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So the annual cycle2work scheme starts tomorrow and am tempted to sign up so I can get a CX bike, no way I can justify another MTB to the other half. So what cunning plan and reasoned arguments can I use to justify obtaining another bike to satisfy my n+1 appetite?
Our scheme is the Halfords one so looks like I'm limited to the Boardman Team CX bike, any good?
I have the Boardman Team CX - I'd have preferred to pay the extra for the better spec on the next model up (Pro?) but the Team is still very good value. I've been meaning to post a review for a while, so here you go:
[b]Frame[/b]
First impressions are great - the frame itself is very smart indeed, with lovely smoothed welds at all major tube junctions. The area around the head tube in particular could easily be mistaken for a carbon monocoque if you didn’t know any different (and indeed has been so mistaken). The finish on the carbon fork is a very good match for the frame and adds to the overall effect. One minor niggle is that the blades of the fork are a pretty deep aero shape, which made fitting the speedo sensor a bit tricky. Total weight for my box-fresh size large was bang on 22lbs (without pedals, bottle cages or mudguards, but with bulky 35mm cross tyres).
[b]Controls[/b]
The “Doubletap” action of the SRAM Apex shifters is easy enough to adapt to, with the inner lever performing both up and down-shifts. As expected, the operation is a bit clunky compared to the Ultegra I’m used to on my Focus – I’d put it between Sora and Tiagra in terms of slickness. The hoods also have a rather uncomfortable bulge where they meet the bar.
However, my biggest problem with the shifters is that the bladed shape of the inner levers makes it very difficult to keep a finger inside them to grip the bar when braking hard from the hoods. This would be my preferred hand position to add some extra stability off road – in the end I’ve tended to brake from the drops instead but I’m not sure how sensible this will be on steeper terrain or anything more technical than my local bridleways as it makes it more difficult to shift your weight back
The most powerful braking comes from the chicken levers on the tops, but the narrow hand position necessary here doesn’t exactly lend itself to good bike control. The brakes themselves (Avid BB5) required a bit of initial fettling and bedding in but have been rub-free and reliable since. Time will tell how often they need tinkering with to keep them sweet, but the adjusters are easy enough to use.
[b]Everything else[/b]
As for the other stuff; the drivetrain is fine (no BB clicking as some reviewers have experienced), the wheels are nice and true, albeit not especially light, and the finishing kit is all perfectly fine apart from the saddle, which is a bit too grippy for my liking and has been replaced with the ubiquitous Charge Spoon.
It's also worth mentioning that the front disc brake meant a bit of fiddling was necessary to get mudguards fitted properly. In the end I had to put a bit of a set in the lower section of the mudguard stay by bending it in a vice. Fortunately the stays supplied with SKS Chromoplastics are plenty long enough to do this without compromising tyre clearance. The rear brake is fitted inside the rear triangle so thankfully no such fiddling was required there. The guards did develop a little bit of a rattle off road after a couple of rides but once I re-tightened the bolts they were fine so hopefully it was just a bedding in thing.
Depends where you live I have some great fire trail tame riding which is boring on a MTB but fun on a cx near me so it suits me fine, I put some fat 700 by 35 slicks on my bike and I have a great ride to work bike. When winter comes you have a bike for cross season do it.
Of course you should!
If you plan to use on road much, then add a pair of road tyres which will be much less draggy than cyclocross tyres on tarmac. If you alternate between on road and off road (e.g. on road for commuting during the week, off road for fun/racing at the weekend), then another set of wheels can be justified pretty easily...
Worth noting that Halfords can get all sorts of things in aside from what they carry in stock. If you had something specific in mind other than the Boardman you mention, then it'd certainly be worth asking. That said, whilst I've not looked at their CX bikes, Boardmans in general are very good value for money.
Worth noting that Halfords can get all sorts of things in aside from what they carry in stock.
Very little legitimately though!
Very little legitimately though!
I was unaware of that equally noteworthy point... 😳
I swithered over a CX bike about a year ago very much the same as you. I got a cannondale and its been brilliant.
Trails which were boring on the mtb were more fun and its good to be able to do some road stretches to get to trails where the mtb would be a chore. It makes some stuff much more technical and interesting.
It's also made me appreciate and enjoy the mtb more bizarrely.
do it.
Very little legitimately though!
An awful lot legitimately actually, their supplier network is massive. cycle2work can get you a speshlized (or whatever) but you would have to go through them rather than your local store.
Seems all positive folks! Like the idea that it'll make my local trails more fun and challenging than they are on the mountain bike. Are they called 'chicken levers' cos' you pull them when you bottle it?
They're called chicken levers because of the people who use them as they're too chicken to hold on/brake using the hoods on nadgery bits. Ditch 'em, you really don't need 'em.
