Cube or Trek?

rudivoller22

Hi
I'm looking at having a go at cx to keep me fit until the Road season starts again and looking to get my first cx bike. I'm limited to Evans or the very limited number of shops that accept their cycle to work vouchers. Max budget is £1500 as they'll let me too it up.

Narrowed it down to either Trek Crocket 5 or Cube Cross Pro SL. Both same price, similar spec the only main difference being hydraulic brakes on the cube and mechanical on the Trek.

Just wondering if anyone had either that could recommend or give me some pointers. Or anything else in that price range that may be better option?

Cheers
Martyn

lettingthedaysgoby

Hydraulic brakes would be the winner there for me.

VamP

Brakes don't make you fast. The Crockett is one of the best ALU cross frames out there. The Cube is, meh. You can always upgrade the brakes.

Muddy end of season two bikes are much faster than one, so get the canti braked Crockett if they still have them at Evans. You can get two for your budget!

joey54321

I'd go for the hydro brakes personally.

devhads

VamP wrote:

Brakes don't make you fast. The Crockett is one of the best ALU cross frames out there. The Cube is, meh. You can always upgrade the brakes.

Muddy end of season two bikes are much faster than one, so get the canti braked Crockett if they still have them at Evans. You can get two for your budget!

I agree. I've just been looking at a bike for my son and was thinking about getting a disc brake bike. For my budget I'd have to make so many compromises on frame, wheels, groupset just for brakes! He's currently on an Alu Crockett Canti and I'm going to get him ... the same bike but bigger. Fantastic frame, great groupset and one of the best cantilever brakes you can get, that do the job perfectly well.

rudivoller22

Thanks for the replies. I've asked to test ride both so will see how I get on. Still can't find anyone who has actually ridden the Cube so difficult to get a decent opinion other than the crap in magazines.

roastie_cyclocross

I've not ridden either bikes, but the only thing that I would throw into the ring is my cantilever CX bike on a very muddy race at the start of the season was getting so clogged with mud around the brakes that I could hardly push it. My next CX bike will definitely have hydro disc brakes.

My front derailer was also so caked in mud I couldn't see it, so I am also leaning towards 1 x 11 gearing.

I like the look of this GT Grade CX Rival. I know it's not Evans, but Rutland are doing £100 off if you spend over £1k, so comes in well under budget.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... red_378753

devhads

Roastie_Cyclocross wrote:

I've not ridden either bikes, but the only thing that I would throw into the ring is my cantilever CX bike on a very muddy race at the start of the season was getting so clogged with mud around the brakes that I could hardly push it. My next CX bike will definitely have hydro disc brakes.

My front derailer was also so caked in mud I couldn't see it, so I am also leaning towards 1 x 11 gearing.

I like the look of this GT Grade CX Rival. I know it's not Evans, but Rutland are doing £100 off if you spend over £1k, so comes in well under budget.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... red_378753

1 x 11 will definitely help with mud clearance. As Vam P said though in muddy conditions 2 £750 cantilever bikes (assuming you have a pit helper) will always be quicker than one £1500 bike with hydro brakes.

VamP

rudivoller22 wrote:

Thanks for the replies. I've asked to test ride both so will see how I get on. Still can't find anyone who has actually ridden the Cube so difficult to get a decent opinion other than the crap in magazines.

I have ridden the Cube. The geometry is all wrong for racing.

VamP

devhads wrote:

VamP wrote:

Brakes don't make you fast. The Crockett is one of the best ALU cross frames out there. The Cube is, meh. You can always upgrade the brakes.

Muddy end of season two bikes are much faster than one, so get the canti braked Crockett if they still have them at Evans. You can get two for your budget!

I agree. I've just been looking at a bike for my son and was thinking about getting a disc brake bike. For my budget I'd have to make so many compromises on frame, wheels, groupset just for brakes! He's currently on an Alu Crockett Canti and I'm going to get him ... the same bike but bigger. Fantastic frame, great groupset and one of the best cantilever brakes you can get, that do the job perfectly well.

