I picked up my first CX bike last week (Planet X XLS). I bought it because most of the riding round here (Northants) is flat claggy woodland so I spend more time on the road bike than on my mountain bike sadly. But tarmac just doesn’t do it for me.

So, i thought it couldn’t hurt to try a CX bike for the local woods. I finally got to give it a blast yesterday afternoon. I haven’t smiled so much for a long long time. Riding what would be painfully dull on a mountain bike – flat, muddy, tight and twisty with, if you’re lucky, an occasional treet root, became an absolute joy on the CX bike. Sliding the back wheel out, feeling evey little bump through my arms and legs and picking up speed effortlessly. Those occasional wet tree roots became sketchy and technical and a real challenge. I was plastered in mud, full of endorphins and excited about riding bikes again.

CX has a new fan.

Yes, it’s strange that what I’ve been telling both roadie and mtb friends about for nearly 20 years only becomes something that they start telling me about down to the wonders of bike 2 work.

Me too, got a Giant TCX recently and although I’ve been commuting on tow-paths a bit I took it out for a bit of a jaunt on mucky hilly stuff and it was terrific, even when I fell off I was still tittering away to myself.

I’m building my rigid 29er for a similar purpose.