Boardman CX Owners Thread

essex-commuter

Pictures as requested:



This shows the clearance the forks give:


This is the Tortec Velocity rack (love it!)


This the how I bridged the gap for the rear guard:


This is how I worked the front stay around the calliper:


Hope that helps.

meanredspider

Rode in on the CX today in the pouring rain to test out the SKS mudguards and the dis brakes.

Mudguards - I'm impressed with the quality of these - not the lightest but nicely made and robust with plenty of fixings in the pack to take into account different bike types. Worked well too - kept my feet and legs much cleaner & drier.

Discs - I fitted BB7 to the rear - braking in the wet on 25c Gators and the rear locks easily. Dunno if the original BB5s would actually be perfectly adequate. Brakes quite noisy at times and dead quite at others. BB7 certainly easier to adjust than BB5s.

Had a couple of frights when I switched on autopilot and started trying to change down using the brake levers a-la-105 I've got used to - front disc brake in the wet isn't something you want to haul on absent-mindedly.

The one thing I don't like but will probably get used to with regular riding is the hood covers on the Apex shifters. There's a bulge on the trailing edge where my palms rest and I can feel the pressure there. Not as comfortable as 105

roger_merriman

meanredspider wrote:

Rode in on the CX today in the pouring rain to test out the SKS mudguards and the dis brakes.

Mudguards - I'm impressed with the quality of these - not the lightest but nicely made and robust with plenty of fixings in the pack to take into account different bike types. Worked well too - kept my feet and legs much cleaner & drier.

Discs - I fitted BB7 to the rear - braking in the wet on 25c Gators and the rear locks easily. Dunno if the original BB5s would actually be perfectly adequate. Brakes quite noisy at times and dead quite at others. BB7 certainly easier to adjust than BB5s.

Had a couple of frights when I switched on autopilot and started trying to change down using the brake levers a-la-105 I've got used to - front disc brake in the wet isn't something you want to haul on absent-mindedly.

The one thing I don't like but will probably get used to with regular riding is the hood covers on the Apex shifters. There's a bulge on the trailing edge where my palms rest and I can feel the pressure there. Not as comfortable as 105

heh if I haven't used the MTB for a week or two I always test the brakes a few times so I get dialed in, the difference between Hydraulic discs and dual pivots, is huge.

61Sigs

I'm an ex-MTB'r that due to work (and living in the middle of Wiltshire) doesn't really have the time to get out on any real mountains these days. Consequently most of my riding is the commute to work over roughish roads, cycle tracks, a few tow paths etc or weekend 15 mile plus rides over country roads and gravel tracks etc.

My Specialized Epic FSR isn't really designed for this so I tend to use my Hardrock.

However, as I'm doing more of these rides and I want to increase the mileage I need to find a bike with a more suitable geometry. I realy like the look the look of the CX, but am a bit concerned about the build quality. How good/bad is it?

p.s I would love to have a proper road bike, but a) I'll almost certainly break it, and b) I think I perversely enjoy winter riding.

I think what I am asking is, is the CX Team any good??

Your comments would be most welcome

meanredspider

Apart from the BB issues which you could ask to be checked before taking delivery, I'm very happy with the build quality. The frame is very nice with its smooth welds (my keen cycling mate had assumed it was carbon) and the rest of the components are pretty common at this price level. I've certainly no complaints.

essex-commuter

I'd recommend it, simple as that.

Oh and a colleague assumed mine was carbon too!

seataltea

Our cycle2work scheme is a few days from going live for 2011 and this is top of my list.

The disc brakes on what is essentially a robust road bike scare me a little, it is possible to have to much power methinks.

meanredspider

seataltea wrote:

The disc brakes on what is essentially a robust road bike scare me a little, it is possible to have to much power methinks.

They're fine really - not the power of hydraulic discs. I wouldn't bother upgrading though as I think they provide enough power. Plan on getting a better saddle and some SKS mudguards though - get them on the scheme if you can. Same goes with pedals and maybe some road tyres if you're commuting by road.

ride_whenever

meanredspider wrote:

seataltea wrote:

The disc brakes on what is essentially a robust road bike scare me a little, it is possible to have to much power methinks.

They're fine really - not the power of hydraulic discs. I wouldn't bother upgrading though as I think they provide enough power. Plan on getting a better saddle and some SKS mudguards though - get them on the scheme if you can. Same goes with pedals and maybe some road tyres if you're commuting by road.

