So I fancy a ‘cross’ bike (main reason = N+1).

For commuting, blasts off road, days of mixed riding….

So any views on the Cannondale CAADX 105 disc vs the Kinesis Pro6 vs the Pinnacle Arkose? All alu 6061 frames, similar geo.

I know the Arkose gets some love around here, anyone ridden that in direct comparison to the other two? Slightly put off by a review that mentions a flexy BB and a basic frame…

I’d rather buy the best frame and upgrade kit, than buy a well specced lower frame…

(Given the recent feedback on the London Road, I’m not including that)

Thanks in advance.

I think the flexy BB review was more to do with the cranks rather than the frame was it not? Also, the basic frame comment was the older model not the nice new smoothed out welded new one?

FWIW, I test rode one today and will be buying tomorrow.

Cannondale frames are hard to beat IME, I sell them and have just ordered my 4th. Specon cheaper bikes can suffer.

That CAADX 105 looks sooo tempting.

I’d rather buy the best frame and upgrade kit, than buy a well specced lower frame…

I’ll start off by admitting that the only one of the three I’ve ridden is the one I own; the CAADX. Based upon your above caveat regarding frame I’d struggle to see how either of the other two could come close.

The quality of the finish and paint stunned me when it arrived from Epic Cycles and I like the wee features I’ve since found on it, like the hidden mudguard mounts on the inside of the fork blades. Also has Cannondale’s ‘smooth weld’ on the frame.

http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Cannondale_CAADX.html

I built up some much lighter wheels (Open Pro rims on Novatec hubs) for more road (and gentler off-road) rides.

cynic-al – Member
Cannondale frames are hard to beat IME, I sell them and have just ordered my 4th. Specon cheaper bikes can suffer

Agreed. Loving my SuperX. Sublime… 8)

cynic-al, househusband, ChunkyMTB – thanks for the feedback!

When I was short-listing, when I realised a CAADX may be an option, it did take pole position.

But am I such a tart that I would rather a sick green/yellow frame over a ‘boring’ black and white paintjob?

PaulGillespie – I have been convincing myself that the Arkose 2 ticks most boxes (hydro, and avoids the daft looking hydro STIs). Sadly, nowhere near me to go see/test ride it… I think the easiest place to get to is in Larndarn, and that’s not going to lend itself to a very mixed test!

Dunno about the 105, but the wheels on my Caad-x Tiagra (pre-disc brake) are pretty low quality. If I was buyng now, I’d maybe buy lower groupset and upgrade the wheels. Is a great frame though.

You can buy the Arkose 2 and return it if you don’t like it, how’s that for a test ride? I think it rides quite differently to a Caadx, a similar format but different handling.

Is one more “racy”?

My arkose is beautiful. Currently at Rutland water and she’s brilliant. It’s not flexy at all and the finish is faultless. Im running 20spd ultegra and hope wheels. Build came in at just over a grand. Haven’t rid the other two but can’t fault this one.

Scotroutes, the caadx feels more like a trad CX race bike to me. Front wheel more tucked under the front. Pretty much as you’d expect.

I’m finding it pretty hard to look past that caadx 105 with wheel upgrade at £1029. Although thIs woul be purely on an n+1 basis*. Do they do 0% finance?

*feel free to post ideas for justification.

feel free to post ideas for justification.

With gnarmac being the latest thing in cycling, no-one should be without a X bike to experience this brand spanking shiny new FUN phenomena.

great article about the development of the Arkose and the man himself 🙂

here

I’m also looking at CX bikes on the cycle to work scheme that work have set up, but think that the Arkose is not available under it.

Main use for commuting is on Sustrans paved routes/road with the occasional bridleway.

What is the CAADX like for longer distance rides?
I’d like to build up my mileage up to 100 milers eventually, with an aim of doing the Way of the Roses next year.
Am I looking at the wrong type of bike? Would any road bikes be more suitable?

I’ve got a spare set of wheels to tranform my CAADX into a road bike.
Amazing the difference a light set of wheel makes to it.

What is the CAADX like for longer distance rides

I’d like to know this. Mine would take over from my current Defy. The geo shows the only difference (in a 56) as a 2cm shorter seat tube and 3cm longer wheel base. Same angles, same TT lenght.

So in theory as must of my use would be winter road, it’d be a good swapout giving me an option for CX as well?

oh poo….

This thread has had me leaning more and more to the Arkose 2 (first cross/gravel bike so I won’t know if it’s less racey/twitchy than the CAADX, cheaper, better colour)

But then I reread the specs, and realised it’s still 10 speed and square taper BB. So any upgrades are more complex than I’d hoped (eg I can’t just whack STIs on without replacing the rear mech, cassette +/- the real wheel).

So that leaves the Arkose 3 vs the ‘Dale…

Might have to try to arrange a trip to Evans to test ride them back to back (I can’t see a no quibble refund after 30 days, just an exchange, or I’d buy both on a credit card!)

PS unless anyone on here has both and is near Southampton?

