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| 8.0kg exactly with Tracer Pro 33mm and pedals |
In short it works! And that's how the project is conceived. I love the versatility of my Tifosi CK1 cyclocross but its 54cm frame felt a bit too big (for me) and could do with some weight loss. I was pleasantly surprised that Campagnolo drivetrain just accepted the Shimano cassette and allowed me to use the Pro-lite Bracciano wheels. Together with better handlebar-stem and saddle-seatpost, I did managed to bring it down to 9.9kg with full length mudguard that really works when tested on a wet Thetford Forest trail!
Enter eBay and Trigon XQC01
A weird project in a way that break all the rules. This Trigon XQC01 looks cool and a pure race machine (as if I need it) so isn’t mudguard-ready like the CK1. But the frame and fork weights 1720g - about the same as the CK1 frame alone without it’s 720g carbon fork.
Here’s the plan – take everything from the CK1 and simply end up with a smaller + lighter frame. However problems start to mount: the crank isn’t going to fit a BB30 hole and the 34.9mm seat tube isn’t going to take the Veloce front derailleur plus I never felt the wide Tifosi cantis were giving enough stopping power. So much for “de plan”.
Crank Revolution 46-34T
A cheap solution to the BB30 and crank was possible because I was given a well-used stock 105-5750 compact chainset (from Cube Peloton Race I bought) and this frame seller had kindly installed a KCNC BB30/BB86 bottom bracket, ready for the Shimano 1.37x24 crankset. The outer chainring looks well worn but the inner teeth look decently square and it only weighs 725g.
I'm a casual cyclist at best and appreciate the 34T even on gentle slope cycling in the saddle, as opposed to doing a "Contador". Most of the time I'm on inner-out (of the 12-28T) so dropping to 11-28T makes sense.- Smallest inner chainring for 110 BCD I believe is 33T.
- The cost and weight of taking the cassette beyond 28T (new RD) means 34T is a must and a CX 46-36T is out.
- I find the big jump to 50T too abrupt and only ever useful going downhill and clunky in both upshifts and downshifts.
- 46/11 is about the same ratio as (tiny bit higher than) a 50/12 for less weight.
Front Derailleur Evolution - Top Pulled
First problem kind of solved. Next, the 31.8mm Trigon seatpost (unusual for CX?) means that the Veloce FD would require a new 34.9mm clamp adapter. Luckily FD isn’t very complicated or expensive. Or fussy about shifeter more importantly because it's another step to mixing in Shimano kit.
As most road frames route the gear cables in the downtube, most FD are bottom pulled and a cross frame paradoxically routes cables along its toptube to avoid mud and yet uses a pulley. Top pull FD is a relatively new phenomenon since most STI doesn’t have long enough cable pull to actuate an MTB FD. Step forward Shimano CX70 (a.k.a. CX-Ultegra) which comes in all the combination you can think of: top/bottom pull, band/brace-on, 31.8mm/34.9mm clamp. I looked at my top-pulled MTB and decided I could bypass the pulley altogether so I ordered one for £23 - costing only a bit more than a simple Campagnolo branded band. Very nice finish with now matching matt grey Ultegra band (to the outer chainring). On it went by hand feel, without a torque wrench. I even had to reposition the clamp when replacing the 50T with the 46T and so far it is holding on fine without killing the carbon frame.
Campagnolo Carbon Rear Derailleur and Shifters
...plus a Shimano Ultegra 11-28T cassette which has a good price-to-weight and gearing ratios. Replacing the Tiagra 4600 12-28T (310g to 235g) saves 75g. Pound for pound this has to be the best £/g saving as far as bike upgrade goes at a mere 15 pence/gram!
...plus a Shimano Ultegra 11-28T cassette which has a good price-to-weight and gearing ratios. Replacing the Tiagra 4600 12-28T (310g to 235g) saves 75g. Pound for pound this has to be the best £/g saving as far as bike upgrade goes at a mere 15 pence/gram!
Although people reported that Campag STI can pull a Shimano RD, I prefer the classier look of Chorus or Record RD. The non-Ti Chorus came in at 203g (vs Veloce 257g) - good but not impressive by today's standard as Ultegra costs and weighs less. The shiny chrome cage feels solid and the carbon weave matches well with carbon frame stays.
