The Cross Builds

Well, here it is- The cross builds. I have to say, that the S- works is a bas a**. I had a hard time deciding  to get a carbon cross bike, but I'm happy I made the move. It is so sweet and rides so stiff that I want to go ride it all the time! Its just stupid light and feathery! The bike not only looks fast, it is a pure rocket. All I have to do is provide the firepower. I think the biggest difference, as far as ride goes from the B bike, was the way it excelled out of corners and I felt it was very stable in power transfer on the first couple strokes after remounting. As it stands it weighs in at 16.6 ibs. I will drop a few more grams soon by a few little touch ups. Here are the vital stats:

Frame- 2010 Sworks tricross 52cm

Fork- Sworks 

Wheels- Easton EC90 aero tubular with Challenge Grifo 32

Shifters- Dura ace 7900

Rear Der- 2008 dura-ace

Front der- 2008 ultegra (due to upgrade)

Cables- nokon

Cranks- Fsa K-force 36/46 fsa rings

Pedals- Crank Brothers 4ti eggbeaters

Chain- ultegra

Cassseste- ultegra

Brakes- TRP Euro mag with Swiss-stop yellow

BB- ceramic 

Stem- 3t

Bars- FSA compact short and shallow 40cm

Post- Thomson elite masterpiece

Saddle- Specialized Ruby 155cm

I love these wheels! I built this with a double 36/46t, but I think I may drop the double and go single. Haven't decided yet, but I will see how I feel after a couple races before deciding. 

View from the cockpit. Fizik tape is the only way to go. Trying 3T for the first time. It was plastered all over Cervelo bikes, so I think it will be good for me. 

A and B together. My B bike was a bike I had bought for my sister 2 years ago. She didn't like the style, so I inherited it back, and good thing because it worked out to not have to buy 2 bikes giving me the oppurtunity to pimp out the A bikes as much as I could. I will mostly ride the B bike to work, during skills practice days, and I'm using it now as my road bike too. It is also great to warm up on during muddy races and on the trainer, not to mention, it will be my pit bike. Although it has lower componants than the A bike, it has turned out to be a pretty nice ride in itself. Upgrades to it this year were the Dura- ace levers, Thomson elite post, TRP euro-x brakes, and specialized Ruby saddle. Barry at Summit City bikes fit this bike to match the A bike perfectly, so both bikes flow with ease. B bike's name is Putty. That's a Seinfeld throw in, and this bike is pretty much my David Putty: it is always a good standby, mechanically sound, 

can do a little of everything but doesn't have much bling. 

I'm running sweet Dugast Rhinos for the mud with Chris King Classic cross hubs and Sun rims. They look so tidy all clean and new, but I can't wait to see how well they track in the mud. Zach Edwards (pro cross mechanic) at Revolution Bike and Bean in B-town built and glued these sweet babies up. I can't believe how supple they feel! Next year I will add a file tread set of wheels to the quiver. Maybe by my forties I will have all the wheels/ tires I want.

 Chris King is THE king of hubs (especially rear) in my book. I am thankful to now own a pair for cyclocross.

That's it. I'm stoked and very thankful for all the help I have had to get these bikes going. It takes a lot of planning and dreaming to get 2 bikes to fit together. Tim and Terry at Summit City did a great job with the bike builds and now it is time to put them to the test. I'm heading up to Grand Rapids MI on Saturday for the first race of the year! Its a small practice Kiss cross race and will be a good starter ride on the new rides! I can't believe cross is here already, it just seems like yesterday that I was throwing my arms in the air for my B National Championship Win in KC. Come to think of it, I liked throwing the W, I think I will do it again!