Help - I'm after a road bike with full mudguards & pannier rack for light touring?

[Bugner]

I assume I can't fit standard single/dual pivot brakes then to this bike?.

You can, but you need to take in consideration of what mudguards you would be using

 

[Bugner]

Specialized say they will replace with V Breaks FOC but i've also read that V breaks with Road/STi levers are usless aswell.

I should also say, that my tricross came with the V brakes (because of the fork judder problem) but I actually switched to cantilever brakes, because I wasn't happy with the performance with the levers. With the hanger, i now have no judder issues and braking is really positive. I use koolstop pads

 

[Comatosed]

Condor Fratello I have just ordered one.


Incidentally, I currently own a Tricross. I commute 100m per week and have down some 100k Audaxes on it as well. Haven't loaded it up with panniers yet, although these can be taken on both front and back.

To resolve the fork judder on the cantilevers, I bought one of these http://www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk/public/index.php/product/BP1272F.html. It bolts to the top of the forks, because it changes the length of the cable from the brakes to the hanger, fork judder alleviated (something to do with resonance)

I've just ordered one for my Tricross! Thanks.

 

[rich05uk]

OK, just got back from the Bike Store, had my dinner and thought I’d update you.

I tried both the 56 & 58 frame of the Specialized Tricross Comp and found as suspected, the breaks were not perfect at first, but with some adjustment they weren’t too bad. However, there was a lot of judder coming from the front forks on the 58 frame which was fitted with cantilevers…..

The 56 however was perfect from the beginning but it was fitted with the V Breaks, odd they were different on the 2 different sizes, the shop said thats what came in the boxes from Specialized. The breaks had similar response as the 58 (once adjusted) but thankfully there was no judder at all. I was told that the judder is often experienced on the 58+ sized frames and could be reduced with different pads/re alignment etc…. Is this correct, would a larger frame be more prone to judder?

Anyway, it turns out that in the Tricross I need a 56 frame so I don’t need to worry. I will order the Hanger for the front break anyway, its £10 and might at least improve the breaking performance if nothing else.

Needless to say I went for the 56 and they are building me a new one out the box, I pick it up on Saturday. It has the cantilevers which they said if I wanted I could get them changed to the V Breaks free of charge at any time, so I could go back after a few weeks to get them changed if they are no good. They also offered to upgrade them to the Shimano BR-R550 Cantilever Breaks if I prefer them, also free of charge. What would you all go for?

Thanks for the help so far, very helpful and much appreciated.

 

[Comatosed]

Yea, the juddering is supposed to be worse on the larger frames, although mine is only a 52 and I do get a wee bit of juddering. Let's see what this hanger does!

I've read that the Shimanos are a good solution, so yea I would go for them as they're free of charge.

 

[rich05uk]

Ok, in that case I think I might go for the Shimano R550 breaks then, besides if it it doesnt fix the problem I havent lost out and I can still order the hanger aswell.

Comatosed, when you get your hanger, can you provide an update please, good or bad....

 

[nigelnorris]

I've noticed the juddering on my 56" under real pressure [only on the front], but tbh it's not something that I would want bother spending money to get rid of. Just a minor vibration, doesn't affect control or seem to reduce stopping distance significantly.

 

[rich05uk]

It must just depend on the setup of the breaks then, the 58" I took for a test was very bad, it was only on the front breaks but you only had to touch the leaver and it would start juddering, apply more preasure to the break leaver and the whole bike and you on it shook like mad. I've never experienced anything like it before, one hell of a bone shaker.

That said, the 56" i tested was the nothing like it, no matter how soft/hard I breaked on the front, there was no juddering at all, very smooth and responsive. If I needed a 58" I would have been put right off, but for some reason the 56" came up better for me in the Tricross (i'm usually a 58" in full Road Bikes) so i've got one being built now, ready to be picked up tomorrow. Cant Wait....

 

[Comatosed]

Ok, in that case I think I might go for the Shimano R550 breaks then, besides if it it doesnt fix the problem I havent lost out and I can still order the hanger aswell.

Comatosed, when you get your hanger, can you provide an update please, good or bad....

Yep, will do. It's due to arrive on Wednesday. How's the bike by the way, assuming you have it by now?