Kryton I was thinking the same, but you can’t put mudguards in a superx.

No reason it wouldn’t make an ace road ride.

cynic-al – Member
Kryton I was thinking the same, but you can’t put mudguards in a superx.

Thats not what it says in the Epic cycles description – it says it has eyelets?

That’s CAADX

Its the CAADX 105 I’m talking about. I just checked another site, definitely has eyelets, so for me would make a good winter road bike and occasional CX.

CAADX will take guards.You have to get creative with the stays to get them round the calipers and drop them closer to the tyres as the bridges are set up for max clearance.

Will it be possible to fit both rack and guards to the CAADX (with a minor amount of faffing)?

I’d rather have the Arkose, but it looks like I can’t get one on the Cycle Solutions cycle to work scheme. I will be very happy to be corrected though.

hetallpaul – Member

Will it be possible to fit both rack and guards to the CAADX (with a minor amount of faffing)?

Seems so, mounts at dropout and stays.

CAADX will take guards.You have to get creative with the stays to get them round the calipers and drop them closer to the tyres as the bridges are set up for max clearance.

Will it be possible to fit both rack and guards to the CAADX (with a minor amount of faffing)?

CAADX Does indeed have eyelets. I’ve had full guards on mine, admittedly not with a rack at the same time. Used some nylon spacers to space out the rack to avoid fouling the rear brake caliper.

Ta guys. Hopefully will get to have a test ride soon.
First road’ish’ bike since I was 10.

I have just got a superx and am loving it.

Was going to get the 105 Caddx, then the Sram Caddx with the hydro brakes, but found they sized up large, and they actually had a supex in my size.

Done about 100 miles in two weeks on it so far and apart from the white saddle and grip tape can’t fault it.

It seems to be faster than my normal road bike on road too!!!

Probably get one of the alu framed ones for winter commutingn and keep the superx purly for fun and a bit of cross racing over the winter

What is the CAADX like for longer distance rides?

The longest I’ve done on mine is 90km (flat – for Wales – and mixed road and gravelly paths) and that was comfortable. I could have carried on. I also did a hilly 70km the following week and was fresh enough to swap to the MTB when I got home and do another 20-30km. Not huge distances admittedly, but the bike was good.

Just hitting 2000km after getting it late last summer and I love it. It feels almost like a road bike on road, although not quite as flickable as my old CAAD4, as I found out last week 😆 – and very competent off-road. I’ve said this on every one of these threads – if the entry level CAADX is this good then the top models must be phenomenal.

I’m tempted to / likely to get a CaadX with a cyclescheme voucher fairly soon, this thread isn’t helping my patience ! I’ve a Caad8 and love that so am hoping for more of the same.

I don’t know much about CX wheels, but do really like the look of the deal with upgraded wheels, what’s the concensus on those Mavic Aksium One Disc wheels for cx, are they a good match for the bike (wide enough for decent wide tyres, strong enough for cx rather than road use?)

Someone somewhere is reading this….

Just as I back off the Arkose 2, leaving the Arkose 3 vs the Cannondale, the price of the Arkose 4 drops to equal the ‘Dale!

So Arkose with hydro brakes or ‘Dale with mech brakes but a more tucked under front wheel (I presume that means more racy/twitchy)?

I wish I was less indecisive….. I think….

(It’ll cost me another £350 or more to put Shimano hydros on the ‘Dale)

In case it matters the Arkose 2 isn’t square taper, it has external bottom bracket bearings which look an awful lot like a hollowtech II, i.e. with opposed pinch bolts on the nds crank. Haven’t had it apart or weighed it or anything but seems a reasonable piece of kit so far.

I need to get to a shop and actually play with these… and soon now the prices are changing!

pro for the Arkose- from the “love-in” thread they seem to have light OE wheels (1750g?) compared to many bikes (like those on my Saracen Hack which weighed more like 2.2kg!).

I wouldn’t be put off by cable discs, my Hack has them and despite being low-rent Promax calipers they are as good as the first Hope Mini hydraulics I bought.

For me it would be the Caadx all day long (prob from Epic with the Aksiums)- an excellent product from a ‘premium’ brand with similar spec and for the same sort of money as a mail-order own-brand? Winner winner chicken dinner.

Well I’d get the Arkose, given your stated requirements.

Triple butted 6061 frame with full carbon fork should be top-notch, looks more of an all-rounder and if that’s right about the wheel weight then it’s a massive plus point.

And that is a lovely colour.

not seen a Pinnacle here in Aus’ though pretty sure Evans do ship here – plenty of gravel riders on Caadx’s and all very very positive

not many(any) votes for Pro6 above – really like mine, toe overlap and soft paint only negatives – but not ridden the others – absolutely love Pro6 on singletrack really fun and responsive – plus done a lot of road miles including a couple of full weeks credit card style touring

as someone (DezB i think) said 2nd set of wheels is great – use my road one’s to ride with/just about keep up with pure roadie people