Trying to select a 48cm CX alu frame / carbon fork (canti) for son’s first 700c (up from 650c).
Narrowed to in increasing price
Kinesis crosslight fiveT
Empella bonfire
Ridley Xbow

Spring loaded to the kinesis. Are the others worth the extra £££?
Anybody know the weight differences and if they would make a difference?

Not much help but ive got a kinesis pro 6 and its very good i had an old empella and it was very good too . Tried a ridley and it was awful felt high up and super short and not at all stable at speed.

Worth a look at paul milnes bikes they have some good ones i had one of their columbus xwings i think they are just badged as paul milnes xwing now apparently they are empellas with a different paint job

As you dont need discs there should be some bargains to be had

Xwing, Columbus, forme all good (I have a Forme) but they don’t go down to 48. 50 is just on the big side.

anyone?

Empellas are absolutely bombproof if that’s something you’re worried about. They also tend to have quite a short headtube so on a 48cm that might be a good thing.

Got my daughter the smallest Xbow, don’t know if that would have been the 48cm. Suffered from toe overlap (and she’s only a size 1 shoe), she raced it once and refused to ride it again!

Jase. – Ouch. Is she paying for the next one!? I think they go down to a 41 xxs,

Very happy with the Kinesis Pro ? disc here, used as both a random bridleway explorer and general winter road bike.

Luckily I bought it used and sold for more than I paid 🙂

I’ve got a Ridley coming, so will be able to tell you soon, but they do tend to be a bit bigger than the others.
My old Empella was bombproof as above, but found it quite long in the top tube.
Currently riding a Planet X Uncle John & that has major toe overlap (51cm, I’m 5’8) so can’t wait to get something a bit longer than that.

I’ve owned a couple of Ridley CX bikes. The bottom brackets were quite high, I wouldn’t buy one without trying it first.