The Crockett is outstanding. A lad in our club has the Crockett and the Boone, and he prefers the Crockett.

trek_dan

Roastie_Cyclocross wrote:

I've not ridden either bikes, but the only thing that I would throw into the ring is my cantilever CX bike on a very muddy race at the start of the season was getting so clogged with mud around the brakes that I could hardly push it. My next CX bike will definitely have hydro disc brakes.

My front derailer was also so caked in mud I couldn't see it, so I am also leaning towards 1 x 11 gearing.

I like the look of this GT Grade CX Rival. I know it's not Evans, but Rutland are doing £100 off if you spend over £1k, so comes in well under budget.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... red_378753

Get better brakes not a whole new bike - Shorty Ultimates are amazing

roastie_cyclocross

trek_dan wrote:

Roastie_Cyclocross wrote:

I've not ridden either bikes, but the only thing that I would throw into the ring is my cantilever CX bike on a very muddy race at the start of the season was getting so clogged with mud around the brakes that I could hardly push it. My next CX bike will definitely have hydro disc brakes.

My front derailer was also so caked in mud I couldn't see it, so I am also leaning towards 1 x 11 gearing.

I like the look of this GT Grade CX Rival. I know it's not Evans, but Rutland are doing £100 off if you spend over £1k, so comes in well under budget.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... red_378753

Get better brakes not a whole new bike - Shorty Ultimates are amazing

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the response. My issue wasn't the fact that the brakes were not working, they still stopped me as expected. More that so much mud, leaves & twigs collected around the brakes themselves that the wheels could hardly turn as this was rubbing on the tyres.

Happy to look at new brakes if it would prevent this, but I suspect this is just a downside of having canti brakes.

I've just bought some new smaller tyres that will hopefully help shed mud better and give me a bit more clearance(Michelin Mud 2's in 30c compared with Schwalbe Rapid Rob's in 35c), looks like it's going to be another muddy forest race this weekend so see I'll what difference this makes.

trek_dan

You can set Shorty Ultimates in 2 positions - narrow or wide. On the wide setting you loose a bit of modulation but gain a good few inches of clearance.

roastie_cyclocross

Cheers, I'll take a look.

VamP

Roastie_Cyclocross wrote:

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the response. My issue wasn't the fact that the brakes were not working, they still stopped me as expected. More that so much mud, leaves & twigs collected around the brakes themselves that the wheels could hardly turn as this was rubbing on the tyres.

Happy to look at new brakes if it would prevent this, but I suspect this is just a downside of having canti brakes.

I've just bought some new smaller tyres that will hopefully help shed mud better and give me a bit more clearance(Michelin Mud 2's in 30c compared with Schwalbe Rapid Rob's in 35c), looks like it's going to be another muddy forest race this weekend so see I'll what difference this makes.

TBH you were just unlucky to get this in your first race. I do about 30 races in a good season, and going back about 7 seasons I can remember such conditions maybe twice. Most races there is no clearance advantage to disc brakes.

It wouldn't make me consider switching braking systems, but I do concede that I am now in the minority when it comes to cantis.

ktuludays

Roastie_Cyclocross wrote:

I've not ridden either bikes, but the only thing that I would throw into the ring is my cantilever CX bike on a very muddy race at the start of the season was getting so clogged with mud around the brakes that I could hardly push it. My next CX bike will definitely have hydro disc brakes.

My front derailer was also so caked in mud I couldn't see it, so I am also leaning towards 1 x 11 gearing.

I like the look of this GT Grade CX Rival. I know it's not Evans, but Rutland are doing £100 off if you spend over £1k, so comes in well under budget.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/ro ... red_378753

i have found in some muddy races that disc braked bikes can pickup so much mud on the rims that they weigh kg's more by the end. At holme Pierrpont last weekend one of our club riders looked liked she had deep dish wheels by the end. she said she could barely turn the pedals due to the extra weight of the mud. Us canti riders had no such issues. i think for CX there are various setups which work better in differing conditions, you just have to get it right on the day.