Disc braked road/CX/gravel bike for around £1000?

broona
broona Posts: 414
edited May 2015 in Road buying advice
Currently looking at the Planet X London Road, Whyte Suffolk/Sussex, Ridley X-Bow, Giant TCX or Giant Revolt but I'm open to suggestions too.

It's going to be replacing a 29" wheeled mountain bike that spends 90% of its life on the road and 10% on gravel tracks, footpaths, fire roads and the odd bridleway.

I'd like 10 or 11 speed, chunky tyre clearance, mudguard mounts if possible and disc brakes please...

Comments

  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    The Canyon Inflite 8.0 looks like a good match for what you describe. It's a bit above budget in UK£ at the moment but the € price is about right. If you can get it delivered to someone in Eurozone you'd be pretty close but that might be too much hassle.
    The bike is full 105 and can be bought in either a CX or road guise, the later including mudguards and I think a rack.
  • arlowood
    arlowood Posts: 2,561
    Another to add to your list is the Genesis Equilibrium Disc 10. Can be found at under £1K -

    http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/m16b185s6p1 ... tAodhw0AHw

    10-speed Tiagra with mudguard eyelets front and rear and also rack mounting if needed. The clearances on the frame are set for long drop (57mm) calipers if these were ever fitted - so should be suitable for some fatter tyre profiles. Best to check however if you have a particular size in mind
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    GT Grade 105?

    Questionable looks, but well reviewed (I think) with HY-RD Hydraulic callipers and 11 speed 5800.

    I would avoid cable disk brakes if coming from a fully hydraulic 29'er.
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    I recently got a Giant Revolt 1 - from Ireland (worth a look given the movement of the GBP & EUR) - and it's fab - having made a similar change to the OP - MTB (with increasingly CX tyres etc) spending more time on roads/lanes than off-road...

    The cable discs are a bit of a retrograde step but the biggest thing was how twitchy the steering feels going from 750mm bars to 440mm drops :) I'm over that though, riding the MTB feels like driving a bus now.
  • boblo
    boblo Posts: 360
    Caadx 105
  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    This offering from Rose comes in under budget http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-pro-dx-cross-2000-772640/aid:772643

    If you spend a bit more you can improve on that significantly. I think they make stunning bikes, saw them at the cycle show and was very impressed, more so than with the Canyons.
    Vaaru Titanium Sram Red eTap
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  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Thanks for the replies, the GT Grade does look a little odd but gets great reviews and is very well specced for the price, think I'll try to hunt one down and have a test ride.

    I'll look into the other bikes too, thanks again. :)
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    handful wrote:
    This offering from Rose comes in under budget http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-pro-dx-cross-2000-772640/aid:772643

    If you spend a bit more you can improve on that significantly. I think they make stunning bikes, saw them at the cycle show and was very impressed, more so than with the Canyons.
    They certainly look well put together and are very well spec'd. If you like the styling they're well worth considering. I'm happy with my Canyon though! I'm operating on the assumption that they're better; because I own one :wink:
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,896
    Ai_1 wrote:
    handful wrote:
    This offering from Rose comes in under budget http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-pro-dx-cross-2000-772640/aid:772643

    If you spend a bit more you can improve on that significantly. I think they make stunning bikes, saw them at the cycle show and was very impressed, more so than with the Canyons.
    They certainly look well put together and are very well spec'd. If you like the styling they're well worth considering. I'm happy with my Canyon though! I'm operating on the assumption that they're better; because I own one :wink:
    Shame you couldn't get a Kinesis though. :mrgreen:

    At work so not had a chance for a proper look but I would say that if you can get full hydraulics rather than cable or a hybrid cable/hydraulic option that's significant. There may be full hydraulic options from Planet X, Rose or Canyon that are not too far over budget if you can stretch it.
    I upgraded my bike from BB7s to a Parabox hydraulic converter. Feel is a lot better, but I think full hydraulic would be better again.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
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  • Wheelinthai
    Wheelinthai Posts: 12
    Carbonator wrote:
    GT Grade 105?

    Questionable looks, but well reviewed (I think) with HY-RD Hydraulic callipers and 11 speed 5800.

    I would avoid cable disk brakes if coming from a fully hydraulic 29'er.
    I have this bike, and it is superior to my old favourite, Bianchi Volpe. So much that I expect to purchase the carbon Ultegra version this Saturday. The carbon Ultegra GT is facing a tough competition from BMC GranFondo GF01 Disc though. I must decide this Saturday.
  • W12_Lad
    W12_Lad Posts: 184
    Halfords have 15% off Boardmans till 13th May.
    If you have (or get) BC membership it makes the CX Team £688.
    Ticks all the OP's boxes with lots left over for upgrades if needed.
    Front forks didn't have mudguard mounts but I think they've sorted that out now.
    I use Elite bottle cage clips on my 2014 model with full SKS mudguards - no problems in 2500 winter miles. Has rack mounts as well.
    https://veloviewer.com/SigImage/15e386/4/5/I/p/bhcdefghij.png[/IMG][/URL]
  • fuel2000
    fuel2000 Posts: 65
    I've got a Cube Cross Race Pro, full Ultegra, Shimano hydraulic brakes and full mudguard mounts. There listed at £1399 but with a bit of negotiation you can get them for less, brilliant bike .
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    Man Of Lard wrote:
    I recently got a Giant Revolt 1 - from Ireland (worth a look given the movement of the GBP & EUR) - and it's fab - having made a similar change to the OP - MTB (with increasingly CX tyres etc) spending more time on roads/lanes than off-road...

