Croix de Fer owners club

700c disc! Have sent a PM.

If you're looking for a rack that takes panniers, I can't recommend the Pelago Commuter rack enough.
They are quite heavy though - but I reckon that's what you get if you want top rack and lowriders in the same rack.

You could also get a small rack for the bag and then just mount a low-rider rack when you need it - plenty of examples in the functional thread

Don’t want to risk doing it myself (although quite fancy developing wheel building as a skill eventually - maybe now I’d the time!).

It may be easier than you think. It requires a good amount of patience, but it's not that hard actually.

I had no wheel building experience what so ever, and bought Roger Mussons book (pdf) on the subject three years ago. I build a set for my road bike, and a set for my commuter/tourer while learning, and both are still going strong with no need for adjustments yet.

And you could always pay a pro builder to have a look at them when you're done, if you want to be sure they will hold up.

I might be interested if @Griff2000 isn't.

latest setup on my cdf for a long gravel ride on sunday

Still needs a few tweaks here and there, but I’ve been enjoying this bike immensely since building it up recently. Considering the frame was a steal and the rest was done on a shoestring, the spend/fun ratio is off the charts like a cheesy istock graphic.

Sorry about weird fence/bike non-allignment. My wife is the photographer in our household, not me.

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Has anyone fitted the carbon Croix der fer fork? I'm thinking of splasing out for my birthday

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/362883716358?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=362883716358&targetid=912122406958&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1006886&poi=&campaignid=9441122364&mkgroupid=96188639419&rlsatarget=pla-912122406958&abcId=1140496&merchantid=7456744&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsmJ0fra6QIVEWHmCh0t3gHHEAkYCSABEgKvaPD_BwE

I keep getting tempted to buy one but I’m always put off by the weight of the ones I’ve seen. I think from memory my steel Croix De Fer fork is 900g and some of the carbon ones that take discs and have rack mounts half way down have been around 750g! How much does that one weigh? For me the difference has not been enough for it to seem worthwhile (although that doesn’t always stop me buying things!). Maybe there are comfort improvements too? But steel is pretty comfortable already.

Inevitable what are those tyres question

Claimed weight is 400g here

https://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/cgr1-carbon-fork

On One gravel roads bought off here.
Only had one ride on them so far but seem capable for my needs.

In that case, I’d love one!

What's the chunkiest tyre I can get in a CDF frame? I've currently got 700x40mm but I'm toying with the idea of selling my hardtail, handing over all off-road duties to the CDF and buying a 27.5/650 wheel set with some knobblier tyres for rough stuff.

edit, for 650b i think wtb exposures 42 was successful

I reckon I could just about fit 700x42 in the frame - definitely hoping to be able to chunk it up a bit more, but unless I want to buy a more suitable frame, i think I need to resign myself to compromise :-)

im on 35mm cross boss myself, i tried 38mm schwalbe g-ones which come up to 40, but i wouldnt go over that.

I fit a slick 42mm tyre in my 2016 Croix de Fer, ran fine.

2014 model, 700x37 gives me 5mm clearance front and back

I picked this old Croix De Fer up at the beginning of lockdown in a pretty sorry state. It was originally white with its fair share of dents and marks of a pretty tough life.

Having literally no idea about road bikes there was a lot of youtube involved in getting it back together and working after stripping/rust proofing and spray biking.

Made a few mistakes and its far from perfect but a lot better than it was. Next up is a dynamo 650b wheelset and 11 speed. Also need to figure out some way to mount the cheapo Metro Porteur rack. The only way I've managed to do it so far is through the QR skewer, but I'm not keen on running it like that. Aside from a new fork I'm thinking p clips are the best option?

Loads of the bikes on here have provided plenty of inspiration, some lovely builds!

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Really nice! Looks similar to mine. Which brakes are those?

Lovely bike. Good job!

Re. the front rack. Can you not attach it to the mudguard mount just to the left of the QR skewer in that photo? That’s where my front rack attaches.

@recycled Thanks! They are just Shimano cable ones (BR R505), adjustment on both sides which is handy. They aren't great but will do for now, new pads and cables helped as they were awful when I got it.

Tanwalls look great. Yeah I had Avid BB7s when I got mine, picked up some used TRP Spyres which were a great upgrade. Enjoy!

@Griff2000 Thanks! I did try offering it up but seemed to be nowhere near being able to line up. Its highly likely I was doing something wrong and got frustrated with it so will have to give it another go with a clear head!

Nice, I was pretty close to ordering those or the hy/rd at one point, would love full hydro on this but trying to keep things to a budget while this pandemic is annihilating my career!