Bike choice for all year round, Audax, Cyclo Cross, or Road?

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Comments

  • f_rederik
    f_rederik Posts: 53
    Bonus question:

    Any recommendations for a single speed that would fit with these requirements - ie mudguards and clearance for studded winter tyres??
  • tptvmbircn
    tptvmbircn Posts: 782
    f_rederik wrote:
    Bonus question:

    Any recommendations for a single speed that would fit with these requirements - ie mudguards and clearance for studded winter tyres??

    Pricey but a Surly Karate Monkey.

    I have a geared version, its CX style and coming from a Salsa Ala Carte its a fly machine, takes on anything and the best bike I've owned.

    Just invested in studded tyres and they will fit fine, plenty of clearance at both ends
  • Bi50N
    Bi50N Posts: 87
    @ the OP

    If you liked the look of the Genesis Alfine, I suggest you also look at On-One's range. I have their Pompetamine Versa Pro - just like the Genesis, it has steel frame, drop bars, disc brakes (but superior to the day 01's which as Ben64 hinted at have apparently been the cause of major woe for every owner on this forum), Alfine 8 hub, takes guards / rack and multiple tyre options - I currently have 25's.

    As an all-season, all-rounder, it is a phenomenal bike. Yes it's heavier than a road bike, and the hub adds more weight to the rear end - but it's weather proof, comfy and still surprisingly fast. Once you've added panniers / rider weight into the equation, it makes little difference.

    If your commute is through urban areas, a major advantage of the hub is the fact that it can change gears whilst stationary.

    They now do a version with the (apparently far superior) 11-speed hub for £1200

    http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPOMPETVERSA11/on-one-pompetamine-versa-11-speed-pro

    @ f_rederik

    The Genesis Day 1 would fit the bill perfectly. Last year's was a stunning yellow, shame this year's is more conservative, but Genesis bikes are all fabulous to look at...

    http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/day-01-cross
    On-One Pompetamine | Trek District | Tokyo Fixed S2 | Canyon Ultimate Al
  • f_rederik
    f_rederik Posts: 53
    Bi50N wrote:
    @ the OP
    @ f_rederik

    The Genesis Day 1 would fit the bill perfectly. Last year's was a stunning yellow, shame this year's is more conservative, but Genesis bikes are all fabulous to look at...

    http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/day-01-cross

    That is a nice bike!

    Now all I have to do is dig up a retailer in Norway to try and have a look at it...

    The Surly could be another good option, guess it should be possible to get the frame and built it with drops..
  • Bi50N
    Bi50N Posts: 87
    f_rederik wrote:

    That is a nice bike!

    Now all I have to do is dig up a retailer in Norway to try and have a look at it...

    The Surly could be another good option, guess it should be possible to get the frame and built it with drops..

    Actually, Evans have the 2011 model on sale (only one size mind) - total bargain @£400, not sure if they do international...

    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/day-01-cx-2011-cyclo-cross-bike-ec024745?query=genesis

    genesis-day-01-cx-2011-cyclo-cross-bike.jpg
    On-One Pompetamine | Trek District | Tokyo Fixed S2 | Canyon Ultimate Al
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    Jeepie wrote:
    I have Apex on my Audax bike and much prefer it to 105 on my road bike. So I wouldn't let "budget" components put you off the Boardman. The added advantage of Apex is that you can run 11-32T cassette which gives you very small gears that will get you up any hill even when loaded up.

    +1

    I got a boardman cop and i was initially worried about the cassette being to easy , now i find i spin better and can climb hills seated a lot of the time as fast spinning a nice gear while they hack up the hill on a sunday club run.
    FCN 3/5/9
  • pdw
    pdw Posts: 315
    I was in a similar position at the end of last year, and ended up with a Kinesis Decade Tripster, 105 groupset and 25mm tyres:

    tripster.jpg

    I obviously won't be fitting bigger tyres without moving the mudguards, but there's plenty of clearance on the frame.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    prawny wrote:
    For riding year round I'd definitely go CX as apposed to road or audax. If you're going to ride in snow/ice the possibility of fitting winter tyres is a massive plus.

    Also having discs means not wearing out rims in the wet. Pukka.

    That's my logic entirely. Month on end of ice - especially at the top of the big hill where the snow in the shadows lasts weeks longer than in Inverness - ice tyres are a must for safety. Last year I met 20m of sheet ice the entire width of the road - ice tyres didn't blink (though it took a week or two for the clench marks to disappear from my saddle as I was doing 25mph). And disc brakes are great in the wet and grime that collects on winter roads - with the added bonus that they actually work. Drops are a great plus in the wind added to the ability to fit robust mudguards.

    I too like the 32 gear that the Apex cassette offers. Don't use it much in normal weather but for the Fri pm uphill slog into the wind, it's worth its weight in gold. The only thing I don't like about Apex is the lumpy hood covers vs those on the 105. It takes my hands a few days to get used to the pressure points - though it isn't an issue once they are used to it. This maybe as much to do with the wide carbon bars and padded tape on my Cyo 105 that my Boardman doesn't have.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • tptvmbircn
    tptvmbircn Posts: 782
    pdw wrote:
    I was in a similar position at the end of last year, and ended up with a Kinesis Decade Tripster, 105 groupset and 25mm tyres:

    tripster.jpg

    I obviously won't be fitting bigger tyres without moving the mudguards, but there's plenty of clearance on the frame.

    Interesting bar setup! I like that
  • Clarion
    Clarion Posts: 223
    Why not a touring bike? I have what used to be called a fast tourer (Orbit Silver Medal), which can see off a lot of the road bikes on a normal day, But, in winter, when all those plastic bikes are hiding shivering in the shed, I can stick ice tyres on it (Marathon Winter) and off I go. Well, I would have done last year, but the tyres never arrived till the spring, so I used 35 section CX tyres, which were OK. Until it got really bad, I was riding the fixed on CX 30s, but I prefer to have better puncture protection.
    Riding on 531
  • tptvmbircn
    tptvmbircn Posts: 782
    Clarion wrote:
    Why not a touring bike? I have what used to be called a fast tourer (Orbit Silver Medal), which can see off a lot of the road bikes on a normal day, But, in winter, when all those plastic bikes are hiding shivering in the shed, I can stick ice tyres on it (Marathon Winter) and off I go. Well, I would have done last year, but the tyres never arrived till the spring, so I used 35 section CX tyres, which were OK. Until it got really bad, I was riding the fixed on CX 30s, but I prefer to have better puncture protection.

    Just hit up google images there, its an older version of some of the new cx's possibly? never seen one of those :)

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