cycle cross good all rounder ?

ndodd

i'm after a road bike that i can commute on , day rides and maybe a bit of light touring i know there are plenty of bikes out there but in my local shop they have a schwin fasttrack cycle cross bike its comfy and there is room for mudguards . It was at £800 but now reduced to £600 so would this make a good all rounder at a good price its £100 cheaper than the specialized tri cross

FSR_XC

Cyclocross bikes are good all rounders. Great for commuting, touring and riding tracks

Don't know anything about the Schwin, but have heard really good things about the Spesh.

daniel_b

Be careful though, I gather a lot of the cyclo cross bikes are dispensing with mudguard/rack mounts, and also even bottle cage mounts :shock:

acorn_user

If it is a hard core cross bike, then bottle mounts have no place at all. You don't need them for an hour long race in winter. And in any case, they get in the way of portaging the bike up hills.

Some cross bikes are more utilitarian, and have all those features. They tend to have a more relaxed geometry that makes them a lot like.... touring bikes! Touring bikes are typically a lot cheaper, but Specialized don't make one so they sell the Tricross as being able to do both. But then you have to put up with the higher centre of gravity that cross bikes sometimes have (higher bottom bracket for clearing obstacles).

If price is a concern, Dawes, Raleigh, Ridgeback and Claud Butler all have touring bikes with either steel or alloy frames for less than 600 pounds. An audax bike would work well too.

However, if you might try racing cross, the Schwinn would be good. I have heard that they are pretty nice.

blorg

Sounds perfect for what you want all right. I have a Van Nicholas Amazon myself which I got got light touring and it does that very well.

always_tyred

So if I'm after a bike with disk brakes, drops, bottle cage mounts and mudguard eyelets, but which I can take off road. What's out there?

I loved the Lemond Prorad, but you can't get it in the UK.

Then I looked at the Focus cross disc - no mudguard eyelets, and I wasn't keen on alu fram and alu forks.

Now I'm considering the Fixie Pure Blood; a beautiful looking machine, no guard mounts but that can be worked around, but oh my god the price for a commuter.

I've always assumed that a touring bike wasn't designed to take the off-road abuse.

Gary D

Always Tyred wrote:

So if I'm after a bike with disk brakes, drops, bottle cage mounts and mudguard eyelets, but which I can take off road. What's out there?

I loved the Lemond Prorad, but you can't get it in the UK.

Then I looked at the Focus cross disc - no mudguard eyelets, and I wasn't keen on alu fram and alu forks.

Now I'm considering the Fixie Pure Blood; a beautiful looking machine, no guard mounts but that can be worked around, but oh my god the price for a commuter.

I've always assumed that a touring bike wasn't designed to take the off-road abuse.

Have a look at this:

http://www.orbea.com/en-gb/productos/bi ... letas.aspx

Reviewed here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... c-08-28049

Gary.

jpembroke

Daniel B wrote:

Be careful though, I gather a lot of the cyclo cross bikes are dispensing with mudguard/rack mounts, and also even bottle cage mounts :shock:

It's more the other way round. Traditionally cross bikes were built for one hour races so did not have rack mounts, mudguard or bottle cage mounts. They also had very short top tubes (up to 3cm shorter than equivalent road bike) and tiny head tubes; and many had a geometry that would not allow for a triple chainset. However, many 'cross bikes are becoming increasingly like hybrids to cater for a growing market e.g. Planet X Uncle John (I have one of these), Kinesis Crosslight 4T, Specialized Tricross. Just make sure you check these things before buying.

andyp

Always Tyred wrote:

So if I'm after a bike with disk brakes, drops, bottle cage mounts and mudguard eyelets, but which I can take off road. What's out there?

I'm considering something similar and the Everti Odyssey would be top of my list. I hope to be in Vancouver next summer so will drop in on them then and have a look at one close up.

meagain

The Everti is indeed one of the most desirable bikes I've ever laid eyes on - but hardly in the same price bracket as the other stuff under discussion!

"a touring bike wasn't designed to take the off-road abuse."

