Hi all,

I’m about to lay down some money on my first cyclocross bike. I’ve been thinking about getting one for a while, but my need has been sharpened by the fact that one of my birthday presents was a place in the Tour O’ The Borders – so I’m intending to get one and immediately fit road tyres…

I’ve been looking at the On-One Dirty Disco Rival, although that’s really pushing my budget, but they’re out of my size (Large). Any other recommendations? Ideally, I’m looking for one with disc brakes – actually, definitely looking for disk brakes. Will be used initially for road use, but looking to enter a cx race or two this season…

Cheers – Adam…

Boardman team cx is brilliant. I use mine exactly as you describe & its great. Handles so well off road and great on road.

I’ve just got a Kinesis Pro 6 frameset for Xmas. A nice little project for the next 3 months! This fits all you have explained.

http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/products/crosslight/prosix

i’m just about to bush the button on a Jamis Nova Sport to replace my 3YO Revolution Cross Sport.

As above with the Boardman, wasn’t sure how much I’d use it off road but wanted a winter bike with discs that’d handle tow paths too. Can’t fault it for whatever its been on, only limiting factor on a CX race was the heavy, unfit part attached to the saddle.

Planet X Uncle john frame is only £174 though they bizzarely don’t do a matching disc fork for it.

check merlin they have some good deals on drossiger and sensa cx bikes

+1 for the sensa! Saw one in Merlin the other week, the fermo.

Had internal cabling etc… A bit different too!

I don’t work for them honest…..

I went for a old tricross with canti mounts fitted some mini v’s and all good it goes prety much anywhare.i point it,also got a cheap pair of mavic cosmos with slicks on for road/ tri racing duties

http://www.primera-sports.com/products/focus-cyclo-cross-810/focus-2013-mares-ax-2-0-disc-20sp-105-11981.aspx

Always liked these…
Also you get 20% off with the code on the main page.

If you’re set on discs then this won’t help but, I’ve Had myself a Dolan Multicross for the very same reasons for two weeks now, mainly to be used as a winter road bike/ commuting etc but can do CX too. Very pleased with it so far. Very good customer service from Dolan too after a niggle. I’ve the SRAM Force version which is £1049 off the peg but they start around £800 for Apex.

I bought my Sensor Fermo just before Christmas. I absolutly love it. There’s some nice features, one of which is the cable routing. For riding round the cheshire planes, on and off the road, across the medows, canal toe paths and transpennine trail, its perfect. With the ultegra upgrade, its a pretty light bike at 19.5 lbs whislt still having plenty of strength in the 32 spoke wheels. I havnt been on any epic rides yet, but when I’ve finnished my regular loops, I feel like Ive got enough energy to go do it again.

Your not going to go for it with the lack of disc brakes. I was a little concerned myself, but now the cantis are bed in, they’re plenty powerfull enough and just make for a lot less maintnenace which was the whole point of this bike over my mountain bike. Well, that and its speed. My commute on it is averaging about 5mph quicker than the mountain bike and is shaving some serious time off the journey.

The Fermos lack of discs probably means its not for you, but I can tell you a cx bike is a real hoot.

Grimy, was wondering how you were getting on with it, I saw your post about it when you bought it.

Whats it like on road?

Grimy- that’s pretty nice, I’m considering one for next season. Have got a sensa road bike too, awesome VFM!!!!

FunkyDunc, Its fast! Originally I was considering a set of road tyres, or perhaps even a second set of road wheels for commuting, but Im starting to think there is no need. Perhaps not until the summer anyway. I accidentally read the maximum inflation pressure as 165 psi, when it was actually (65) psi, so I inflated the tyres to about 120. Ive been riding it like that for a week and it seems fine 😆

Even at those pressures, the bike seems quite compliant and the lack of suspension really not an issue. Its confident in the turns, the carbon forks and oversize headtube give a really tight feel, but I cant get my head around fast cornering on wet roads with skinny tyres yet as I’m pretty new to this drop bar lark and it just un-nerves me, especially as im also getting used to being clipped in. If and when it ever drys up, ill push it a little harder but for now, I cant help but imagine the ensuing consequences and pain of the front washing out when im clipped in, on a wet road with trucks and cars flying about. Dont even talk to me about all the wet polished old railway lines that cross the roads at an angle in trafford park 😯

I dont know what else to really comment on? As a mountain biker switching to something more suited to the road I’ve noticed that it accelerates very quicky, which comes in usefull when negotiating traffic and comanding the road at dangerous junctions without slowing the cars behind me too much and pissing people off. It feels safer somehow for that.

Hills seem effortless compared to lugging a FS mountain bike up. You really dont need the same ratios as a mountain bike as it flys up. Must be the weight and lack of energy sucking suspension.

Oh and the Brakes are working great now. I pulled a decent endo past my driveway when I got home last night! 8) For its purpose, you really dont need discs or the extra weight.

That Focus is brilliant value.

I must resist…..

Grimy – ah sorry assumed you had ridden road bikes before. A sack of spuds will appear amazing compared to an mtb on the road 🙂

Grimy – ah sorry assumed you had ridden road bikes before. A sack of spuds will appear amazing compared to an mtb on the road

Indeed, other than a few quick rides on my brothers specialized secteur, Ive little miles put in as a roadie so cant really speak with any excperiance of road bikes. I just wanted to share, for what its worth with others who might be in a similar boat and after something to ride out this guff weather on and to commute with. I get the impression theres a wave of people coming to the conclusion and CX bike might tickle their fancy right now.

At the moment it tickles more of.a.fancy than my full sus lol

Stevens Prestige – Awesome bike and great fun

I looked at the Cube Cross Race but was caught between two sizes so went for the Stevens