Boardman CX Owners Thread

fret

I spoke too soon. Been off for a couple of days due to conjuntivitis and rode the Triumph in.
It started as an occasional click on the small ring, then on the large one, then a constant click in the samr place and now a double click on every rotation.
I've just tightened the crank and hope that sorts i where it was not corectly tightened I assume.
Failing that, I've just had a bonus, so it may find its' way to a SRAM Force or similar.

welkman

Just got mine. Still sealed in it's box unmolested by halfords! Got it built last night, don't like the microshift front mech but the rest looks good. I think I will remove the top levers later and replace with the supplied barrel adjusters. Its going to be a race bike so it might get some tubs if it smiles at me!

fret

Well done, it's still a good bike, despite my recent issues, which are more than likely from my own lack of servicing as the R/H BB30 bearing is open to the elements and the dunkings it has had when I have taken it off road. :oops:
Rode mine last night and the creak/click appears to have gone. So here's hoping

welkman

Rode it to work today....the brakes are SHOCKING!

fret

Nothing wrong with the brakes once you adjust them. There are many threads and posts about how to do them correctly.
Far better than rim brakes and ones with the TRP? hydraulic conversion on a 50 mile event I did in March as I had no brake fade due to the fluid boiling.

brassnipple

welkman wrote:

Rode it to work today....the brakes are SHOCKING!

Disk brakes, even when set up properly, need a run in period before they start to perform to their full potential. They can feel a bit useless to start with.

Exercise a little patience and make sure that you bed the pads in correctly and the brakes will sooner or later reward you with amazing stopping power and modulation.

Mine took 2 or 3 weeks to bed in properly before I got full power. If I grab them hard now, it feels like I've thrown an anchor over the side!

The stock sintered pads also work incredibly well in the wet, although they are a bit noisier than organic pads.

meanredspider

welkman wrote:

Rode it to work today....the brakes are SHOCKING!

First thing to do is the burn/bed in procedure - brake hard from a good speed (a long downhill section is useful) 10-12 times for each brake. Idea is to end up with a disc that spit sizzles on.

welkman

Ah I see! 12-15 hill repeats for me then

meanredspider

Cool. Avoid locking the brakes as you do it - can be challenging on the rear brake

fret

Especially once they bed in and in the wet :oops:

fret

Today I fitted some rather splendid looking new levers to the bike.
I was going to go for some new SRAM FORCE as there are bargains on the old 10 speed sets around, but then I saw a pair of RED 10 speed on EvilBay and put a bid on. £155, thankyouverymuch.
Struggled like buggery to thread the gear cables but it was worth it for speed of changes, 3 ratio down-shifts and far easier to set up than Shimano (I don't recall the rear shifter moving more than 2 ratios, but I may be wrong). Seems smoother and less clunky as well.

But still not as light as my Ultegra.

Speaking of which, Ultegra has followed the Dura-Ace route and is now 11 speed. So what? I hear you say. There is also a Di2 option......................AND an HYDRAULIC version, but the downside of the hydraulic shifters means that it is only available in Di2. Brilliant for the road, but not 'cross I think due to the nature of dirt etc.
But it means that it is less bulky/tall than the SRAM RED 11 speed so it will still remain a favourite.

I can't believe the price of SRAM RED components, so would always go for Dura-Ace, being a Shimano fan for road bikes.

rrichar88

I've just bought a CX Team. I bought a large as I'm around 181cm tall. But I've found the reach to be uncomfortable, my arms are straight on the hoods and I'm not upright enough to be sitting on my sit bones. Is it a big deal? or easy to fix? I suppose a shorter stem.

Other than that, I like it. There is a good range of gears. The shifting is clunky but it's quick it gets done. I can't really compare it to much really, my background is trials and a tiny amount of casual MTBing

warren_s3

Another CX owner, just took benefit of CTW scheme and decided to try out something different after 20 years of MTB'ing.

Bike was not built well when I got it, so given I had a load of bike vouchers to spend I got some Pro PLT compact bars, Specialized Phat bar (gel insert) tape, Thomson Elite stem and seatpost, and took a Specialized Avatar BG saddle off an old bike.

Initial results in respect of bike feel were pretty good if I overlooked the poor shifting, but the brakes just weren't doing it for me with a few close shaves on the road (I'm 6ft and not light!). Followed the credit card guide and could not get the brakes to work well (tried brake cleaner spray), various adjustments etc, so got some BB7's and a 105 front mech last week.

Took bike to an Indy specialist to set up properly in Wokingham, and the SRAM kit now feels much less agricultural, actually quite impressive. Well set up BB7's are a revelation, but there was a struggle with the rear brake calipers and disc clearance as the mounting bracket doesn't seem 100% square.

The Thomson stem is on back order (going for a 100mm 17 degree to save my weak back), so can't come soon enough. VERY tempted by Kinesis rims as the Ritchey wheels seem uncharacteristically heavy and don't want to spin up like my MTB Mavics.

