Show me your CX bikes…

I’ve got this on loan at the moment…

I’d never ridden a CX bike before yesterday, and now I’m totally in love! It’s our demo bike at work, and a rider we sponsor has it to race CX in the winter on, but as he’s not using it at the moment I asked to borrow it for HONC this coming weekend. Thought I’d better get on it and familiarise myself with it, and I’m staggered how good it is! I don’t just mean that it can do both road and offroad, but just how little compromise there is on both. Seemingly on road, my speed is only about 1-1.5mph lower everywhere than on my Carbon road bike (even on the 33c Maxxis Raze knobblies) and offroad, it’s faster almost everywhere than my MTB’s except for technical DH sections, but even then, it’s remarkably adept. On fast, flowing DH’s, I’m as quick on it, if not quicker than on my Hardtail, cos it’s ridiculously quick and capable. I’ve even found that because of how good the disc brakes are, I’m not bothering using the Cross top levers, but am braking from the hoods (as I would on my road bike) and still have plenty enough braking power to control for any situation, but more control because of the wider hand position.

Now I know the Whyte geometry upsets the CX purists, but by god it’s good! VERY much thinking of ordering one for myself…

So let’s see your CX bikes!

Not mine but yet another demo bike – we got this in for a customer and i expect he’ll give us the go-ahead to order him one – if i had the cash i’d buy one, rides so nice.

boardman cx team, cheap and rad. +1 on the goes like a road bike, gets you into some dicey situations on the trails.

Rose Pro DX Cross 4400: http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/rose-pro-dx-cross-4400-compact-612199/aid:612230

(New. Only ridden it a few times so can’t really comment on the handling. Comes with Racing Ralphs, but Conti slicks on here for road duties)

Just finished for work ride tomorrow, first try on carbon .

if you want to be dead cheap the hong fu CX frames are mighty cheap, and mighty familiar.

http://www.hongfu-bikes.com/html_products/HF-FM089-269.html

My favourite bike
[/url] Untitled[/url] by BigG1968[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Mboy, 50km or 100km?

I have several different styles of bike from full on time trial, road, fixed and MTB but my CX bike is my favourite.

Great for commuting on and off road(picture taken on the way to work last week!). Great for hacking around on and racing (I have only managed one event so far).

Definitely my most ridden bike but then I use it to commute on. really like it.

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Untitled[/url] by Jon Wyatt[/url], on Flickr

Day one. Really heavy but very solid. Currently in storage for when I can be bothered getting the awful brakes sorted.
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dayone5[/url] by Jon Wyatt[/url], on Flickr

I had a CX bike before (Orbea igorre), now I’ve got a Whyte Saxon Cross,if I was going to race I’d choose the Orbea, but for my commute across the Quantocks the Whyte is much better suited (bit heavier than I expected though).

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DSCN3536[/url] by Dibbs57[/url], on Flickr

Planet X – XLS

Clean for a change….

Pompetamine, rohloff, BB7, SB835c

cx racer, 3 peaks, commuter

Built on a budget………used mostly as a winter bike but raced a couple of times too, great as a mile muncher or for commuting duties. Loved it so much, sold it and currently considering a fancy carbon version!

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SDC12385[/url] by jcabuckley1974[/url], on Flickr

This has just arrived… Whoop!

old:

new:

Not really a CX bike; more a cross-purpose bike but it’s faster than a mountain bike up hill and along the flat, terrible on downhills and superb for stooging around, carrying paniers and covering long distances in comfort on mixed routes.

Took this the day I bought it, hence the silly pedals.

There must be more than this.

My Kona Major Jake.

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james 025[/url] by jamesanderson2010[/url], on Flickr

Felt F65x

Racing
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1st race of the season[/url] by simondbarnes[/url], on Flickr

Playing
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Heading down[/url] by simondbarnes[/url], on Flickr

Some great bikes so far guys. Keep em coming!

What’s the consensus for (clincher, preferably tubeless compatible) tyres for CX? This Whyte I’m using has Maxxis Raze 33c’s on and they seem pretty good in the dirt, if not the fastest tyre I’ve ridden on road. What do you run?

Also, anyone use their CX bike as more of an alternative to one of their MTB’s, rather than just race on it? I’m liking this Whyte cos it handles much more like an MTB than I was expecting (slack head angle probably helps), but most CX bikes still seem to have 72+ degree head angles.

Maxxis Raze are ok but I think they would be too loose to make good tubeless.

How about Clement Pdx or Mxp clinchers. Anyone running them tubeless?

Gordymac

They’re running ok tubeless right now mate. My experience of Maxxis MTB tyres is they usually convert well, and these Raze’s don’t have any tubes in em already.

Without going silly money or tubs, what else is out there CX tyre wise?

In running 35mm rocket robs on crest 29er rims. Tubeless went on easy first couple of times although tyres have stretched a little now still go on but one require a bit of compressor action

Stanage causeway last weekend.

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#AA5oqs3qe4FDR

Another Boardman
Taken a back seat since the weather dried up, but it’s about time it was taken out again.

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New cyclocross bike[/url] by tryingtimes[/url], on Flickr

Dirty after the three peaks

2007 Genesis Vapour. Must be due a new one this year surely?

Not strictly a CX bike but here is a pic of my new Kinesis Tripster on its maiden voyage in CX guise. Still need to figure out the correct stem height etc hence the towering stack. Took it out with 28mm Road tyres tonight ant it feels planted compared to my old Kona Zing. Had a few issues in actually getting my hands on the bike but initial feeling is it was worth the wait.

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lomogram[/url] by The_Manx_Ambassador[/url], on Flickr

Yet another of those Boardman thingies at some race in Yorkshire last year…

Had this a good few years but still enjoy riding it.

Now stripped with frame sold but it was a great bike!

With regards to tubeless CX tyres – currently running Kenda SB8’s tubeless – can be picked up for £35 a pair on ebay.

Haven’t raced on either of my CX bikes (yet, quite fancying the 3 peaks this year) and use them out of preference over the MTB on my local trails. Selling my hardtail has crossed my mind more than once…

Not going to show you my cross bike, but here is my Strava times, riding against a 29 er carbon fibre specialised

http://app.strava.com/activities/48021272

Stumpytrek That was a nice looking bike, why did you get shot of the frame and what did you replace it with?

my kinesis pro6 dropped bar hybrid – heading off down dirt trails for those distant hills

double post so here on city duties