Carbon + SRAM Rival or Alloy + SRAM Force

Clingy

For my first proper bike I have whittled it down to a choice between a couple of Fuji cyclocross bikes of the same price

1) Fuji Altamira CX 1.5
2) Fuji Cross 1.1

So is it best to go for a Carbon Frame with a cheaper groupset (SRAM Rival 22 speed) or an alloy frame with a better group set (SRAM Force CX1 11 speed). In all other respects bikes are similar, perhaps the alloy framed one has slightly better components. They alloy framed bike is 0.5kg lighter.

Getting mixed advice. Any pointers, advice from experience would be welcome.

trek_dan

There is no real advantage to carbon for CX bikes in my opinion. I have an alloy and a carbon CX bike and it really doesn't make much difference. I can see why carbon has it advantages for road (aero profile tubing, weight etc) but not really relevant for CX. Rival 22 is still a great groupset though, so I suppose it comes to down the range of gears you want and if you are bothered about having a CX speicfic rear clutch mech.

passout

Rival is perfectly good IMO, but I can't comment on these frames. Check out sizing and the quality of the wheels too before deciding.

Clingy

Wheels are better on the alloy one and other components a tad better. Now complicated by the fact that I could get a Cannondale CAADX Ultegra for around the same price £1350-£1400.

I'll visit store on Saturday and try and get some conclusion to this. Don't want to start a debate in SRAM vs Shimano :roll: .

Thanks for the advice....much as I have been given all along. The SRAM Rival (or indeed Shimano 105) is perfectly good enough, expecially for a first bike. The only reason I am looking at bikes in this price range is that I particularly want hydraulic brakes and they dont seem to come with most Rival/Shimano equipped alloy bikes.

tgotb

Clingy wrote:

Don't want to start a debate in SRAM vs Shimano

I'm going to weigh in anyway!

One benefit of SRAM over Shimano is that the cable pull ratios are the same for their MTB and Road mechs. What this means is that if you decide to change to a single-ring setup and ditch the front mech (as many people are doing) SRAM gives you the option of using a MTB clutch mech. You can make single ring setups work with Shimano, but circumstantial evidence suggests the SRAM MTB mechs are a bit more robust.

One other thing to bear in mind is that you're going to trash a rear mech at some point, especially if you end up racing. When that happens, it's quite nice if the replacements aren't too expensive. This is one reason you see lots of 105 mechs on CX bikes, but very little Dura Ace (or Rival vs Red etc).

Looking back at your original post, the most material difference is 11 vs 22 speed. If you're going to be riding mostly off-road, 11-speed will be better - simpler, less for mud to cling to, more robust. Lots of racers are migrating to single ring setups, very few (if any) are going in the other direction. If you're going to be doing a lot of road riding, the wider range and closer ratios of a 22-speed setup might be more appropriate (partly depends what you're used to, of course!)

Clingy

Thanks TGOTB

The thing is I am not used to anything...first bike. I can't see myself road racing, but I will want to enter Cyclocross (in the over 60 catgeory!).

trek_dan

In that case I'd say the carbon model with the double ring is probably more versatile, whereas the lighter alloy model with the single front chainring will be better offroad and racing. Both my CX bikes have a 38t front ring and this spins out about 26mph on the road.