[Pau11y]

I have a Cove Handjob steel hardtail built as a XC race bike I'm thinking of converting to CX. I have a spare set of double Dura-Ace STIs and and Hayes/Hugi hubset so it'll be easy enough to build another set of wheels w/ 700c and disc (canti studs are in the wrong place). I was thinking of running a really light suspenson fork (don't know if that's race legal) like an old Sid Race w/ disc.
Think this is worth the effort or a waste of time & money?

 

[JRogers]

Think this is worth the effort or a waste of time & money?

Yes. I say either do a ghetto CX conversion (skinniest tires you can find, rigid fork, take off the cages, maybe bigger gearing) or just buy a new or used bike w/a dedicated CX frame. If you're going to spend some real dough on converting the bike, why not save yourself the aggrivation and just get the real deal?

 

[Arsbars]

well the first problem is a mtb is a 26" wheel.. so you can't run 700c wheels

 

[Arsbars]

also, disc aren't legal is some districts, as well with UCI

 

[jon cross]

You can definitely run 700c wheels in a mountain bike frame, especially the cove, which has decent tire clearance. I run Reflex rims with disc hubs and Tufo cross tires for short track XC races, it's hot. Disc brakes are not UCI legal, but if you're just racing locally I wouldn't worry about it. Suspension is not your friend in cross, you want stupid efficiency- the bone jarring kind. Rock a rigid fork and your bike will probably be decently light. One more thing, you might not want to bother with the Duraace shifters and road bar setup. If you have a flat bar with mtb stuff on it and you don't have a good reason to change it, don't. Just my advice, post pics when it's done, it'll be hot.

 

[Pau11y]

You can definitely run 700c wheels in a mountain bike frame, especially the cove, which has decent tire clearance. I run Reflex rims with disc hubs and Tufo cross tires for short track XC races, it's hot. Disc brakes are not UCI legal, but if you're just racing locally I wouldn't worry about it. Suspension is not your friend in cross, you want stupid efficiency- the bone jarring kind. Rock a rigid fork and your bike will probably be decently light. One more thing, you might not want to bother with the Duraace shifters and road bar setup. If you have a flat bar with mtb stuff on it and you don't have a good reason to change it, don't. Just my advice, post pics when it's done, it'll be hot.

Oh yeah, there's no worries about tire clearance. I stuck a 700cx28 in there and there's still over an inch of room left. As for the shocks...not even a light one like a Sid set pretty stiff? I'm a bit worried that if I stuck a stiffy fork, it'll drop my headtube down too far and make the bike too steep and twitchy. Any recomendations on a stiff fork w/ disc tabs tho, just incase? As for the cockpit, all I'd need is the bars. I have everything else (stem, shifter/brakes).
Plus, I'm curious if the DA can run the Avid Mech discs. The reason for this is I want to build a street DH machine - small & long frame, big rings, short cranks, full squishy running either 24 or 26" baldies and drop bars for tucking down highway passes in full body armor. There are some sweet curvey passes I'd like to go explore on something like this

 

[jon cross]

The Surly Karate Monkey or Instigator forks are longer rigid forks with disc tabs that would give you good geometry for a good deal. I wouldn't run even the stiffest suspension, it's just kind of annoying for a cross race. As for the Avids, I'm not positive. I know that road levers definitely have less cable pull than mtb levers, meaning a mtb rim brake will have to be 3 mm from your rim if you want to be able to stop it, but with the discs this might work out alright. If not, they do make a Avid designed around road levers- something to consider...

 

[SuspectDevice]

to clear up some misinformation in this thread;
Discs are UCI legal again
D/a shift b'l's would work fine with avid road mechs
drop bars are just not going to work with your bike without a very high, very short stem. And this will f up your handling something fierce.

that being said, with all the time and effort it would take to convert your bike, why not just shelve the project and save up for a real cross bike?
In the meantime you could pick up some Hutchinson 26x1.3 'cross tires and make do for now.

 

[martini]

to clear up some misinformation in this thread;
Discs are UCI legal again
D/a shift b'l's would work fine with avid road mechs
drop bars are just not going to work with your bike without a very high, very short stem. And this will f up your handling something fierce.

that being said, with all the time and effort it would take to convert your bike, why not just shelve the project and save up for a real cross bike?
In the meantime you could pick up some Hutchinson 26x1.3 'cross tires and make do for now.

Couldn'ta said it better. Forget the drops on the MTB. They look goofy unless you're running WTB DD's, or the new On-One Mungo's. The wheels would be a great place to start, build 'em up, slip 'em in the frame and go! Since the OD really isn't that much different from a 26", your BB won't be raised all that much. I'd leave the flat bar on, just for conveinence sake. You're used to it, why change it? As for the fork deal, I'm willing to bet that you could find a sweet Kona P2 disc fork take off(or just buy one from the KONA LBS) and you'll be set. They're already suspension length, so your Geo won't be affected.

 

[bdee]

If you want to make it lighter convert it to a singlespeed. Gear it to the course and you should be fine (if there's lots of paved flat or downhills you might not want to do that). I've raced my SS with 32X15 gearing and done well in the few races I've done in the last few years, but the courses were perfect for mtb use. This weekend I'll be on the 'cross bike due to a lot of pavement in the course. At least I'll look like a "real" CX racer while getting my a** handed to me =)

 

[Pau11y]

Thanx everyone for the clue. I'm thinking what Martini said 'bout the wheels prob makes the most sense. : )