Meet Frank N. Bike

[wavedancer]

Having been bit by the cyclocross bug, the next question was what to do for a bike? I did my first race on my Fisher front suspension mountain bike with the 2-inch mountain tires. It was comfortable and familiar and worked well for the course of the first race. She was rather hefty at 27 pounds and so I looked to lighten her up a bit.

The second race I swapped out the tires to some Schwalbe CX Pro 1.35 26-inch tires and found that they worked fine and made the bike a bit lighter.

I felt too upright, though, and really wanted to try a true 'cross bike. There are very few options for those of us with 28-inch inseams (right Eden?) and I didn't feel I could really put out another $1000+ right now on another bike (just bought a Ruby Expert a couple of months ago). So with the help of my DBF we created Frank from my old road bike, the Fisher mtb, and a few additional parts.

We swapped over the Ritchey Biomax bars and 105 shifters, kept the XT mountain derailleur and cassette, ditched the front derailleur and used the single Stronglight 34T compact ring and cranks. I got a rigid suspension-corrected fork from Spicer Cycles (http://www.spicercycles.com/index.cgi), some Tektro bar levers, a Third Eye chain guard and a bash guard for the outside of the ring from BBG (http://www.bbgbashguard.com/index.html).

This got Frank down to a trim 22.6 pounds. He was really fun to ride at Gloucester and seems quite trail-worthy on not-too-technical single track. He's much more nimble on the road and will probably get ridden a lot this winter. It was great fun to help build a bike and to get a little better understanding of how they go together. So...meet my friend Frank :)

[Eden]

Frank looks great! I'd say you got the best of both worlds out of your rebuild.

Yeah - I couldn't find ANY adult cross bike that I could comfortably/properly fit. I ended up buying a used kids Redline and its working out pretty good for me. (I'm going to put the canti's on - they are just as cheap as a travel agent! and I'm not sure there's enough cable run, on the back at least, for a travel agent anyway)
I did see just recently that REI is offering a 26" wheel kids cross bike (my Redline is a 24"er), but I picked it up and I thought it was very heavy!

[alpinerabbit]

That's what I would like for some winter riding.

Now add that lockout Cannondale front suspension fork and I would be a happy camper. Can this be done?

http://www.re-buy-cycle.co.uk/uploads/106/0.jpg

[SheFly]

Wavedancer - congrats on getting Frank ready for his first race at Gloucester! It looked as if you were both having a great time. DH was impressed with the build as well, and your DBF looked pleased as punch that you were out there racing.

So, when will we next see you and dear Frank????

SheFly

[ehirsch83]

Frank looks so neat! Very cool.Maybe one day I can get you to make me a Frank!!

[onimity]

Frank is *such* a cool bike! Cooler too that you put him together yourself.
Nice work!

Anne

[Juligirli]

Sweet bike!!!

[wavedancer]

Thanks everyone for your kind congratulations. I feel like I just had a baby! :D

I have to thank whoever posted a link to Kerry Litka's site. She has lots of good info on finding small 'cross bikes. I looked at the Novarra Pulse from REI that both Kerry and Eden mentioned, but none of the stores here carried them. Kerry also describes creating a ghetto-cross bike similar to Frank and helped inspire me to give it a try. Kerry Litka's Blog (http://www.kerrylitka.com/crosstips.html)

Frank and I are hoping to go to Brockton on the 27th. Hope to see some of you there!

Linda

[Voodoo Sally]

That is so neat. I love bike builds and cobbled-together bikes. Very resourceful and you can be proud of the result.

I'll be at Brockton.

[ChainsOflove]

I saw Frank at glouscester and I was babbling to my DBF all the way home about the cool Gary Fisher I saw!

He is a pro rider on the Gary Fisher team. He said "well it must be a 29'er because 650 wheels aren't allowed on cross bikes". I wonder did anyone say anything to you about it?

Anyway, Great RACE!!!!

I tried it last year and I shouldn't have, I mean it terrified me so bad, I wasn't ready--this year I'm chicken to do it again, even tho I'm in way better shape. :(

Your efforts may be inspiring me to try again...

[wavedancer]

I saw Frank at glouscester and I was babbling to my DBF all the way home about the cool Gary Fisher I saw!

He is a pro rider on the Gary Fisher team. He said "well it must be a 29'er because 650 wheels aren't allowed on cross bikes". I wonder did anyone say anything to you about it?

I think the only thing you can't have in Cat 4 is bar ends. Maybe at the pro level they are more stringent.


I tried it last year and I shouldn't have, I mean it terrified me so bad, I wasn't ready--this year I'm chicken to do it again, even tho I'm in way better shape. :(

Your efforts may be inspiring me to try again...

Definitely do come out again. Like I said, I'm at the back of the race getting lapped, but it really is fun!! Brockton is happening on Saturday. Supposed to be a fairly small race...See you there?

[Sheesh]

I saw someone on a similar bike this weekend - mtb frame with road bars. I was pretty amazed. This girl was riding on platform pedals, with tennis shoes, and she kicked the butts of almost everyone else out there! :eek:

[ChainsOflove]

Thanks Wave!

Well I'm not sure yet what the scoop is for this weekend. I have convinced BF to go with me to the Wicked Ride of the East at Harold Parker Forest, which is not a race!.

This is highly unusual for him to agree to a non-competitive event. :rolleyes:

but that is on Sunday. There is also a smaller cross race in Connecticutt that we may go to.

oh dear I'll have to work up the nerve:(

[wavedancer]

We will be there too! I plan to do the women's clinic at 10:00. Will I see you there? I'll be riding my Titus Racer-X. It would be great to meet you.

Linda

[ChainsOflove]

Linda
Yes I am definitely planning on being at Harold Parker on Sunday, I guess in time for the lessons. I am also going to do their easy ride. I am familiar with the trails there and its a nice place. Hopefully BF can amuse himself on the 17 mile epic they are doing.

Did you see any kind of schedule for that event? Do the rides go off at any certain times?

Joan

[ChainsOflove]

I'll be on my humble Marin hardtail. :o

[Eden]

He said "well it must be a 29'er because 650 wheels aren't allowed on cross bikes". I wonder did anyone say anything to you about it?


So far as I can tell this is not true at any level.... all I could find in the rule books was the same old as goes for road bikes - the wheels have to be the same size. I have a friend who has a custom cross bike built up with 26" wheels who is racing as a 3 this year - and that means the same field as the elites for most races.

[ChainsOflove]

good job on the research! I'll straighten him out. :D

[tish's hubby]

thanks for the great pics of Frank, my wife was in need of a bike for some vermont country road riding and some charity road work and we decided to attempt a similar project. The key to BoF was a great adapter that Mavic makes which allows you to run 700c wheels on your MTB frame. Here is the result... hope you all like, it was a cheap way to get a very useful dual purpose bike out of an old MTB:

[Tokie]

Very cool! Good to know about the Mavic adaptors! Tokie

[wavedancer]

Sweet!!! She looks totally slick. How do you use the adapters?