The Von Hof Steel ACX Is the Fastest Custom ’Cross Race Bike
The Takeaway: A modern ’cross racing bike made of classic steel.
USA-made frame offered in six stock sizes. Custom frames start at $3,250.
40mm tire clearance so you can ride gravel when CX season is over.
Customizable c0mplete-bike builds start at about $4,000.
Stiff and sharp race-bike manners.
Price: Frame and fork $2,495, complete bikes start at $4,000, as tested $5,495
Weight: 19.2 lb. (54cm)
The Von Hof Steel ACX provides the core coolness of a US-made steel cyclocross race frame at a competitive price. With aggressive geometry—particularly the shorter 420mm chainstays and 1,010mm wheelbase (size 54), and 67mm of bottom bracket drop—complimenting a stiff frame, this is an unapologetic ’cross race bike. However, with up to 40mm of tire clearance and mounts for two bottle cages, the Steel ACX can transform to an endurance or gravel bike when CX season is over.
It’s quick, and the handling is sharp. A little twitch of the bars, a flick of the hips, and this bike changes direction with its stiffness lending precision. Also, though stiff, the Steel ACX has enough lateral flex that it tracks through bumpy corners well without the wheels skipping out.
The ride has an edge, too. Steel has a reputation for smoothness, but not every steel bike feels like a springy cloud. This one in particular is less compliant than many carbon and aluminum ’cross frames without the weight benefits of those materials. However, this bike feels fast and crisp with the stiffness you want for punching out of corners and up short hills. It does have the bright and buzzy liveliness typical of steel, so there’s no mistaking what you’re riding, but if you’re searching for a steel cross bike with a fluid ride, this isn’t it. Adding a carbon seatpost could help (this review bike had an aluminum Thomson model), but this is a race bike, and it rides like it.
Von Hof offers the steel ACX frames for $2,495, which isn't cheap, but it is competitive. For example, it’s less than a Specialized S-Works Crux ($2,800) or a Breadwinner Holeshot ($2,895) frameset. Complete bikes start around $4,000. There are a few sample builds on the brand’s website, but Von Hof will, within reason, customize a build to the buyer’s preference. The bike seen here would sell for about $5,495. Complete Steel ACX prices are in line with other small builders; however, the big brands generally offer more parts for your money than a smaller builder such as Von Hof can.
If you’re burned out on all the carbon clones and looking for the toughness of steel and small builder appeal, the Von Hof Steel ACX offers the performance of a modern CX race bike, just with a whole lot of soul.
—5 Things We Love—
Who is Von Hof?
Von Hof is based in Hoboken, New Jersey, and run by the husband-and-wife team of Rich Hofbauer and Diana Parmer. The brand is relatively young, founded in 2013, but Hofbauer has roots in the East Coast frame building scene that go back to the 1990’s when he worked at Rhygin Racing Cycles.
Rhygin didn’t last long, but the brand did some interesting and creative things in its short life, including building with alternative steels like AerMet (an alloy that had a much-hyped but ultimately brief appearance in the bike industry) and stainless. “We also built the first steel bike with a Cannondale Headshok,” says Hofbauer. (Note: Once upon a time, small builders fitting Cannondale Headshoks in their frames was a whole thing.)
Von Hof does not build or paint frames in house. Those duties take place nearby at Vicious Cycles, a reputable frame builder (with in-house machine shop) owned by Carl Schlemowitz.
“The plan for Von Hof was to create American-made road, mountain, and cyclocross frames in small batches with quick turnaround time and great pricing on custom quality frames,” says Hofbauer. “Carl handles all of our manufacturing and paint which frees us up to focus on spec, fittings, marketing, branding, and supporting the brand’s team of incredible cyclocross.”
Hofbauer states that a stock-sized bike with standard or custom paint ships in two weeks, while full custom geometry stretches the timeline to 75 to 90 days. Either way, that’s pretty fast for a small builder.
The Frame
The Steel ACX is made of a custom mix of Columbus steel tubing. Frame details include a T47 bottom bracket, a full-length hose and housing that run externally under the down tube, a tapered head tube with internal headset bearings, flat-mount brake-caliper compatibility, thru axles front and rear (12 or 15 by 100mm—depending on the fork you choose—and 12mm by 142mm, respectively), a 27.2mm seat post diameter, and two water bottle mounts.
“Another important aspect of our relationship with Carl and our small-batch production is our joint ability to source or manufacture unique tubes, dropouts, and small parts that aren’t available elsewhere in the US,” says Hofbauer. Some examples found on the Steel ACX include the dropouts, and the brake-hose and derailleur-housing guides.
Additionally, Vicious Cycles modifies the Columbus tubes for the Steel ACX in-house: The top tube is ovate, while Vicious machined the head tube aggressively to pare off some weight.
The Geometry
Von Hof offers the Steel ACX in six stock sizes—48 to 61 centimeters. Its geometry is middle-of-the-road for a modern ’cross bike, though more on the aggressive end of the spectrum. Plus, the chainstays and wheelbase are on the short side, and there’s a bit less bottom bracket drop for more pedal clearance.
