Entries for Topic: La Cruz Ti
Tuesday August 10th, 2010
| | Joe
In the past couple weeks we’ve begun shipping the first of our new La Cruz Ti frames, so Jason asked me if I’d be willing to share some of my experience on the frame.
My experience on a prototype La Cruz Ti is most likely quite different than how a typical cyclocross racer might use the bike. At this point in my cycling career I’d likely be squarely classified as a ‘Gravel Specialist’. There’s nothing wrong with that and I suspect we’ll see quite a few La Cruz Ti bikes on the gravel scene in the coming seasons.
My frame was one of several prototypes that were ordered when Salsa began exploring titanium as a frame material. Details like cable routing, tire clearance, and accessory fitments are different than on the production frames, however tubing specification is the same. The changes on the production frames are all improvements and I suspect someday I will purchase a production La Cruz Ti.
My experience with cyclocross bikes began around 2001 with the purchase of a Bean Green Surly Crosscheck. It was my first ‘road bike’ that I purchased specifically to serve multi-purpose use that included year-round commuting, weekly training rides, crit racing, road riding, and ‘cross racing in the fall. Like many other folks, I immediately recognized the versatility of cyclocross bicycles.
Over the past several years I’ve spent hundreds of hours and thousands of miles riding and racing Salsa’s La Cruz Disc and Chili Con Crosso models. In 2009 I logged over 4000 miles on the La Cruz Ti. When I wasn’t training (riding my loaded Fargo) for the Tour Divide, I was riding that LC Ti proto.
In the fall of 2008 we took delivery of several titanium prototype frames from Lynskey. I built my bike with a SRAM Rival drivetrain, Tektro brakes, Alpha Q fork, DT 240 hubs w/carbon clincher rims, Challenge tires, Ti Moots seatpost, and Salsa Pro Moto stem and Bell Lap handlebar. Very few changes, aside from worn tires, pads, and drivetrain components, have been made since that original build.
While winter was beginning in Minnesota I began riding the bike, primarily commuting, 30+ miles a day. It stayed on its hook on the wettest of days and made round trips on the sub-zero days. In early March the weather broke and we began getting consistent above freezing days. Added to my commutes were base mile training rides of 80+ miles, a bit of gravel, and finally some higher intensity/faster paced riding. It wasn’t until I began to get the bike out on the longer rides and rougher terrain that I was able to identify the characteristics that I really liked.
The La Cruz Ti really shines on long rides and/or rough terrain. How long? In 2009 I raced Trans Iowa V5 and the 100-mile Almanzo with this bike. Trans Iowa V5 was my third attempt, second finish, and first win of the grueling 320-mile gravel race. Coupled with good preparation, conditions, and riding partners, the La Cruz Ti was an important part of my success.
I chose the bike based on two primary factors: weight and comfort. Weight plays into comfort, of course, but it also affects speed and endurance. When you push more weight, you will fatigue faster than you would pushing less weight. My proto weighs in near the 18 lb (8.1kg) mark. Riding a lighter bike helped me stay ‘fresh’ longer and cover ground faster!
Defining comfort is a bit more complex. I started out writing this review by defining comfort in relation to loss of power and speed (due to rider fatigue) over miles covered. I got halfway through that paragraph and realized that unless we have data and/or are talking about pro athletes (one of which I am not), plotting these factors is unnecessary.
For the vast majority of regular Joe’s (which I am literally), it is all about perception. I don’t own a power meter, I don’t use a heart rate monitor, and I definitely don’t monitor my caloric intake. I train, race, and choose my equipment based on perception and the experience I’m seeking.
At the finish of Trans Iowa V5, after close to 25 continuous hours on the bike I could hardly walk. I hobbled to the hotel room, whacked out on adrenaline and exhaustion, and climbed into the shower to rid myself of accumulated limestone dust. It took a strong dosage of coffee, a hot shower, and repeated cycles of stretching to stand up straight, push my shoulders back, and arch my back. The physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion weren’t a surprise. What was a surprise though was the speed of my recovery. I was back on the commuting regimen Monday morning, just over 24 hours after getting off the bike in Iowa. The ride to work was definitely at a recovery pace, but my body wasn’t nearly as fatigued as I’d expected. I believe the bike had something to do with the rate of my recovery. I believe it absorbed more of the impact from the road surface, slowing the rate of my fatigue and preserving my body to ride another day.
