Mulling over next purchase - any thoughts?

tjw_78
tjw_78 Posts: 41
in Road buying advice
I'm mulling over my next bike purchase. Currently have a 2017 BMC TeamMachine (105, Carbon, Borg 50C wheels) for the summer, which I love. I then use my old 2012 Giant Defy 2 (Al) in the winter, and whichever is out of season sits on the turbo trainer. I have a 2010 Spesh RockHopper MTB which I hardly ever use.

The Defy is not an ideal winter bike due to the rim brakes and I rarely use the MTB, so I'm thinking about selling both, and getting a CCX or gravel bike. My kids are just getting into CCX. Having done a few summer races, my eldest is doing her first proper race this weekend, and I fancy having a go too. So a CCX bike would be good. On the other hand, is that going to be suitable for family rides too, and winter road riding? Could a gravel bike cover all 3? If I get into CC properly I could always get a decent CCX bike later. Or is there another route (no, I'm not going to buy 2 new bikes)?

Any thoughts/ideas?

Comments

  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    edited November 2021
    just buy a cx bike and don't sell anything. selling is madness.

    problem solved and you aren't buying 2 new bikes like you said you won't.

    sorted

    #simple
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,629
    Depends on how much space you have.

    Realistically neither a 9 year old rim brake alu road bike or an 11 year old MTB is going to be worth very much, so selling reduces your options.

    If you get a cross bike that you intend to use for some cyclo-cross as well as on road, switching tyres even a few times will irritate the hell out of you and a spare set of wheels will cost as much as you get by selling one of the old bikes.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    edited November 2021
    and if you sell the alu road bike then you've just lost your turbo bike.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,629
    N+1, basically.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Isn't that what that MF bloke said up above?
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • shirley_basso
    shirley_basso Posts: 6,195
    Which MF?
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    The one who posted above. That MF.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,629
    I forgot you invented "N + 1" MF. If it was me I'd go for N, and get rid of the mtb.

    In answer to the original question, yes, a cross bike is fine for the road if you put slicks on it. (Like cycling through treacle on knobblies though.) That is what I use for winter, for the most part. A lot of pure cross bikes can't take mudguards though, so watch out for that.

    A gravel bike is a cross bike as far as I can tell, but with an outdoorsy name and some outdoorsy colour scheme, and lots of marketing guff about mm geometry differences that no one can actually detect when riding.

    Some of the more modern ones are designed for so much tyre clearance that they are basically drop bar 29er hard tails with rigid forks.... except for ones with suspension forks or headsets. I think one was even recently launched with a flat bar.

    So another option is to put drop bars and smaller tyres on your rockhopper, lock out the forks and write "gravelsuperawsomeeverywhere-hopper" on the top tube with a sharpie.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,744
    edited November 2021
    If you want to race cross then buy a cross bike.

    If you want to use it as a winter bike as FA says check it takes guards and 2 bottle cages - or just guards as I can't imagine a bike that has fittings for them not taking 2 cages.

    Agree you'll need a spare set of wheels for road.

    I'd be tempted to keep your old bike as a dedicated Turbo bike winter and summer as it won't be worth much.

    Family outings I guess use the cross bike or just take the old bike off the turbo - you could fit some puncture proof tyres.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Defblade
    Defblade Posts: 140
    First.Aspect said:


    So another option is to put drop bars and smaller tyres on your rockhopper, lock out the forks and write "gravelsuperawsomeeverywhere-hopper" on the top tube with a sharpie.

    Yeah yeah yeah! Do this! :DB)

  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    Ribble CGR? Supposedly stands for 'Cross, Gravel, Road' - so should be good for all. I have the CF version and two sets of wheels - cheaper ones with knobbly gravel tyres and CF deep section wheels for road use (Prime - so not that expensive). It comes in all possible material choices - CF, Alu, 725 Steel and Ti - I kind of wish I'd saved a few more pennies and gone for Ti now, given the CF ain't that lightweight.
  • tjw_78
    tjw_78 Posts: 41
    Bought a Vitus Energie. Decided to keep the MTB. Will see the Defy, or use it as a turbo bike if no one wants it

Categories