ($789)
Hon Men.: Ibex Corrida LT Disc ($599)
Scott Sub 10 ($899)
GT Legato 4.0 ($549)
D. Fixed/Track
1. Bianchi Pista ($579) – 48×16
2. Fuji Track (‘07 $449; ‘08 $510) 48×15
3. Raleigh Rush Hour ($599) 48×16/15
4. LeMond Fillmore ($749) – 44×18
5. Jamis Sputnik ($725) – 46×16
6. KHS Flite 100 (‘07 $599; ‘08 $549) – 48×16
7. IRO Mark V ($569) – 46×14-18
8. Giant Bowery (‘07 $500; ‘08 $575) – 48×18/18
9. Specialized Tricross Singlecross (‘08 $800)
10. Mercier Kilo TT (‘08 $349)
Hon Men.: Schwinn Madison (‘07 $529; ‘08 $569) – 48×18/18
E. Singlespeed Practical
1. IRO Rob Roy ($599)
2. Redline 9-2-5 (‘07 $490) – 42×16/15
3. Raleigh One Way 2008 ($710)
4. On One Pompino Pro (£499)
5. Surly Steamroller ($630) – 48×17
6. Masi Speciale Commuter ($700)
7. Kona Paddy Wagon ($649) – 42×16/16
8. Steelwool Sweet City SS ($750) – 44×16
9. Van Dessel Country Bob ($899)
10. Swobo Del Norte ($679)
Framesets
Soma Rush ($435)
EAI Bareknuckle ($584)
Soma Delancey ($660)
F. Road “Sport”
1. Giant OCR 2 ($900)
2. Bianchi Brava ($799)
3. Fuji Newest 2.0 ($650)
4. Motobecane Vent Noir ($799)
5. Jamis Satellite ($785)
6. Raleigh Sport ($499)
7. Marin Venezia ($845)
8. Schwinn Fastback Sport (‘07 $679; ‘08 $699)
9. Trek Pilot 1.2 ($769)
10. Soma Smoothie ES ($299 frameset)
G. Road Race
1. Specialized Allez (‘08 $800)
2. Trek 1500 ($1149)
3. LeMond Etape (‘07 $689; ‘08 $769)
4. Rocky Mountain ‘06 Solo 10 ($799)
5. Felt ‘06 F90 ($699)
6. Jamis Ventura Comp ($700)
7. K2 ‘06 MOD 4.0 ($999; MSRP $1599)
8. Ibex Aprisa 5600 ($999)
9. Scott Speedster S60 (‘07 $679; ‘08 $729)
10. Scattante R-560 ($999)
H. Cyclocross Race
1. Redline Conquest ($999)
2. LeMond ‘06 Poprad (~$990)
3. Ibex X-Ray Race ($799)
4. Bianchi ‘07 Axis ($895)
5. K2 Enemy ($929)
6. Fuji Cross Comp (‘07 $1049; ‘08 $1200)
7. Scott Cyclocross Comp ($1049)
8. Motobecane Fantom Cross ($799)
9. Schwinn Fastback CX ($1299)
10. Jamis Nova Pro ($1100)
Hon men: Norco CCX2 (‘07 $899; ‘08 $969)
I. Hardtail MTB
1. Raleigh ‘07 Mojave 8.0 ($599)
2. Kona Cinder Cone (‘07 $699; ‘08 $799)
3. Gary Fisher Tassajara (‘07 $729; ‘08 $899)
4. Motobecane 600HT ($399)
5. KHS Alite 2000 (‘07 $819; ‘08 $929)
6. Rocky Mountain Trailhead ($889)
7. Giant Yukon (‘07 $470; ‘08 $550)
8. Marin Eldridge Grade (‘07 $859; ‘08 $875)
9. Specialized Rockhopper ($590)
10. Cannondale F4 (‘07 $879)
J. Niche MTB
1. Redline Monocog Flight ($899) – 32×16
2. Bianchi M.U.S.S. ($849) – 32×16
3. Raleigh XXIX (‘07 $749) – 32×20
4. Kona Unit ($899) – 34×17
5. Gary Fisher Cobia (‘07 $989; $1039)
6. Jamis Exile ($1025) – 33×21
7. Voodoo Wanga ($689)
8. GT Peace ($599) – 32×16
9. Voodoo Dambala 29 ($760)
10.
This is the bike I decided to build up. I expect the total cost will be around $1600. I’ll get the vast majority of the parts from either Speedgoat or the Soma Store. First buy: Frame, fork & headset; Next batch: crankset & bottom bracket; third batch: stem, bar, brakes; Fourth batch: drivetrain; Final batch: wheelset, saddle, seatpost.
The wheelset is going to make it a beast.
Update 5/3/08: I adjusted a bit to bring the price down. Speedgoat says they can build it. I’m going to place the custom order next week.
Frame: Soma Fabrications Double Cross, 58 cm, British racing green
Fork: Soma cro-moly lugged crown w/ eyelets and braze-ons
F. Derailleur (Bottom-pull, clamp): Shimano Tiagra FD4500 XT triple or IRD Alpina
R. Derailleur: Shimano Tiagra RD4500 GS 105 9sp. GS (medium cage)
Cassette: IRD 9-speed Elite Road cassette [12-28]
Crankset: Sugino Swiss Cross Compact Crankset 48-34 XD 500T Special Edition 48-36-24 triple
Bottom Bracket (English, 68mm): IRD QB-75 JIS square taper 113 x 68mm
Shifters: Shimano SL-BS 77 9 sp. bar-end downtube w/friction mode
Chain: Shimano HG 53 CN 7701 Dura-Ace 9sp.
Levers: Cane Creek SCR-5 Soma Aero Road Levers (silver)
Brakes: Cane Creek SCX-5 cantilevers (silver) IRD Cafam
Bar: Nitto Randonneur 45cm On-One Midge bar, 112 mm drop; clamp size 25.4 mm
Pedals: MKS Sylvan tour w/ Soma Clips + straps, size: L
Headset: Cane Creek S-8 1&1/8″ Chris King NoThreadset 1-1/8″ (silver)
Stem: Soma 3D Forged MTB 100 mm x 25.4 mm, +/- 7 (silver)
Bar Tape: Salsa Gel Cork tape Soma thick & zesty cork tape (black)
Seatpost: Soma Kalloy, 250 mm x 27.2 mm, (silver)
Saddle: Brooks B-17 (black)
Wheelset
Rims: Salsa Delgado Cross 36h (silver) Sun Ringlé ME14A 36h rims, 19.6mm depth ($96) or Velocity Deep V
Hubs: Shimano Tiagra 105 hubs
Spokes: Wheelsmith DB14 spokes *
Tires: Panaracer Pasela Tourguard Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700 x 35c *
Fenders: Velo Orange Fluted 49mm
