Boardman CX Owners Thread

muzzan

Thanks for the info, off to have a chat with my friendly store manager :-)

fret

Sorted out the catching disc bolts by fitting one 1mm washer on the axle. Not ideal as it moves the disc towards the inside of the caliper, leaving very little clearance, but adjustment takes nano seconds.
ow in two minds as to what to do.
Sell the wheels.
Buy some smaller headed bolts or grind these down

meanredspider

Hmm - fret, that doesn't sound right

fret

You're right.
Obviously wheel axle lengths, nuts etc vary by very small amounts. The heads on the disc bolts are wider than the ones on the OEM wheels and slightly deeper dished, hence why they touch (which they shouldn't) but I'm not using Avid discs, just some other 160mm ones that fit. They're also a tiny bit thicker. They don't touch by much, but if you look at the standard set up you will see there is less than 1mm clearance between the bolt heads and fork anyway.
The ones supplied with the discs are very cheap, soft metal and replacement bolts seem plenty cheap enough.

I liken it to fitting different wheels on my roadbike as rim widths vary meaning you have to adjust brakes to suit, so I guess it's no different really in principle.

Just bastid annoying. :x

meanredspider

I bought a spare set of random wheels and they fitted perfectly. It's the hub dimensions that are critical.

ETA - sounds like a tolerance stack-up issue. Get some different screws

fret

Looking at the ones on the OEM wheels, that seem smaller, I may swap the rear to the front on the replacement to see if that clears the forks. If that makes sense.

meanredspider

Was back on a CX (my brother's) today. His is totally bog-standard except he's fitted guards. I was even running the CX tyres. On flat (but quite breezy) fen roads, I averaged 18.4mph so it's not slow. Forgot that the Apex set-up is uncomfortable for the hands. Not a great fan of the standard saddle either. The BB5s were fine, though, and I enjoyed the ride. It was so flat I never used the front mech so didn't experience that clunky change.

fret

I haven't ridden mine with the OEM tyres, only Gatorskins.
"18.4mph!" I do 14.8-15.2, but there is a nasty hill on the way home that cuts the average down. I do 18-22 on the flat, but 8-12 (on a good day) up the hill and up to 40 on the way down.
You're obviously:-

10 kg lighter,
20 years younger,
Twice as fit as me.

Or a combination of all 3

I've had no issues with the Apex hoods on the hands to be honest. Not as nice as Shimano 6600 and 5600 though and Haven't really ridden the 6700 for long to compare them (although tomorrow is supposed to be dry)
I fitted the Specialized Phenom that came with my CX9, so can't comment on the OEM saddle, although it is made by "velo" which I have used on an older Orbea Onix I owned a year back and that was fine.

I borrowed a disc bolt from a work colleagues bike and it has a much smaller head than the cheap chocolate ones supplied with the discs I bought, so I'm popping into my LBS to see if I can match them.

meanredspider

fret wrote:

You're obviously:-

10 kg lighter,
20 years younger,
Twice as fit as me.

92kg in my birthday suit
48 years old in 4 weeks
I couldn't possibly comment :oops:

To be fair, I'm not riding this bike in the Highlands and I would have been quicker on the Volagi (road tyres rather than semi-knobbly CXers and a better fit of bike - lighter too). I think it's the cable routing to the shifters that makes them uncomfortable - lumpy bars. The bike does represent great value though

fret

You put me to shame. :oops:
81kg.
49 in March.
Just lazy and only been cycling again since 42.

I must get out more at weekends, or try harder on the commute as I seem to stay in the same gears and times.
Summer 30 mins to work , 35 home
Winter 35 mins to work, 40 home

9 miles, but they can vary a LOT with the South westerlies we get here. Quickest is 24mins, about 4 years ago.

I find the cable routing ideal on mine, although the ends of the hoods where they meet the bars are a bit lumpy.. One is behind the bars, one underneath and I can't say I notice them. The roadie has the cables fore and aft of the bars, so next time I change the bar tape I shall move them accordingly.

Yes, VERY good value bike, made by MERIDA (2nd biggect bike company) and the components aren't too badly specced. Still not as comfortable or flighty as the Cannondale CX9, but, and a big BUT, the brakes far outweigh the 1kg weight penalty and pure racebred nature of the CAAD9 CX9. If I could have afforded it I would have bought the new CAADX Ultegra Disc, but at £1500 that was too much to spend.
All I have to do now is play off-road as I haven't had the chance yet.

reformedfatty

Beginning to think mine is cursed. Granted I haven't had a proper look over it since it started giving me grief, but I've now had more punctures in ~300 miles than my road bike on the same routes in ~4500. Starting to get an odd clicking noise when I'm putting the power down.. beginning of BB issues? and when braking hard it feels like something is catching at the front with resulting donka-donk-donk feeling type braking.. well described I know.

meanredspider

reformedfatty wrote:

Beginning to think mine is cursed. Granted I haven't had a proper look over it since it started giving me grief, but I've now had more punctures in ~300 miles than my road bike on the same routes in ~4500. Starting to get an odd clicking noise when I'm putting the power down.. beginning of BB issues? and when braking hard it feels like something is catching at the front with resulting donka-donk-donk feeling type braking.. well described I know.

