So, the window is open. For a whole three weeks (quite why they make it this short, I don’t know).

If I’m going to take part this year, then I need to buy one of the three following:

Cargo bike – Yuba Mundo most likely. I’m a part-time tree hugger, and this would work well for me to fulfil that.

CX bike – for, er, racing CX this winter

Road fixed – for the commute and winter road riding. I’m sick of trashing my road bikes travelling around the grimy streets of Manchester.

So, what I need you to do is help me decide by voting..!

Mundo with fixed rear hub, drop bars and CX tyres. Done.

Or more seriously, a vote for the Mundo, cos I want one.

You are in a very similar situation to me, and I hadn’t thought about a cargo bike… hmmmm… that’s a possibility…

Not sure where I’d keep it though, and it certainly wouldn’t be making many trips in to work!

You want a Mundo. Although you’ll find racing CX on it quite frustrating.

So, that’s clear as mud then chaps.

I might have helped persuade myself, though:

Dolan CX frames are cheap at Ribble (£110). Coupled with a fork for the same price, a cheap groupset, my spare wheels and some SH finishing kit, I reckon a CX for £500 is easily doable.

Which means that do I want the cargo bike (though I’ve nowhere straightforward to keep it) or a road fixed?

I think I only wanrt the road fixed because I’m p*ssed off with wrecking my winter/commuter/light tourer by riding through the sh*tty streets of Manchester, but as my plan is to ride outside far less this winter (to avoid illness), that’s possibly a bit of an extravangence. ]

I’ve decided – a Yuba Mundo!! Now, green or orange?

CX bike for the commute? or a fixed/ss CX for commute/CX duties (depends how serious you are about CX tho i supose). Shouldnt you be using the Mundo for most of your commuting anyway, taking in shops on the way to load up and get funny looks? ;0)

Id love a mundo, and i could get away with using it as a commuter, but i have zero need for one so id just be hauling around a heavy bike for no reason.

Green. We have seen plenty of pictures of Mike’s orange one, and have a powerful thirst for novelty and stimulation. 🙂

Get a surly cross check – you can run it fixed, you can use it for CX and if you put front and rear racks on it you can carry a reasonable amount, especially if you bought one of those big fancy front racks that they make in america. I use mine fixed with racks and mudguards and it’s an awesome commuter. Converting it to CX would be very quick if you race SS and only a bit longer if you use gears with bar end shifters.

Hmm. CX would be for racing. Not sure I could handle SS CX racing – don’t have the strength for that….

Had Planet-X not sold out of medium sized pompinos (which they’re currently do the frame for £99), then I’d have had one of those to be put away until later in the year.

The Yuba would be used for commuting, fo’ sure, though it’s primary duties would be weekly food shopping (which is certainly more than I can get in my panniers on my commuter bike) and lugging the piles of stuff Mrs North always wants to buy from the garden centre (and for, er, lugging Mrs North).

Hmm. Only limiting fact on the Yuba is where to store it. No garage, see.

Can you geta trailer under the bike to work scheme?

Dunno? Assume only if bought with a bike (on the basis that the scheme is there for buying a complete bike plus accessories).

I shall be discussing tonight with the domestic credit committee.

Yeah you can get a trailer with a bike, bloke at our workplace did

Had Planet-X not sold out of medium sized pompinos

speak to them they may be able to help – they built me an inbred on a frame before.

Hmm. Only limiting fact on the Yuba is where to store it. No garage, see.

that sounds like a project 😉

I can confirm that the Mundo is ace, especially in orange. You might be disappointed with the finishing kit though, as they’ve had to work hard to keep the price down; it’s all solid but things like unfinished joins on the rims which make the bike judder under braking, and very flexy V brakes can make it feel a bit plasticy/cheap. Easy fixes in a year or so though.

Do riding outdoors less and racing cx this winter work together?

I’ll almost certainly be getting a cx or “dirty road” bike on the scheme next year.

speak to them they may be able to help – they built me an inbred on a frame before.

Sorry, I meant the medium frames in their current sale offer. I’d build it up from scratch.

that sounds like a project

After Stoner’s recent build, I thought it might be just the thing for the gap twixt house and hard wall. Mys North may be less keen, though.

Do riding outdoors less and racing cx this winter work together?

The gap in the plan..! CX races are usually only an hour. It would be in lieu of long winter road rides and coupled with turbo/rollers sessions and track riding. I got a bad chest infection last winter (and had one each of the teo previous winters), which I think getting cold, wet and knackered doesn’t help. And, now I have a lovely blue inhaler, I’m inclined to make sure I look after myself. However, maintaining some decent fitness over winter won’t be such a bad thing.