N+1 quandry - hive mind advice?

msmancunia

Finished paying for my road bike last month and our next C2W period is coming up. I live on the edge of a country park (Tandle Hill, if anyone knows it), and all summer I've been listening to MTBers whizzing down my lane after a long ride up the hill and getting very jealous that I can't go up there on my road bike.

So at first, I thought I'd get a mountain bike. Rode nearly 300 miles on a Trek through the Atlas mountains at Easter (90% good roads, 10% bad) and it did the job admirably. But then someone suggested a cross bike, which I know next to nothing about.

Terrain is kind of a gravelly potholed road for most of it, then single track up to the top of the hill. Bit chewed up at times by the local farming vehicles and horses, so can get really muddy in a couple of parts. Ideally I'd also like to be able to do my winter 25 mile round trip on it too, without feeling like I'm riding two tons of metal.

This is where I live. Any views on a new purchase?

http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File:Foot ... 9.jpg/-/en

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=644150

Big_Paul

You want a nice cyclocross bike, you do!

First.Aspect

You could go for a cross bike, but at a £1k budget it might not be the best option.

A 29er mtb maybe? Or even a 26" wheel hard tail. That's a very versatile bike. Pehaps not quite the all-rounder that a cross bike is, but more of a step from a road bike and you could access a bit more of that fantastic countryside near where you live. £1k buys quite a lot of mtb these days. Slap some slicks or fast rolling tyres on it, goto about 50psi and they are not too bad on tarmac and the tyres are thick enough to avoidn pinch flats and to slither through some mild off road okay.

A £1k cross bike might be either (a) very stiff and uncomf (b) suprisingly heavy. i.e. Mtb heavy.

I have an at the time nice road bike and a carbon mtb which I got for about £800 and have never done much to. The forks are heavy, but it goes okay. 12.5 miles would feel more like 16 on the road bike though. I also had a £1500ish steel cross bike which I never liked. That cross bike is the only bike I've bought and never liked.

I've now probably spent £3k on a ti cross bike. Its utterly brilliant, but cost about as much as a servicable car.

UndercoverElephant

You want a MTB, get the right bike for the job. My CX bike is the only one I regret buying, not good enough on the road, not good enough on the trails.

Take a look at the BeOne hard tails on Chain Reaction, mine is a Karma Race and it's absolutely superb, plus they get veeery heavily discounted.

tailwindhome

UndercoverElephant wrote:

My CX bike is the only one I regret buying, not good enough on the road, not good enough on the trails.

Hybrids eh?

UndercoverElephant

TailWindHome wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

My CX bike is the only one I regret buying, not good enough on the road, not good enough on the trails.

Hybrids eh?

It's not a cliché because it has no basis in fact.

Big_Paul

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You want a MTB, get the right bike for the job. My CX bike is the only one I regret buying, not good enough on the road, not good enough on the trails.

Take a look at the BeOne hard tails on Chain Reaction, mine is a Karma Race and it's absolutely superb, plus they get veeery heavily discounted.

I'm the opposite, my CX bike is good enough for me on the road and capable on the dirt as long as I don't get ahead of myself and start jumping things.

BelgianBeerGeek

The OP I think is suggesting a 25 mile commute. Whilst the MTB idea would be good fun, I think it would be a bit tiring on that kind of commute. The 29er suggestion is good, but I think a crosser is better for this kind of ride. Check out Evans or Revolution for good cross bikes.
You do have to consider the money aspect, a really good MTB can be had for not much money, whereas the same amount doesn't get you much crosser.

Kieran_Burns

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

The OP I think is suggesting a 25 mile commute. Whilst the MTB idea would be good fun, I think it would be a bit tiring on that kind of commute. The 29er suggestion is good, but I think a crosser is better for this kind of ride. Check out Evans or Revolution for good cross bikes.
You do have to consider the money aspect, a really good MTB can be had for not much money, whereas the same amount doesn't get you much crosser.

Sure about that?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec039563

msmancunia

That IS nice.

(I don't have to wear a cape with it or anything, do I?)

rubertoe

msmancunia wrote:

That IS nice.

(I don't have to wear a cape with it or anything, do I?)

Capes are optional.

SimonAH

My Cannoneale CAADX 105 was CTW.... Just sayin'

You can get a lot of CX for a grand.

My only regret is that I didn't hold out for a disc CX as I hate cantis in comparison to calipers. If she's to be commuted on then I'd definitely go CX over MTB.

prj45

SimonAH wrote:

My Cannoneale CAADX 105 was CTW.... Just sayin'

You can get a lot of CX for a grand.

