How to build a MonsterCross Bike 101

[NotSoBigBen]

I know this is not part of the 'logical' thinking when building a bike but ...... where would one use this bike? I remember seeing Jules on one at Walkerville classic a few years ago but he's not your 'average' cyclist I guess

[rouxtjie]

I know this is not part of the 'logical' thinking when building a bike but ...... where would one use this bike? I remember seeing Jules on one at Walkerville classic a few years ago but he's not your 'average' cyclist I guess

Actually bennie this bike could be extremely handy....couple of applications that come to mind

 

My local loop that is a cross between sidwalks, footpaths and road.

Perfect spruit bike

Any of the flattish not so technical races....down and dirty, northerns etc etc.

Breedts / Cradle / Suikerbos cruizer

 

 

I make no bones about the fact that it isn't ideal for some of the more technical venues and races...hakahana, towers, VG, monster...but I have a bike for that.

[Eldron]

I know this is not part of the 'logical' thinking when building a bike but ...... where would one use this bike? I remember seeing Jules on one at Walkerville classic a few years ago but he's not your 'average' cyclist I guess

 

These bikes are for fun. Sure you can race them but nothing will beat a suspended and geared mtb in a race.

 

I use mine mostly for "urban cruising" - I ride on the tar then take every path I can find off the road. You'll be amazed how much single track there is hiding beside your average road. I can ride from Benoni to Modders using very little tar.

 

Meneer Roux - 1 or two phone calls to make and I'll responsd with some info...

[rouxtjie]

These bikes are for fun. Sure you can race them but nothing will beat a suspended and geared mtb in a race.

 

I use mine mostly for "urban cruising" - I ride on the tar then take every path I can find off the road. You'll be amazed how much single track there is hiding beside your average road. I can ride from Benoni to Modders using very little tar.

 

Meneer Roux - 1 or two phone calls to make and I'll responsd with some info...

Dankie D.....shot for the help

[Flowta]

Ok so I have a rolling chasis at home that is sulking in the corner of my garage. This includes:

 

Niner EMD frame medium....chris king headset fitted

Niner carbon rigid fork

Thomson masterpiece seatpost and spez phenom saddle

Bontrager rythm elite wheelset

Ritchey wcs 100mm stem

 

What do I need to complete the build

 

Roadbars....any input wrt which will suite this application the best

Avid bb7 mech brakes

Cranks...will a road crank fit ito clearance or should I stick with a mtb crank?

Shifters...here I am lost will the 10 spd 105sti's work with a XT 10spd shifter...help please

Cyclocross tyres...conti ones looks good, maybe schwalbes

 

Ping Ping Ping Eldron...help please. Or anyone that can give me some input

 

Fanks

 

On-one Midge or Ragley Luxy bars

 

WRT shifter and derailleurs: Shimano 10 speed road and Shimano 10 speed MTB components are NOT compatible,different pull ratios

 

BUT

 

you CAN use 10 speed STIs with a 9 speed MTB derailleur. same pull ratio.

[rouxtjie]

On-one Midge or Ragley Luxy bars

 

WRT shifter and derailleurs: Shimano 10 speed road and Shimano 10 speed MTB components are NOT compatible,different pull ratios

 

BUT

 

you CAN use 10 speed STIs with a 9 speed MTB derailleur. same pull ratio.

Ta, Eldron informed of this little hickup, BUT if I can get a 10spd ultegra with a long cage, it might work with a mtb cluster.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

On-one Midge or Ragley Luxy bars

 

WRT shifter and derailleurs: Shimano 10 speed road and Shimano 10 speed MTB components are NOT compatible,different pull ratios

 

BUT

 

you CAN use 10 speed STIs with a 9 speed MTB derailleur. same pull ratio.

 

Awesome. Thanks Flowta, edited my post...

Edited November 13, 2013 by cpt armpies mayhem

[rouxtjie]

On-one Midge or Ragley Luxy bars

 

WRT shifter and derailleurs: Shimano 10 speed road and Shimano 10 speed MTB components are NOT compatible,different pull ratios

 

BUT

 

you CAN use 10 speed STIs with a 9 speed MTB derailleur. same pull ratio.

PS Flowta....

 

With that option I take it you can only run a 9spd cluster?

[2 X 2]

Ok so I have a rolling chasis at home that is sulking in the corner of my garage. This includes:

 

Niner EMD frame medium....chris king headset fitted

Niner carbon rigid fork

Thomson masterpiece seatpost and spez phenom saddle

Bontrager rythm elite wheelset

Ritchey wcs 100mm stem

 

What do I need to complete the build

 

Roadbars....any input wrt which will suite this application the best

Avid bb7 mech brakes

Cranks...will a road crank fit ito clearance or should I stick with a mtb crank?