Frames built with titanium have long been coveted for their blend of performance characteristics. They have been described as having the ride quality of high-end steel in a lightweight and durable package. While they are expensive in comparison to steel and alloy, they are, dare I say, an heirloom quality product. No, you probably won’t pass the frame on to your grand child, but I doubt you’ll be looking to replace your frame any time soon.
Like I said, my experience with the La Cruz Ti may be different from that of most ‘cross racers. But it might be right up the alley in terms of what many riders are experiencing or looking for, there is gold in them there gravel hills after all...
Photo courtesy of Katy Steudel
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This post filed under the topic(s): cyclocross , La Cruz Ti , Gravel , Joe , Trans Iowa
Tuesday June 1st, 2010
| | Joe
Here’s the conversation as it happened in my head… It starts like a conversation Pinky has with The Brain in Animaniacs…
What bike are you going to ride for the Dirty Kanza 200, Joe?
The same bike I ride for all of these gravel racing events, my prototype Salsa La Cruz Titanium.
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Why?
It’s like a well broken in pair of hiking boots, or dare I say chamois. We’ve been on thousands of miles of rides together and it has always performed well. The only thing I’m changing is the tires. I’ll be running a more durable set of touring tires to ward of the flats that I’ve heard about on the flint covered roads. I’ve made a few little tweaks to make the bike more comfortable for several hundred miles in the saddle on gravel roads. Primarily, I run my handlebars a little higher and wrap Cinelli gel pads into the drops for more comfort. I consider myself lucky in that I haven’t had any types of major hand/foot/knee/saddle problems riding ultra endurance events. I intend to keep it that way.
What is in your kit and how are you going to carry it?
My kit has continued to shrink on these long rides. I find that I can get by with the resources along the route. Sometimes, it just takes being resourceful to get out of a tough situation, and of course, necessity is the mother of all invention. I basically carry what I would carry on any ride.
Allen wrenches
Chain Tool
Multi tool with pliers and small blade
1 needle and some nylon thread
A few meters of duct tape
A few meters of sports tape
Tire lever
2 innertubes
Glue type patch kit
Small pump
CO2 pump and one cartridge
Several zip ties in different sizes
Small bottle of chain lube
All of this fits in a small stuff sack, I call it my ‘bailout’ bag…it seems the phrase works in many situations these days. If I need to use it the stuff sack works as a nice surface to lay my kit out on the side of a muddy road.
Along with my bailout bag I carry all of the food and hydration I need for 150+ miles of riding.
Two waterbottles – filled with Cytomax (extra zip-loc of Cytomax for a checkpoint refill)
4L MSR Dromlite bladder – filled with 3L of water and Elete electrolyte replacement drops
Bag of cashews – salty, high calorie, good fats and proteins, slow burning
Clif Bloks – sweet, high calorie, all kinds of ‘stuff’, fast burning
Clif Shots – taste like $#&! (promotes drinking of fluids), high calorie, all kinds of stuff, rocket fuel like fast burn
Cookies – Me like cookies…high calorie goodness
Beef Jerky or Beef Sticks - savory and fatty, high calorie, tasty, slow burning
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – need I even say why?
That’s just what I eat on the bike. I have no problem partaking in gas station burrito’s, Casey’s Pizza, Hot n’ Ready sandwiches, Coca Cola, Chocolate Milk, etc… when it comes time to hit the checkpoint. I’ll typically stop once for refuel on this type of ride.
My bailout bag and nutrition/hydration are stored in an Epic Designs Touring Bag and Gas Tank. This is my second season using this type of setup and it works beautifully. I tweak it a little bit each time. I learned to store the water in the bag after my first day on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route last summer. It keeps the weight off the body and it is accessible via a hose that comes out of the bag and hooks onto my handlebars. Tri-athletes have been doing this for several years. I’m sure motorcyclists have been doing it for years as well.
My map and/or cue sheets will be held in a DIY holder that I’ve built after several iterations and years of frustration with the commercially-built products out there. What is out there likely works for the tourist who will stop when they need to change their cues or maps. I typically don’t stop to change cues in these types of events. I use a Slide Lock Hefty Freezer bag glued to a thin sheet of plastic that is zip-tied to my handlebars and bolted underneath my stem top cap. It is waterproof and very durable. I can reach in and pull out a cue sheet to move to the next and stuff the old one into my frame bag or jersey pocket trash receptacle. I’ll be using a Garmin GPS unit for mileage. It uses AA’s that can be found along the route. I’ve found this to be more accurate than a traditional bicycle computer and it is less susceptible to being destroyed by the weather.
