Bestest Crossbike Maker?

Tom Kunich said:

OK, I now have all of the really nice bikes I'll ever need.

I've got great road bikes. I have a good full suspension MTB. I have a
nice track bike. I have a great touring bike though I'll have to
upgrade the components one of these days.

But my cross bike is a LeMond and it just doesn't feel right when I
ride it. There's nothing wrong with it, but it is missing that subtle
feeling of control that a really good frame has.

So who makes the best cross frames for tall guys?

I think the Ridleys are nicer then the Empellas. See crossworld.com

Most euro cross dudes are HUGE, specially the czech guys. So maybe an
Author. Don't know how/if you could get one in the US, but if you did,
you would have a very unique ride. You really NEED to make a
pilgrimage to europe for worlds and to buy your cross bike anyway, so
its just a side trip. Maybe you can tour the Tufo factory while you
are at it.

The Van Tuyl (spelling?) bikes look really cool. Freind of mine tried
buying one but it was this spring, and there was a delivery issue, and
he ended up cancelling. Good price for what looked like a nice frame.

Cannondale redid their bikes and got rid of the fatty fork and put on a
sexy carbon job which improves the look of the bike 100%. Freind above
ended up with one of those instead of the VT, and LOVES it. Should be
stiff enough for a big guy one would think (though he is not big, nor
am I). Insert "that's what she said" here.

Cervelo is rolling out the carbon bikes this year (dare I say it -
finally) and will have them at Interbike. Based on their carbon track
record, that could/should be a nice rig. I think Gerard and his crew
do alot of size specific engineering, and loads of testing (like, a
year...). A good thing if you are a consumer.

I don't have a carbon bike, but I imagine that they are somehow more
comfortable for carrying (light, shaped, not metal digging into you,
etc.)

Of course, you can get a Sachs if you can wait, what is it now Richard,
36 months?

I think the ideal combo would be a Sachs for sachs appeal, for Bike
One, and a full carbon for sex appeal for Bike Two.

You did know you needed more then one, right?

J

"jerry in vermont" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Kunich said:

OK, I now have all of the really nice bikes I'll ever need.

I've got great road bikes. I have a good full suspension MTB. I have a
nice track bike. I have a great touring bike though I'll have to
upgrade the components one of these days.

But my cross bike is a LeMond and it just doesn't feel right when I
ride it. There's nothing wrong with it, but it is missing that subtle
feeling of control that a really good frame has.

So who makes the best cross frames for tall guys?

I think the Ridleys are nicer then the Empellas. See crossworld.com

Most euro cross dudes are HUGE, specially the czech guys. So maybe an
Author. Don't know how/if you could get one in the US, but if you did,
you would have a very unique ride. You really NEED to make a
pilgrimage to europe for worlds and to buy your cross bike anyway, so
its just a side trip. Maybe you can tour the Tufo factory while you
are at it.

The Van Tuyl (spelling?) bikes look really cool. Freind of mine tried
buying one but it was this spring, and there was a delivery issue, and
he ended up cancelling. Good price for what looked like a nice frame.

Cannondale redid their bikes and got rid of the fatty fork and put on a
sexy carbon job which improves the look of the bike 100%. Freind above
ended up with one of those instead of the VT, and LOVES it. Should be
stiff enough for a big guy one would think (though he is not big, nor
am I). Insert "that's what she said" here.

Cervelo is rolling out the carbon bikes this year (dare I say it -
finally) and will have them at Interbike. Based on their carbon track
record, that could/should be a nice rig. I think Gerard and his crew
do alot of size specific engineering, and loads of testing (like, a
year...). A good thing if you are a consumer.

I don't have a carbon bike, but I imagine that they are somehow more
comfortable for carrying (light, shaped, not metal digging into you,
etc.)

Of course, you can get a Sachs if you can wait, what is it now Richard,
36 months?

I think the ideal combo would be a Sachs for sachs appeal, for Bike
One, and a full carbon for sex appeal for Bike Two.

You did know you needed more then one, right?

J

if i could get kunich-issimo in the fold, i'd do it
in a new york minute. tom - are you free for the
05 season?!
e-RICHIE©T®

Tom Kunich said:

So who makes the best cross frames for tall guys?

Tom,

You're in the SF Bay Area, right? Brent Steelman in Redwood City makes
really nice cross bikes and does custom work:

<http://www.steelmancycles.com/>

I don't think Ritchey does custom frames anymore, but you could ask...

<http://www.ritcheylogic.com/frames.htm>

If you're really tall, like over 6' 3", you might want to talk to
Leonard Zinn. I have several tall friends who got custom "Project Big"
bikes from him and all declared them the best-fitting bikes they ever
had...and they had all ridden very highly-regarded bikes
beforehand...bikes that all worked great for regular-height folks but
didn't work for them. Don't know how many, if any, tall cross bikes
he's done, but he could tell you.

<http://www.zinncycles.com/bikes.aspx?bike=projbig>

And a Sachs...well when I was a kid just getting into racing in the
1970s, the best local bike shop was Wheelsmith. And they were a Sachs
dealer. I've wanted one of his bikes since then. And people seem to go
plenty fast on his elegant and functional cross bikes...

Hope this helps.

Jim

On 3 Aug 2005 06:38:11 -0700, "Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

OK, I now have all of the really nice bikes I'll ever need.

I've got great road bikes. I have a good full suspension MTB. I have a
nice track bike. I have a great touring bike though I'll have to
upgrade the components one of these days.

But my cross bike is a LeMond and it just doesn't feel right when I
ride it. There's nothing wrong with it, but it is missing that subtle
feeling of control that a really good frame has.

So who makes the best cross frames for tall guys?

Get a LeMond.

Gee Richard, you KNOW I was just baiting you. What's a new cross frame
going to cost me?

"Tom Kunich" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gee Richard, you KNOW I was just baiting you. What's a new cross frame
going to cost me?

that's a ridley i can't solve.
e-RICHIE©T®

On 08/03/2005 07:38 AM, in article
[email hidden], "Tom Kunich"

Quoted message said:

OK, I now have all of the really nice bikes I'll ever need.

I've got great road bikes. I have a good full suspension MTB. I have a
nice track bike. I have a great touring bike though I'll have to
upgrade the components one of these days.

But my cross bike is a LeMond and it just doesn't feel right when I
ride it. There's nothing wrong with it, but it is missing that subtle
feeling of control that a really good frame has.

So who makes the best cross frames for tall guys?

No contest.

Richard Sachs.

--
Steven L. Sheffield
stevens at veloworks dot com
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