CX Bike – funds now available, but dithering.

Assuming 2nd road bike is sold tomorrow as planned. Budget is £900 max so that’s the Boardman Team CX then (any more offers on that? It was £750 when I didn’t have the money 😉 ). But I’m still taken with the Genesis Vapour that is £200 over budget but can get on interest free never never.

Nearly bought a 2nd hand CdF a couple of weeks ago but got all angsty about the weight. Not going to race it, going to ride it on the terrible roads here in the winter, and in the local woods with my youngest in the summer. Also for exploring as we’ve lots of small woods near us separated by stretches of road. Dull on a MTB, annoying passing on the road bike.

Put a wtd ad up to see if 2nd hand is an option, but absolutely must have disks.

The boardman makes sense, can go try one for size close by, everyone seems to rate them, but I dunno still fancy that Vapour!

Love my CdF, weight doesn’t bother me and I’d rather have a comfy steel frame for longer rides, especially off-road bits

Boardman for sure.

NUSFEB12 gets you another 10% off the Boardman, so you’re at £810.

Im toying with getting a 2012 135mm pompino, fitting some 35c CXX tyres to some spare 29er wheels, Ive got most of the brakes and finishing kit in the box – just need a crankset, and whooop – CXSS!

Thanks Mark that’s helpful 😉 The CdF was a good deal from a fella on here, maybe it’s the thought of doing a few more 100k+ road rides with my fit mate that put me off.

£7810 you say? *twitching of wallet*

Or even £810. Assume 5ft11 sized person with stumpy 31.5inch leg would be going for large (56cm) same as my road bike?

Plus there’s the British Cycling discount vouchers – another 10% off as long as you spend a few quid on membership.

Note that the boardman is longer than just about every other cross bike out there. That’s the only thing putting me off.
Not just the on-paper numbers, but I rode one for a 2 rides and found I was stretched out on the hoods, which is why I checked the dimensions.

It’s about the same as most other road bikes, so I guess it can’t be outrageously long.

I would prefer 105 too, but you have to spend quite a bit more to get a similar 105 bike. Even the Vapour at £1200 is only Tiagra!

I’m pretty long in the back so a long tt suits me. I’ll go check out the sizing before I buy anyway, local branch of Halfords allegedly has a Med and a Large.

That’s the thing with the Vapour, I think it looks lovely, but not £400 lovely 😉

i reckon you could build a croix de fer for ~ 800 quid with 5700 105 bits. shop at ribble, planet-x/on-one etc.

I built this for £750 (but I had the wheels, post, saddle & pedals)

most of the gear was from PX (frame was £99 Paul milnes, & for £99)

the boardmans great value at &800 though.

I’m 5ft 11.5 and would go for a medium. I’ve got long 34″ legs mind. Note that the standard stems are also long – 110 on the med, 120 on the large.

Ta CP. If a med fits you with legs that long then I’d best start there. Also whoever passed on the BC tip as well thanks for that.

I really can’t be bothered to build one up, do that for MTBs, but don’t have the time/inclination to do it for Road/CX. I like to think of that as focussed, it may just be lazy 😉

dont think you’ll beat the boardman then – happy shopping 😉

I know of some Giant TCX1’s for sale dead on your budget. They’s are ex shop race bikes that have only been ridden a few times and are in immaculate condition. It’s a £1500 bike selling for £900. As far a I know they have a M, M/L and large.

They are being sold by my LBS and I don’t work for them btw.

Piccie of mine. Ones for sale have giant wheels though.

Del – Member
i reckon you could build a croix de fer for ~ 800 quid with 5700 105 bits. shop at ribble, planet-x/on-one etc.
POSTED 4 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Might be hard pushed to do that unless you already had some bits, mine was built up with 105 but with some nice other bits too, hope, easton, thompson and handmade wheels, not much change from £1800!

Got this for just over a grand, delivered. 105, bb7 brakes nice finishing kit, wheels seem strong so far, impressed so far.

Rose Pro DX Cross 2000.

thorpie – Member
Del – Member
i reckon you could build a croix de fer for ~ 800 quid with 5700 105 bits. shop at ribble, planet-x/on-one etc.
POSTED 4 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Might be hard pushed to do that unless you already had some bits, mine was built up with 105 but with some nice other bits too, hope, easton, thompson and handmade wheels, not much change from £1800!

recently costed a crosscheck build, so similar frame/fork price. only parts i was providing were saddle and seatpost IIRC. TBF i haven’t specifically costed the disc brake parts, just substituted cx brakes.

jmenorton – how’s the short top tube going for you? Any issues with toe overlap?