Have you checked the rim tape? The tape that comes with the wheels is rubbish and moves exposing the spoke holes and, with that, plenty of punctures. Worth replacing with Velox cloth tape at the first opportunity anyway.

BB could be going. Does it feel rough when rotated by hand?

Can't suggest anything with the brakes - give them a careful look over to see if there are any clues

fret

Silly question. Have you checked the brake pads have any meat left?
Also, the brakes can rub when powering hard as the wheels flex under load.
Is it head bearings? they will clonk under braking and power.
Ditto the rim tape. I had 2 punctures in 3 days and then changed the tape. Sorted. I don't think the standard tape is up to the job of 100 psi. Normal tyres are supposed to be awful as well, change to Gatorskins, GP4 season or Bontrager racelite for all year use.

meanredspider

fret wrote:

Is it head bearings? they will clonk under braking and power.

That's a very good point - might need adjusting up - mine were loose now I remember & I think several others have had this issue.

25C Vittoria Rubino Pro folders are very very good - also very reasonably priced

cookdn

meanredspider wrote:

fret wrote:

Is it head bearings? they will clonk under braking and power.

That's a very good point - might need adjusting up - mine were loose now I remember & I think several others have had this issue.

I think I am having the same problem as tincarman with compression plug lifting; I am always having to readjust/tighten the headstem to keep the bearings loaded. Is this the most likely cause or could it be something else?

Best regards

fret

I came across my first real build fault yesterday whilst trimming the brakes. The rear wheel is not true. Naturally this could occur during the running in period, but it's eliptical, so I will get them to address it when it has the 6 week free service. If they say they can't do it in a day then I shall take it elsewhere and charge them as it should take about 30 minutes for anyone with basic wheel building knowledge.
Not bad for a mass produced bike really, and not noticeable with disc brakes.

A word of advice for those who bemoan disc brakes. YES, they DO take time to bed in and adjust so they don't rub in normal use or under power when the forks flex etc. I like my levers to bite early, so have very little space between pads and disc, so I would say that is the fault of the rider, not the brakes. They're almost perect now, just a slight rub under acceleration and climbing to be addressed.

tincaman

Anyone replaced their wheelset yet? I am looking for something lighter, up to £250?

fret

I shall be changing to some wheels I got from Graham Weigh over the break. Weigh being the operative word as they are more (I think) than the OEM, which are 3861g with Gatorskin tyres fitted. That's almost HALF what my Ribble weighs!!!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310523302449
I think you'll have to spend over that amount to get any significant weight savings. I know I will look for lightweight hoops next year as I really notice the extra rolling inertia after years of 1800g wheelsets.

bails87

tincaman wrote:

Anyone replaced their wheelset yet? I am looking for something lighter, up to £250?

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=496

Those with 29er crests, or get lighter spokes if you want to push the budget a bit.

apreading

bails87 wrote:

tincaman wrote:

Anyone replaced their wheelset yet? I am looking for something lighter, up to £250?

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=496

Those with 29er crests, or get lighter spokes if you want to push the budget a bit.

Any idea what the 29er Crests weigh? And would these http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=79&products_id=621 be better if pushing the budget?

bails87

apreading wrote:

bails87 wrote:

tincaman wrote:

Anyone replaced their wheelset yet? I am looking for something lighter, up to £250?

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_ ... cts_id=496

Those with 29er crests, or get lighter spokes if you want to push the budget a bit.

Any idea what the 29er Crests weigh? And would these http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=79&products_id=621 be better if pushing the budget?

I'd guess 1800g based on how much the parts weigh. Mine are 1650g IIRC, but I've got DT revolution spokes which are lighter than bog standard ones.

Those ones you linked look good though.

fret

Refitted my spare wheels today with the smaller headed disc bolts. No problems with clearance now, nor much adjustment needed on the brakes as the new discs are thicker, which is better.
The rear Shimano Ultegra cassette didn't even need any adjustment or extra spacers to get it to work as a straight swap All good things really.
Now all I have to do is swap the road tyres to these wheels and get them to true the rear on the service.


Now, what can I spend my £300 bonus on apart from new wheels?

fret

New wheels significantly heavier (front around 200g) so they are the spares for off road use.
I rode it for the first time in the light today to get last minute Xmas stuff (No way was I going into town in a car) and it felt odd not riding in the dark as is normal on my commute.

Gixxer2812

Hi Guys and Girls

Our C2W scheme is in full flow and I've just been e-mailed my letter to enable me to go and get a bike; our company provider is Halfords (hit and miss I know!)

I've been looking at the Boardman CX; originally I was considering a Hybrid but I really fancy a bike which gives me the opportunity of a dropped position. The bike will be used for commuting (albeit a short distance), and then for leisure riding mostly on roads with the odd trail and path. I'd like it to become something I spend more and more time doing.

