Boardman CX Owners Thread

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  • Mikey1976
    Mikey1976 Posts: 165
    The guy selling said he would tighten this up to stop the creaking, but im a bit concerned this will only be a "quick fix" to get the sale!
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    OptimisticBiker wrote:
    Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
    oh bugger, had a few problems with the Apex rear shifter on the way home tonight. Started with a reluctance to change up, pressing the lever resulted in no movement of the lever, as if it were seized and no gear change, after a couple of attempts it moved and shifted normally then the lever had no resistance and would swing inwards to about 90 deg without shifting up or down. After a few attempts, normal shifting resumed but then the same problem came back. Luckily when I took it into Halfords tonight the mechanic was able to replicate this, but wasn't able to find out why. It's booked in for next week when they will strip down the shifter and try to sort. Done about 400 miles/3 weeks old, no damage that I can see. Anyone had this problem with Apex? It's not totally failed just keeps messing about then starts working again.
    A mate had something similar on his Tiagra STI, turned out to be a frayed cable end inside the shifter causing it to jam, took us the best part of an afternoon to strip it down in the office at work, clean it out and reassemble (not helped by not having proper tools!).

    Well Halfords (bless 'em) just swapped over the unit from one of their other bikes, they were quoted 2 months to order the part in.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Mikey1976 wrote:
    The guy selling said he would tighten this up to stop the creaking, but im a bit concerned this will only be a "quick fix" to get the sale!
    It probably will be.

    If it was easy to fix then he'd have done it before you went to look at the bike wouldn't he? :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • optimisticbiker
    optimisticbiker Posts: 1,657
    Still looking for a replacement commuter and keep coming back to the Boardman CX... looking at their size guide, given I'm 5' 7ish and 30" inside leg, they suggest a 16 - 17" which by my calcs is 43cm... and a small is 50cm, so the sizing guide is useless...

    I currently ride a 50cm hybrid and a 51cm road bike. I'm going to try a medium for size as thats what the local store has in stock... but can anyone my size give me a heads up on what size CX they ride...

    Oh, another Q... how accurate is their weight info... 9.97kg?
    Invacare Spectra Plus electric wheelchair, max speed 4mph :cry:
  • Fat-Boy-Roubaix
    Fat-Boy-Roubaix Posts: 413
    I am 5ft 10 31" inseam and rode a medium. The Stem could maybe have been a little more comfortable @ 90mm as I think the Medium is either 100 or 110mm.

    My other bike is a 54cm Specialized Roubaix which is on the small side for my heigt but is more comfortable than the Medium CX.

    I have the Seat on the CX showing around 4-5" of seat post.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    I'm 6 foot (183cm) and ride a medium, the bike is quite long for it's stated height. Compared to other road bikes (the ribble I had previously for example) it's about the length of the size above, if you see what I mean.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • tincaman
    tincaman Posts: 508
    I am 5-7 and 30inches inseam, rode a medium since last august, just changed the stem from 110 to 90mm, now I finally feel like it fits.
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    Hi Folks,

    Just thought I'd fill you in on how my very 1st day commuting with my new Boardman CX went...

    Morning run was as good as I could've hoped. Bike felt smooth & quick (I took a good 7mins off my time for the 10.5 miles). I didn't feel the most comfortable, saddle & riding position causing some discomfort, but to be expected as I've upgraded from a pretty clunky old hybrid, will get used to it.

    However, the return journey was more eventful .. after about 5 miles the left crank arm broke off completely in the middle of traffic going at a fair speed, still attached to the pedal & my spd shoe! Cue much panic followed by a taxi home & then straight to halfords to inform them of the "issue". There wasn't a real manager available, he is (supposedly) going to call me tomorrow. Apparently the problem was a broken bolt according to the young lads on duty anyway. All I know is that my confidence in the build quality & above all safety of this bike has been severely knocked & I am beginning to regret having anything to do with Halfords.

    Am I overreacting? Has this happened to anyone else?
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Did you check the bolt was done up?

    Should be done before riding any new bike and after the first few miles, then regularly while everything settles in.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    Thanks for replying,

    I had the bike checked out by a LBS before riding it & no I didnt check the pedal cranks were properly fixed on before cycling home, but there was absolutely no hint that they were about to go (noise, rattling, unsteadiness) as you would expect if they were just loose. The bolt has broken it would seem, so no amount of checking would have detected this.

    Maybe its just bad luck, but it could have been VERY bad luck indeed.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Ah, i was thinking "the bolt broke" was Halfords' version of "we didn't tighten it"! If it genuinely did break then that's very unfortunate. The bolt needs to be done up mega tight so I doubt it's been damaged by halfords. Cross threaded perhaps!
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • optimisticbiker
    optimisticbiker Posts: 1,657
    bails87 wrote:
    Ah, i was thinking "the bolt broke" was Halfords' version of "we didn't tighten it"! If it genuinely did break then that's very unfortunate. The bolt needs to be done up mega tight so I doubt it's been damaged by halfords. Cross threaded perhaps!
    If a bolt needs to be done up mega-tight then its possible to get a yield failure if there was a flaw in the metal. The other possibility is that it wasn't greased before assembly and over-torqued. Its unlikely to be a cross threading/stripped thread on a pedal bolt.

