Frameset suggestions - Singular Peregrine replacement

[andrew_s]

So, on the way back from the pub tonight, I discovered what the creaking noises were when I was on tour in Scotland last week.
There's a crack from the underside point of the head tube/down tube lug, now extending about 45% of the way round the down tube on one side, and 25% on the other. Frame entered service Jan 2010, on a 3 year warranty, the Peregrine is no longer available.

So, what do I replace it with?
Requirements are
a) clearance for 40 mm+ tyres with guards
b) disc brakes
c) normal touring-type braze-ons - i.e. racks (rear at least), 2 x bottle, mudguards
d) a hole in the front of the fork crown for a light
e) 135 mm rear dropout spacing
f) preferably a non-tapered steerer (i.e. 1 1/8 top & bottom)

Initial thoughts are a Disc Trucker, but has anyone any other suggestions.
Money isn't much of a constraint, apart from my natural tight fistedness.

[mike]

i had a peregrine, then a trucker, now I have a crosscheck. 

All 3 are / were fantastic to ride loaded, but the crosscheck is a bit sportier to ride normally - it's not actually sporty, but noticeably lighter and more responsive.  If I was going to ride round the world then I'd swap it back for a trucker, but for lots of commuting, occasional faster rides when the weather is too crappy for a road bike and some regular fully loaded touring stuff the xc is brilliant.

[Ham]

Croix de Fer steel? Not sure about the crown hole for light, otherwise a good match

[Jakob W]

Surly Straggler, Soma Wolverine?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Fairlight Faran? Shand Stoater?

Never seen the Fairlight mind, but looks as if it might satisfy your requirements.

Peregrine frame cracking after seven years sounds a bit unsatisfactory though, unless you've been doing something really extreme with it.

[trekker12]

Croix de Fer steel? Not sure about the crown hole for light, otherwise a good match

Croix de fer has a crown hole for a light. Fits all the requirements above and I toured on mine this year in considerable comfort.

[Brucey]

I had a frame crack in the same place.  It was decades old; think what tipped it into starting to crack (at which point the end was inevitable and relatively swift) may have been a episode of juddery brakes a few months earlier.

The frame had gained a lot of custom braze-ons whilst in my tenure, so wasn't perfectly easy to replace. I decided that some kind of repair was a good idea "whilst I made my mind up" how to replace it. 

Some welding was done, and the repaired frame was quickly pressed back into service (daily use). It is now years later and I am still riding that frame. It has light-coloured paint in the repaired area so that if it starts to crack again, I stand a chance of catching it before it catches me. 

BTW on a touring bike a heavy front load in low-ride panniers, heavy braking, juddery brakes, bumpy surfaces etc will all impose larger than normal stresses on the fork and that part of the frame.  I will go as far as to say that I think that low-rider panniers are a dumb idea in this respect; a bit like increasing the unsprung weight on a vehicle with suspension, the tail can wag the dog with potentially severe consequences.

cheers

[andrew_s]

Checking the price list at Argos, it would appear that a down tube replacement and respray would be around £300.
It would take longer than a new frame, but it's still something else to consider.

As for why it broke, disc brakes may squeal, but there's not (IME) any judder, I've only used low-rider panniers on 2 or 3 tours, generally having a sleeping bag or tent on a mini-rack above the wheel, I generally don't slam the anchors on at the last moment, and whilst I do ride fairly fast on rough tracks, I've always had 35 mm tyres at 60-70 psi.

[Paul H]

Checking the price list at Argos, it would appear that a down tube replacement and respray would be around £300.
It would take longer than a new frame, but it's still something else to consider.

Lee cooper's price list has a replacement downtube £100 and a powder coat for £70
http://leecoopercycles.webs.com/repairsandbrazeons.htm

[amedias]

I was going to pop on to say have you considered a repair instead, but obviously other people got there first.

It's *one* of the reasons I like steel frames, if they do fail they can be repaired relatively easily. Cost might mean you pay almost as much for the repair as a new off the peg frame but if the existing frame suits your needs and you like it then why wouldn't you get it repaired?