I'd much rather have too much power than not enough. You just end up using a lot less force to brake, which means you get a lot less tired...

meanredspider

ride_whenever wrote:

I'd much rather have too much power than not enough. You just end up using a lot less force to brake, which means you get a lot less tired...

Agree completely - would rather be feathering the brakes than hauling on them for all I'm worth (...and still not stopping) which is a situation I've found myself in on my roadie on steep, wet downhill descents. Discs were one of the features I really wanted on my winter commuter - it takes quite a bit to stop 110kg of bike, kit and rider travelling at 30-40mph downhill. I could go slower but it's nice to take the benefit of that hard-earned elevation in the form of speed/time.

doogee

Just bought one of these 2 weeks ago, I collected it boxed and put it together myself (put on front wheel, handlebars and adjusted the brakes/mechs) After reading this thread re the BB I took the opportunity to pull the crank and stick more grease in and around the bearings, it did seem a little lacking and hopefully it won’t show any problems in the future. It’s a nice looking bike and the build quality is good. I’ve only had it out for a quick spin through a local field but it seems to handle nicely.

I bought it primarily as a winter commuter and have purchased a set of Marathon Winters for it, it’ll be graced with a pannier rack, road tyres and some SKS mudguards once we get further into the winter and my normal ‘winter’ road bike is relieved of its commuting duties. Once we hit the snow and ice I’ll fit the Marathon Winters. I also hope to do some cross races on it if I have the chance.

Can’t comment on the brakes iwo how they compare to the BB7 calliper as I haven’t seen one of them but I will say that the BB5 is more than capable of stopping once adjusted correctly, as a cable disc it’s one of the better ones available and I’d say it’s not worth spending money upgrading, well not until the hydro adapters are more widely available and then I’ll convert to full hydraulics.

I just need to put some miles in to see how it goes but so far I am quite happy with it.

61Sigs

Thanks all. I will be getting one at the end of the month.

Considering the comments on here, I'll probably order it online and bulid it myself, I can grease the BB up then.

`having said that, one of the mechs in my local Halfords rides CX, so they may be clued up.

My Epic is fitted with 160mm Hope Race brakes, so I'm not too concerned about the brakes being too fierce.

Buying a rack and panniers is going to be an experience for me, crikey.

Luckily mudguards are sorted as I'll probably take your lead and get SKS. If not, it'll be Crud Roadrace Mk2 unless anyone know of a good reason not t.

One again, thanks all

meanredspider

61Sigs wrote:

Luckily mudguards are sorted as I'll probably take your lead and get SKS. If not, it'll be Crud Roadrace Mk2 unless anyone know of a good reason not t.

One again, thanks all

I don't think the Roadraces are a great idea. Two of the advantages of the CX is that is has mudguard bosses and that it can take 35c tyres - the Roadraces don't uses bosses and don't allow 35c tyres. If you're just going to use narrow road tyres, then maybe a good idea.

61Sigs

SKS P45s it is then.

Do you use rack/panniers?

meanredspider

61Sigs wrote:

SKS P45s it is then.

Do you use rack/panniers?

I don't at the moment

meanredspider

After finding my bike with a flat this morning, it's worth check the rim tape next time you have the the tyre off. It looks like cheap nasty tape and it was over to one side exposing the edges of the spoke holes. I had a good sized hole in the inner and signs of stress at a lot of other points around the inner. I've junked the tube.

61Sigs

Cheer, will do.

I spoke to Halfords in Swindon last week to ask about lead times etc. Interestingly, the chap that I spoke to mentioned, unprompted I must add, that they repack the bb with grease before the bikes go out. Which makes me feel a bit easier about buying from them.

meanredspider

Dontcha just love Halfords...

Went in to get some rim tape and show them the issue. The lad who served me didn't really pick up on the fact that it was a new bike and that it had ruined the inner but I didn't want to be a cheapskate so took the Halfords brand tape which was all they had. Got to the checkout to find that it's twice as expensive as the Continenal tape Wiggle sell. On the advice of the guy on the checkout I went back to the Bike Hut bit who simply weren't interested that my brand new £810 bike was faulty (again). Never mind I'd already ruined an inner tube, they felt it was entirely reasonable that I pay for and sort the faulty rim tape too. It was just too much hassle to argue the toss so I'm now going on line to buy the tape from Wiggle. Halfords really is the biggest downside to buying a Boardman!

61Sigs

Now I'm back to concerned

When I compare that to Total Bike in Swindon who look after my Specialized. Well, there really is no comparison.

