Something with a decent ready to race off the peg spec. Budget up to about 3k. Have checked out the usual big brands (Trek, Spesh, Cannondale, Giant, Scott.) Linking the ride of the Crux. What else is out there?

Buy two £1000 bikes, maybe the boardman CX jobbie, and a couple of sets of nice tub wheels!

It is a good idea if racing in mud and slop to either have a change of wheels or bike, and it looks really pro 😉

Maybe I’m already planning to buy two 🙂

I’m selling my mint 54cm Crux 🙂

In that case, enjoy 😉

Merak, shall check out the sizing. Can’t see it in the classifieds but I am tempted by your Super Fighter 🙂

Ridley. Look at the uci races, Ridleys are everywhere. I have a super budget Ridley and it still rides well, for you budget you could get a nice one.

Two bikes isn’t a bad idea, but buy one, see if you get the bug in the early season races and then get a cheap pit bike. Unless you have a pit helper your not going to be changing more than once a race anyway.

Trek Boone 9 or 7 ?
Giant TCX Adv1 ?

A couple hundred quid more than your budget, worth it though.

What are the Ridleys like to ride? Must check out the geo.

TCX is tempting but I got put off by a test ride on an alu one a couple of years ago. Shall give it another go.

Shall have a look at the Boone too. Plan A is still to buy a Crocket frame set and build that up with some nice kit.

Those trek boones do look very nice. I’d get the disc version over the race version.

Under budget: Ridley X-night

I think the 2017 Ridleys are coming with dtswiss tubeless wheels sets and clement tubeless ready tyres (from window shopping). I’m using the tubeless ready mxp’s at the moment and they are really good.

I’m very much a novice, and lots of people are racing with 1 by 11, but personally I don’t think it’s a great idea. If muddy it’s the rear mech that is the weak point so the less you shift it the better. In muddy races I leave rear mech in the middle of the block and just shift from the front. You can easily clear front mech by reaching down while riding. I also like the instant power change of a shift up at the front when going onto a harder surface

mrblobby – Member
What are the Ridleys like to ride? Must check out the geo.

I like mine, it’s very much a race bike, even the X-bow I have feels direct and with pinpoint steering round hairpins. I love it. Lots of guys round here race them

Edit. Re. Geo, seems more bikes are going slacker for , never tried any of them but it’s counter intuitive to me, given the tight turns required. not sure if they are just following the mtb trend?

Thanks ferrals, all good to know. That x-night looks good. Shall see if anyone local does them.

Re geo, tend to prefer the ride of the slacker lower bikes, I guess that’s more like what I’m use to off road.

I think you know I have a TCXAdv1, obvz I’m going to recommend that, but I too love the Ridleys. I borrowed a mates whose almost got the same setup as I have on the TCX and there wasn’t much in it ( I thought there would be a massive difference ) I think all the top end CXers ride similar these days, it’s the spec that differs and whether you like the Brand or not.
When I change my TCX, the Boone looks like it’ll replace it.

Focus look rather nice.

So are you planning a cx campaign this winter?

Theoretically higher bb for pedal clearance in deep mud and pedalling round corners. Don’t have enough experiance to comment.

One last thing, probably worth trying to get through axle (on front if not rear), whatever you go for

Wait, based on other posts wouldn’t these be C races and doing you have an mtb? Just use that.

When I change my TCX, the Boone looks like it’ll replace it.

High praise! All ok with you bikebuoy, not seen you round here much recently.

Ferrals, considering it.

Kryton, probably this year. Doubt I’ll have something ready for the start of the season anyway.

How’s about a ktm canic cxc in either 2×11 or 1×11 depending on what you fancy, both well under budget, very light too

Spotted that KTM over at grit.cx. Does look fast. Don’t know much about them though.

YETI ARC-X

Stunning frame work and a joy to ride on and off road

Do they even still make those?

Along similar brand lines, Pivot Vault does look quite nice.

Keep it Euro! If its good enough for MVDP…

Stevens Super-prestige

And the snazzy 2017 colours
here

Still not really seen anything that I’d be happy to spend that sort of cash on.

May just go with the original plan and get a Crocket frame and build it up from the parts bin for now. Maybe some LightBicycle wheels. Or check out the classifieds.

I’d go:

1) Trek Boone
=2) Focus
=2) Ridley
4) Cannondale (2016 model – before they go to weird proprietary dished rear wheels)

Interesting. Why so much love for the Boone? Really that good?

mrblobby – Member
Spotted that KTM over at grit.cx. Does look fast. Don’t know much about them though.

I’ve got th3 alloy version and it’s excellent, my mate has the carbon one built up with mavic tubeless wheels and 1×11 shimano, in a 59cm it weighs naff all and absolutely flies

2016 Cannondale SuperX

2016 one not a bad shout, decent deals to be had. Super X ultegra from PedalOn for 2k.

Was originally thinking 1x but 2x may be a pretty good idea.

2×10 opens up a lot of riding possibilities, I’m rarely out of the small ring when CX racing, but rarely out of the big ring when doing those long distance CX/Gravel races.

And I’m fine BTW, thanks for asking. I promised myself this year I’d do less riding, concentrate on SUP wave surfing and wave windsurfing. It’s going well, didn’t realise my mates missed me as much as they had done so I’m playing with them now. I’m still CXer’ing, keeping to about 80% fitness from my top level so I can still compete and enjoy it. I kinda got wrapped up in it all after the Dirty Reviver, did some silly long distance off-road stuff in Europe, so taking a break for a while. I need an event or route to inspire me, the Keswick Monster miles is next.. Let’s see how that goes.

Good to hear all is well bikebouy.

Re 2x, that was about what I was thinking. Shall pop down PedalOn and check out a few I think.

Planet X XLS. Throw the wheels away and replace with Chinese tub wheelsets.

You could do two bikes and a couple of set of wheels for your price. Two average bikes better than one awesome bike in terms of racing.

Problem with the superx is it just looks dull. Last years blue version was much nicer. I’m quite taken by the trek Crockett frame set in pink.

You are right about the Super X though not sure I could make a pink Crockett work for me!

Niner BSB rdo?

Selling my Spooky Supertouch. Pure race bike but maybe a bit old skool for you with its rim brakes.

What about a Focus Mares, like this? Ok so it’s Jeremys bike but you can get the same spec..

I like the Mares, bloody solid light and fast..

Either disc

or rim..

I’ve been looking of a rim brake version of the Mares for ages, they’re so good nobody wants to sell them.

Rim brakes… probably not now.

Niner… Lovely but jungle prices are ridiculous.

Mares is tempting. Shall see if there is a local dealer where I can check them out. LBS use to do them but stopped as dealing with Focus on warranty issues was a PITA (hmm or that might have been Cube.)

Well they make an alloy disc Mares for about £1100.. Nice spec too.

I just bought a scandium Alan. Lovely bikes at decent prices. Check out alanbike.it they’ve got some offers on bikes and frames and Alberto is a very helpful man to deal with.

Nice those Alan’s. Where did you get it from?