- This topic has 19 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by kerley.
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CX Bikes
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Ferris-BeullerFree Member
Afternoon chaps,
The scenario is i have the option of a long term loan of a CX bike due to a mate moving away for at least 2 years.
Anyway, i know next to nothing about this sort of riding. Where do i go, what do i do? I’m based out of Manchester, but my mate lives in Colchester so his knowledge of my area is like my knowledge of CX!
I know a couple of folk on here have got into it and was looking for any pointers on where to go on it. I assume canal tow paths and the like would be fine?? So im guessing i could combine the road and slightly off road tracks?
Cheers kids!
deejayenFree MemberI’m not really an off-roader anyhow, but I found my CX bike was a bit too skittish and uncomfortable on stony forestry tracks. I ended up using it as a winter road bike (with studded tyres), and I also used it on a couple of overnight camping trips.
traildogFree MemberFor me, CX is really about racing and they are designed for riding across muddy fields. But they also make good bikes to explore, where you can do a big distance along a tow path/road. The sort of tracks which are boring on a mountain bike, but too much for the road bike is their sweat spot. And you are happy to carry your bike on things which you’d normally ride on a mountain bike.
Round manchester way, the canal tow paths, trans pennine trail, paths along mersey are all obvious choices to explore on.
Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition
Latest Singletrack VideosFresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...oliverracingFull MemberLove my CX bike, it’s definitely my most ridden bike, so much so that I bought a disc braked one last month as found I was chewing through rims and brake pads.
The main reason I got it was to liven up local riding as was a bit dull, but I use mine for anything from cafe rides through to red trail centre type riding. It’s a bit skittish but great fun when you accept that you have to hang loose and let the bike go where it wants!
johnx2Free Memberworks well on XC MTB routes, especially ones you might drive half an hour to do – no need to drive.
theoriginalpunkrockdadFree MemberWhere in Manchester are you? We do regular rides out of Preswich Clough of varying distances. Ive been up onto the Pennines doing pretty much everything my full sus would do, a little slower downhill obviously, but otherwise its great. You’re welcome to come along and I’ll show you a few trails.
BadlyWiredDogFull MemberYep, I live on the Manchester edge of the Peak and it’s brilliant for linking up back lanes, bridleways, road, more back lanes etc. Better than you’d think on steppy, rocky stuff as long as you keep the speed down. A bit rubbish on loose rocks, where they tend to lose traction.
We did a Roych / Rushup / Roman Road / Cut Gate loop on them a few years back and they were surprisingly capable, even on the rocky bits. Super quick on hard pack.
Ride out of Manchester on tow paths etc then hit the trails. It’ll take a while to suspend disbelief and tubeless tyres are a boon on bridleways. Not as good as a mountain bike on technical off road, but way better than a road bike on bridleways. And better/faster than either on horrible mud and leaf-strewn autumnal, Peak District back lanes.
momoFull Memberoliverracing – Member
Love my CX bike, it’s definitely my most ridden bike, so much so that I bought a disc braked one last month as found I was chewing through rims and brake pads.The main reason I got it was to liven up local riding as was a bit dull, but I use mine for anything from cafe rides through to red trail centre type riding. It’s a bit skittish but great fun when you accept that you have to hang loose and let the bike go where it wants!
This pretty much sums it up for me, has made riding from my front door fun again.
I have a second set of wheels with road tyres so that I can head out with my mates on road bikes too.
antigeeFull Memberany excuse to post this and welcome to fun
[video]http://vimeo.com/89689947[/video]
theotherjonvFull Memberwhen i started riding 25+ years ago, I had a road bike, rode it on the road, nearly got run over several times each ride and thought screw this for recreation. Then I saw a mag with MTB’s in and thought I’d do that.
So i got a rigid steel bike with 1.8″ tyres and rode it on bridleways, through the woods, up farm tracks, over hills, basically to see what was out there / what the view looked like from the top of that next hill. Then gradually i got drawn in…. with suspension, and manmade trails, and rocks and drops, and FS, and body armour and bigger suspension and……
But i don’t bounce as well as i used to, I have a job and family to worry about, and gradually while I still have and ride a XC FS 29er mile muncher, rocks and drops and the like just scare me.
Meanwhile, I bought a bike to commute to work. I wanted a CX, for the higher position, chicken levers (better for traffic IMHO), plus i could buzz in on the roads in the morning and then go the long way home in the evening. And i love it. I now ride it as much as the FS. And i ride it on bridleways, through the woods, up farm tracks, over hills, basically to see what’s out there / what the view looks like from the top of that next hill.