If I need light I’ll have a Princeton Tec EOS bolted to my handlebars and a Princeton Tec Fuel strapped to my helmet. The EOS is great for lighting up the road and the Fuel is great for lighting up maps and the road ahead in more technical situations or when riding through a particularly dark section of a route. Both run on AAA batteries that can be found along the route if needed. For a one-day event I don’t carry extras.
All of this ‘stuff’ is just that if I don’t know how to use it. I’ve learned from others, made numerous mistakes, and spent countless hours using each and every piece of kit here. Fortunately, I’ve never ended up hiking into the next town. I’ve been lucky enough to find a way to cobble my bike back together in a couple of tough situations. I wouldn’t suggest to anyone that this kit would mean success for them. I’d suggest they use this as reference and tweak their own setup until they find what works for them. It is a never ending process, and frankly, that’s half the fun.
I’m looking forward to the DK200. It will be a great tune-up for the TransWisconsin, which starts two weeks after. It will also be my longest 1-day event to date this year due to the shortened TransIowa V6 in April. I’ve heard that the promoters of DK200 put on a top-notch event and it is one that I want to experience.
Thanks to Kevin Wison for the use of his Trans Iowa photos -Joe
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This post filed under the topic(s): Dirty Kanza 200 , La Cruz Ti , Gravel , Joe
Monday February 8th, 2010
| | Gnat
Today we introduce you all to the new La Cruz titanium cyclocross bike. Another product introduction? Yep, we've been busy up here in our snowy paradise. So, grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and read on.
Cyclocross bikes are the original adventure seekers. Capable of killing it on the cross course, the versatile La Cruz Ti grinds gravel, tramples dirt, tackles mud and rolls over potholed pavement. The steel La Cruz has always been near and dear to our heart and with titanium, it's even better. We took our proven La Cruz geometry and tweaked it ever so slightly to optimize the material. The end result is true cross bike that can take a lifetime of pounding without pounding your body.
Details:
- $1800 MSRP for frame and seat clamp
- 42 mm tire clearance
- 130mm rear spacing
- canti brakes
- designed for cross forks with 395mm axle to crown with a 45-47mm rake
Geometry: We took our proven La Cruz geometry and added a few additional sizes to match our cross racing bike, the Chili Con Crosso. This geometry will be live on our new website in about another week or so, so until then, here are a few of the more important details.
SIZE & STANDOVER: The frame size matches the effective top tube length. (Note: This is our new sizing scheme based on top tube length. If you already own a La Cruz or Chili Con Crosso, please match your effective top tube lengths when ordering.)
51.5 cm - 724mm standover
53 - 748mm
54 - 769mm
55.5 - 788mm
57 - 807mm
58 - 826mm
59.5 - 843mm
60.6 - 860mm
SIZE & SEAT TUBE LENGTH
51.5 - 485mm seat tube
53 - 515mm
54 - 535mm
55.5 - 55.5mm
57 - 57.5mm
58 - 595mm
59.5 - 615mm
60.5 - 635mm
HEAD TUBE LENGTH
51.5 - 85mm
53 - 100mm
54 - 120mm
55.5 - 140mm
57 - 160mm
58 - 180mm
59.5 - 195mm
60.5 - 210mm
SIZE - HEAD ANGLE, SEAT ANGLE
51.5 - 71, 75
53 - 71, 74
54 - 71.5, 73
55.5 - 71.5, 73
57 - 71.5, 73
58 - 72, 73
59.5 - 72, 72
60.5 - 72, 72
CHAINSTAY LENGTH
430mm
BB DROP
68mm
ORDERING
Our first order deadline from our dealers is due back to Salsa March 1st. This will guarantee a mid year delivery to our dealers and insure you have lots of miles going into the 2010 cross season. We recommend you take a look at our dealer list and call one of them. They have the correct information and can work with you to get you your dream Salsa cross bike for the coming season.
Over the course of the week, we will post up more details on the La Cruz Ti and the development process. Stay tuned!
Labels: La Cruz Ti, new product
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This post filed under the topic(s): new product , La Cruz Ti
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