Having done a couple races on a borrowed bike, it’s probably time I looked for my own (already guilty about the quagmire of rnd 1 followed by sand of rnd 2). Budget at the moment would be £1k, open to 2nd hand but must have discs. Hydro preferred but not a deal breaker, same with running 1x up front.

So far I’ve looked at:

Vitus Energy VR – very good spec, just over budget with BC discount
Merida CX 500 – same as I’ve borrowed. Spec is ok, but cable and 2x. Rides well though
Genesis Vapour CX 20 – ruled out as the downtube (exposed) cable routing is stupid
Boardman CX Team – well specc’d and just over £800 with BC discount. Seems heavy though?

Anyone know of any others that I should look at?

Cheers

Planet X / on-one ?

GT grade 105, a few threads on here about it.

Andy_K – Member
Planet X / on-one ?

Nothing that matches the Vitus (at the moment, will keep an eye out for a sale)

Will have a look at the GT

Not sure about a Grade for cyclocross. It’s a gravel bike, and one from the road-focussed end of the spectrum too. Think the OP would be better with a CX bike.

Boardman CX Team – well specc’d and just over £800 with BC discount. Seems heavy though?

I have the cx team, for what I paid I’m delighted with it and I love 1*11. For that price getting hydro brakes is a great deal.

Wheels are chunky but they’ll be replaced soon enough.

Have a look at Focus.

I have a Boardman CX which I’ve been thinking about selling. Lovely bike, but I just don’t use it enough. Couple of small marks/some cable rub on top of fork, but other than that in an “as new” condition. Looking for £500. PM me if its of interest.

The Boardman is a great bike. You’ll see lots at races. I’m on 10,000km on mine (one rebuild), supplied wheels are ok and will get you racing. Mine held its own through 14 races (so far) this year and is great value, especially if you apply the BC discount.

Not sure about a Grade for cyclocross. It’s a gravel bike, and one from the road-focussed end of the spectrum too. Think the OP would be better with a CX bike.

Not that I own one, but there really isn’t a huge amount of difference, TBH I think they try to create differences to encourage N+1. The only CXish issue I can see is the large front chain ring.

Sent a pm

CaptainFlashheart – Member
Have a look at Focus

There’s a Mares alu for sale not far from me at the moment. Hybrid brakes (which seem ok?) and Tiagra. He’s wanting £650 which seems a little too much?

great value, especially if you apply the BC discount.

The issue with the boardman is that you never know when to buy from halfords. When I bought mine it was reduced to £800, which with bc discount, halfords voucher bought through benefits deal at work and quidco it came in at just over £600 which is a total stael.

Not that I own one, but there really isn’t a huge amount of difference, TBH I think they try to create differences to encourage N+1. The only CXish issue I can see is the large front chain ring.

A CX bike would typically have racier geometry, a higher BB height and narrower tyre clearances. It may even have the cables running along the top if the cross tube so they don’t get in the way whilst you shoulder the bike. Designed to be fast and agile to ride for an hour between the tapes.

A gravel bike would typically have greater tyre clearances, more stable geometry, a normal BB height. Designed to be ridden for all kinds of things.

Not to say you couldn’t race a gravel bike in a cx race, and I have done, or ride a CX bike across the Alps, but if you’re buying a bike to do one specific job it makes sense to get one optimised for that rather than optimised for something else. In the same way you wouldn’t buy an endurance road bike to time trail on, or a downhill MTB for XC.

Nothing that matches the Vitus (at the moment, will keep an eye out for a sale)

XLA has pretty much identical spec?

The Boardman does look stonking value though.

XLA would cost more than the Vitus (plus BC discount) iirc?

Really need to go to Halfords and try and convince myself

Low end £1k?
Low end is secondhand at £150.

£1k (max) for a race bike compared to turning up with two £5k carbonz mega-bikes.

Low end is secondhand at £150.

No that’s a pub bike

What size are you after got a 54cm planet x xls for sale.

Cheers

A CX bike would typically have racier geometry, a higher BB height and narrower tyre clearances. It may even have the cables running along the top if the cross tube so they don’t get in the way whilst you shoulder the bike. Designed to be fast and agile to ride for an hour between the tapes.

A gravel bike would typically have greater tyre clearances, more stable geometry, a normal BB height. Designed to be ridden for all kinds of things.

I agree with you in principle, but the reality is that they often don’t have any differences at all. very similar BB height, head angle,reach and chainstays etc.

Take the GT Grade, it’s labeled as a gravel bike but I believe it only takes tyre widths up to 35mm and the BB drop is only 1mm different from a specialized crux.

You need to look at the geometry of each bike and decide whether it fits firmly in one camp or is just badged to hit a market segment.

Bolt – Member
What size are you after got a 54cm planet x xls for sale.

Cheers

Tell me more…..

What size are you after?

54cm (or 53 for the likes of Boardman)

Just sent you a pm.

Sent you a PM

Cheers Bolt

Not fancy a cross race Bolt? Chipping was nice and “dry” last weekend…..

A week ago, the Charge Grinduro at Wiggle, but it’s gone from £510 to ~£875! 😯

No thanks Mick, probably the right size for Thomas?

Thomas sorted thanks 🙂

Scott speedster (gravel) 20 disc, £1099 just swap tyres.
Same frame as CX.

Diamondback do one- DO NOT BUY IT.

Biketradein works as a 10% code on the halfords website at the moment.

Dunno if that means yoi have to take an old bso in with you or if you can add BC discount.

boardman cx team has done well for me. bikepacking, racing, trailer towing.

Cubes entry level cx bike is £999 we’ve got one coming in this week. Looks good value https://www.cube.eu/2018/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/cross-race/cube-cross-race-blacknflashyellow-2018/

Just seen that I can buy Halfords gift cards (through work) for 10% off. Which means 10% BC discount paid for with a cheap gift card, works out at £729. Not sure i’m going to beat that (although Bolts PX is very tempting too….)

Just PMed you back

My email is in my profile if you want some pics?

Cheers

Your bike just got more bonus points, why on earth do CX bikes (looking at you Boardman and Genesis) get specc’d with open Gear cables under the downtube?!

finally built up

Such a shame IMO that the Cube only comes with mechanical disc brakes.

What’s the tyre clearance like, rocketdog? Enough room for “giant” 38mm tyres?