Bar shape aside – it is basically my MTB from 25 years ago. And i love it.
AlexSimonFull MemberI’m a bit more in the Peak than you, so most of my knowledge would probably be a drive away for you, but there’s absolutely tons. Of course one of the good things about this type of bike is that you can ride out to the good bits without too much pain.
The nearest stuff I’ve ridden to Manchester is probably Rowarth/Cown Edge, Monk’s Rd, Etherow Country Park, Roman Lakes.
You can see some of it on the following rides:
https://www.strava.com/activities/424525143/
https://www.strava.com/activities/497139322I’d done some of it on MTB rides, but linked it together by following my nose and using the Bike Hub navigation app.
Further into the Peak, there is just limitless amounts really. One of the mtb rides we used to do in the White Peak around Chatsworth, I always used to find a bit dull, until I did it on my CX and now it’s a lovely day out!
Have fun!
BadlyWiredDogFull MemberIf you want something to go at, head out to Glossop or Hadfield, pick up the Longdendale trail from Hadfield, follow it all the way towards Dunford Bridge then head left cutting the corner on Winscar reservoir, up the hill, then left on the backroad that’s part of route 66 – or its it 68 – left at the bridleway that cuts down to the bottom of Holme Moss.
From there you can just ride back over Holme Moss on the road and pick up the Northern Horse Track back to Crowden then back bridleways etc back to the start. Or head over via Digley Reservoir, up to the Isle of Skye Road then down the Pennine Way to Marsden.
Out of Marsden on the road then pick up the Pennine Bridleway and follow down through Greenfields then back over the top to Tintwistle / Hollingsworth. All totally doable on a cross bike and a really nice ride. Crumbals in Marsden is a cracking caff stop too, great cakes 🙂
dovebikerFull MemberGot into CX bikes about 12 years ago as it really opens up a lot of areas you wouldn’t consider a road bike or MTB being suitable – particularly to explore and link-up back lanes, byways and bridleways and as said, it’s like riding m first MTB from the late 80s. I’ve ridden mine from the pretty technical to fast-paced road – limitations are really down to the rider/ fitness / imagination. I’d much rather hike-a-bike with a CX slung over my shoulder too – although doing some rock-climbing moves on the Cornish coast near Land’s End was a bit sketchy…
northerntomFree MemberI rode the FOD blue trail on mine saturday morning whilst i lent my mtb to my mate. It made me realise how overbiked some people really are. The guy puffing up the climbs on his Mondraker Dune 160mm weapon looked a bit silly, especially when I wasn’t too far behind him on the descents.
They are great fun, have improved my riding overall, and are suprisingly capable. I genuinely think I could ride most trail centre reds and blacks, only full on DH stuff would be difficult.
hairylegsFree Membertheotherjonv sums my own experience perfectly and I agree with
dovebiker – limitations are really down to the rider/ fitness / imagination.
northerntom It made me realise how overbiked some people really are.
… absolutely spot on there!
FunkyDuncFree MemberIMO they are good on moorland, 4×4 tracks etc, singletrack etc etc.
They only really struggle on mega rocky stuff. Only from the point of view you are going to get pinch flats more easily
Just get out and ride what you normally would on an MTB and learn where your own limits are. You will be surprised how much you can actually do.
cat69ukFree MemberRarely use the MTB these days, CX bike is just versatile. I’m up Hexham, Saturday I did a nice 27mile on back roads to Whitley Chapel, Slaley forest fire roads and then great singletrack across Blanchland Moor. The road bit would have been rubbish on the MTB, so the CX avoided using the car.
mcnultycopFull MemberI like liking up a bit of bridleway, canal and lanes to get up to Hebden Bridge from Oldham, then ride back on the road up Cragg Vale. CX is perfect for that, MTB would kill me!
The one thing that I don’t like is the gaps between cobbles that are the width of CX tyres, but I tell myself if I hit them at speed they won’t be an issue).
chrishc777Free MemberIf you want proper fun on a crosser go out and pretend you’re on your normal MTB, ride proper trails and steep stuff. It’s hilarious. Sometimes you stay on for a whole ride as well.
kerleyFree MemberI’ve ridden mine from the pretty technical to fast-paced road – limitations are really down to the rider/ fitness / imagination.
Exactly. I ride on exactly the same routes as I did on MTB. Faster on most of them, slower on the more technical.
I am using road tyres though as don’t find a massive difference between a road 28c and a very slightly treaded 33c and 28c is max I can get into frame. A lot of people don’t realize how capable a road/track/cross bike is off road although the very technical bits tend to be endured rather than enjoyed at times.
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