    But I was thinking - if this a BB30 isnt the pedal arm splined or something? I'm sure on that level of kit it doesnt rely on just a pinch bolt to retain the non-drive side pedal arm? Even the low end is a square taper so there's no serious force on the pinch bolt therefore if it truely broke as opposed to come undone there must have been a fault either with it or its assembly...
    Invacare Spectra Plus electric wheelchair, max speed 4mph :cry:
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    There's just one big bolt to hold the whole lot together. No pinch bolts.
    fsa-2.jpg

    The splines are the bit about to be hammered:
    1299594818053-1vbe4zm8hwwdv-500-90-500-70.jpg

    Yep, you're right, the 'flipping tight' build process might have opened up an existing flaw. What I meant was that unlike something like a stem bolt it's very difficult to overdo it and damage an otherwise 'perfect' component.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    Thanks for this, useful information. I guess what I'm really after is some re-assurance that these bikes aren't going to fall apart bit by bit. The reason I went for this was that they had a good reputation & the price with discounts seemed to blow the competition out the water spec for spec. But thats no use if bits start falling off.... I'm not sure exactly how long boardman bikes have been on the go, but do people who have owned them for a number of years report little or no problems, or at least comparable with other manufacturers? If so then I can put it down to bad luck & start enjoying the bike (one the boys @ halfords have done their thing of course...) because on first impression it will fairly improve my commute & get me cycling a lot more.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    The part was made by FSA and fitted by a factory that probably makes loads of other brands. Don't worry about it. check stuff over regularly, but I wouldn't worry about it happening again, or being a sign of impending doom.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    OK, well I'm not sure that an expression of justified & genuine concern deserved a sarcastic response... but I'm sure you are trying to help, so thanks.

    Anyway they are going to replace the whole bottom bracket by the looks of it & we will take it from there.
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    muzzan wrote:
    OK, well I'm not sure that an expression of justified & genuine concern deserved a sarcastic response... but I'm sure you are trying to help, so thanks.

    Anyway they are going to replace the whole bottom bracket by the looks of it & we will take it from there.

    :?:

    Have I missed something or was a post deleted, I can't see any sarcastic replies? Or have I missed the point again :lol:
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    bails87 wrote:
    I'm 6 foot (183cm) and ride a medium, the bike is quite long for it's stated height. Compared to other road bikes (the ribble I had previously for example) it's about the length of the size above, if you see what I mean.

    I'm 6' too but a bit strangely proportioned (or so the wife says) longer body and shorter legs but I went for a large and have 5+" of seatpost showing? My other road bike is a 56cm and so went for a similar size. Certainly feels comfortable and not too stretched out.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:
    bails87 wrote:
    I'm 6 foot (183cm) and ride a medium, the bike is quite long for it's stated height. Compared to other road bikes (the ribble I had previously for example) it's about the length of the size above, if you see what I mean.

    I'm 6' too but a bit strangely proportioned (or so the wife says) longer body and shorter legs but I went for a large and have 5+" of seatpost showing? My other road bike is a 56cm and so went for a similar size. Certainly feels comfortable and not too stretched out.
    Because of your longer body?

    It's about 78cm from middle of BB to top of saddle on my bike, so 53cm minus 78cm = 25cm. minus a few cm for the saddle rail to saddle top gives me about 20cm, or 8 inches of seatpost showing. So my longer legs and shorter body mean that my bike is higher but shorter across the top. Which is what you'd expect.
    muzzan wrote:
    OK, well I'm not sure that an expression of justified & genuine concern deserved a sarcastic response... but I'm sure you are trying to help, so thanks.

    Was that aimed at me, or a now deleted post? I wasn't being sarcastic at all. Sorry if it came across that way. :?

    And the problem wasn't the BB, it was the cranks and bolt. Get them to replace the whole lot.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    It was the "Impending Doom" bit yes... no biggie as I said, you are trying to help which is appreciated. I may well be a bit over-sensitive as I am mightily pi$$ed off about the bike failing straight away. Update is that is it apparently the crank arm which has been machined incorrectly & they are going to replace it. I will get it back tonight & take it for a test run.

    Incidentally, as far as sizing goes...I have the medium & am 5' 9" .My initial feeling was that the stem would have to come in a bit as I am feeling fairly stretched out (arms nearly but not quite straight on the Hoods) but I'm going to give it at least a week or 2 to get used to the different riding position before making up my mind. Certainly my arm are a bit sore today which they never were on the Hybrid, but again to be expected I guess.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    No, what I meant was something like spokes breaking regularly would be a sign of impending doom*. Something like is one 'isolated' component that as I suggested earlier is probably a manufacturing fault rather than anything to do with Halfords or Boardman.