Despite the early teething issues I'm really enjoying the bike, and the fact I can abuse / head off piste on it without feeling any guilt of consequence. Geometry is far more forgiving on my creaking body than a dedicated road bike would have been. Spending the money on a proper service has been a revelation, bike feels its value now. Once the wheels are changed that will be it other wear & tear spend. After the great reviews glad to have become a member of the CX clan!

One question: if I went for 29'er MTB rims instead of CX specific rims are there any offset issues with hub / cassette positioning that would need to be addressed? Thanks in advance!

apreading

No problem with 29er MTB rims, although if they are designed for tubeless then they may not take the pressures normally used by road tyres. Some Handbuilts with either Archetype or Velocity A23 rims would be ideal - I just got some with Archetype Rims and Americal Classic hubs (I like quiet) and shaved about 750grams off the wheel weight - makes a big difference...

warren_s3

apreading wrote:

No problem with 29er MTB rims, although if they are designed for tubeless then they may not take the pressures normally used by road tyres. Some Handbuilts with either Archetype or Velocity A23 rims would be ideal - I just got some with Archetype Rims and Americal Classic hubs (I like quiet) and shaved about 750grams off the wheel weight - makes a big difference...

750g :shock:

That's a fantastic weight saving as TBH I was wondering where I may save a bit more of weight. My hardtail MTB currently weighs over a pound less than my CX. I was expecting the CX to be lighter TBH, closer to 20lbs, but appreciate discs and some added beef to manage the CX aspect of riding must have taken a toll.

The cassette is quite heavy (SRAM PG 1050), so that will go when wheels get swapped to a SRAM1080 or XT. Another 100g+ lost on saddle (Romin Evo) when its on sale again at £53 (not £80), and maybe a KMC Superlight chain.

Only concern I have about your wheel selection is given they are so light whether they'll handle my weight (near 100kg) / riding style (unsympathetic!) and stay true long enough to be long term feasible! Would love them from a weight saving perspective. Where did you buy yours from?

apreading

I also switched to some lighter tyres now I think about it (GP4000S) but the wheels alone were around 650g of the saving, I think.

If you want something cheap, then these are supposed to be pretty good: http://road.cc/content/review/69946-kin ... isc-wheels and should save you around 300g.

I got mine from JustRidingAlong and paid a bit more for fancy spokes and hub etc. The Archetype rim is far and away the favourite for these builds at the moment but the Velocity A23 used to hold that crown and is fractionally lighter again. I went for the Archetype because I am 14 stone and wanted something as strong as possible. You do need to be very careful at my weight about going too light and choosing the right rim/spokes/hub is important.

For disc wheels, you need at least 28 spokes, 32 is even better, due to the loads they carry under braking.

I nearly went for DT350 hubs, which would have been cheaper but I wanted the quietest possible and the American Classic worked out 130g lighter than the DT Swiss.

Wheels staying true is less of an issue with disc brakes, but they are supposed to be very solid rims and take plenty of abuse.

Apparently rotational weight saving is worth more than any static part of the bike and this is borne out by the fact that I set a time 6 1/2 minutes faster than my previous best on my local 28 mile training loop yesterday!

Not sure that I would go to superlight on the chain - unless there is a big saving there, I would probably go for something robust.

warren_s3

Cheers for the tips on wheels, useful as I'm fish out of water in CX arena, and there's a woeful lack of ready build options available on the peg.

When I get back to the UK later in the week I'll look to order some as given your ride times it's clear it will help out and improve the feel of the ride.

Many thanks for taking the time to set all that out, I've skirted the previous pages in the thread but as I've joined the party so late 55 pages of back posts takes time :-)

gotwood25

Has anyone here upgraded the seat post?

I find the OEM one a pain needing cleaned and greased all the time otherwise makes a ton of noise. If so what have you gone for? I've heard carbon seat posts don't sit well with alloy frames, any truth in this?

alexul

Hello,
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I find the original saddle very comfortable, at least compared with some other 2 I have tried. Does anyone know where I could get one, or something similar? Ideally, one with an air flow design and a darker color. I go for short rides, an hour or so and I don't wear padded pants. Maybe that's why other saddles felt very rigid.

apreading

Oh I do agree alexul - I went through half a dozen saddles on my previous bike, before finding the Charge Spoon to be very good (better than more expensive options).

When I got the Boardman, I bought another Spoon, ready to fit - but found the original to be the best saddle I have ever used. Have ridden multi-day, 70-80 mile journeys and think it is fantastic!

Liked it so much that I bought a second off ebay.

arthur_scrimshaw

apreading wrote:

Oh I do agree alexul - I went through half a dozen saddles on my previous bike, before finding the Charge Spoon to be very good (better than more expensive options).

When I got the Boardman, I bought another Spoon, ready to fit - but found the original to be the best saddle I have ever used. Have ridden multi-day, 70-80 mile journeys and think it is fantastic!

Liked it so much that I bought a second off ebay.

I agree, I find it very comfortable and have had no problems with it, have ridden up to twelve hours a day without any issues.

fret

I never actually rode mine with the OEM saddle. I used the extremely comfy Specialized Phenom that I had on my Cannondale CX9. Saddles will always be a personal thing. I have a Selle Italia SLR on my road bike and that is just as comfortable. The more you ride, the more you get used to what's on it. If you want uber-comfy then get a Brooks leather saddle as they will mould to your shape.

