Great bike for crits

BullGod said:

I am looking for a "spare" bike that I can specifically use for crits.....I don't need carbon, and I am looking for a nice compact model, and get some shorter cranks on it.....

anyone know of a good brand and model? Looking to spend around 1,500 - 2,000 euro

Personally I like all aluminium for crits. I just built one of these:

http://fetishcycles.com/road/penna/index.html

As a crit bike (and one that will do some time in my trainer). The frames are seriously cheap on eBay atm. You'd be able to build one easily for under 2,000 euro with Ultegra/Rival/Centaur on it. Massively stiff bottom bracket and rear, cheap replaceable frame, it's pretty much on the money for me. Now all I need to do is figure out how not to sprint like a climber ;-p

--brett

Having crashed a sweet Giant carbon frame in a crit earlier this year, I now ride a cheapo compact aluminum frame, an older Raleigh (most likely made in the same Taiwanese factory as the Giants). The weight issue is moot in a crit and I like the stiffer frame for the out of corner acceleration required in that racing discipline. Plus, if I dump this bike it will survive most likely and if it doesn't it's no big cash drain. Loads of choices out there, something like a Giant TCR (non-carbon) can be had fairly cheap. If you want to build up a frame, your options open up even more.

a 2nd hand CAAD7/8 would be fantastic for crits. Super stiff, light, and not that expensive.

cheers

LeDomestique said:

a 2nd hand CAAD7/8 would be fantastic for crits. Super stiff, light, and not that expensive.

cheers

actually just been to my LBS and bought a Cinelli aluminium with Dura Ace for 2 grand (Euro) .....it is an awesome looking machine.....took it on a test ride and it just screams our for corners and acceloration.....felt so different to the OCLV....

Cannondale! Caad 5 -> 9 are simply GREAT

Also good: Giant Hybrid alu/carbon (I use one with Chorus 2k7)

Sikhandar said:

Cannondale! Caad 5 -> 9 are simply GREAT

Also good: Giant Hybrid alu/carbon (I use one with Chorus 2k7)

Yep, Cannondales are great for Crits. Everything that makes them evil for a long century if you are over 40 makes them great for Crits. And if you damage it in a crash, there are a million out their cheap on ebay.

kopride said:

Yep, Cannondales are great for Crits. Everything that makes them evil for a long century if you are over 40 makes them great for Crits. And if you damage it in a crash, there are a million out their cheap on ebay.

+1 on the CAADs for crits (older ones can be had real cheap), though I have done centuries comfortably on my CAAD8 as well. I just never seem to have a problem with comfort even though I'm nudging up against 50. Guess folks calling me a hard a$$ had more to do with simply my personality!

BMC SL01 😄.

Not joking. it is incredibly stiff and corners incredibly. hangs into corners without even thinking of letting go (which can be dangerous if you are running a harder tyre. The cornering on the SL01 has no limits, so it is limited by your tyres. If they are harder than normal, it'll whip out from under you with no warning. But othewise its great).

I also hear great things about cannondales, and race against a six13 rider who seems to be able to pedal through any corner, on 175s.

i think for me bobby it fails the test of 'am i going to be upset if i crash it and bang it up'. i've banged up 2 bikes in 2 years in crits and fortunately neither have i lost any sleep over. it boggles my mind when i turn up to (club) crit race in a large field and there are guys rolling up on $7K+ italian steeds with full record and full carbon wheelsets.

one of the criteria for me in a crit specific bike (and many of the riders i know), is for a cheap (replaceable) frame.

--brett

A perfect build for me would be :
10 3/4 bottom bracket height with 23mm tyres
Steepish angles around 74 degrees
Compact rear end but enough clearance with seat tube for quick wheel changes
File off lawyers tabs for quick wheel change on front
Single bottle boss
Swap to 44t inner, 53 or 54 TT outer ring for less flex
No wider than 42cm bars
Alloy bladed Campy Centaur to slam down through the gears in a sprint .

Perfect!

My favorite crit trash was Campy Victory on a $225 Gardin SL frame at 73 parallel and Campy Stradas laced 32-3x. Cheap, fast, great handling and replaceable without shedding tears...or hitting the limit on the credit card.

I'm racing a $2700 machine now and frankly, i need to throw a beater trash ride together. Even though my current frame 'only' costs $1200 I would be irritated if i demolished it.

When it comes to amatuer racing, cheaper is a good thing.

caferacerwanabe said:

A perfect build for me would be :
10 3/4 bottom bracket height with 23mm tyres
Steepish angles around 74 degrees
Compact rear end but enough clearance with seat tube for quick wheel changes
File off lawyers tabs for quick wheel change on front
Single bottle boss
Swap to 44t inner, 53 or 54 TT outer ring for less flex
No wider than 42cm bars
Alloy bladed Campy Centaur to slam down through the gears in a sprint .

sideshow_bob said:

i think for me bobby it fails the test of 'am i going to be upset if i crash it and bang it up'. i've banged up 2 bikes in 2 years in crits and fortunately neither have i lost any sleep over. it boggles my mind when i turn up to (club) crit race in a large field and there are guys rolling up on $7K+ italian steeds with full record and full carbon wheelsets.

We get those guys too, they just get dropped. We don't have crits anywhere near the size of you guys so I have a different idea of a crit bike. In our crits, I somehow end up in the front group trying not to die while sticking with the antagonist, an extremely strong national masters medallist, who insists on attacking every second lap. Its a really nice course and there are very few crashes. It normally eventuates to a paceline, so I guess that also helps.

Caferacerwanabe has the right idea. If I ever built up a second bike, that'd be it (with the exclusion of 74 degree head angle. You want it quick but not nervous.)

bobbyOCR said:

Caferacerwanabe has the right idea. If I ever built up a second bike, that'd be it (with the exclusion of 74 degree head angle. You want it quick but not nervous.)

i just built a really nice Al frame up with ultegra that has a head angle tube of 74 and seat angle of 73, and it's not nervous at all. handles very nicely, especially on a really technical circuit. i need to get around to posting a picture of it.

--brett

sideshow_bob said:

i just built a really nice Al frame up with ultegra that has a head angle tube of 74 and seat angle of 73, and it's not nervous at all. handles very nicely, especially on a really technical circuit. i need to get around to posting a picture of it.

--brett

What is the rake on the fork though? I'd imagine it'd be lower to compensate.

bobbyOCR said:

What is the rake on the fork though? I'd imagine it'd be lower to compensate.

it's got reynolds ouzo pro's on it, i'm not 100% sure whether they are 43 or 45.

--brett