Shifters...here I am lost will the 10 spd 105sti's work with a XT 10spd shifter...help please

Cyclocross tyres...conti ones looks good, maybe schwalbes

 

Ping Ping Ping Eldron...help please. Or anyone that can give me some input

 

Fanks

 

Hi Rouxtjie

 

You will have to use a nine speed rear derailer with that ten speed STI's. Tried the same with my tandem and we could not adjust the gearing to go to every gear. Put a nine speet XT derailer on and the problem was solved.

[rouxtjie]

Hi Rouxtjie

 

You will have to use a nine speed rear derailer with that ten speed STI's. Tried the same with my tandem and we could not adjust the gearing to go to every gear. Put a nine speet XT derailer on and the problem was solved.

Thanks mnr

 

After some research it seems I can do the following

 

I can use 10-speed STI shifters with a 9-speed mtb rear derailleur, 10-speed chain, and 10-speed cassette.This is assuming all are Shimano.

 

The STI's determine the indexing, not the rear DR...stoopid me

Edited November 13, 2013 by rouxtjie

[2 X 2]

PS Flowta....

 

With that option I take it you can only run a 9spd cluster?

 

No, you can run a 10 speed cluster, the nine speed Mtb rear deraileur has enough reach for that. if I am not mistaken you can even use a 8 speed rear Mtb deraileur.

[2 X 2]

Rouxtjie, you can use SRAM chain and cassette as well, wil also work. Personally I don't like using the SRAM componenets as it seem they wear faster than Shimano (sorry all the SRAM fans, it is just my personal experience)

[rouxtjie]

Rouxtjie, you can use SRAM chain and cassette as well, wil also work. Personally I don't like using the SRAM componenets as it seem they wear faster than Shimano (sorry all the SRAM fans, it is just my personal experience)

Same here, cassette and chain make doesn't matter. But while I am at it I might as well go with shimano

 

So the groupo will look something like this

 

Ultegra 10spd sti's

Avid BB7 mech disc brakes

XT crank 40/28

XT 9spd rear dr

XT front dr

XT 10spd chain and 10spd XT 11-34 cluster

 

Should work yes?

[Eldron]

Ok so I have a rolling chasis at home that is sulking in the corner of my garage. This includes:

 

Niner EMD frame medium....chris king headset fitted

Niner carbon rigid fork

Thomson masterpiece seatpost and spez phenom saddle

Bontrager rythm elite wheelset

Ritchey wcs 100mm stem

 

What do I need to complete the build

 

Roadbars....any input wrt which will suite this application the best

Avid bb7 mech brakes

Cranks...will a road crank fit ito clearance or should I stick with a mtb crank?

Shifters...here I am lost will the 10 spd 105sti's work with a XT 10spd shifter...help please

Cyclocross tyres...conti ones looks good, maybe schwalbes

 

Ping Ping Ping Eldron...help please. Or anyone that can give me some input

 

Fanks

 

Right:

 

Bars - take the ones with the shortest reach. The only way to ride this bike with fingers on the brakes is in the drops so you want the drops as close as possible. That way you don't trash your back!

 

Brakes: Shimano make a M545 and M485? mechanical but the Avid BB7s get the best reviews, are lighter and are available on CRC super cheap. I have a set and they are fantastic. Much easier than hydraulic to install and set up.

 

Cranks - use mtb 2x10 or 3x10 crank (road don't work because the rings hit the chainstay). Better still fit a single RaceFace narrow-wide chainring. I run mine without a chain guide and I haven't dropped a chain yet. I'm sure you will on the really big stuff but big hits isn't really what a MonsterCross bike is made for so no problem.

 

Cyclocross tyre - yes! I cheated a bit and got 38mm tyres. Slightly wider than the standard CX tyre but the extra few mm makes the bike a wee bit softer without looking like a fat tyre mtb. These bikes are HARD so every little bit helps. I use the Conti Cyclocross tyre - looks like a mini RaceKing.

 

Shifters - toughish one. 10spd road and 9 spd mtb are both 2-1 ratio so they work together. I have 105 STI road shifters with 9spd XTR RD and cassette. Works 100%. 10spd mtb stuff is 1.2-1 ratio so only 10spd mtb shifters work with 10spd mtb RD.

 

An idea (that I haven't tried) is to use a long cage triple road RD but it has a max tooth size of 30. My next MonsterCross bike will probably have this set up. 36 single in front with 11-30 or 12-30 10spd cassette should be well capable.

 

Ok meeting now - will catch up later on feedback :-)

 

MonsterCross bikes rock. Everyone should own one...

[the nerd]

My frame will be on its way soon....

 

Hello Monstercross!!

[rouxtjie]

Ta thanks D....right think I will go for 9spd mtb rear dr then. Time to check what this will cost me....shifters are hard to find and not that cheap.