Attempting my first build and have a few questions

ms34

Hi, I've acquired a reynolds 631 frame and I'm gonna have a go at building it up as commuter/audax. I have over the last few years been playing around at bike maintenance so hopefully it will work out. In saying that I've a couple of questions maybe someone can help me with.
Question 1 is about crank length. I'm 5'7" with 30" leg length and the frame is 53cm so would a crank around 170mm be suitable?
Question 2 is about carbon forks. I may not go down this route as I'm guessing it's expensive and maybe beyond my knowledge but basically what is involved? I assume I've to replace my headset and figure out the steerer size but I'm a bit lost with beyond that so any advice would be appreciated. I mean would it even be worth it?

Beasty

ms34 wrote: »

I'm 5'7" with 30" leg length and the frame is 53cm so would a crank around 170mm be suitable?

I'm just under 6'2". I've 175mm on the road bike and 170mm on the track bikes. Used to have 165mm on the track bikes. Can't notice the difference between any of them (although some around here seem to be sensitive to differences of 2.5mm - that to me feels a miniscule amount)

Between 170mm and 175mm is pretty standard on road bikes and unless you've had experience of riding with that length of crank and found it in any way uncomfortable I would not worry too much

seamus

When building on a frame that you don't know inside-out, you want a vernier calipers. You will encounter so many questions about tube, bolt and shell widths, and they won't be written on the frame. And a google might give you answers, but they won't be answers you're confident in.
Having a vernier caliper there to just do the measurements instead of guessing or trying to shoehorn parts in will make life easier and make you far more confident about what you're buying and fitting.

krissovo

I cannot help you with question 1 but I put a carbon fork on a old steel frame. 1" carbon forks are expensive and few and far between but I picked up a 2nd hand one from here for €60 if I recall. You would also need a 1" threadless headset, bugger to fit nicely so the LBS finished that off for me. The conversion took my bike to around 9.4kg with an old campag groupset.

This is before:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=88601247&postcount=139

krissovo

+1 to Seamus, I had a nightmare with the seat post with getting the right size. Oh and I fitted 700c wheels so needed long drop brakes.

onthefringe

ms34 wrote: »

Hi, I've acquired a reynolds 631 frame and I'm gonna have a go at building it up as commuter/audax. I have over the last few years been playing around at bike maintenance so hopefully it will work out. In saying that I've a couple of questions maybe someone can help me with.
Question 1 is about crank length. I'm 5'7" with 30" leg length and the frame is 53cm so would a crank around 170mm be suitable?
Question 2 is about carbon forks. I may not go down this route as I'm guessing it's expensive and maybe beyond my knowledge but basically what is involved? I assume I've to replace my headset and figure out the steerer size but I'm a bit lost with beyond that so any advice would be appreciated. I mean would it even be worth it?

crank length isnt a big deal...10-172.5-175...hard to feel a big difference.
the fork wold make a difference in my view- a subtle one mind- but it is costly.

ms34

sorry for the late reply on this, thanks to all for the advice. I think I'll hold off on the carbon fork and revisit that element next year