You could also take the opportunity to get any other modifications done you might want, extra fittings added, or superfluous ones removed etc. 'Back in the day' this was common, and it wasn't unusual for a frame to go back to a frame builder several times over it's lifetime for modifications and a fresh coat of paint.

I do understand why people replace though, when faced with 50% or more of the cost of a new frame just to repair an old one the lure of a brand new replacement is strong...

[andrew_s]

I ended up with a Disc Trucker.

I was tempted by a Shand, but less so be the extra cost.
The Croix de Fer seemed to be between seasons - the 2017 version wasn't available as a frameset in the size I'd have wanted, at least on a quick search, and 2018 wasn't out yet. I had a similar failure to get a CdF once before - I spotted a 931 stainless version parked round the back of the Hop Pole (after one of Blacksheep's Audax events, presumably), but when I went online to look, there were only small sizes available, and the following year's version was spoiled by a PF30 BB.
I was also tempted by a Rodeo Labs Flaanimal, but again, not currently available in the right size.

I had originally intended to just transfer all the bits off the Peregrine, but it ended up a bit more of a rebuild than that.
The original chainset, a TA Zephyr, turned out to have one of its bolt holes broken off, so that had to be swapped.
I swapped the BB7 Road for BB7 Mtn, the front disc from 160 to 185, the brake levers to Tektro RL520, new chainrings, chain, cassette, new Ultegra bar end shifters (the old ones being knackered), new headset, new BB, new mudguards, new cables, new bar tape.
I've kept the wheels, handlebars, seatpost & saddle, RL721 interrupter levers, front and rear mechs (not counting the jockey wheels), and front light.
The rear rack (Tubus Cargo) and rear light (toplight line) came off a different bike - the rack on the Peregrine was a 24" wheel rack, the lower braze-ons on the Peregrine being up above the seatstay-mounted disc brake.

The RL721 interrupter (crosstop) levers are road pull and don't work too well, so they will need to be swapped for RL741.
It's currently got a Look Ergostem on whilst I fiddle with positions, but that will get swapped out in due course.

[ElyDave]

I was going to say Fairlight Faran, then you could tell me how good they are?

[andrew_s]

I was going to say Fairlight Faran, then you could tell me how good they are?

Cudzo did suggest the Faran, but I'm of a vintage that regards unicrown forks as ugly and straight bladed likewise.
I also figured the lower rear rack mounts, being forwards of the axle, may result in my heels clipping the panniers.
It was also £150 more than the Trucker.

Any of my bikes that are kept in a ready to ride location will get regular use for supermarket shopping and/or night time riding. I've room for two - any others will have had the bars turned at least, and may be in a part stripped-down condition.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I only suggested the Faran on the basis of having heard/read about it. Never ridden one. Actually I'm not sure I've even seen one! And I'm sure you'll be happy with the Disc Trucker; everyone who has one is.

[ElyDave]

does the disc trucker take 700c's? I couldn't quite work it out from the website

[Cudzoziemiec]

Depends on the frame size.

[andrew_s]

Depends on the frame size.

Small sizes (42 cm to 58 cm) are 26", large sizes (56 cm to 64 cm) are 700c.
Some people, like me, get a choice (I went 700)

[Brucey]

Interesting that the rebuild required so many new bits; it is funny how once the bits are off a bike, fewer of them turn out to fit or  be serviceable/useful in a new bike.  Had the wheels not fitted for some reason, the seat pin been a different size and/or the handlebar/front mech clamp size been different it would have been pretty much a whole new bike!

Several times I have come across a bike that looked OK and even rode OK but when each part was subjected to close scrutiny, it didn't really look fit for much further use.

BTW how were the shifters knackered exactly?

cheers

[andrew_s]

BTW how were the shifters knackered exactly?

The grey plastic collars between the securing screws and the shifter levers had broken up and gone awol (both sides), rain & rust had got in, and the securing screw on the LH shifter had fallen out on a rough track in Wales*, getting replaced by an M5 button head screw & washer from the backup rear light.
The rear shifter still worked OK, the front was pretty stiff.

* According to google, the track reopened in September 2015 after 17 months. I think it had been closed about a month when I went over - it had barriers and notices, but nothing else had happened.
(an extra clue for anyone who fancies a belated guess the place)