And do you have a CX bike at the moment? Then of course you need one 🙂
YES!! Love my 'CX bike. It's amazing what you can do on them (the Mary Towneley loop is no bother for instance). They're great for hopping on and off bridleways, and as they're pretty fast on roads then you get between the fun stuff more easily.
[img][url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6770709243_86e893a808.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/68631407@N03/6770709243/ ]Jake the snake on London Road[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/68631407@N03/ ]BeateKubitz[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Jake now has more compact handlebars - better for downhill in the drops - and is getting lower gears (apparently the UK womens' cyclocross team all run mountain bike rear cassettes, and what's good enough for them...).
I just picked up a genesis day one alfine - brilliant fun 🙂
Riding down boneshaking descents on a crosser was like being 12 again 🙂
Proper quick on road too.
Dave
Looks like i'm not totally limited to Halfords stock so what else is there out there for £1k max?
The exact thread/question I've been thinking about too!
Like smoothC I'm wondering if there's anything that beats the Boardman at that price range.
Cycle to Work isn't as good a deal as it was a few years ago, if you can get a 0% deal online you may well get a better deal.
If I was wanting an alu bike I think I'd go for the Boardman as I've not seen much to rival the spec but I keep thinking a steel CX fully mudguarded up makes a better winter roadie/easy off-road route than a more racey one.
Oh bugger, this htred is going to do me harm....
I would love to get one also. I took my heavily commuterised roadrat onto my bridleways recently - what a hoot! It was great fun! And yes, you realise how massive a difference big tyres and suspension make on an mtb the first time you do an even slightly bumpy bit of trail.
Great fun!
And I agree it makes me appreciated MTBing even more.
It's all fun bikes, innit?!?
Kev
I'm loving my Croix De Fer at the minute and have done hundreds of miles of canal toe paths, bridleways and local stuff over the last week or two that would be very dull indeed on my other bikes, It's so addictive I set off for work two hours early the other day and then went the long way home too. Glorious.
Edit: really fancy swapping it for a Day One Alfine for the winter......
Anyone know, if I can Alfine the CdF?
If you can live with the badge (although that's getting easier now) go get the Boardman.
CX bikes are brilliant do anything bikes anyway, I've done 1,200+ miles commuting on mine, HONCed on it and just done 750 miles in the last fortnight loaded touring across France.
You won't regret it...
@ Pickers
What's the Boardman like (presumably mudguarded?) loaded up with luggage? Also is it more relaxed/comfortable or racing positioning
Would like something that I could enter races on - not competitively just for fitness, and also commute, winter roadie, light off-roading. Basically a jack-of-all-trades!
Hi Steve, I had panniers, tent, sleeping bag etc on the back, barbag on the front, whole lot probably 35kg with the bike. Found it very stable and easy to ride slowly or at speed (downhill!).
Plus points, rear caliper's inside the triangle so doesn't get in the way of the rack or mudguards, gearing for climbing is usefully low. I found the saddle ok but some others don't like it.
Negatives, not many to be honest. I don't really get on with the SRAM levers but they have worked ok in fairness. On gearing I've changed the 50t outer chainring for a 46t which is more useable.
The front mudguard fitting is on the rear of the fork crown, no hole on the front means you can't put a light there, hasn't bothered me but may be an issue with some.
Position wise it's far more upright than my road bike and a bit shorter, works very well on fast narrow tracks
Just spotted Kinesis on the available brand list and Crosslight FiveT looks like very nice http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/crosslight/five-t
It has rim brakes compared to the Boardman's mech discs. Any benefit in mechs discs over rim brakes on a CX? (daft Q probably!)
Have you got your C2W voucher yet? As I mentioned above add the figures up for a sale bike (if you find one you like) on 0% finance, some companies are doing this or you could work it on a credit card, against the total C2W payable.
Not as cut and dried a good options as it used to be.
The Forme and Focus bikes are good value under £1k and a number of shops take Halfords C2W vouchers
I've got a Crosslight FiveT with carbon forks. It's probably a pretty early one, as I actually ordered a 4T... It's built up with the then standard build kit of mostly 4500 Tiagra with a Truvativ crank. I've changed to a set of mini-V's (still not 100% sure if this was an upgrade or not TBH). Other than that, I've changed the saddle, but everything else is basically stock. Obviously wear and tear items have been replaced as required...
The only time I've felt that discs would have been nice was when racing at Todmordon Cross in January this year - for the last lap or so, the levers were coming all the way to the bars and making very little difference to speed. I'm thinking some inline adjusters would be a cheap fix.
Oh, and chicken levers are rubbish. Avoid.
