New cyclocross bike? Advice please

gabriel959

I am looking to get a cyclocross bike for cycling in the winter (snow, ice) and for trips with my family to Thetford forest, etc.

It doesn't have to be expensive, I would like it to have disc brakes and would like to be able to fit mudguards, I have seen bikes such as the Norco Threshold A3 which is a good price at Evans but I can't see it being able to fit mudguards.

Anyway, are there also any other recommendations? Any suggestions? I could go up to £800 but I would prefer to stay ay £600 and get some handbuilts and new tyres for it preferably.

pitchshifter

Pretty sure most cyclocross bikes don't come with mudguard options because getting muddy is the idea of them.

Do you really need them?

gabriel959

Well, it is going to be a commuting bike (in deep winter) as well as a cyclocross bike. I suppose I can stick on a clip on rear mudguard at the back.

As I said I am open to suggestions

veronese68

Au contraire. A lot of them do, if they're not out and out race bikes, as they are often used as multi purpose bad weather bikes. My Pro6 has them, although Iit is over budget. I admit I had to take the guards off to fit knobbly tyres. The frame had plenty of clearance ,but the stays were too short due to the bend I had to put in to clear the brakes. Other guards would be fine.
I think the Genesis CdF might be within budget and will take guards, but clearance is tighter on that. Some of the Pinnacle range are within your budget. I'm sure there are more, just not sure what.
You could take a look on the cyclocross forum in the road section. More race oriented but all rounders as well.

gabriel959

veronese68 wrote:

Au contraire. A lot of them do, if they're not out and out race bikes, as they are often used as multi purpose bad weather bikes. My Pro6 has them, although Iit is over budget. I admit I had to take the guards off to fit knobbly tyres. The frame had plenty of clearance ,but the stays were too short due to the bend I had to put in to clear the brakes. Other guards would be fine.
I think the Genesis CdF might be within budget and will take guards, but clearance is tighter on that. Some of the Pinnacle range are within your budget. I'm sure there are more, just not sure what.
You could take a look on the cyclocross forum in the road section. More race oriented but all rounders as well.

Thanks - I did not know there was a cyclocross section! The Genesis would be perfect, but they are made for midgets, sorry normal people , their 60 cm is tiny really, as I am 6' 5" and need a 58.5/59cm top tube at least.

veronese68

That is quite tall. I had in my mind that you are Spanish for some reason, that can't be right as I'm sure they are all midgets.
I think Kona used to do the Jake in 62cm, not sure about now as they changed the frames a couple of years ago. Over budget as well I think.

timothyw

Big Mig would seem to contradict that!

Might be worth having a look at the Boardman CX Comp in Halfords, hits the budget (although you've just missed a discount weekend - can still get 10% off with BC membership though).

gabriel959

veronese68 wrote:

That is quite tall. I had in my mind that you are Spanish for some reason, that can't be right as I'm sure they are all midgets.
I think Kona used to do the Jake in 62cm, not sure about now as they changed the frames a couple of years ago. Over budget as well I think.

Yes, Spanish, haven't you seen the Spanish basketball team?

Yes, I have seen the Jake, looks lovely but too expensive, which is a shame. The Norco is the only one which I have seen that has mudguard eyes, unfortunately the A3 model has got an alloy fork!

gabriel959

timothyw wrote:

Big Mig would seem to contradict that!

Might be worth having a look at the Boardman CX Comp in Halfords, hits the budget (although you've just missed a discount weekend - can still get 10% off with BC membership though).

Yes, saw those thanks, they indeed look like a fantastic deal, I am sure there will be more sales, and I get a discount through work Can you put mudguards on it?

veronese68

gabriel959 wrote:

timothyw wrote:

Big Mig would seem to contradict that!

Might be worth having a look at the Boardman CX Comp in Halfords, hits the budget (although you've just missed a discount weekend - can still get 10% off with BC membership though).

Yes, saw those thanks, they indeed look like a fantastic deal, I am sure there will be more sales, and I get a discount through work Can you put mudguards on it?

There seems to be an issue with mudguards on the forks of the new Boardman CX. They don't have eyelets any more, lots of discussion about it on the Boardman CX thread. Have you looked at the Kaffenback or other Planet X offerings?

bigmonka

Have you looked the Revolution Cross (sport/pro) from Edingburgh bike coop?

