How To Build Cyclocross Bike Frames

Cyclocross bike racing is a good alternative to mountain biking in off-season months and it’s worth knowing how to build cyclocross bike frames. Buying a cyclocross bike is no tough job, but if you have spare road and mountain bikes, it is better to learn how to build cyclocross bike frames from them.

What you need:

• A Road Bike’s frame
• Mountain bike Pedals
• Adjustable spanner
• Cross biking front and rear wheel tires
• 48 tooth chain wheel
• Aero Brake Levers
• Bar-ended Shifters

How to proceed:

1. Angular Frame. A Road bike’s frame usually has more sharp angles, lower clearance of the tires and a bottom bracket which is much lower as compared to cyclocross bike’s frame, but it can still serve the purpose.
2. Strip it down. The cages for bottles, the pump on the frame as well as the saddle bag need to be removed in order to build a proper cross frame.
3. Replace the pedals. Since cross biking is usually done for off-season mountain biking practice, the pedals of your road bike must be replaced with similar ones.
4. Adjust the height. The stem must be raised by a centimeter, and the saddle lowered appropriately. Also, for riding straighter, the brake levers need to be raised a bit.
5. Switch out the tires. You need to find out the popular brands for front and rear tires for cross bikes so that you get more professional results.
6. Chain wheel. Replacing the 53 toothed front chain wheel with a 48 toothed one and making the chain tighter would give better performance and prevent the chain from getting displaced easily during off-road racing.
7. Braking and shifting system. Getting air-based brake levers as well as shifters which are bar-ended will reduce the weight and increase the strength of the shifting system.
8. Make lateral adjustments. Keeping the rear brake handle on the left would make it easier to modulate the pace when you face an obstacle in the half-dismount position, having your left hand on the shifters and the right hand placed on the upper tube.
9. Road Pads. You can keep the same road pads in case you intend to go on dry land.