Steelman 29er Question
November 21st, 2005 by Tim GrahlI have a Steelman Eurocross Cyclocross frame that I am thinking of building it into a “Forest Road Flyer” 29er with flat bars that would double as a cross racing rig. I would set up two sets of wheels- one fatter tire set for 29er conditions and one narrow tire set for Cyclocross Racing. I plan to use the very Sweet, Steelman Steel fork that it came with the frame.
I think this would be a great rig for races like the Chequamegon 40 and the Ore to Shore, etc. Big, mass start MTB races, that are mostly on forest roads not singletrack, The rig would also serve as a good cross rig, particularly for rough cross courses!
Will the Steelman geometry work for 29er?
What kind of tire clearance would the Steelman have? How big a tire could it handle? Suggestions for tires?
Am I nuts? Am I wasting my time? Should I use the Steelman frame or get a frame specifically designed to be a 29er?
Any ideas or suggestions welcome!!
– Tim Dalton
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The Steelman sounds like one fine cyclo-cross rig! After checking out the Steelman site, I see that the Eurocross is built with a pretty classic cyclo-cross geometry. Remember, cyclo-cross geometry is just a tick slacker in the head tube than traditional road geometry. This will require that you be an attentive rider off road, as any lack of attention will be rewarded with an off the bike excursion! But, you probably know this.
Your biggest concern will be tire clearance, I’m afraid. I think you’ll find it difficult to get anything wider than a 37mm tire, if that, in the rear. This pretty much limits you to cyclo-cross offerings, albeit, that’s not a bad thing. You’ll just have a little harsher ride than a true 29″er, and you’ll have to be very picky about what lines you choose on trail. Pinch flats, deflections, and nervous handling will result if you are not carefull.
That said, you will have to experiment with a cheap hybrid tire from your LBS to see if you can get anything bigger in your bike. If you can go 40mm, or bigger, it will be a really good thing. Trouble is that most “clasic” cyclo-cross rigs rarely have this kind of clearance.
Good luck, and have fun! Cyclo-cross bikes can be a very challenging, fun experience off-road!
I think more than anything, I would be concerned with pedal stikes in rocks and off-camber situations. If you have anything less than 95mm from the pedal axle to the ground, you might want to hold off.
Actually the BB drop between Road, CX and 29″ MTB doesn’t have to be much different. They all work well with 70mm or less. MTB’s have fatter tires, rasing the BB a bit. So if you’d suggest that the tire height adjusts for the extremeness(that a word?) of the terrain, as long as you don’t overdo it with the 40mm tires, it might be just okay.
I love CX bikes, they have their place. For me the most extreme I’ll do to them is ride them with 34mm tires in CX races over groomed trails, and lots of road training. Unless they fit true 29″ tires, I won’t do MTB trails on them. The slightly wider 40mm tires to me don’t add much. I have to run them at too high psi to have any mtb-like comfort or traction.
One other note is the thin walled tubes of the Eurocross. If you are a heavier rider, (ie Clydesdale) you may end up possibly bending the tubes on say an extended hill descent over studder bumps, ruts, etc. Cross bikes are great but, just be careful not to put it in a situation in which it was not intended. This is the voice of experience talking. I’m a 225 lb rider and bent my hefty cromo tubed Cross-Check’s seat tube after 2 years of off road riding. Good luck!