I decided to get a cyclocross bike last year to replace my Genesis Aether road bike.
It was to be used for commuting, road rides and go up into the hills and forests. There is also a good training ride from my house in Central Edinburgh up to Balerno along the Union Canal and Water of Leith, but it’s too muddy for a road bike.

My requirements were:
Low weight
Hydraulic disks
Can take mudguards

Budget was £1500

There’s a lot of these gravel and cyclocross bikes around but getting a low weight one (i.e similar to a carbon road bike) was pretty hard in my budget

After lots of research I ordered one of these Rose DX Cross Pros

It has an aluminium frame, carbon forks and seatpost, Ultegra hydraulics and DT Swiss wheels.

I paid a little extra to go from R24 to R23 wheels and due to some QC problems they gave me the new, lighter fork from their current Team model. Came to around £1400

I was also in Germany on holiday so got a chance to try it out before the payment went through.

Bike came in the post, all very nice and efficient as expected.

Anyway the bike is brilliant. Faster than my old road bike even with knobbly tyres, lighter (8.1kg without pedals) and comfier. Plus I can ride just about anywhere on it and the disk brakes are a godsend for commuting in fast traffic in winter.

Only downside is the pressfit bottom bracket creaks.

So, if you’re thinking about getting a bike like this I can heartily recommend the Rose one.

Awesome view.

Will possibly get one of these as my next cx bike.

I like the fact the “AR” version comes kitted for road, and you can re-spec the chainrings.

Nice.

Nice!

It’s pictures like this that sum up the appeal of this genre of bike. It goes back to the earliest days of MTB for me, those days of just going out and exploring. Thinking, “I wonder where that goes?” and heading off up it.

Ahsat has one from a couple of years ago and the bb has been fine. She’s been really happy with it

Lovely bike.
Great photo too.

Colour schemes like that that never fail to remind me of the funloving, carefree nature of our Teutonic cousins.

Nice, here’s mine:

Only downside is the pressfit bottom bracket creaks.

So, if you’re thinking about getting a bike like this I can heartily recommend the Rose one.

Yep and yep. 😀

Colour schemes like that that never fail to remind me of the funloving, carefree nature of our Teutonic cousins.

It’s available in white too 😀

I’ve had a rose road bike for sometime very happy, been looking at a cx from rose for sometime but, they just look so boring (I’m quite bored with my all white Xeon too). Half tempted to buy and budget for a respray straight off.

That pic is up in the Pentlands just outside Edinburgh.

Have a work conference in Linlithgow tomorrow afternoon so can ride there along the Union Canal.

I like that it gives a lot of options to do stuff like that, and with the light weight there is really no drawback compared to a road bike.

What CaptainFlashheart said

Yes, I’ve been doing mixed rides – some road then go down some Sustrans paths or even just randomly signed footpaths. Sometimes just see the little green arrow footpath signs with the white writing on and hang a left off the road. Definitely getting me out to new places and keeping me away from the cars

This is it up a bit closer.
I guess the black finish is pretty boring, but I dunno I don’t mind. I prefer my bikes to be more understated. That’s why I discounted the CAADX – so many logos

Is seems you’ve all stayed worth those conti cross speeds – are they good for road / the odd canal towpath?

And which model comes with the guard mounts?

And finally sizing: I’d normally ride a 56 /565mm top tube 100mm stem but that puts me on a 60cm bike according to the charts – and idea what I should be ?

Mine came with Racing Ralph 33mm tyres. I don’t notice them slowing me down on road.

I ride a 56cm road bike with a 100mm stem too.
This is a 56cm frame and 100mm stem

Is seems you’ve all stayed worth those conti cross speeds – are they good for road / the odd canal towpath?

Mine came with Racing Ralphs too, which I replaced with 28mm Conti 4 Season which work well on Sustrans style paths and roads.

And which model comes with the guard mounts?

I think all the CX/Cross ones do, but it’s a while since I bought mine so it might have changed. Looks like they now have a splash of colour on them too!

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/cross-bike/

And finally sizing

Hit the “Configure Step By Step” button, then Size and it gives you a size calculator where you enter your inside leg etc and get the “right” size.

If you buy a bike from Rose sign up to their VIP card FIRST – you’ll earn enough reward points to buy something nice.

A little pic from the weekend:

Also did a group ride with the local road club no problems