I’m after a n new cx bike and I’m struggling to see anything for £1k that beats the Boardman CX team in terms of spec. I want hydro disc brakes and can’t find anything else that has them at that price. Buying on cycle to work so needs to be £1k or under.

Will be used for the occasional summer commute off road, and a mix of road/lanes/singletrack/forest roads at weekend.

Any suggestions?

I can’t find anything with hydraulic discs at that price point either. If you’re willing to take cable discs, a whole world of decent spec’ed bikes opens up for you.

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-2-2017-adventure-road-bike-EV275623

Next question?

I’ve got an Arkose 4, which is fine as a commuter. I don’t want another one as a cx bike.

So I guess the next question is ‘any more suggestions?’ 🙂

Cable discs aren’t an option I’d consider.

If you’ve got an Arkose 4, what do you expect a Boardman CX Pro or similar to be worth spending ~£700 on in a salary sacrifice scheme for over the Pinnacle?

Couldn’t you simply get a set of CX tyres, possibly a nice set of CX wheels and be happy? 😆

Some nice looking cross bikes available from Planet X……….

doncorleoni – Member

https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-arkose-2-2017-adventure-road-bike-EV275623

Next question?

when are Evans signing up to the Halfords C2W scheme?

Why not get a cable disc braked bike on C2W then replace the brakes with a set of Deore hydraulic ones for circa £120?

With the C2W scheme can you add your own money to the £1k budget?
I am currently looking at cx bikes for around a grand-ish and i currently have this at the top of my list at the moment….

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/cube-cross-race-pro-cyclocross-bike-2017

@pocpop

Loads of potential problems there he’d need to replace the complete hoods for hydraulic, plus the calipers. And the cable runs might not be designed for hydraulic hoses on the frame.

If you’ve got an Arkose 4, what do you expect a Boardman CX Pro or similar to be worth spending ~£700 on in a salary sacrifice scheme for over the Pinnacle?

Couldn’t you simply get a set of CX tyres, possibly a nice set of CX wheels and be happy?

Arkose 4 has guards for a start so I’d need to take them off, going away for a weekend I’d need to do that on a Thursday night, then put it back into commuter mode on the Sunday. Way too much hassle.

You can’t top up the value on C2W, not officially anyway. Apart from the red cables that cube looks good. Our scheme is with Halfords so planet-x is out.

As for buying a bike with cable discs, then as above I’d need shifters and a set of brakes.

Evans are on ctw I think from this:
https://www.evanscycles.com/b2b/ride-to-work

Boardman is really good for the money… Had a good poke around one in halfords yesterday and it seemed well built.

But as above I think the 2017 arkose bikes offer better value and better geo (plus they look better in my opinion… Yours may differ).

I have history with planet x so won’t be recommending them.

Evans don’t do Halfords cycle to work scheme, they have their own.

The arkose frame is fine as a commuter, but its a bit dead feeling and really lacks ‘zip’. And I don’t want the same bike twice, all be it in a different colour 🙂

What about this?
https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/79727/Whyte_Saxon_Cross_Cyclocross_2016_Bike_Matt_Granite_Orange_Aqua_Frame_54cm?gclid=CjwKEAjw8OLGBRCklJalqKHzjQ0SJACP4BHr9XjStQymkZ3QNYwQhWz1jJEJR_H80uaduZBjse3eDBoC7NXw_wcB

Or check out Vitus bikes

Nice but I doubt I would get an already discounted bike on CTW. Might give them a call to check but most retailers only let you get a full price bike.

Wouldn’t have a whyte for proper CX, don’t think you can go wrong with the Boardman for a grand, Halfords would get you other bikes in, but nothing that is as good value.

Yeh I got a Bird Zero last year 🙂

I’ve loved my Boardman.
Definitely feels different to the Arkose and CDF. Livelier, faster.

I would say that for £1k it’s hard to do better. Once you get to £1300+ then there are some good alternatives. I haven’t looked in sales though.

Wouldn’t have a whyte for proper CX,

Hi Prawny – just wondering why not on the Whyte?

The boardman is a good bike let down by heavy wheels. Get yourself over to superstar before the 30% offer ends, if you do go for it

https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-x20-105-carbon-cyclocross-bike-2016-75222.html

£99 over your budget but what you get is a top Ridley X-fire from a few years back.

This is a proper race X bike. Change of wheels would make it top class.

And in untypical STW fashion I’m recommending a bike I don’t have.

I want hydro disc brakes

Sorry!!! It doesn’t have hydro’s.

Buy a cable braked bike then swop them out the calipers for a set of Juin Tech R1’s. as good as hydraulics with less faff.

I bought a Norco Threshold on a whim the other week as Evans had 20% off taking it to just a smidge over £1k. Maybe worth holding out for similar deals if you aren’t in a rush. Arkose X or Arkose Singlespeed were on my shortlist at the time and in budget.

Have to say the hydro discs are night and day compared to the mechanical brakes on my old cx bike.

@funkmasterp nothing against Whyte, they’re just not (any that I’ve looked at anyway) proper CX race bikes. Some of them look mint commuters that could turn their hand to a bit of CX if needed, but not proper race bikes

Thanks Prawny. I was looking at the Friston in my LBS last week. Lovely looking bit of kit and allegedly a great all rounder that can do a bit of everything.

http://m.startfitness.co.uk/cycle/bikes/cyclo-cross-bikes/scott-2017-speedster-gravel-20-disc-grey-249687.html

Scott speedster with shimano kit and hyd brakes, and they take Halfords LOC.

as good as hydraulics with less faff.

What faff is involved in hydro discs? Mine are faff free. Cable discs on the other hand would be a faff.

The scott looks good but the boardman is a far better spec, full carbon fork against carbon/alloy for example.

Put a set of TRP Hy-Rd callipers on any set of cable hoods.

i have a CAADX tiagra with upgraded brakes for sale in the classifieds- £600 for a 2017 model….

Nice video about a Ridley X-fire:

Of all of the bikes mentioned the Ridley X-fire from Merlin is probably the one that I’d get 8)

mm that cannondale is nice, right size and I could pick up from York. But I’d want to change to hydro discs so would end up similar price to the boardman.

Do you take cycle to work vouchers? 🙂

https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-x20-105-carbon-cyclocross-bike-2016-75222.html

£99 over your budget but what you get is a top Ridley X-fire from a few years back.

So Ridley use open mould frames that Merlin also get and badge up, or am i missing something?

The only thing with the boardman is that you know it will be £800 instead of £1000 in the next few months.

The only thing with the boardman is that you know it will be £800 instead of £1000 in the next few months.

I’ll wait until they do a ‘10% off everything’ day and I wonder if I can also use my British Cycling discount when using a halfords cycle to work voucher.

I stacked discounts when I got mine.
Easter Bank Holiday is pretty normal for Halfords discounts.
That and get the BC membership sorted.

Through cycle to work Alex? I’ve stacked discounts before but not sure if it’ll apply with cycle to work.

Sorry – No I don’t know anything about the cycle schemes.

I think you can stack discounts at Halfords, looking into it myself and it appears you can order it with the discounts and then just pay with the voucher when it arrives.

Anyone got, or seen a review of the new Planet-X bikes?

Hydro brakes and 1×11 for £900 seems unbeatable and I’ve promised myself new bike once I’ve commuted enough miles by bke in my new job to pay for it out of petrol money. 4 months, so just in time for cross season!