Because there’s a lot of cross-pollination between the categories right now, I asked Hofbauer for his take on the differences in cyclocross and gravel geometry. “I’m from a time when the CX bike was for everything except road racing,” he says. “I think a specialized gravel bike makes sense if that is all you do and you require a super-stable ride without a lot of personality to get you through hours of consistent gravel. We wanted to make this bike for the adventurer or CX racer who loves to ride gravel—not the other way around. No one wants to drive a ‘gravel’ bike through a super technical CX course or singletrack.”
The Steel ACX felt great when I raced ’cross on it, and it worked well for other types of riding, too. With 40mm tires, it will get a bit tall because of the 67mm of bottom bracket drop (some gravel bikes have more than 80mm), but with smaller tires it doesn’t feel much different than a road racing bike.
The Build
Von Hof offers three sample 1x build kits on its website. At $4,000, the kit consists of SRAM Rival 1 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes with a Ritchey cockpit and saddle, and Stan’s No Tubes wheels with aluminum rims. For $4,800, it includes a SRAM Force 1 with Thomson stem and seatpost, Ritchey bar, and HiFi wheels with aluminum rims. The third kit ($5,700) also has a SRAM Force 1 drivetrain and brakes but adds premium parts like a seatpost and stem from Paul’s and a wheelset with carbon rims.
But these kits are examples more than anything else. Hofbauer says he does not keep build kits in stock and orders the parts from his suppliers as needed, which gives him the ability to customize every bike to the individual customer. With a two- to four-day turnaround from his parts suppliers, Hofbauer states he can hit his quoted two-week turnaround on complete bikes with stock geometry and customized parts kit.
The bike you see here carries a price of $5,495 and is essentially Von Hof’s $4,800 build with a carbon wheel upgrade.
The Ride
The Steel ACX rides like a proper race bike. It’s stiff, quick, and precise. But it’s not very compliant or forgiving. Steel has a reputation for smoothness and comfort, but, in my experience, that reputation is based on old steel, not new steel.
The lugged frames of yesteryear that were made of old alloys and had small-diameter tubes were supple. But that’s not the steel we have today. There are new alloys and the tubes are larger. Today’s oversized TIG-welded steel frames don’t ride like the old frames that the “steel is real” legend is founded upon; they’re stiff, sharp, precise, and super tough. But if you prioritize smooth and compliant, you’re now more likely to find that in carbon than any other material.
On this Von Hof, I felt the bumps, roots, and holes of the ’cross courses I raced—like, really felt them. But the ride wasn’t punishing, and it didn’t noticeably wear me down before my races finished. And the bike’s precision and quickness were absolutely perfect for the anaerobic madness that is ’cross racing. Plus, cornering traction was very good: Though it was stiff vertically, the bike had enough give side-to-side that it tracked well through rough turns.
However, racing this Von Hof forced me to face an uncomfortable reality. Though I am a fan of steel—I own three steel road bikes—I wouldn’t pick steel for my cyclocross race bike if I were serious about racing. Today’s carbon bikes can be so good, and, compared to a steel bike, the lower weight, smoother ride, and dialed stiffness seem like too great an advantage to ignore when results matter.
Obviously, I have some issues with the stiffer ride, but I know is more personal preference than fact. Some people like stiffer bikes. If you do, this bike might be for you. Alternatively, swapping out the aluminum bar, stem, and post (I’ve always found the Thomson post a bit firm) for carbon should mellow the ride a bit. My only other complaint is I noticed the housing-and-hose routing under the down tube seemed to trap wheel spray and encourage mud build up.
I think the Von Hof Steel ACX is a very good cyclocross race bike, with the warm and fuzzy feeling you won’t get when buying a big brand’s bike. And the two-week turnaround is extremely impressive for a USA-made frame with custom paint and parts kit. These are good reasons to purchase this bike. And there are more: The previously mentioned performance, its versatility—I honestly enjoyed casual road and gravel rides on this bike more than I enjoyed racing ’cross on it—and it’s tire clearance (which, with regulation 33mm CX tires installed, becomes great mud clearance). It’s a beautiful bike, too, with great lines and excellent construction.
I love small builders and steel frames; geeking out with Rich Hofbauer was a delight. And speaking with him was a reminder of why buying a bike like a Von Hof can feel so good. Instead of the credit card at the end of a bike’s journey, when you buy a Von Hof you’re a collaborator and part of the bike’s creation. And that’s something you feel in your soul every time you ride one.
—Von Hof Steel ACX Details—
Style: Cyclocross
Material: Columbus Steel
Tire clearance: 700 x 40mm
Drivetrain: SRAM Force 1x
Brakes: SRAM Force HRD, 160mm front, 140mm rear rotors
Wheels: White Industries CLD Hubs, Astral Wanderlust Carbon Rims
Tires: Donnelly MXP 33mm
Cranks: SRAM Force 1
Cassette: 11-32t
Chainring: 42t
Handlebar: Ritchey WCS Ev0
Stem: Thomson Elite X4
Seatpost: Thomson Elite
Saddle: Fabric Line Race Shallow
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