MikeParkin65

I'm 6ft 1 and have just bought a Ridley X-Bow Disc in 'large' (there was some discussion about Ridley sizes being unconventional so can't tell you the frame measurement) and it fits fine - I believe there is an 'extra large' if you need it. Has eyes for guards front and back plus rack eyelets. Avid BB7 brakes, Sora with FSA chainrings.

Echelon in Pershore agreed to swap the stock tyres for Conti 4 seasons and also through in a rack and fitted mudguards for £899. I've been riding it for 5 weeks now and absolutely love it.

EKE_38BPM

The Revolution is good. All alloy (don't know if that is good or bad).
Consider the Planet X Kaffenback. Not strictly a CX bike, but hits the upper range of your budget, discs (BB7), all steel (don't know if that is good or bad), mudguard mounts.
The 2014 Boardman has issues.

timothyw

veronese68 wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

timothyw wrote:

Big Mig would seem to contradict that!

Might be worth having a look at the Boardman CX Comp in Halfords, hits the budget (although you've just missed a discount weekend - can still get 10% off with BC membership though).

Yes, saw those thanks, they indeed look like a fantastic deal, I am sure there will be more sales, and I get a discount through work Can you put mudguards on it?

There seems to be an issue with mudguards on the forks of the new Boardman CX. They don't have eyelets any more, lots of discussion about it on the Boardman CX thread. Have you looked at the Kaffenback or other Planet X offerings?

I'm fairly sure the fork issue is with the new CX Team (rather than the cheaper Comp).

I might be wrong though.

gabriel959

bigmonka wrote:

Have you looked the Revolution Cross (sport/pro) from Edingburgh bike coop?

Yes, too small sadly (58cm tops).

gabriel959

EKE_38BPM wrote:

The Revolution is good. All alloy (don't know if that is good or bad).
Consider the Planet X Kaffenback. Not strictly a CX bike, but hits the upper range of your budget, discs (BB7), all steel (don't know if that is good or bad), mudguard mounts.
The 2014 Boardman has issues.

Yes, the Kaffenback 2 sounds like a good all rounder and it is not too expensive.

gabriel959

MikeParkin65 wrote:

I'm 6ft 1 and have just bought a Ridley X-Bow Disc in 'large' (there was some discussion about Ridley sizes being unconventional so can't tell you the frame measurement) and it fits fine - I believe there is an 'extra large' if you need it. Has eyes for guards front and back plus rack eyelets. Avid BB7 brakes, Sora with FSA chainrings.

Echelon in Pershore agreed to swap the stock tyres for Conti 4 seasons and also through in a rack and fitted mudguards for £899. I've been riding it for 5 weeks now and absolutely love it.

Nice one, shame about the Sora for £899 but a solid spec none-the-less considering you have got mudguards, panniers and upgraded tyres.

wgwarburton

gabriel959 wrote:

veronese68 wrote:

Au contraire. A lot of them do, if they're not out and out race bikes, as they are often used as multi purpose bad weather bikes. My Pro6 has them, although Iit is over budget. I admit I had to take the guards off to fit knobbly tyres. The frame had plenty of clearance ,but the stays were too short due to the bend I had to put in to clear the brakes. Other guards would be fine.
I think the Genesis CdF might be within budget and will take guards, but clearance is tighter on that. Some of the Pinnacle range are within your budget. I'm sure there are more, just not sure what.
You could take a look on the cyclocross forum in the road section. More race oriented but all rounders as well.

Thanks - I did not know there was a cyclocross section! The Genesis would be perfect, but they are made for midgets, sorry normal people , their 60 cm is tiny really, as I am 6' 5" and need a 58.5/59cm top tube at least.

Ummm, aren't short top tubes a design feature of CX bikes?
Compare geometry to an Audax/sportif type frame and see if that informs.... Why CX, anyway? Are you planning on off-roading it?

Cheers,
W.

gabriel959

Thetford Forest with the family and the odd venture out in the winter that the club runs cyclocross rides.

gabriel959

wgwarburton wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

veronese68 wrote:

Au contraire. A lot of them do, if they're not out and out race bikes, as they are often used as multi purpose bad weather bikes. My Pro6 has them, although Iit is over budget. I admit I had to take the guards off to fit knobbly tyres. The frame had plenty of clearance ,but the stays were too short due to the bend I had to put in to clear the brakes. Other guards would be fine.
I think the Genesis CdF might be within budget and will take guards, but clearance is tighter on that. Some of the Pinnacle range are within your budget. I'm sure there are more, just not sure what.
You could take a look on the cyclocross forum in the road section. More race oriented but all rounders as well.