The (only) thing I like about Shimano STI is its hood grip - it is long, fat and wide, offering different grip options, albeit ugly. But I feel the brake lever leaking power from the hood position and running away from me due to the heavy dual-axis pivot and long levers. For that I prefer the single plane single pivot brake lever of SRAM or Campagnolo even though the latter might be too short for some. After long and hard consideration, I went for a new pair of Record 10 speed shifters to go on a new Zipp SL70 Ergo handlebar. Both were good but was not quite enough to impress, for the combined cost of the Trigon frame and fork no less.
The Record shifter is pre-Ergo update and has a straight and smaller front tip rise. The whole thing is quite petite and I find it really nice to use without gloves. I cannot imagine anyone with big hands finding it a good fit. Disappointingly the shifters weigh in at 336g vs claimed 324g and the cables included didn't include any brake ferrules and only 4 gear ferrules! [SRAM double tap is very appealing especially the impressive low weight (280g STI and 160g RD). But it does cost a lot of money for another 80g saving.] Partly because my Veloce shifters sport the new ergo design and it never really felt right that I was gambling on the older hood design. In some ways this is the only place were the gamble has not quite paid off completely even though it is brilliant shifter.
The Record shifter is pre-Ergo update and has a straight and smaller front tip rise. The whole thing is quite petite and I find it really nice to use without gloves. I cannot imagine anyone with big hands finding it a good fit. Disappointingly the shifters weigh in at 336g vs claimed 324g and the cables included didn't include any brake ferrules and only 4 gear ferrules! [SRAM double tap is very appealing especially the impressive low weight (280g STI and 160g RD). But it does cost a lot of money for another 80g saving.] Partly because my Veloce shifters sport the new ergo design and it never really felt right that I was gambling on the older hood design. In some ways this is the only place were the gamble has not quite paid off completely even though it is brilliant shifter.
The short reach of SL70 and shifter means I can afford longer stem. The 100mm Specialized sL stem also came overweight at 129g (vs 115g claimed) and after reusing one titanium bolts, it went on at 121g.
Wide or Narrow Canti
As far as I know wide canti has weaker grip but necessarily for mud clearing. Since I'm not racing cyclocross and never keen on the look of the arms jutting out, I'm more than happy to replace the Tifosi wide canti with something more confidence inspiring.
The best canti brake money can buy would be the Avid Shorty
Ultimate for £106 a pair! At 110g they weight the same as the my wide Tifosi one
(which looks and weighs similar to CR720) but cost 4X more. For the budget, Tektro CR710 for €40 a pair is worth the 70g/pair weigh penalty, at least for now. And the stopping prowess is impressive - compared to Ultegra caliper brake.
Unlike some, Tektro has a universal front/rear design which for this fork has the block screws hitting the legs, restricting the opening just enough to stop my Specialized Tracer Pro 33mm getting in and out without deflating it first. Bummer!
The solution is the thinline Koolstop pads. Squeels all the same but 6mm thinner makes a big difference. And it doesn't (have a screw that) punch a hole in the carbon fork:)
vs 
Here's with the road tires weighing 7.8kg with Pro-lite Bracciano A27 wheels, Conti Grand Prix GT 25mm tires and MKS EZY pedals.
In fact commonly accepted as the most important update. The top picture has the 33mm Specialized Tracer Pro mounted on 15C Ultegra WH-6700 and the above shows the 25mm GT mounted on the narrow 13C Bracciano.
I recently procured a Shimano WH-7850 C24 rear wheel on eBay. That's right, "solo uno" rear wheel as I realised after I won the auction! Nonetheless I am over the moon. The quality and stiffness and weight of this thing is incredible and looks awesome too. 1515g with an Ultegra 12-25 and Vittoria Open Pave 27mm tires.
I recently procured a Shimano WH-7850 C24 rear wheel on eBay. That's right, "solo uno" rear wheel as I realised after I won the auction! Nonetheless I am over the moon. The quality and stiffness and weight of this thing is incredible and looks awesome too. 1515g with an Ultegra 12-25 and Vittoria Open Pave 27mm tires.