    The cable discs are a bit of a retrograde step but the biggest thing was how twitchy the steering feels going from 750mm bars to 440mm drops :) I'm over that though, riding the MTB feels like driving a bus now.

    Giant also do the Anyroad,which seems similar in envisaged use to the Revolt but slightly different styling. I rode alongside one for a while at the weekend, and its looks decent enough and the chap on it seemed happy with it..

    Odd naming from Giant ,the Revolt is hardly appealing and Anyroad sounds like a response from an indifferent Yorkshireman. :D
    Bianchi Infinito CV
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  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    t4tomo wrote:
    Odd naming from Giant ,the Revolt is hardly appealing and Anyroad sounds like a response from an indifferent Yorkshireman. :D

    I assumed the Revolt was due to the "distinctive" styling :) - some don't like the look, I'm riding it and not looking at it and I'm too busy playing at staying upright and remembering to breathe to think about what it looks like and what it's called...
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Man Of Lard wrote:
    t4tomo wrote:
    Odd naming from Giant ,the Revolt is hardly appealing and Anyroad sounds like a response from an indifferent Yorkshireman. :D

    I assumed the Revolt was due to the "distinctive" styling :) - some don't like the look, I'm riding it and not looking at it and I'm too busy playing at staying upright and remembering to breathe to think about what it looks like and what it's called...
    I'm pretty sure it's revolt as in revolution, an overthrow of the old, with just a hint of rotation! ;)
    Clever name but the word is more usually associated with disgust unfortunately....
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Wheelinthai wrote:
    Carbonator wrote:
    GT Grade 105?

    Questionable looks, but well reviewed (I think) with HY-RD Hydraulic callipers and 11 speed 5800.

    I would avoid cable disk brakes if coming from a fully hydraulic 29'er.
    I have this bike, and it is superior to my old favourite, Bianchi Volpe. So much that I expect to purchase the carbon Ultegra version this Saturday. The carbon Ultegra GT is facing a tough competition from BMC GranFondo GF01 Disc though. I must decide this Saturday.

    I know which one of those two I would get.
    Its a shame the BMC does not have a semi compact chainset like the GT though.
  • frisbee
    frisbee Posts: 691
    Hydraulic 105 is coming out in a few months, I imagine there will be a load of new bikes at the £1000 mark.
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    frisbee wrote:
    Hydraulic 105 is coming out in a few months, I imagine there will be a load of new bikes at the £1000 mark.

    There's always something a little shinier just around the corner though, lol!

    I'll look into some reviews of all the bikes that have been mentioned, cheers.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    The alu version of the Kona Rove looks like good value or the regular steel Rove which can be found discounted I think. Merlin Cycles have their own brand of cross bikes now now, which may interest - one version comes with mudguards & slicks. I also like the offerings from Whyte & Planet X.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    Caadx rival 22, lot of bike for the cash
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Belated reply but I think I've decided on either the Giant TCX SLR 2 or Ridley X-Bow 10 Disc, purely because I can pick one up at my LBS and they throw in a free bike fit, swapping out any like for like bits that make it fit better.

    Anyone give me any pros and cons of either bike? Gonna take both for a spin and see which I prefer too. :)
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    Forget everything else. Your preference is king. Everything apart from the frame is a consumable (and therefore replaceable) item in my world. (OK, you could replace the frame but then you're in a Ship of Theseus/Trigger's Broom paradox)
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,896
    broona wrote:
    Gonna take both for a spin and see which I prefer too. :)
    That should trump anything t'interweb can tell you.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Veronese68 wrote:
    broona wrote:
    Gonna take both for a spin and see which I prefer too. :)
    That should trump anything t'interweb can tell you.
    Only if you ride them back to back on the same day with identical tyre pressures, on the same route and identical saddle and bar positions!
  • broona
    broona Posts: 414
    Ha ha, fair points and all taken on board!

    Think I was probably looking for input from anyone who has either bike or any spec criticisms of either bike, i.e. something massively better on one bike than the other, but a decent test ride would be the best decider!

    Links just for reference though :-

    Ridley - http://www.ridley-bikes.com/us/en/bikes ... isc-1504am

    Giant - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... ifications
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    There's also the Merlin X2.0 which is basically the same bike as the Ridley.

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