Thanks - I did not know there was a cyclocross section! The Genesis would be perfect, but they are made for midgets, sorry normal people , their 60 cm is tiny really, as I am 6' 5" and need a 58.5/59cm top tube at least.

Ummm, aren't short top tubes a design feature of CX bikes?
Compare geometry to an Audax/sportif type frame and see if that informs.... Why CX, anyway? Are you planning on off-roading it?

Cheers,
W.

I do understand the whole sizing thing, if it was an audax bike I would be looking at a 63cm top tube, that is why I can do with less for cyclocross.

rubertoe

I'm planning on doing a 60 Mile ride with my club in a few weeks that is based on Rapha's hell of the North. I'll be doing that on a Kaffenback, i'll let you know how it goes off road.

gabriel959

Thanks mate. Sounds like fun!!!

gabriel959

I reckon its either going to be

The Norco plus some new wheels
The Kaffenback 2
Or some second hand jobby.

I would love to get the Kona Jake or the new Canyon but for the use I am going to give it (500/1000 miles max a year) its not worth it imo.

gabriel959

Hi guys,

how about the Verenti Substance?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-substan ... sora-2014/

It looks like an absolute bargain, £528 (with BC discount) for a reynolds 520 steel crosser, with BB5 discs, full sora, etc...

What are your thoughts?

timothyw

Yep, looks good to me for the money. Only problem is that the CX season will be pretty much over by the time you get it.

There is also a slight risk that they might cheap out in the final spec - eg replace the sora chainset with something else.

Assuming that doesn't happen though, looks completely fine.

gabriel959

timothyw wrote:

Yep, looks good to me for the money. Only problem is that the CX season will be pretty much over by the time you get it.

There is also a slight risk that they might cheap out in the final spec - eg replace the sora chainset with something else.

Assuming that doesn't happen though, looks completely fine.

True, I am not too bothered about the cyclocross season. It is mostly to be used on the ice (so January-Feb time mainly) plus rides in spring and summer in the local trails with my daughter.

veronese68

gabriel959 wrote:

timothyw wrote:

Yep, looks good to me for the money. Only problem is that the CX season will be pretty much over by the time you get it.

There is also a slight risk that they might cheap out in the final spec - eg replace the sora chainset with something else.

Assuming that doesn't happen though, looks completely fine.

True, I am not too bothered about the cyclocross season. It is mostly to be used in the ice (so January-Feb time mainly) plus rides in spring and summer in the local trails with my daughter.

That does look like a bargain, and it's a nice looking bike.

gabriel959

Indeed I might wait for it to become available, just in case they change the spec. I am not in a rush. I can now go and spec some reasonable wheels to go with it too.

veronese68

I notice the Verenti wheels come with Novatec hubs. Very happy with my wheels, I have Novatec hubs with Open Pro CD rims. Novatec do different standards of hub, I think mine are the 711/712. If you do a search for 700c disc wheel these are often recommended. Ugo built my wheels and he rates them very highly. Archetype H Plus Son seem to be the rim of choice now.

gabriel959

veronese68 wrote:

I notice the Verenti wheels come with Novatec hubs. Very happy with my wheels, I have Novatec hubs with Open Pro CD rims. Novatec do different standards of hub, I think mine are the 711/712. If you do a search for 700c disc wheel these are often recommended. Ugo built my wheels and he rates them very highly. Archetype H Plus Son seem to be the rim of choice now.

Indeed, I have been having a look at wheels as I don't want some cheap and nasty factory built wheels. If the hubs are those (711/712) I might ask my local wheel builder to rebuild them in Archetypes. I use Open Pros on 105 on my commuter but I thought that rim was more suited to road tyres than cyclocross tyres due to the rim being quite narrow?

veronese68

Not sure how you tell the difference between the different hubs. Apparently there is someone in the UK selling them for the same sort of price I paid for mine to come from the Far East. You're probably right about the rims. I usually have 28mm tyres on mine but have gone to 32mm now for the winter and have run them with 35mm knobbly tyres. Not tried them with a wider rim so don't know how much better that would feel. Ugo has run a greater variety of rims and tyres so should be able to give a more informed opinion.