‘Cross is Coming

It’s already June and you’re out shredding on the road bike, mountain bike,  or beer cruiser. However, to get yourself into shape for ‘cross, you are eventually going to have to ride your damn ‘cross bike. Let me be more clear: you should not be dusting off the cobwebs at your first race.

From some previous posts, you may have gathered that I really enjoy cyclocross. I also enjoy working on cyclocross bikes.

One By: An Upgrade Story.

“New to You” Custom Build: Van Dessel Aloominator

Single-Speed Cyclocross

ENVE XC Build for a West Coast ‘Crosser with East Coast Skill

Even though new tech is released every season to help get you to that finish line, old tricks can be used to keep your bike running well.

In this last custom ‘cross build, a local pro sold off his last season B-bike to its new owner. I was given a box of parts and a frameset. From there, I was told to work my magic. My “magic” included the request to make 3 separate wheelsets work flawlessly with the brakes and gearing. By no means was that an impossible feat, but it was definitely a tricky one to get all those stars to align.

New bearings were installed in last season’s pulleys.

Silicone sealant to stop debris from entering the frame.

Normally a cable stop for the shift housing, I drilled it to run full length housing for the rear derailleur.

Every detail counts.

The spacers make for a lovely chin rest at the moment, but the housing is routed for a clean-looking setup.

Micro shims were used on the freehub body and the disc brakes to achieve a flawless fit.

There are custom bike builds, and then there are custom cyclocross bike builds by Indigenous Wheel Co. See you on the ‘cross course in September.