    And they're sorting it. IME Halfords may not be able to fix problems, but they'll happily replace the part causing issues. an expensive way of doing it sometimes, but a good result for the customer.

    *doom in a biking sense, e.g. a wheel about to 'pringle' itself.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • iclestu
    iclestu Posts: 503
    muzzan wrote:
    It was the "Impending Doom" bit yes... no biggie as I said, you are trying to help which is appreciated. I may well be a bit over-sensitive as I am mightily pi$$ed off about the bike failing ...
    buddy, 2 or 3 ppl have commented that they couldnt see the sarcasm. I add my weight to that. Ppl on here are trying to help and have a bit of fun along the way. Bails spent quite a bit of time trying to impart his knowledge to help you. Its not his fault that your bike's broke.

    We can all get frustrated. Vent by all means, im sure you'll find a sympathetic ear, but dont take offence at an innocent attempt to help you.
    FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles

    Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro
  • muzzan
    muzzan Posts: 203
    bails87: My mis-understanding obviously. I think I stated repeatedly that I appreciated your help, and I do.

    iclestu: Unnecessary.
  • grumpton
    grumpton Posts: 2
    Question: What do your bikes weigh in at?

    I've been spending a lot of time getting my 2011 CX Pro to what I consider a decent race weight. I'd say that the original spec at 22# was about right for a bare bike (no pedals, no bottle cages). I've replaced the bar, stem, seatpost and put on XT pedals and a bottle cage. The thing now weighs in at 21.6# even with the pedals on there. I'm trying to acquire a new set of light but sturdy wheels to get this thing sub 20# full build. Given that this thing has disc brakes, I'm thinking that a 19.5 to 20# CX bike is respectable.

    More of an FYI - I spent very little money on the seatpost and bars and saved about 200 grams (close to half a pound) just on those 2 components. The Boardman stuff is pretty heavy. Even the carbon fiber post was 100 grams heavier than a $60 USD seatpost. I spent $30 USD on a new handlebar (aluminum and on sale) and saved 90 grams. I also took off the in line brake levers on the handlebar tops which I never used and were 1/3# or more.

    It's a great looking bike, and I think the frame and components are quite sturdy - but I'm guessing the frame is not a lightweight by any means. Have not taken the whole thing apart just to find out though.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    grumpton:If it's any help:
    bails87 wrote:
    I've got a wheelset based around stans crest 29er rims (superstar hubs. Dt revolution spokes), over 600g lighter than the stock ones (2. 2kg-1590g). They work fine with 25mm gp 4 seasons.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • grumpton
    grumpton Posts: 2
    bails87 wrote:
    grumpton:If it's any help:
    bails87 wrote:
    I've got a wheelset based around stans crest 29er rims (superstar hubs. Dt revolution spokes), over 600g lighter than the stock ones (2. 2kg-1590g). They work fine with 25mm gp 4 seasons.

    Thank you. I just got a pair of Stans Arch 29ers that I will put on next week when they arrive. Will update what the new weight is. I think the wheels I got are about 200 grams heavier than the crest, but hoping to take off a full pound to bring me to about 20 pounds. Probably sub 20 if I take the pedals off, but that's kind of cheating.
  • bols2000
    bols2000 Posts: 5
    Hi,

    I would like buy this bike but I'm still undecided on the size.
    I'm 5 feet 8½ inches tall and my inside leg measurement to the floor is 32 inches. Should I choose a S or M?

    Does someone own a S and could tell his height/inside leg?

    Thank you!
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    I'm 6 foot with a similar inside leg to you, and ride a medium. From the sounds of it you've got a short body, so I'd say you'd be better on the small frame seeing as there's plenty of scope for me to have more seatpost showing, but I wouldn't want my frame to be 4 inches longer. So if my body was 4 inches shorter to make me 5 ft 8, I could just bump the seatpost up by a bit on the small frame.
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • tincaman
    tincaman Posts: 508
    bols2000 wrote:
    Hi,

    I would like buy this bike but I'm still undecided on the size.
    I'm 5 feet 8½ inches tall and my inside leg measurement to the floor is 32 inches. Should I choose a S or M?

    Does someone own a S and could tell his height/inside leg?

    Thank you!
    I am 5ft7, 30 inseam, medium with a 100mm stem fits me fine
  • bols2000
    bols2000 Posts: 5
    @bails87 and tincaman, thanks for your advice.

    After trying several bikes in store and one with the same ratio between the top tube and the seat tube, M fits me better. As some have said, Boardman bikes are oversized... to compare with other brands, S equals 52,5 and M is 55,5. And with 5 feet 8½ inches and 32 inches inseam, in "standard" sizes, I'm close to 55.

    Now I just have to wait for Wiggle to get this size back in stock... maybe the 2013 model.

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