I’m in the market for a CX bike, it will be used for traditional school field & park CX racing along with longer adventure cross and some bridleway / towpath / mixed – where am I going kinda rides.

I want hydraulic discs and bottle cage mounts, budget is £1500 max.

So far I’ve seen and rather like the following: Focus Mares AX1.0, Raleigh CX Pro & Cannondale CAADX Rival disc. If anyone has opinions on these bikes it’d great, also anything else to consider?

The Focus is the nicest looking, the Raleigh is red which means awesome and the Cannondale is the cheapest but least pretty

Specialized Crux?

Does that have proper Hydros for the money or is it those TRP H’ydr cable actuated things, if it is its out

Also have a look at the Rose CX bikes. I have the Pro DX 3000, pre hydraulic-disc’s but you can now get them with hydro-discs or equally they are happy to spec it anyway you want. I am really pleased with it. Racked up 800 miles on it in the last year, though I dont race. Mud clearance very good. Great value for money.

Sorry yes I missed the hydro part of your post. The Spesh comes with cable discs. Nothing stopping you flogging them and putting some hydros on mind. Which is basically what I’m thinking of doing.

Other than the cost of new brakes & STi’s at around £300+ I’d imagine

Is a shame about the Crux build. Would be tempted if it had proper hydros. They’ll certainly have them for their 2016 bikes which probably aren’t that far off!

2015 Kona Jake the Snake?

Brakes can be changed….

I have Hope V-Twins on mine.

Planet x pickenflick ti gets good reviews.

The CAADX Rival has hydro’s.

Alan – Don’t want to go to the hassle & extra expense of changing brakes on a brand new bike.

Chunky – yeah I know, that’s why its in the list of 3 😉

https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3620

Under 1500 ultegra hydro group.

Pinnacle Arkose 4 or 5?

Whyte Saxon Cross?
I love mine.

Was just about to suggest the Whyte Saxon, very tempted by one mysels at the mo. Sram hydro disks and I quite like the fact they spec a MTB clutch mech for the rougher rides.

Problem with Hydros is that you lose the ability to run cross top levers.
Which I totally rely on when it comes to anything technical. ymmv.
Those Hope V-twins or the TRP HyRds are probably what I’ll end up with.

Have mentioned this in another thread but take a look at the Cube CX Pro – excellent vfm. I’ve got the Race (next one down) and am chuffed to bits with it.

Quite like the look of that there Canyon – it’s very well specced – the pinnacle 5 is rather fancy too

If you know someone in mainland Europe it’s 15% cheaper, according to a thread on here, which might up the appeal.

i got chinese carbon direct and then got a Kinesis 105 build kit.

awesome came in under £1k

stunning bike and warrantied for 5 years 🙂

http://www.thetrailhead.co.uk/2015-cube-cross-race-disc-pro-5076-p.asp

i got chinese carbon direct and then got a Kinesis 105 build kit.

awesome came in under £1k

stunning bike and warrantied for 5 years

Not a bad idea, but it’s cable discs again

tang – Member
If you know someone in mainland Europe it’s 15% cheaper, according to a thread on here, which might up the appeal

You know what, I do

Test rode a Pinnacle Arkose today at Evans in the National Cycle Centre, it was only the No.1 but it rode very nicely indeed.

It seemed to handle pretty well (as much as you can tell riding round a car park / up & down grassy banks and on & off kerbs) and just felt good from the off, the fit was what I was looking for in the medium size – granted there was a lot of post out, but it gave a nice semi-upright position which I reckon would be ideal for this bikes intentions and style.

I could well be sold on the No.4

Conversely I had a quick go on a CAADX and really didn’t like it at all, not relaxed enough to be a multi discipline bike IMHO

I’ve just bought the cheapest CAADX with Sora on it, which has the same frame and forks as the more expensive bikes. I love it, haven’t ridden lots of CX bikes but mine is ace, been down some steep silly stuff on it (just to see if I could) without too much terror and it’s doing winter road stuff far better than I was expecting. Proper do everything bike.

S’good. Looks better in the flesh that the pics.

I’m just about to get a Pinnacle Arkose 4. It test rode really nicely.