What Cyclo Cross Bike

Wallace1492
Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
edited July 2009 in Commuting chat
Right, after debating the issue, and some though, think that a CX bike suits my needs more than a hybrid. Commuting on roads, but like to vary route home, taking in canal path and some other light off road stuff.

However, not knowing much about them, am looking for any suggestions, or things to avoid. Budget is flexible, but up to £800.

Kona Jake has been mentioned, and I have a Kona Caldera and really like it.

Cheers!!
"Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
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Comments

  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    I had a look at one of these a while ago - I ended up doubling my budget and going for something else, but that's just an impulse control thing I have to work on.....
    http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/series/croix_de_fer
  • oscarbudgie
    oscarbudgie Posts: 850
    Cannondale CX range are awesome but perhaps a little pricey
    Cannondale Supersix / CAAD9 / Boardman 9.0 / Benotto 3000
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Always Tyred wrote:
    I had a look at one of these a while ago - I ended up doubling my budget and going for something else, but that's just an impulse control thing I have to work on.....
    http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/series/croix_de_fer

    Saw this in the flesh at Tredz on the weekend. Looked nice.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    What about the Focus range on Wiggle?
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • DanielCoffey
    DanielCoffey Posts: 142
    I ride a Surly Cross-Check.

    Link : http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html

    This year's colours are gloss black and a honey-brown. Last year was the Misty Mountain Grey.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    edited July 2009
    If only you could add a couple of hundred then you could get a Ridley Crossbow. Always the way though!

    crossbow_2010.jpg
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    x-night_2010.jpg Might be a bit over budget! But oooooh and mmmmmm and oooooh again.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    As I said budget not fixed, can go higher, but don't really want to. I am not a bike junkie, Just want something decent.

    Also would like it to take a rack.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Don't think the Ridleys take a rack as they are very race orientated. Might be better off with the Croix de Fer then.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Stick to the likes of the Genesis AT posted, or the Kona. i.e. under £1k.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    The Ridley Crossbow with Tiagra comes in comfortably under your budget - £715 from biketraks, though I notice that it has gone up in price significantly elsewhere.

    http://www.biketraks.com/products.php?plid=m15b0s172p1939

    It has rack and mudguard mounts, and got a good review in Cycling Plus a few months back.
    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/cyclo-cross/product/crossbow-09-33264

    I was seriously considering one of these before I got seduced by carbon rear triangles and 23mm tyres....
    Misguided Idealist
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    ....must....not....get....involved.....
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    ....must....not....get....involved.....

    Yes...you...must. :twisted:

    Fireblade - thanks for that. I'm very fond of those Ridleys, probably because the crazy Belgies use them and no other reason, and am hankering after a crosser.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • wantaway
    wantaway Posts: 96
    I am currently counting down the months before i can buy my next bike. I am thinking of a CX too. I quite like the look of the Orbea Mud.

    But I must resist. Maybe the CX bike fad will mean I am fed up of them by the time I can actually buy one.
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    cjcp wrote:
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    ....must....not....get....involved.....

    Yes...you...must. :twisted:

    Fireblade - thanks for that. I'm very fond of those Ridleys, probably because the crazy Belgies use them and no other reason, and am hankering after a crosser.

    I'm actually looking at my next bike purchase and as we will be able to top up on the CTW scheme I'm either looking seriously at the Boardman Comp Pro (£1.5K) or God help me the Tricross Comp (£1.25K) as I may well be traversing the same sort of surfaces as I am on my Tricross Sport (£750)

    It all depends on whether I will exclusively do road cycling or have a hankering after some light trail stuff as well. (I'm thinking of running up route 68 to Yorkshire)

    Aaaanyway. Get a bloody Tricross Sport. :twisted:

    There I've said it. 8)

    Happy now? :roll:

    :wink:
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Welcome to the Dark side :-)
    I have a Felt F1x and use it for exactly what you describe.
    The only caveats, there are no brazeons for racks or mudguards.
    The latest Felt CXer is the F60x, and has triple chainrings, which frankly is a little OTT unless you live in particularly hilly or mountainous area.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    cjcp wrote:
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    ....must....not....get....involved.....

    Yes...you...must. :twisted:

    Fireblade - thanks for that. I'm very fond of those Ridleys, probably because the crazy Belgies use them and no other reason, and am hankering after a crosser.


    I know, they look sweet in the flesh too. Now that I realise they're going up in price quite so much I'm tempted to blag one while I can....my original justification for getting a CX bike was as a fast commuter, I blew that completely by getting a full-on road bike instead, but I still *need* a commute bike !

    [/pathetic attempt to justify getting yet another bike, not really appropriate since I expect to get made redundant this afternoon...]
    Misguided Idealist
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Can't believe it's taken this long for anyone to mention the Tricross Sport but I'd second the suggestion. I too have one (fitted with full rack & mudguards - see pic link in my sig) and they're great.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Does the Tricross Comp have the same frame as the cheapo Tricrosses?

    Def check out the Focus - look at this beauty.
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    biondino wrote:
    Does the Tricross Comp have the same frame as the cheapo Tricrosses?

    Def check out the Focus - look at this beauty.
    There's no mudguard eyelets on the rear triangle of that frame, or the disc equipped ones, so you'd have to use p-clips.
    I was pretty close to getting the disc version myself - good value.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Feltup wrote:
    x-night_2010.jpg Might be a bit over budget! But oooooh and mmmmmm and oooooh again.

    ooh, suit you sir :D
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    I would not get through Maryhill alive on that beast!!! I would need a Klingon cloaking device as an extra, and I bet that would blow my budget.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Fireblade96 wrote:
    cjcp wrote:

    [/pathetic attempt to justify getting yet another bike, not really appropriate since I expect to get made redundant this afternoon...]

    Ah, that's a b*ugger. Sorry to hear that. Hope it works out.

    I've had that argument in the context of prams. There are different prams for different purposes, for example, shopping prams, holiday/easy to get on a plane/lightweight prams, more heavy duty prams, prams to store at your parents' house to save carrying them in the car...

    Women. :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    cjcp wrote:
    Fireblade96 wrote:
    cjcp wrote:

    [/pathetic attempt to justify getting yet another bike, not really appropriate since I expect to get made redundant this afternoon...]

    Ah, that's a b*ugger. Sorry to hear that. Hope it works out.

    .....)

    Thanks ! Well, if it comes to being redundant, it should mean I have the summer off to go cycling ! I'll just have to make full use of the bikes I already have :roll:
    Misguided Idealist
  • skellator
    skellator Posts: 29
    another good value one to consider if u r not a brand snob is the Raleigh AIRLite U6 X Cross, tiagra group, carbon fork gets a good write up as a entry level crosser will take guards and rack, check it out
    What goes up must come down wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Good point.

    Worth checking out the price of the Ribble builds. Also keep an eye on ebay. A Kinesis went for under £400 the other day.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    DanielCoffey wrote:
    I ride a Surly Cross-Check.

    Link : http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html

    This year's colours are gloss black and a honey-brown. Last year was the Misty Mountain Grey.
    What on earth is the guy on that website wearing... CXers really are pervs, eh? ;)
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    I was going to make some funny comment - but that is just WRONG.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    I can get a new Kona Jake the Snake for a smidgeon under £900, I might be able to squeeze budget to this.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    cross-checkStreet.jpg

    :shock: NO NO NO NO NO

    :shock:
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali

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