i'm being tempted towards the cyclo-cross way of things. looking tempting so far:

jake or focus

if i bother getting one at all it'll probably actually involve (lung-bursting, vision-compromising) racing – any thoughts or other contenders…

columbus x-wing from paul milnes great frameset and well priced too

I've got a Focus, have to say I'm very happy with it..
You'll struggle to find a better spec for the money fresh from the Box..

But like Mick says, Paul Milnes in Bradford would be a good place to have a look..

( But not online, because their web page is shite….)

yeah should have added the website is dire 😉

infact its changed its now linking to ebay sales. mmmmmm
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/54cm-Columbus-cyclocross-frame-carbon-fork-stay-empella_W0QQitemZ160380189191QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item2557677a07

All the Paul Milnes stuff is great.
I ride the X-Wing and the Cyclo-X and they have been amazing bikes.

Attached a picture (even though its a rubbish one)

A friend of a friend has just asked me about selling his Focus Crossfor him – he want's a mountain bike instead

its a 2007 Focus Mares – med/56 in very good nick – let me know if you want more info and I can put you in touch with him

handyman153 do the x wing, cyclo x have flatend top tubes? also how is the cables routed? they look pretty good for the money.
which is best and why?

Dobo,
Yeah they both the the flatend top tubes, which actually makes quite alot of difference when carrying.
And the cables are all underneath the down tube, and then go through a cable guide on the bottom bracket shell. (apart from the rear brake cable with goes onlong one side of the top tube)

Now Which is Best……..
The Cyclo-X is slightly lighter due to the carbon rear end, but there's not much in it. However because of the carbon rear end there is a bar that goes between the seat stays just behind the bottom bracket for re-enforcing. This sacrifices mud clearance, and because the X-Wing doesn't have the bar it is better (in my opinion).
Geometry is exactly the same, and they feel pretty much identical to ride, but for some reason i always go for the Red X-Wing first…

Hope that helps,
Josh…

My Trek XO hase been fantastic.

i have the Boardman CX pro and its seems nice so far (only a week old) using it for a mixture or commuting and cx.

Neil, is you Halfords bike Orange?? 😉

Normally I'd agree that a Focus would give you the best spec for the money, but a Jake the Snake for £850 is a bit of a bargain. I have a Jake, the missus has a Jake The Snake, and we're both very happy with them – they get used for touring, commuting and the odd race, and seem good at all the above. I like the understated looks of Kona's cross bikes too, some of the others can look a bit racey and try-hard.

+1 for the X-Wing. Superb VFM race frame-and-forks:

And Paul Milnes is a very nice bloke to do business with.

howsabout a kuota….this one.http://www.cycle-world.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b123s23p9168&z=11312

ive got one with full ultegra and 105 wheels for £1600

Salsa Chili Con Crosso here – light and fast, love it to bits.

I love my kinesis bikes. Now resprayed after 8 years of hard use. The latest get great reviews.[img]http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v61/40/34/202907958/n202907958_31232374_3452.jpg[/img]

btw, do flat TTs really make that much difference? I've never had the slightest tenderness with my round ones.

leggyblonde –

Not sure, i have never had a fully round one, so haven't really got anything to compare it to.
I think it might make a bit of difference, but who knows….

Another xwing vote from me. Got the frame of ebay for not a lot of money.

This is my Las Cruces (in road tyre guise)

yuk discs lol 🙂

I know. Pulling the brake levers slows the bike down. Mad.

Do you start to wonder if there are any bad cross bikes out there?
The little things that make road bikes so different to each other just doesn't seem to come across in crossers, all that fine detailing ain't worth jack when it's shed ina ton of mud 😐
Got a Pearson and Graham Weigh and they're both good.

Ridley Crossbow – its now three races old and I'm loving it!

http://www.ridley-bikes.com/pd/gb/en-gb/4/89/cyclocross/Crossbow

Sam at Sett Valley cycles should be able to do you a good deal and ace service too http://www.settvalleycycles.co.uk/

kuota make a pretty cool one, its just called the kross. http://www.dhwagencies.com/product_images/Very_Large_127.jpg

I've just ordered one of these (Orbea igorre) on the Bike4Work scheme.

This is just to annoy will – he hates this piccy!

Not quite as smart now after a years racing – mangled rear mech in spokes at last weeks mudfest race.

ive had five or six cx bikes iirc and none were bad but for racing cx the columbus wins for me currently im running a surly crosscheck in monster mode but thats a whole other kettle of fish 🙂

@ stevemorg2: I might be interested in that focus. Could you get me spec and asking price?

It'd help too to know where you (and the friend) are. Pictures never hurt too! email in profile.

just logged in on my laptop rather than the phone and seen your post in the full coleman hubba hubba lol 😉

Wow this thread has posted so many times I can actually recognise some of the bikes I have seen them so many times…

Altough that Giant bumble bee paint job looks nice on the Giant – something to do with the bar tape I think!

im gonna lower the tone then as much as i love columbus bikes and alan crossers too tbh here is my current beast 😉

i have pink pedals i just need a pale pink arione lol oh and i really need to ss it

Do you start to wonder if there are any bad cross bikes out there?

Absolutely. I've come to the conclusion that cross bikes are for the most part built for some insane reason, around the cross season. The bikes are all designed and built to be raced and nothing else. So they come with these crazy brakes called 'canti's'. These brakes would have long since become redundant in any other field other than cross cycling (and indeed, mountain bikers and road riders dropped them many years ago for a number of obvious reasons , i.e. they're crap), but due to a select group of mental patients believing them to be the one true way they're still in use at a competitive level in cyclocross racing.

So yes, any bike that comes with canti's is a bad cross bike.

I would recommend any of the CAAD9 cross bikes – tend to be not as well specced but have an outstanding frame that makes the bike good value IMO. I got the 105 version for a bit less than the £1250 rrp. Also had a paint issue with fork and now have a £400 Easton EA90X fork fitted – outstanding warranty.

Stiff frame but great handling off road – i ride it any chance I get.

So they come with these crazy brakes called 'canti's'. These brakes would have long since become redundant in any other field other than cross cycling (and indeed, mountain bikers and road riders dropped them many years ago for a number of obvious reasons , i.e. they're crap), but due to a select group of mental patients believing them to be the one true way they're still in use at a competitive level in cyclocross racing.

Cantis bring a new level of meaning to the word 'anticipation'.

I like the look of the cannondales.

💡 Graham Weigh is selling CX frames on ebay for the horrendous price of £60 – £85 = double butted 7005 tubes

Crappy iPhone pic, but you get the idea…