What Cyclocross (£1000) cycletowork

richardabulmer
richardabulmer Posts: 89
edited March 2010 in Road buying advice
greetings folks, i am looking to get a Cyclocross or Audax for about june/july time with a cycletowork voucher.

I am looking for a bike with drop bars, feels quite at home on the road, and cinder trails when appropriate. i have a few decent bike routes (road & through wooded trails)

I want all the speed of a road bike, yet i don't want my posture to be bent right over like a roadie. As i will be using the bike as my daily commuter too, I want the bikes weight to remain under the 10Kg mark. As i will also be using this for light touring

My number one choice so far is the New one from halfords
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710

this one ticks all the right boxes, and even has sissy brakes

Seeing as all the 2010 range of bikes is out, there shouldn't be anything new out before july.

Can you guys give me more choices to look at - thanks

Comments

  • scruffyduncan
    scruffyduncan Posts: 246
    I have a kona jake, which I like a lot and is remarkably good off road. and nice to ride on the road. It is a little heavy, but has the slightly more upright and stable position you are after and is sturdy enough to carry a decent load in panniers. For your money you could get the jake the snake, which is a v ery similar bike but with a lighter fork and higher end kit.
  • Hudster
    Hudster Posts: 142
    richardabulmer wrote:

    I want all the speed of a road bike, yet i don't want my posture to be bent right over like a roadie. As i will be using the bike as my daily commuter too, I want the bikes weight to remain under the 10Kg mark. As i will also be using this for light touring

    Well, it won't quite have the speed of full on road race bike. Part of the speed comes from having an aerodynamic position.

    But I find my cross bike really good fun to ride as you're not limited to roads. I have a Scott CX and think it's a great bike and really enjoy it. I think this years model has mounts for mud guards. Before that I had a Trek X0 and while I didn't enjoy it as much as the Scott, it was more versatile and ideal for what you describe. It could do light touring easily and you could mount racks on it.
  • ex-pat scot
    ex-pat scot Posts: 939
    That Boardman looks a killer deal for the money.
    Can't see what gearing it has though.

    I've a Specialized Tricross Sport, which is slightly cheaper, and offers similar VFM.
    Commute: Langster -Singlecross - Brompton S2-LX

    Road: 95 Trek 5500 -Look 695 Aerolight eTap - Boardman TTe eTap

    Offroad: Pace RC200 - Dawes Kickback 2 tandem - Tricross - Boardman CXR9.8 - Ridley x-fire
  • richardabulmer
    richardabulmer Posts: 89
    yeah that jake the snake looks like a contender, so does the ordinary jake might shave off a few quid there and buy some clothing to go with it
  • solsurf
    solsurf Posts: 489
    Got to be the Genisis Crois do fer fantastic bike beautiful steel frame. Anyway that's the one I am trying to tell my wife I need
    http://www.pogu.co.uk
  • edpratt
    edpratt Posts: 28
    the merida cyclocross 3 is really nice, i rode one a couple of months back and thought it was fantastic.

    http://www2.merida-bikes.com/en_GB/Bikes.Detail.180

    plus its only 750, so you'll get it paid off quicker!
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    For me it would be one of the Kona Jakes, a Ridley Crossbow or a Vodoo Limba (available at Halfords too). The Boardman looks fine too.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • surreyxc
    surreyxc Posts: 293
    done a fair bit of research on this too, as I was looking at cyclocross but in the end going for a road bike just because I have never owned one and a complete contrast from MTb. however...

    I think the top end Boardman Hybrid is a nicer rig than the cyclocross as it comes with disc brakes. Also look at the Kona Honky Inc, and Planet - x Uncle John. whatever you go for don't think you can go wrong. I was all set to get the Uncle John but it came in more expensive than the Planet x road bike. So will go for a cc next year or rebuild pub bike into rigid cc/tourer.
  • richardabulmer
    richardabulmer Posts: 89
    I have heard a lot of people praise the croix de fer, but a steel frame? that cant weigh less than 10Kg?
  • solsurf
    solsurf Posts: 489
    The frame does make a difference to the weight, but not as much as you would imagine,(a lot of weight comes from wheels chain gears handle bars etc) many people like steel as it has more spring feeling in it and can feel more "alive" than alloy frames. Also they can be mended, don't degrade like alloy frames and aren't a harsh ride on the road like most alloy frames. So up to a grand it would be on top of my list.

    Go buy :wink:

    I just need to sell this one to my wife :roll: how do I explain i need another bike!
    http://www.pogu.co.uk

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