My only regret is that I didn't hold out for a disc CX as I hate cantis in comparison to calipers. If she's to be commuted on then I'd definitely go CX over MTB.

Mine too. OK for canal paths and the like but not too sure of very rough stuff.

And man do the brakes squeeeek!

itboffin

Send me pics of you with your old bike plus your personal email address and I'll send you my completely non perv advise.

:roll:

walkingbootweather

Not convinced C2W is the best way to buy a bike anymore - if you can raise the cash yourself you have a lot more flexibility to do a deal, especially if you can consider used bikes.

If you want new how about a GENESIS 2012 CDF (in Man City blue ) reduced from RRP of £900 to £540. And that's from a proper bike shop half an hour from your front door.

If you want a MTB get an old school hardtail with decent front suspension. £400-£500 would get you something that would do the job very nicely.

supersonic

Take a look at this if wanting an MTB:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FBOOWHCAB/o ... _bike_2013

Incredible spec, about 23lbs.

bobinski

Kieran_Burns wrote:

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

The OP I think is suggesting a 25 mile commute. Whilst the MTB idea would be good fun, I think it would be a bit tiring on that kind of commute. The 29er suggestion is good, but I think a crosser is better for this kind of ride. Check out Evans or Revolution for good cross bikes.
You do have to consider the money aspect, a really good MTB can be had for not much money, whereas the same amount doesn't get you much crosser.

Sure about that?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec039563

I had a test ride on one of these last week. Its a cracking bike, surprisingly light and not at all harsh , which is what i was expecting. Seems a perfect do it all bike.

jejv

Mmmm-monstercross
With spare wheels.

mudcow007

msmancunia wrote:

That IS nice.

(I don't have to wear a cape with it or anything, do I?)

you will never be sad in a cape.

does batman ever look sad?

capes are cool

vermin

Batman ALWAYS looks sad. I went to the last cinema in London still showing the latest Batman film on Friday. Batman was not happy. But then, he didn't have a CX bike. He did have a bike with spherical wheels that spin in all directions though, which was intellectually challenging. Unlike the film.

vermin

Kieran_Burns wrote:

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

The OP I think is suggesting a 25 mile commute. Whilst the MTB idea would be good fun, I think it would be a bit tiring on that kind of commute. The 29er suggestion is good, but I think a crosser is better for this kind of ride. Check out Evans or Revolution for good cross bikes.
You do have to consider the money aspect, a really good MTB can be had for not much money, whereas the same amount doesn't get you much crosser.

Sure about that?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec039563

That's ridiculous - they must be paying you to take the frame off their hands at that price.

BelgianBeerGeek

bobinski wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

The OP I think is suggesting a 25 mile commute. Whilst the MTB idea would be good fun, I think it would be a bit tiring on that kind of commute. The 29er suggestion is good, but I think a crosser is better for this kind of ride. Check out Evans or Revolution for good cross bikes.
You do have to consider the money aspect, a really good MTB can be had for not much money, whereas the same amount doesn't get you much crosser.

Sure about that?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec039563

I had a test ride on one of these last week. Its a cracking bike, surprisingly light and not at all harsh , which is what i was expecting. Seems a perfect do it all bike.

Ha! I actually do have one of these (albeit last years model). £850 with full 105. Disks are Tektro Lyras though which are not as good as the Avids on the newer models. I'd recommend one of these, I've been very pleased with it.
My point was more that you'd expect way more MTB for that price.

bails87

supersonic wrote:

Take a look at this if wanting an MTB:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FBOOWHCAB/o ... _bike_2013

Incredible spec, about 23lbs.

+1

If you've already got a commuting bike then keep that for commuting, if you're tempted to go off roading don't get a CX for it.

I love my CX as an all weather commuter, but if I just wanted something for off road* (beyond a towpath/sustrans track) I'd get an MTB**.

If you'll only be off the road bike for commutes during snow (how often is that) then get the MTB. If you're precious and want a 'wet/cold weather' commuter then the CX/a tourer might be the way to go.

*I do
**I did, also an on one, bloomin' fantastic thing it is too.

supersonic

My point was more that you'd expect way more MTB for that price.

You do, with many, ie the OnOne I posted to. Carbon frame, £400 suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes, high end groupsets - makes that Pinnacle look pretty poor value in comparison! Well to me ;-)

supersonic

Saying that they have just whacked the price up by £300 haha!