CX bikes
stueys
Posts: 1,332
Looking for advice on a more kid friendly bike for me. My soon to be 5 year old is almost at the point where we will be bringing his bike on UK family holidays and riding around on trails, centreparc, etc, etc.
Normally my road bike also comes on family trips and I try to slink out for a couple of hours bash around. Was planning to get a mountain bike for family duties but recently it occurs to me that I could get a CX bike, run spd's on it as opposed to spd-sl's and use that as a duel bike. I could run fatter tyres for the family trails and then swap back to road tyres for my blasts. No need for two bikes, at most maybe I'm taking two sets of wheels. Plus these things seem to take proper guards so I'm gaining a proper winter bike as opposed to running crud's on my 'winter' Spesh.
Seems great, I must be missing something otherwise everyone would do this? Are the CX bikes lame offroad?
Normally my road bike also comes on family trips and I try to slink out for a couple of hours bash around. Was planning to get a mountain bike for family duties but recently it occurs to me that I could get a CX bike, run spd's on it as opposed to spd-sl's and use that as a duel bike. I could run fatter tyres for the family trails and then swap back to road tyres for my blasts. No need for two bikes, at most maybe I'm taking two sets of wheels. Plus these things seem to take proper guards so I'm gaining a proper winter bike as opposed to running crud's on my 'winter' Spesh.
Seems great, I must be missing something otherwise everyone would do this? Are the CX bikes lame offroad?
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Comments
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They're made for offroad
seriously though, they are the perfect do it all bike and if the going gets too tough you just sling it over your shoulder and run with it. I'd recommend Kinesis if you haven't already drawn up a short list. 0 -
iME The only limitation to CX offroad are your handling skills and your legs. You learn to be smooth and will be amazed at what you can ride. Intrestingly my local MTB enduro series banned CX bikes because the MTBs couldn't keep up.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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I love my Cannondale Caadx I recently bought. Just remember the sizing is different on CX bikes, so go smaller than you would for a road bike.1998 Kona Cindercone in singlespeed commute spec
2013 Cannondale Caadx 1x10
2004 Giant TCR0 -
Riding a cyclocross bike offroad is like mountain biking 20 years ago - everything is a bit inadequate in comparison to a modern mtb... head angle too steep, rubbish brakes, no suspension, tiny thin tyres etc etc. All of which adds up to it being really good fun! Provided things don't get too extreme, as Monty said, they're a lot quicker than a mountain bike.
I'm a recent convert to all things CX - they're a near perfect compromise between road and trail.0 -
As a MTBer I bought a CX bike as a 'road' bike. To be honest it isn't too compromised on the road (with road tyres obviously).
It is compromised off road though! For tame off road stuff I'm sure it flies - but when it gets a bit techy/rocky I find it much slower than my hard tail. The gearing means I have to get off for a lot more of the uphill than I normally do too. When I first bought it I took it on one of my local loops (which has 20 mins on tarmac) expecting to smash my usual 90min time - it was actually 10 mins slower.
All that being said it is still good fun - just different. MTBs go from fully rigid to 8 inch front and rear suspension and excel at different things - a CX bike is just a bit further to the left of that same scale...0 -
Seems a must have bike for a roady with a family IMO
Great for winter road bike and a lot more Kudos at Centre Parcs ;-)
Had a hybrid but CX makes much more sense. So much nicer having drop bars.
Easily the most versatile type of bike. I would get a disc brake one personally though.0 -
I have one as my "winter"/commuter bike - same size as my road bike but it's shorter in the top tube.
It's a more upright riding position too, so even with slicks on it is compromised as a road bike.
Then you put the CX tyres on and go off with the family and it's fine - about the only changes I'd do is lower the saddle a bit and put the flat converters on for SPDs so I can ride in trainers rather than cycle shoes.
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Great, thanks for that. CX plan sounds like the way forward, now to start hunting for options.0
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I ride a Ridley X Bow as a winter bike. It's got mudguard eyes, rack eyes, bottle cage fittings (most cross frames haven't), loads of clearance and it handles as well as any bike - in fact it handles just like any Ridley road bike (= great).0
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Unless your kids are seriously hardcore - a road bike would cope with center parcs etc.
A cross bike is a great all rounder. I love my Planet X Uncle John.0 -
I have been thinking about a CX bike for the same reason. My daughter is really keen but is only 7. Although there are a few properly surfaced routes around here they are almost all too short. She rode 15 miles without any trouble recently but all the cycle paths are just a few miles long. There are good canal tow paths that would be much more suitable but that's no use to me and my road bike.
A CX bike would be perfect for this.0 -
I recently got a 2012 Mares AX4 slightly flawed if you believe the reviews but perfect fo my needs.
With 28c tyres it has been used for club runs and training. I have some spare kinesis wheels which I have cross tyres on so can go on the railway paths or bridleways with a quick wheel swap.
The shallow dop bars give good control off road and the compact gearing is adequate for most situations.
Downsides include one bottle mount (easily fixed with an elite band on), no carrier rack (dont do any touring).Its heavy
Upsides include disc brakes, top tube cabling and factory fitted guards.
Very versatile bike without being a hy**id0 -
Boardman make a very nice cx bike!!0
