What bike?

fitzkate

Thanks so much for al your feedback - it really is appreciated! I have now decided that I am going for a cyclocross - definitely - so now the choice is which one. I have looked at all bikes available at the Bike Coop within my price range and have set up a spreadsheet to compare the specifications of all the bikes - it's the only way I can get my head around all the information! I think the best way for me is to narrow down to a few bikes based on brakes and gears and weight these up against cost - the problem is I don't know much about brakes and gears, and what is good and what is bad. From looking at costs and reviews I have come up with the lists below but I would appreciate your opinion on whether I have the order correct. Does this sound like a sensible approach?

Brakes (worst to best)
Promax Render R
Avid/SRAM BB5
Avid/SRAM BB7
Tektro CR710 = Tektro CR 720, cantilever = Shimano Deore = Tektro Spyre = Shimano BR-CX75
Hayes CX Expert w/ L1 160mm Lightweight Rotor
Pro Max CX Mechanicals, 160mm Rotor
TRP HyRd

Gears (worst to best)
Shimano Sora = Shimano R350 = Shimano Claris
Shimano Tiagra = Shimano R460 = SRAM Apex
Shimano 105

Thanks, K

veronese68

Regarding the brakes the BB7 are better than the Tektro and almost certainly better than the Hayes. The may be better than the Pro Max I don't know enough about them to say. BB5 are probably better than the Tektro.
With all of these they will feel pretty poor until they have bedded in.
Gears look about right to me.
Don't forget to get a bike you like the look and feel of. If you like it you are more likely to ride it, spec isn't everything.

fitzkate

Thanks Veronese68. I will definitely be seeing how the bike feels too but I just need to find some way to narrow down my choices as the Bike Coop don't stock all the bikes - especially in my size as I will be going for the smaller end of the scale.

EKE_38BPM

Sora sits between Claris and Tiagra.

Follow Veronese's advice on brakes and on making sure you buy a bike you like. There is no point buying a bike you don't feel comfortable on or don't like the look of, no matter what the specification of the components are.

fitzkate

Thanks for all your help folk! I will let you know what I decide on...

rubertoe

fitzkate wrote:

Thanks for all your help folk! I will let you know what I decide on...

I should hope so, with pictures as well