Not full-on DH for sure - but before the days of specific bikes for every purpose the average bike (pretty much a tourer in todays terminology) went most places with little trouble/complaint! As long as will take at least x28-32 tyres, the bike will take as much as the rider is likely to withstand!

jpembroke

I agree with meagain. If I was in your position I'd get a touring bike. Far more suitable for what you described i.e. commuting, day rides, and light touring. Have a serious look at a Dawes Galaxy, or Edinburgh Bicycle’s Revolution Country Traveller, perhaps.

I find it interesting how many people these days are looking at cyclocross bikes but don't mention cyclocross in their list of intended uses.

Gary D

jpembroke wrote:

I find it interesting how many people these days are looking at cyclocross bikes but don't mention cyclocross in their list of intended uses.

I think it is called very clever marketing

I can speak from experience and it certainly was in my case. I was only just making the transition from pootling on a hybrid to wanting a road bike. The idea of being able to use a bike both on and off road was very appealing - as at that time, a lot of my riding was with the kids on tracks and in parks etc. At that time, I'd convinced myself I really didn't want to go down the route of one of those "skinny tyred, lightweight, bum in the air racing bikes" :shock: :shock:
As you say, I never had any intention then to do any cyclocross. So, the Spesh Tricross ticked all the boxes and I bought one - albeit second hand off Ebay.

However, 18 months on and my requirements have evolved and changed
I have just bought one of those "skinny tyred etc etc" a Bianchi 928 C2C.

I have kept the Tricross however and I might even have a go at cyclocross this winter so alls well that ends well.

It would be very interesting to know if others that have bought cyclocross bikes have gone down a similar road??

Gary.

jpembroke

Gary, you'll probably do a 'cross race then come away thinking: "well, the Tricross was OK, but that (insert other bike here), which that other bloke was riding, looked a lot lighter/faster/better".

You can't win.

Gary D

jpembroke wrote:

Gary, you'll probably do a 'cross race then come away thinking: "well, the Tricross was OK, but that (insert other bike here), which that other bloke was riding, looked a lot lighter/faster/better".

You can't win.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no..................................................well maybe yes

Actually, if I do decide to give it a go, it definitely won't be the bike that is the waekest link - it will be the knackered engine :oops: :oops:

Gary.

jpembroke

Oh man, wait til you try it. You start off thinking: "well, it's only an hour. How bad can it be?" Then, after the sprint start and the first 2 laps you'll be saying to yourself: "an hour? how can I do this for an hour?"

Oh boy, what a laugh.

always_tyred

Re the cyclocross/touring issue.

I'm looking for a bike with disc brakes and enough clearance for 25 or 27c tyres in order to be able to take to tow paths but also to some trails that cross the Pentlands near Edinburgh.

The discs are just a preference based on grinding through too many sidewalls over the winter.

If anyone knows the area, there are a number of farm tracks that are just about rideable on a road bike - a bit gravelly, cinder track in places, but which deteriorate for stretches into rather more broken, rutted and rocky tracks. I can just about squeeze past along the sides in very dry weather.

There's also a number of good climbs up here that start of tarmaced, but become forestry commission access roads. Again, these are almost in range of a road bike, but not quite.

Overall, the terrain could be quite punishing, but I'm not going to be hopping off and putting the bike on my shoulder or anything. Out of range of a touring bike?

jpembroke

Have you considered a Planet X Kaffenback? One of those built up with Planet X own wheelset, 105 groupset and some chunky tyres would be ideal. Only downside for you is that it'll only take canti brakes (or V brakes if using flat bars). However, most cross riders use canti brakes and find them perfectly adequate.

Juice05

hey don't really want to start a new topic since this one seems quite adequate.

Just out of interest, I'm after a cx bike for the same reason, however, I don't have the same cash - ideally I would like the name of a few similar bikes (cable disks are finer <<£) that are a few years old 05 06 or so so I can buy them second hand.

Sorry to be so stingy im doing the C2C as a charity ride and quite fancy "trying" road biking after I've done. If i spend too much on a bike i'll end up not using it for my uni commute every day so I was looking for something I can pikc up for <300 as my main riding style is XC/DH which already is wrapping up my student loan.

Thanks

jpembroke

You want a cyclocross bike for riding on the road? Why? Have you considered a road bike by any chance? It's what they're designed for.

Juice05

of course, but then surely the wheels wouldn't last on the odd rocks which occur along the way will just buckle the wheels?