As to seat posts? Well, I have owned mine since November and never had a squeak out of it, it cold just need greasing or it could be the saddle creaking.
I have used carbon seat posts in alloy frames for years. I'm no lightweight and do 4-5000 miles each year in all weathers. I've never heard of the issues stated above.
The favourite seems to be Thompson Elite (alloy) for strength and lack of weight.

Burndust

well didn't manage to get any cycling done in canada due to the flooding...plenty of mountain climbing though! So back to the bike i've had the gators on the cx for about a week now....what a difference, averaging 18 mph on most runs such a difference especially on the hills some lighter wheels next...not that i'm turning into a weight weenie of course

Burndust

on the subject of saddles i didnt get on the with the stock saddle at all....gave it about a month sore arse and hips after relatively short runs....swapped out for an SR gel job from halfords...problem solved

fret

I've been using the Ribble this week and I have realised that the brakes have gone "off" on the CX. Nowhere near as good as the Ultegra rim brakes on the Ribble.
I had noticed some squealing, which hadn't totally vanished at low speeds even after a thorough clean. I suspect it may be the pads gone off, but to confirm it I will fit the OEM wheels and discs to see if it eliminates the squeal.
After that I guess it's new pads.

alexul

Thanks for the tip of looking on ebay. I saw a few used saddles in a decent condition. Also the Charge Spoon mentioned here looks comfortable and at least on wiggle has excellent reviews. When the current saddle will brakes, it may be a good alternative.

warren_s3

Changed tyres to some Conti 28c Ultra Sports today.

As has been noted by other owners the rim tape on my rear wheel (only 60 miles of riding on it) had slipped way up the side of the rim. I had some spare Stan's rim tape (adhesive) which I've whacked in to replace it, but had it got much worse I don't doubt I'd have been in for a puncture.

Strongly advise a precautionary check if you're new owner and have yet to pop your tyres off.

rpjwhite

Hello World

Brand new to the forum after picking up my CX Team last week. Got a really good deal on (something like £250 off the original price) so I was very happy.

Happiness is waining a little.

I picked up a meium for my 175cm with 29.5'' inner leg and I wonder if I am too small for it. Didn't really get to trial it before leaving halfords. I am not running with my seat way above the bars which seems to be the look (ex occasional MTB rider so drops are new to me). Seat and bars are about the same height as I run it. I do find the my forearms are hitting the underside of the bar when I am in the drops. Perhaps I am not sitting properly. If I bend lower my knees are in my chest. Any thoughts.

The whole transmisson seems a bit poorly setup but letting it settle before I make too many tweaks. No creaking yet but some rattle of chain on the front mech. I am still pretty green when it comes to bike repair.

Next punctures. Had a read through the thread and I sense a problem with bike rather than user. The front tyre came fitted backwards so I took that off and swtiched it round and re inflatted. Went pop whilst inflating. Small hole so assumed I had pinched it. Fitted another tube (Conti tour 700c slim 28-37) inflated it to 80psi went off for a pedal. got 1/2 a mile tyre came of rim and bang punture on the the inside of innertube although it seems to be more of a rip. 3rd innertube lasted 10-12 miles before it let go. 4th inner tube last 3 miles. 5th innertube died during inflation so had to get a taxi to get home.

Sensing a patern yet? Took the wheel and tyre to halfords and saw the very helpful guy inthere who fitted a new innertube and sent me away with two spare. Put the bike in the garage and left it. Came out later on to check on something and the inner tube had let go to a point where there was chuncks of inner tube on the garage floor. Took wheel back to halfords and left it with them to look at firends suggest the OEM tyre is way too easy to get on and may have failed by distortion more than anything else.

Going to change the tyres for Schwalbe marathon 32's when I get the wheel back will check the rim tape before fitting them.

Any thoughts to the above greatly appreciated

apreading

IS there any rim tape on the wheel?

cookdn

apreading wrote:

IS there any rim tape on the wheel?

Yes, sounds like the rim tape not being seated correctly. To be honest the supplied stuff is pretty-pants, search this thread and you will see that it is a common topic.

rpjwhite wrote:

Hello World
I picked up a meium for my 175cm with 29.5'' inner leg and I wonder if I am too small for it. Didn't really get to trial it before leaving halfords. I am not running with my seat way above the bars which seems to be the look (ex occasional MTB rider so drops are new to me). Seat and bars are about the same height as I run it. I do find the my forearms are hitting the underside of the bar when I am in the drops. Perhaps I am not sitting properly. If I bend lower my knees are in my chest. Any thoughts.

Your sizing issue sounds spookily familiar . I have a 29.5" inside leg and thought that the medium was too big when I tried it (I couldn't even comfortably stand-over the crossbar) but could only source a small on-line so bought it blind .

To cut a long story short, after I swapped the 100mm headstem for a 150 mm alternative the bike sizing on the small frame has been fine. Before I felt too cramped, lengthening the reach addressed that quite easily. The photo below shows my current setup if you want a comparison.