Having been pretty much convinced I was going to be getting myself a lovely Cannondale 29er with lefty fork, reality has come home to roost.
Up until now I have built bikes component by component, trying to identify the best deals as they arise. But right now I "need" a decent cross country bike, but want to keep my 26" bouncer for funtimes and mountains.
I do have a lovely Croix de Fer which I was thinking could substitute for a 29er XC bike in the short term, but as I am entering a 5 day adventure race (in August) feel I might end up a little sore without the froont suspension.
2 questions then.
1. Has anyone else substituted a cross bike for XC bike and ridden multi day races without issue?
2. What good deals are out there (read frames worth upgrading) for between £500 and £750? CRC et al seem to have some heavily discounted bikes in that bracket, but nothing that screams "good deal" at me.
Dom
I think the croix will be tough - there's a fair difference in fatique between my old croix and my tripster for a 3 hour ride, for example.
HT or FS? Wheel size preference?
£650 29er stumpy frame?
http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Specialized-Stumpjumper-FSR-Comp-Evo-29-Frame-10833-92-0.html
Chinese carbon?
Not done 1) myself but one of the years I did sani2c a pairing used cx bikes iiirc their major complaint was the battering their arms and upper body took from the rigid forks they used, I think they were on steel cx bikes There is an article here [url= http://http://fullsus.co.za/sani2c-by-cyclocross/ ]http://fullsus.co.za/sani2c-by-cyclocross/[/url] which may be of interest
1. Has anyone else substituted a cross bike for XC bike and ridden multi day races without issue?
Not sure up North but down in this hemisphere there is generally is a stipulation that you ride a mountain bike in mountain bike races. Just check that one out
I'd prefer big wheels, I don't mind full bounce or hardtail, I may even consider rigid...
I should also have clarified that I am after a full bike rather than just frame.
The F29 looks good, but twice my budget 🙁
That article is interesting, not sure whether ireland is closer to Belgian fields or South African trails. Gut feeling suggests belgian fields though!
I also think adventure racing has less restrictions for bike type than normal XC races so I'm not overly concerned about that. But I will double check.
What's your current FS? Unless it's an utter tank I'm not sure a £500 29er will be better.
Voodoo and Boardman probably worth a look at that price, or second hand.
Get some new forks and run a fat wheel and tyre on your CDF
There is one lefty cannondale for £999 on pauls.
I think it probably depends what you're used to, most of my bikes are rigid, and whilst they still beet me up, it feels normal, whereas the "this is easy" (until I bonk) feeling of FS isn't.
Which race in ireland are you doing?
Same problem here...... The new on-one is tempting for the price
http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/bikes/mountain-bikes/maccatuskil
Reba fork Pinnacle Ramin £800. What size do you want
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/ramin-five-2015-mountain-bike-ec071316
Jamis Dacota £730 with Recon fork
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jamis/dakota-d29-comp-2016-mountain-bike-ec122173
Moon on a stick.
Just ride your fs, you womnt be any slower.