I do appologise and I feel stupid, I just dont know where to start here I'm finding it a lot more difficult to understand rims, brands and different types than I do with mtb.

jpembroke

No, I apologise. I wasn't aware of the off road sections of the C2C and was just focussing on you wanting something for road use later on. Cyclocross bikes are a bit of a trade off really. On one side, they are quicker on road than an MTB. However, they will not provide you with a great deal of comfort on prolonged rough, off road sections. I have a 'cross bike which i use solely for 'cross racing and training for racing. It would make a reasonable winter trainer if I bought a new set of wheels and would probably be quite good as a sportive bike but to be honest the thing it does best is CX racing; everything else is a compromise.

Juice05

ok thanks, I've spoken to a few people who have done the C2C and they are saying they are saying a road bike should be fine for most sections. I've read a bit and the compromise i need might be a road bike with just stronger wheels so basically double walled rims?

Thanks for you patience.

always_tyred

don't get me wrong - I'm not after dics because of the stopping power, just attracted to their advantages in terms of cleaning and wheel longevity.

jpembroke

Juice05 wrote:

ok thanks, I've spoken to a few people who have done the C2C and they are saying they are saying a road bike should be fine for most sections. I've read a bit and the compromise i need might be a road bike with just stronger wheels so basically double walled rims?

Thanks for you patience.

A good set of handbuilt wheels e.g. Open Pro or CXP33 rims on Ultegra hubs would be a good bet but out of your budget I suspect. Are you sure you wouldn't rather do this on an XC MTB with a decent set of touring tyres on?

Juice05

Don't really want to buy another XC bike already got wolfridge, then my hardtail is a cannondale chase II and so I know it sounds lame but I dont fancy another hardtail, as other than the C2C i wouldnt have use for it.

Yup i'm lame. Ah well I've probably driven you all to dispair. cheers for your help.

jpembroke

Always Tyred wrote:

don't get me wrong - I'm not after dics because of the stopping power, just attracted to their advantages in terms of cleaning and wheel longevity.

I know what you mean but I'm just a bit of a sucker for the simplicity of the good old canti brake (they clean up just fine by the way). For wheels I use Mavic Aksiums, which have stood up well to racing and training. The wheels only cost £125 and the brakes £36. Getting my bike disk equipped would cost me quite a bit more and I doubt that the wheels would last any longer considering the abuse they get. I don't think they'll get a chance to wear out; they'll probably just fall apart way before the rims wear down.

jpembroke

Juice05 wrote:

Don't really want to buy another XC bike already got wolfridge, then my hardtail is a cannondale chase II and so I know it sounds lame but I dont fancy another hardtail, as other than the C2C i wouldnt have use for it.

Yup i'm lame. Ah well I've probably driven you all to dispair. cheers for your help.

I realise that this is not going to turn heads but it's really worth considering:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/comms/s ... cardinal=3

Perfect for your C2C and you'd no doubt be able to sell it for not too much of a loss afterwards

Juice05

aye saw that today ta.

Going to sit on memory map tomorrow, and have a look then flip a coin.

Cheers

blorg

Always Tyred wrote:

don't get me wrong - I'm not after dics because of the stopping power, just attracted to their advantages in terms of cleaning and wheel longevity.

I'd take the stopping power too, low profile cantis don't work great with STI levers- can be one of the big downsides of this type of bike.

jpembroke

You can get a lot more power out of cantis if you replace the yoke with a straddle cable and hanger set-up. This will allow you to move the cable closer to the wheel and improve mechanical advantage. My Oryx brakes stop me just fine.

graeme_s-2

Juice05 wrote:

ok thanks, I've spoken to a few people who have done the C2C and they are saying they are saying a road bike should be fine for most sections. I've read a bit and the compromise i need might be a road bike with just stronger wheels so basically double walled rims?

Thanks for you patience.

I did the Ilfracombe to Plymouth route in May (opposite end of the country I know, but stick with me) with my Dad. We were both on road bikes, and the tarmac stuff was fine. The route has quite a few off road sections. The bikes were not ideal for these sections (both running 23C slick tyres), but we generally slithered and bounced over everything without causing any real damage. Our wheels were still true at the end, and we had one puncture between us (from broken glass on a cycle path through Barnstaple).

If I could pick any bike to do it again, then I'd probably chose a hybrid, tourer or cyclocross bike, but I would do it again on a road bike.