Which cyclo cross

Richard.J
Richard.J Posts: 2
edited September 2010 in Road buying advice
Pinnacle expede 0.0 £599
Specialized Tricross £750
Kona Jake £750

To be used for ALL year 3 mile commute (so must be able to fit mudguards) plus longer rides at weekends. Its my first road bike so want a fairly relaxed ride, and it will replace a ten year old GT hybrid

I can't find a dealer (Essex) with a Jake in stock to try

Comments

  • brucebanner
    brucebanner Posts: 256
    on this tangent, do cycle cross make good commuting bikes?
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    brucebanner wrote:
    on this tangent, do cycle cross make good commuting bikes?

    Some do, some don't. They can all take much wider tyres than standard road bikes. However, some don't have eyelets for 'guards or racks and some don't even come with watter bottle bosses. Check first.
  • scruffyduncan
    scruffyduncan Posts: 246
    I have the kona jake and it makes an ideal commuter; it takes guards, is sturdy and you can carry quite large loads in panniers if you need to. With the right tyres it's also pretty handy off road. Not the lightest bike though, hardly an exciting ride, but I like mine a lot.
  • D@VE
    D@VE Posts: 73
    I've got this Dolan Cross that i use for commuting,club runs and a bit of off road when on hols.

    5026048981_154217c5dd.jpg

    It's got all the eyelets needed for guards and racks and looks good (when clean).
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    I have a Tricross which has attachments for mudguards and front and rear panniers. It's a nice bike, comfy to ride, The basic model has Tiagra kit. Have a look at at Focus though - they have some nice bikes for a similar price with 105. That's what I'd get if I were getting a new one.

    Steve
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Canny Jock
    Canny Jock Posts: 1,051
    The Tricross is a great commuter, takes big tyres, guards, rack and is very comfortable. Look out for a second hand Comp, you can pick them up for £500ish.
  • mudslinger
    mudslinger Posts: 237
    That Dolan is very nice.

    I've recently bought a 2nd Tricross for commuting & it is perfect for that. Have fitted full mudguards & it will also take panniers. Amazingly comfortable ride indeed.

    Bit heavy which is to be expected & needs some decent tyres for the road.

    My commute involves a short section of off-road singletrack & the Tricross handles it brilliantly.
    Winter commuter: Planet X London Road
    Winter road bike/commuter: Specialized Langster
    Best road bike: Planet X RTD90
    MTBs: Giant XTC 650B / On-One C456 singlespeed
    TT bike: Planet X Stealth
  • jc-bike-person
    jc-bike-person Posts: 69
    I've got a Boardman CX Pro - 9/10 in C+ (and this website)
    Cracking on the rough stuff
    It's also got all the holes and bosses in the right places for adding guards and bottles
    ... must train harder
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    Big thumbs up for the Kona Jake. Had mine for just over a month and am really impressed with it. It's more than capable both on and off road.

    You may wish to change the Conti Speed King Cross tyres it comes with for something a little more road orientated. They do grip well on muddy, sodden singletrack though.

    A good do-it-all bike. You can get one for £600 from Grafham cycles.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    I have a Jake the Snake which I love to bits. I love tough and rough bikes that can handle road and dirt.

    Also, I've noticed Wiggle have the new 2011 Focus Mares AX 3.0 Tiagra out. Looks great, but front fork is alloy rather then carbon, but more then made up by mini v' brakes rather then cantis.
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4

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