Chromag Rootdown & Surface (and maybe Primer) Builds

PB Forum :: 29ers
Chromag Rootdown & Surface (and maybe Primer) Builds
Author Message
flag piman
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 9:52 Quote
Been wanting to get a new aggressive hardtail for a couple years now because my XC bike just doesn't quite cut the riding I want to do. Decided on a Rootdown, so I talked to the LBS and it turns out Chromag is completely out of stock until the 2020 fleet arrives in November. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, but now I can't get that green frame...

Anyway, I'm excited to own a Chromag in the not too distant future. Just a shame I can't enjoy one this season... It does give me some time to put together a spec list though, which leads me to my question: what cranks work on the Rootdown frame? I've been out of the loop for a bit, so I'm struggling with figuring out which cranks meet the specs for frame and bottom bracket. I know its a BB92 press fit. Probably going to splurge on a Chris Kind bottom bracket so I don't have to deal with the pitfalls of cheap press fit bottom brackets. Thanks!!
flag Losifer
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 10:15 Quote
piman wrote:
Been wanting to get a new aggressive hardtail for a couple years now because my XC bike just doesn't quite cut the riding I want to do. Decided on a Rootdown, so I talked to the LBS and it turns out Chromag is completely out of stock until the 2020 fleet arrives in November. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, but now I can't get that green frame...

Anyway, I'm excited to own a Chromag in the not too distant future. Just a shame I can't enjoy one this season... It does give me some time to put together a spec list though, which leads me to my question: what cranks work on the Rootdown frame? I've been out of the loop for a bit, so I'm struggling with figuring out which cranks meet the specs for frame and bottom bracket. I know its a BB92 press fit. Probably going to splurge on a Chris Kind bottom bracket so I don't have to deal with the pitfalls of cheap press fit bottom brackets. Thanks!!

I’m using XT M8000 cranks with a Wheels Mfg. threaded BB92 bottom bracket, just replaced the first one (the Rootdown was the second bike for that BB) after the second full year. it was still in pretty good shape, and stayed quiet.

Los
flag DMal
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 10:17 Quote
piman wrote:
Been wanting to get a new aggressive hardtail for a couple years now because my XC bike just doesn't quite cut the riding I want to do. Decided on a Rootdown, so I talked to the LBS and it turns out Chromag is completely out of stock until the 2020 fleet arrives in November. I'm sure it will be worth the wait, but now I can't get that green frame...

Anyway, I'm excited to own a Chromag in the not too distant future. Just a shame I can't enjoy one this season... It does give me some time to put together a spec list though, which leads me to my question: what cranks work on the Rootdown frame? I've been out of the loop for a bit, so I'm struggling with figuring out which cranks meet the specs for frame and bottom bracket. I know its a BB92 press fit. Probably going to splurge on a Chris Kind bottom bracket so I don't have to deal with the pitfalls of cheap press fit bottom brackets. Thanks!!

BB92 is pretty standard, and most cranks should come in a version that will fit.

I haven't had too many issues with pressfit bottom brackets. If I were getting Shimano or SRAM cranks, I'd just get their bottom bracket and save some money.

I'm running Race Face Turbine Cinch cranks, which fit a 30 mm spindle into a BB92 frame. The design flaw here is that the bearings end up quite thin and wear out quite quickly. The Race Face bottom bracket started feeling rough after a month. For these cranks, I splurged for an Enduro Bearings bottom bracket, where the bearings are pressed directly into the frame rather than having cups, which gives more space for bigger bearings. It is still running smooth as new after a few months of use. (This one: https://www.bikemag.com/gear/components/beatdown-enduro-bb92-30mm-bottom-bracket-90-2/)
flag KennyWatson
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 11:18 Quote
Especially on a steel frame I don't think it's much to worry about. That said I was paranoid and bought a Wheels Manufacturing bottom bracket that is made up of two pieces that thread together, it has been solid this far.

I got a gxp one and put a set of sram gxp cranks I had laying around on.

Works great but for some reason a non-boost offset chain ring gave me a much better chainline bit that's a separate issue I guess. At any rate I'm happy.
flag piman
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 11:26 Quote
Thanks for the advice guys! I hadn't heard about these threaded pressfit bbs before since all my bikes are threaded bbs. Seems like a really solid design! Gonna do some more digging, but I'm glad you guys saved me some coin rather than getting for the CK bb.
flag sterlingmagnum
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 11:31 Quote
I as well have the threaded WM BB... very nice part. Fit a standard RF 20mm 68-73 spindle crank. Fairly certain they also make version for the other axle diameters depending on what you have already or can find a deal on.
flag piman
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 11:35 Quote
sterlingmagnum wrote:
I as well have the threaded WM BB... very nice part. Fit a standard RF 20mm 68-73 spindle crank. Fairly certain they also make version for the other axle diameters depending on what you have already or can find a deal on.

Well y'all just saved me on cranks too, I thought I would need a longer spindle cranks, but if I can use what I already have then that's great!
flag sterlingmagnum
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 11:51 Quote
piman wrote:
sterlingmagnum wrote:
I as well have the threaded WM BB... very nice part. Fit a standard RF 20mm 68-73 spindle crank. Fairly certain they also make version for the other axle diameters depending on what you have already or can find a deal on.

Well y'all just saved me on cranks too, I thought I would need a longer spindle cranks, but if I can use what I already have then that's great!