I'm new to cycling in that I've never had a half-decent bike and have only recently decided it's time to leave the car at work. I know the square-root of f'all about bikes and their maintenance. I know even less about the various parts and upgrades on offer.

Would you recommend the Boardman CX as a suitable bike for me? And is it adequate for my sort of use as stock (i.e. without any upgrades?). I've read a bit about the bearing-issue; has this been rectified or still a problem? It's not something I'd know enough to fix myself and I would 100% trust Halfords to sort it when building it!

Any advice would be much appreciated, though having had a short test-ride of a friend's CX I'm quite sold on it!

bails87

I'm sure there are other bikes around that would do the job too, but the the Boardman is certainly a sensible choice for what you describe.

Maintenance wise, Park tool is your friend: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help . Plenty of videos on youtube too.

If you're going to be using it on the road then I'd suggest some slick tyres, that's not a big thing to change though, and it will work fine with the stock kit, it's just a bit better (IMO) with Shimano levers and with the 'cross' brake levers removed.

I think the bearing thing is sorted, if it's not then it'll become obvious pretty quickly so just take it back and get them to sort it. For the future though, (they are a wear and tear item, after all) the tools can be bought here and here for a total of £60 and bearings are a few quid each. With tools, it really is an easy job.

If your friend 'knows' bikes then get him/her to look over yours before you ride it in anger, just to make sure it's been put together properly. And be wary of Halfords trying to put you on the biggest bike you can stand over, this is an appalling way to 'size' a bike. The reach from the saddle to the handlebars is far more important than height and that's is what you need to base your choice of size on. You may well be a size smaller than what the Halfords size guide suggests.

fret

I know the square-root of f'all about bikes and their maintenance.

That is actually a VERY important issue and a valid point to bring up. From personal experience, bikes (motorised and human powered) take FAR FAR more maintenance than your average car. Car drivers tend to do absolutely zilch between services or MOT's as they are very reliable and treat their 2 wheeled vehicles accordingly. Bikes need constant attention to the drivetrain, brakes and gears as they take a big battering especialy in the winter months when these fragile basic items are overlooked.
I've been commuting the 9 miles to work for 7 years now (4-5000 miles a year)and in that time have got through 11 road bikes in that time, although not all to wearing them out. In that time I have learned that a decent groupset is a must as cheaper items simply wear out. I don't go less than 105 on Shimano and the SRAM on the CX is the first I have used and so far after upgrading the front Microshit mech it has been faultless, I haven't even had to adjust the cables after 4 weeks of hard winter use.
I find that brakes need constant attention as they really do wear in the winter, especially rim brakes which will kill a set of rims in 18-24 months of constant use at times. Brake pads last approximately 1 year or 4000 miles. This is one reason I have chosen a disc braked bike as discs are far less than a wheel renewal or rebuild.
I get through a chain and chainring set every year so they get replaced around the summer time (remember that?)
Tyres (I use Gatorskins or Bontrager Racelite) last a year too and often longer. The 23mm Racelites I have currently on my roadbike were used daily since the end of January on my old commuter and I didn't have one puncture until about 6 weeks ago and 3000 miles, which is a good endorsement if ever I could give one.

Cross bikes have a taller head tube than many road bikes and have the mudguard eyelets which many people favour. In fact, there are now a few roadbikes being made specifically for all year round use that have mudguards or fittings on them. I went for a cross bike for the reasons of using full mudguards and a rack and the only reason I changed from my CX9 was the braking issue as cantilevers are truly awful in the wet.
I looked at hybrids but the handlebars on a cross bike are more versatile, plus you can go out on the odd group ride and not look entirely out of place (not that it bothers me)

Leave it standard as it sounds as if you don't really need to upgrade, with the possible addition of a light bar as the suicide levers may get in the way and change the tyres to some 28 or 32 section puncture resistant tyres as suggested above for smooth road use. If you want speed, then fit 25 section as these roll better than the narrower 23 section on many race bikes. In fact a 25 rolls faster as there is less rolling resistance than a 23 which offers less wind resistance that most cyclists will never get the benefit from anyway.

It's a seriously good bike for the money.

sanderv

Hi,

Boardman CX Team is high in the list of becoming my winter/rain bike. I am interested to know about wheelbase length though. Could someone with small or medium frame please measure the wheelbase for me? Thanks!

cjcp

fret wrote:

the only reason I changed from my CX9 was the braking issue as cantilevers are truly awful in the wet.

/\ /\!!!!

I didn't go for the disc option because I don't commute on my CX bike.

fret

After riding my roadbike yesterday which has, or had, superb Ultegra 6700 brakes, I realise exactly how good disc brakes are.
Give it a year or so and they'll be standard fitment on high end bikes.

meanredspider

cjcp wrote:

I didn't go for the disc option because I don't commute on my CX bike.

I'm kinda confused by this statement - what is it that you do on your CX for which discs wouldn't be an advantage (and having a CX would)? I can imagine that discs on a TT bike don't add much value, for instance.