I've been using my On One 456 for my 20 mile each way twice a week commute, and the big tyres and suspension forks etc were starting to feel a bit draggy, and I really wasn't getting to use the bike for it's intended purpose.

So as my commute was country lanes, farm tracks, bridleways and country park, a Cyclo Crosser seemed to fit the bill.

Enter Jake.

and loaded up on the commute

Things I noticed….

It's definitely faster. It's good to have a dedicated commuter so that I don't have to keep swapping stuff around. Rigid forks and skinny tyres are entertaining on loose gravelly farm tracks. Rigid forks are very rigid. You really notice the panniers when they are full of stuff, so I think not getting an Alfined bike was probably no bad thing.

Got the bike from Evans Cycles in Nottm – last of the 2009 models and only £500, saving £250 off list, plus got a nice discount on panniers and other bits and bobs too. And to be fair, they were very good and knowledgeable staff, the mechanic came out to make sure it was setup right and he did a nice job on the build as I've not needed to adjust anything in over 250 miles (and I luuurve fettling).

I thought I'd like the bar top brake levers, and they were on the list of "would likes" when looking at what to buy, but to be honest I've never used them and will remove them at some point to give more space for GPS and other bar mounted gubbins.

I also carry a laptop in the panniers….eeek! So I made an inner bag type thing out layers of that big bubble wrap so that I just slip the laptop and my papers in one pannier, and my clothes and stuff in the other which is nicely balanced.

If you've got a rough-ish commute, cycloss bikes make sense.

PS 456 frame and SLX brakes etc will be on the classifieds shortly.

Jakes are ace aren't they. I've ridden trails , road centuries and toured on mine. This winter I'm even gonna try and race it.

I put carbon forks on to shed some (alot) of weight over the p2 and they are a little comfier.

I did the same with bar top levers and then took them off, only found I used them on long rougher descents really.

My commuter cross bike came with top levers but I took them off as I found them frighteningly close together, I nearly crashed the first time I tried to navigate some cycletrack barriers.

After removing them I did find the one thing I did subconsciously use them for; on setting off for work the morning after removing them I accidentally threw the bike across the garden – our drive slopes downhill, and I used to hold a top brake lever while shutting the gate – I grabbed for a lever that wasn't there and the bike kept going!

Hmmmm…….CX racing in the winter?………now there's an idea…..stop it, I'm too old and knackered!

And yeah, bar top levers, I do hold one on while I swing a leg over when fully laden and on a hill. I'll still take 'em off at some point though.