Seems fine so far, although ive not got anything to comapare it to, im 6’2 with 90cm inseam and went for the 60cm frame. Very slight toe overlap when turning a very tight corner through my garden gate in bulky traners. But no real world issues.

No discs Alex, but it is quite pretty…..

I can vouch for the Boardman, only had mine a few weeks but love it. It’s very planted off road (more so than my previous ‘cross bike, a Salsa, which was superb but a bit more highly strung). I’m 5’11” with a 32″ inside leg and the large (56cm) Boardman fits me perfectly.

and another 3% off via here for halfords

and I would gain if you use the link..

is that one of the singular kites?

tell more!

I’ve had two Giant tcx and I’m 5’11”. They are a truly great bike for doing everything on. As well as larking about in the woods, I’ve regularly ridden the local club runs and done about 1500 miles fully laden touring through France in the summer. I originally had the M/L but changed to the M so I wasn’t so stretched out. Both handle well but the M just edged it for chuckability. Dependant on kit and if it’s last years model you can get them down to £600. That is a gem for peanuts as far as I’m concerned.

That is lovely John, but I’m definitely going with disks, which puts the tcx out as well.

You really don’t need discs on a cx. You have a tiny foot print and almost any brake will powerful enough to overload the footprint and lock up.

I think that alloy is not the right choice of material. Skinny tyres, rough surfaces… Comfy Twangy steel is where it’s at.

If I only had one bike it would be a surly cross check.

That may be true. I do remember my old Cross Bike being terrifying off road, but that might just have been the whole experience…. but I’m am unreconstructed mountain biker and the bike will spend a lot of time in the mud so I’m going with discs even if it’s only placebo!

You really don’t need discs on a cx.

I’d tend to agree, the big advantage of discs is lack of rim-brake wear, but unless you;re doing high mileage that won’t be an issue. A set of rims lasts 12 months on my CX commuter, and that’s doing roughly 800 miles per year on shitty trails

going to ride it on the terrible roads here in the winter, and in the local woods with my youngest in the summer.

With a knowing nod to your bike ownership habits, perhaps you shouldd also consider resale value as it’ll be up for sale again in 12 months 😉

I’ve got my sights set on a Whyte Saxon Cross for later on in the year, hopefully the hydraulic discs will be available then.

charlie the bikemonger – Member
You really don’t need discs on a cx. You have a tiny foot print and almost any brake will powerful enough to overload the footprint and lock up.

You don’t *need* them, no, and certainly not for racing. However having just got a disced-up cx bike after a good few years on a cx bike with cantis I wouldn’t go back. In the dry there’s not much in it, but as soon as there’s any mud the discs come into their own.

Not having that constant scraping noise of pads on muddy rims while you’re braking is enough of a reason to go for discs for me.

is that one of the singular kites?

It is. 1st ride today in mud, snow & ice on the South Downs. It’s very nice. I need shallower drops though.

Muddy was it? 🙂

very nice mate! have a look at the salsa bell bars 😉

Tifosi CK1 is pretty good bike and come with Campag Veloce. The RRP is £999.99 but no one including me sells them for that.

Spec
Campagnolo Veloce (shifter and mechs/Miche cranks and cogs
Campagnolo Khamsin CX wheels
Selle Italia X1 flow saddle
Cinelli/3T handlebar and stem
Vittoria cross XG tyres
Tifosi alloy post

You can see the spec on my website http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk or at the chcickencycles webasite which is where they come from.

A large Boardman be too big Al?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200711197519&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

Bell Laps are horrible.

Saw that James, but Gilo has measured his Large for me and I’d either have to ride it in cuban heels or be prepared to sacrifice my wedding vegetables!

Managed to find a Med which was fine standover wise but a good 25mm shorter (saddle to bars) than my road bike. Still rather be a bit small than too big. Probably a joke there somewhere 😉

I think that alloy is not the right choice of
material. Skinny tyres, rough surfaces… Comfy
Twangy steel is where it’s at.

Nah, I disagree. A cx bike that’s flexy is just horrible IMO. I find that a cx bike is going to be bumpy irrespective of the material unless it’s so flexy that the rest of the ride is compromised. Good steel fork you could maybe argue for.

as to discs, “need” is a rather subjective thing. you don’t need any comfort in a frame to make it rideable but you evidently consider it worthwhile. discs on a cross bike make it more fun for me and also stop that awful rim scraping noise that offends my mechanical sympathies.

Besides, it’s actually the tiny contact patch that makes discs so great on a cx as it’s the modulation not the power that means you can dance on the edge of traction.

Salsa woodchippers are good too – especially off road.