My top tip for customer service is to smile politely, keep stating your point, ignore their replies and stay there until an absolutely massive queue forms behind me, it works everytime*


* I bet it doesn't in Halfords

meanredspider

I'm normally pretty good with these things but Halfords staff seem to be totally impervious.

I'm sure I could have got there in the end but life's too short to argue over a couple of quid. I needed a couple of other things so Wiggle got my business. And rather than pay £8 for two Halfords tapes, I bought two Continental ones for £3.50 delivered plus a bunch of other bits.

The sooner Boardman break their ties with Halfords in the UK, the better off they'll be and so will we....

bails87

'My' Halfords have always been pretty good, occasionally lacking in technical knowledge, but never in enthusiasm or customer service. Knocked £50 off my Boardman HT due to a tiny scratch on the downtube, gave me free mech hangers, sent my bike back to Boardman HQ for repairs when they couldn't do something (put it on a truck, sent it off, got it fixed and got it back all in one day!).

It depends on the store, some are bad, some aren't, same as LBSs, and just about anything else.

Anyhoo.....What size CXs have people bought compared to their 'normal' bike size?

My Ribble is 55cm, but it looks like the Boardman CX is very long across the top, so a large (55.5cm seattube, 57cm TT plus 120mm stem) is much longer than what I'm used to, and it felt it when I had a sit on one in store. The medium ((53cm seattube, 55.5cm TT plus 110mm stem) is much closer, just a few mm shorter than my Ribble.

Has anyone else sized down, or is it just that my Ribble is unusally short (looking at a few other road bikes, it seems fairly normal)?

meanredspider

bails87 wrote:

Has anyone else sized down, or is it just that my Ribble is unusally short (looking at a few other road bikes, it seems fairly normal)?

Me too - ride an XL (58cm) Focus Cayo but a L in the Boardman which was the nearest size to the Focus.

MrChuck

Fat-Boy-Roubaix wrote:

Would the boardman bike cope with ice, I mean really cope? Being a soft southerner I will hardly ever be able to set off knowing that ice is 75-100% of my journey and run ice tyres, but in someways it is is worse as I could come across it in an unlikely place and at speed, hence looking at a CX bikes

I've got a sort of CX bike, and while the 32 tyres I have on might be a bit better than 23s or 25s they don't really magically allow you to ride on ice. Only studs will let you do that. So as far as ice goes the main advantage of a CX bike is that have the clearance for studs.

That said, IMO running 32 (or whatever) tires with full guards is still the way to go for crap wintery conditions so a CX bike is still a good idea.

mudcow007

my tricross is a 56 (im 6ft 1) but weirdly the sectuer im getting to replace my tricross will be the same size?

bails87

mudcow007 wrote:

my tricross is a 56 (im 6ft 1) but weirdly the sectuer im getting to replace my tricross will be the same size?

Thanks, maybe the tricross frame isn't as stretched as the Boardman?

Torvid

I could be missing the point here but if the ETT length is the same wouldn't the ST length be shorter anyway other wise you wouldn't get the ground clearance?

bails87

Torvid wrote:

I could be missing the point here but if the ETT length is the same wouldn't the ST length be shorter anyway other wise you wouldn't get the ground clearance?

ST is BB to top, so if you move the BB up for more clearance then the bike becomes 'smaller', but the TT would be the same, unless they reduced the TT in line with the reduction in seattube.

So, I don't know.

Torvid

bails87 wrote:

Torvid wrote:

I could be missing the point here but if the ETT length is the same wouldn't the ST length be shorter anyway other wise you wouldn't get the ground clearance?

ST is BB to top, so if you move the BB up for more clearance then the bike becomes 'smaller', but the TT would be the same, unless they reduced the TT in line with the reduction in seattube.

So, I don't know.

Yeah so everyone would have to size down one size from XL and below as the sizing is based on the ST length which is probably common across most of the range (road Hybrid CX), but once you hit XL the TT length wouldn't change as much? It would be easier if they just sized everything off the ETT then most bike for fall back into some sort of standard again.

bails87

I see what you're saying, so you'd think they'd 'size down' the S, M, L labels accordingly. So if L would be 55cm on a road bike, they lift the BB by 2 cm for CX, so now a large CX frame, with the same TT as a large road frame is only 53cm.

But the Boardman Large CX is 55.5cm, vs 55cm for a lot of road bikes in L. :?

Obviously S, M, L labels are pretty meaningless, but you'd think they'd change them, rather than ending up with a M labelled as a S, a L labelled as a M etc.

But then I suppose that's why they put the proper geometry online.

Torvid

Yeah thats what i was thinking but who knows