Yep... I have a Tricross disc and the first thing I did was to remove those levers. Next was to swap the BB5s for BB7s.
It's a great all-purpose bike, faster than the mountain bike except on steep rocky downhills, where it's crap. Great as a mud-plugger thanks to the stability and long frame. Only 1 mph slower on average than the roadie. Very stable, very comfortable and thanks to the stiffness of the rear triangle, great on the turbo trainer. Later this month I'm going to fit a rack and use it for the school C2C ride with my son.
Steve, I've got a cx team (large) which you're more than welcome to try out. Really like it, got cx tyres, schwalbe marathons and some gatorskins so just switch between them.
Yep, appears cycle to works schemes aren't as good value as they used to be. HMRC % rates for market value final payments on a 12 month scheme are 25% of the purchase price for a £500+ bike and 18% for <£500. For a £1k bike I'd be paying £250 market value plus the 12 monthly payments of c.£50 = £850. 😯
[i]*Off to trawl for some sale bikes on 0% finance...*[/i]
Doug - I'll drop you an email later on. Would be great to have a shot on one!
Depends what happens at end of the term. It amazes me the number of people who think that having made all the monthly payments, they own the bike. To achieve the tax benefit, the scheme exploits a tax loophole that only applies to rental agreements. If you agree a final payment up front, then it's a hire purchase agreement and you can't have the tax benefit. From a philosophical point of view, it's interesting that HMRC decided to publish a system to calculate a fair market value, as this allow people to calculate what the final payment. All of which seems a little contradictory to me, but there you go...
At the end of the rental term, the scheme run by my employer allows me to continue to use their bike after at no cost to me, or hand their bike back to them (goodness knows what they'd do with it...). So, I guess I'll continue to use their bike until either I leave the company (at which point I can stump up the appropriate "fair market value" defined by HMRC or give them their bike back), or on a long enough timeline, there will come a time when they write off their asset.
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7077561213_33bcaba15d_b.jp g" target="_blank">
I got a ss pompino as a less expensive way to keep riding after having my mtb nicked and being jobless at the time wasn't going to be able to replace and couldn't stomach riding a cheaper mtb and I can't beleve how capable they are. Technical stuff is slower but everywhere else miles faster, my next bike could well be a geared cx bike if not a 29'r ss
don't get into any debt that you don't have to get into. you can build a fabulous bike out of peoples spare bits nice people here on this website. (I hope, cos have plans for acheap CX the future...)
[i]*Off to trawl for some sale bikes on 0% finance...*[/i]
Evans are doing the 2012 Specialized CruX frame and forks for £350 instead of £500...
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/crux-2012-cyclo-cross-frameset-ec023880
The only reason I haven't ordered it is becasue it's not disc ready. I've got the S-Works Tricross from a few years ago, it's a great bike, really versatile.
Oh, and chicken levers are rubbish. Avoid.
For CX racing, yes, they're rubbish. For pretty much everything else, they're great. I built my CX specifically for the Three Peaks where I wouldn't want to be without the chicken levers but as it turns out they're very useful for towpath pootling as well.
Our company does a 3 year bike for work scheme, I'll be coming to the end of mine in December. I've currently got an Orbea igorre CX bike, which has been great, once you've got the confidence it's amazing just how much punishment it'll take. I commute across the Quantocks and my bike's taken a fair beating.
I'll be looking at a Whyte Saxon Cross to replace it later in the year, the main thing that lets the current bike down is the lack of disc brakes.
Bought a Whyte Kings Cross, sprog means little time to drag out the MTB and its been great for pooling on local footpaths, sorry mean bridleways. It's not a full cx bike more a commuter cross type thing , may be worth looking at.
Im actually the opposite to most of the thinking here 🙁
I bought a cx bike 2 years ago (a Kinesis 5T), and hated it. When I was on it all I was thinking was, If I was on my mtb, I'd be having much more fun.
I suppose it all depends on the terrain you ride. Where I live its steep, and there's good real mountain biking, (no disrespect to the people who have to ride on flat bridalways around muddy fields etc etc). I found that the cx bike just couldnt handle my terrain. I got it to try and add some variety into my rides, but it just never worked out for me, I always wished I was doing the ride on my mtb.
I suppose if you wanna commute/tour, aim for a specific goal like the 3 peaks then go for it. But think carefully, dont just do it becuase everyone else seems like they are doing it.
But those cube's do look nice 🙂
Chicken levers are great - for cx racing probably less so but then how many cx riders here and generally actually limit themselves to racing, if at all. I'd never ditch mine. Make your own mind up rather than believe the many narrow minded people most of whom (ime at least) haven't even given them a proper go.
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Nick Craig says yes.
Useful thread on them : http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/gayer-levers-on-a-cx-bike