Cyclocross Bike Advice

Hello All,
I'd be very grateful for some advice. I'm looking at getting into cyclocross with plans of doing some CX sportives and probably some racing as well so need a bike that can do everything. My budget is around the £2,000 mark but can go over if the bike is worth it. In terms of frame, I would imagine aluminium would be the best to go for as I can beat it around a bit more than carbon and I'm apprehensive of falling off. I do own a carbon-framed road bike so know the difference carbon makes - if any of you think carbon would be a better option then please let me know. In terms of groupset, I really like the idea of SRAM's new 1x but would perhaps need to play around with ratios a little bit to tune into my riding. I could potentially put an 11/36 cassette on. I would be willing to consider Shimano as well and I have Shimano on my road bikes. Also do thru-axles make a big difference or are standard QR's still ok?
Specialized Crux E5 X1
The best bike at the moment looks like the Specialized Crux E5 X1
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/crux-x1-2016-cyclocross-... (link is external)
It has a SRAM Rival 1 groupset and is aluminium and looks pretty neat. It does use QR skewers though.
Fuji Cross
This also looks like a good bike, but frame wise probably not as good the Specialized. It has a Force CX1 groupset which is an upgrade. However, I've heard bad reviews of Fuji's in-house brand, Oval's wheels.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/cross-11-2016-cyclocross-bike-e... (link is external)
Norco Threshold
Stepping up to a carbon frame now, but it's 'mid-modulus', so is aluminium better here? This does use thru-axles though and spec is pretty good.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/threshold-rival-1-2016-cyclocr... (link is external)
Trek Boone
I own a Trek road bike and know they are very good, so perhaps the Trek is the best option with the IsoSpeed decoupler as a sort-of suspension and a 600-series OCLV carbon frame. This is over-budget though - do I need this as a first CX bike or is it overkill? I would also look at upgrading the FSA chainset and wheels here again as the Bontrager wheels that came stock on my road bike are shocking. It is also a Shimano groupset. Trek is also one of the best brands when it comes to warranties.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/boone-5-disc-2016-cyclocross-bi... (link is external)
Trek also do some cantilever options in both their Boone and aluminium Crockett range - any thoughts?
I'd be really grateful for some advice and would be interested to hear what you think which bike would be most suitable. Thanks in advance.
I'd be very grateful for some advice. I'm looking at getting into cyclocross with plans of doing some CX sportives and probably some racing as well so need a bike that can do everything. My budget is around the £2,000 mark but can go over if the bike is worth it. In terms of frame, I would imagine aluminium would be the best to go for as I can beat it around a bit more than carbon and I'm apprehensive of falling off. I do own a carbon-framed road bike so know the difference carbon makes - if any of you think carbon would be a better option then please let me know. In terms of groupset, I really like the idea of SRAM's new 1x but would perhaps need to play around with ratios a little bit to tune into my riding. I could potentially put an 11/36 cassette on. I would be willing to consider Shimano as well and I have Shimano on my road bikes. Also do thru-axles make a big difference or are standard QR's still ok?
Specialized Crux E5 X1
The best bike at the moment looks like the Specialized Crux E5 X1
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/crux-x1-2016-cyclocross-... (link is external)
It has a SRAM Rival 1 groupset and is aluminium and looks pretty neat. It does use QR skewers though.
Fuji Cross
This also looks like a good bike, but frame wise probably not as good the Specialized. It has a Force CX1 groupset which is an upgrade. However, I've heard bad reviews of Fuji's in-house brand, Oval's wheels.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fuji/cross-11-2016-cyclocross-bike-e... (link is external)
Norco Threshold
Stepping up to a carbon frame now, but it's 'mid-modulus', so is aluminium better here? This does use thru-axles though and spec is pretty good.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/threshold-rival-1-2016-cyclocr... (link is external)
Trek Boone
I own a Trek road bike and know they are very good, so perhaps the Trek is the best option with the IsoSpeed decoupler as a sort-of suspension and a 600-series OCLV carbon frame. This is over-budget though - do I need this as a first CX bike or is it overkill? I would also look at upgrading the FSA chainset and wheels here again as the Bontrager wheels that came stock on my road bike are shocking. It is also a Shimano groupset. Trek is also one of the best brands when it comes to warranties.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/boone-5-disc-2016-cyclocross-bi... (link is external)
Trek also do some cantilever options in both their Boone and aluminium Crockett range - any thoughts?
I'd be really grateful for some advice and would be interested to hear what you think which bike would be most suitable. Thanks in advance.
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http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLSRIV1/planet-x-xls-sram-rival-1-clincher-cyclocross-bike
Next stage is to consider the shortcut over the Sidlaws on my commute. That's it running from south to north to the west of Auchterhouse Hill...
So think in terms of how easy it will be to change wheels (mid race in the pits, or between bikes, if you do decide to get two identical frames - which is where the real winning advantage is at this end of the season). I'd forget thru axles on those grounds alone.
Your thoughts on aluminium frames are quite correct. Couple of hundred grams is what carbon saves you, which is about 100 yards of riding through a bog. I am not scared of carbon for cross, my bikes are carbon, but it's not a massive advantage either way. Good aluminium is better than censored carbon. CAADX or Kinesis are great alu frames. In fact, the new Kinesis CX Race is the same weight as my carbon frames, and these build up to 7kg in race weight.
Geometry is more important, compatibility of components and cost of spares more important still. Cross is tough on kit.
I expect the Boone is lovely, but it's an elite level race frame, and wouldn't be my choice for a do it all bike. A Pro6 would be so much more what you want. Or a CAADX.
I don't much like Specialized by I expect the Crux will be okay.
As for factory fitted wheels, these are usually the crappiest component on any build, Bontrager make really good wheels too, as do most manufacturers. But the low spec stuff fitted to meet a price point will generally disappoint. In any case, you will want something specific to race on, and more than one option too. So get the 105 CAADX, and spend your other grand on upgrades.
Race bikes are usually very different to off the shelf spec anyway. Although Raleigh sell their cross bike in a totally race ready spec - it is over 3k though.
Some very good racers on these this year, in the leagues I race in. It has holes for bottle cages too so can be used as a do it all bike. It was designed with Katie Compton in mind and as such is quite aggressive.
Good shout. Add that to the Cannondale and Kinesis shortlist.
I'd have a dabble on a Diverge if I was buying an all round bike.
Which CruX do you have? Looks like my frontrunner at the moment