Yep it all works out tup
flag chezotron
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 12:37 Quote
piman wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys! I hadn't heard about these threaded pressfit bbs before since all my bikes are threaded bbs. Seems like a really solid design! Gonna do some more digging, but I'm glad you guys saved me some coin rather than getting for the CK bb.
There's never any real need for CK stuff. It's more of a want for most. I find it to require too much maintenance. Their bearings are nice but I'd take a Cane Creek over them any day.
flag jesse-effing-edwards
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 14:50 Quote
chezotron wrote:
piman wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys! I hadn't heard about these threaded pressfit bbs before since all my bikes are threaded bbs. Seems like a really solid design! Gonna do some more digging, but I'm glad you guys saved me some coin rather than getting for the CK bb.
There's never any real need for CK stuff. It's more of a want for most. I find it to require too much maintenance. Their bearings are nice but I'd take a Cane Creek over them any day.

I have CK hubs and a headset. I bought it in part for longevity and part fashion, won't lie. They're beautiful, plus the hubs engagement is great and they're stiff. I bought my hubs in 2015 and recently had the internals replaced on the rear without question so now have almost a new hub. I would have been on my 4th Hope driver by now and surely replaced the bearnings more than once. If you buy new gear a lot it's maybe not worth the initial outlay as with standards etc you may want something new, but the products are pretty damn set and forget aside from having a look inside every once in a while. And again, they look rad.
flag DMal
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 15:44 Quote
JesseE wrote:
chezotron wrote:
piman wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys! I hadn't heard about these threaded pressfit bbs before since all my bikes are threaded bbs. Seems like a really solid design! Gonna do some more digging, but I'm glad you guys saved me some coin rather than getting for the CK bb.
There's never any real need for CK stuff. It's more of a want for most. I find it to require too much maintenance. Their bearings are nice but I'd take a Cane Creek over them any day.

I have CK hubs and a headset. I bought it in part for longevity and part fashion, won't lie. They're beautiful, plus the hubs engagement is great and they're stiff. I bought my hubs in 2015 and recently had the internals replaced on the rear without question so now have almost a new hub. I would have been on my 4th Hope driver by now and surely replaced the bearnings more than once. If you buy new gear a lot it's maybe not worth the initial outlay as with standards etc you may want something new, but the products are pretty damn set and forget aside from having a look inside every once in a while. And again, they look rad.

Funny, I've found Hopes to be pretty durable.
flag jesse-effing-edwards
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 17:46 Quote
DMal wrote:
JesseE wrote:
chezotron wrote:

There's never any real need for CK stuff. It's more of a want for most. I find it to require too much maintenance. Their bearings are nice but I'd take a Cane Creek over them any day.

I have CK hubs and a headset. I bought it in part for longevity and part fashion, won't lie. They're beautiful, plus the hubs engagement is great and they're stiff. I bought my hubs in 2015 and recently had the internals replaced on the rear without question so now have almost a new hub. I would have been on my 4th Hope driver by now and surely replaced the bearnings more than once. If you buy new gear a lot it's maybe not worth the initial outlay as with standards etc you may want something new, but the products are pretty damn set and forget aside from having a look inside every once in a while. And again, they look rad.

Funny, I've found Hopes to be pretty durable.

My alu drivers were pretty much disposable haha. I've wrecked DT swiss, too. Now I run stainless steel on my kings and titanium on my white bros (which are not THAT expensive for fancy, reportabely durable hubs).
flag ronufoh
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 18:59 Quote
I did have my Shimano pf bb creak in my Primer, but that was after a particularly hard lift accessed day at Whistler Bike Park and conditions were very dry and dusty. A re/re with heavier duty marine grease took care of that and no further issues

Chromag did tell me that the Taiwanese built frames tend to be more consistent overall, and the Canadian built frames do have a bit of very slight warping in various spots from time to time.
flag chezotron
O+
Posted: Aug 7, 2019 at 19:58 Quote
JesseE wrote:
DMal wrote:
JesseE wrote:


I have CK hubs and a headset. I bought it in part for longevity and part fashion, won't lie. They're beautiful, plus the hubs engagement is great and they're stiff. I bought my hubs in 2015 and recently had the internals replaced on the rear without question so now have almost a new hub. I would have been on my 4th Hope driver by now and surely replaced the bearnings more than once. If you buy new gear a lot it's maybe not worth the initial outlay as with standards etc you may want something new, but the products are pretty damn set and forget aside from having a look inside every once in a while. And again, they look rad.

Funny, I've found Hopes to be pretty durable.
I concur with DMal. I've found Hopes to be very durable. I have S/S cassette carriers on both of mine and they do me well. Kings are fine if you won't upgrade for 10 years. Otherwise, prepare for your wallet to lighten more. As much as I appreciate the preload adjuster it comes loose quite a bit. And their headsets....they suck. Won't stay tight for some reason. I've never had an issue with my Cane Creek headsets. But, to each their own.

My alu drivers were pretty much disposable haha. I've wrecked DT swiss, too. Now I run stainless steel on my kings and titanium on my white bros (which are not THAT expensive for fancy, reportabely durable hubs).
flag piman
Posted: Aug 8, 2019 at 10:43 Quote
So I'm 6'5" with a ~35" inseam. I'm gonna buy an XL Rootdown frame (of course), but I don't know how much dropper travel I can go. Anyone with similar measurements that can weigh in?

 


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