[Closed] CX bikes - what kind of stuff can they handle?

I’ve got a UJ and the limiting factor to its performance is definitely me.

They take all sorts of abuse – 3 Peaks – whether you are good enough to do it is a different matter.

I have a Felt Breed that I often ride around Swinley and the North Downs. It is generally fine, some bits I can ride faster on a mtb, others I am faster on the CX. I wouldn't want to get too airborne on it, but apart from that it is fine.

Rocks are no problems. Neither is a little air.

Its utterly dependant on your technique, getting airborne, (within reason), on a cross bike is fine if you land it correctly. However the margin of error is considerably less than on a true MTB, get it slightly wrong and you may end up with taco wheels and an odd looking frame.

I'd use mine happily on the North/South Downs .

The Belmont Descent snaps CX frames clean in half. FACT!

Sounds pretty cool so far then; rocks, ND, SDW etc.

I'm guessing then that tyres and drivetrain make a (fairly?) big difference to speed?

Ideally would like a set-up for getting the miles in and another for roughing it. So is it normally pretty easy/quick to change front and rear cogs, or do you have to faff around and have different hubs and/or anything else?

Ta

The Belmont Descent snaps CX frames clean in half. FACT!

Better the frame and not the rider.

I've ridden cx bikes on the North Downs/ Surrey Hills for the last 15 years. The only problem I've ever had was finding that my tufo sealant had gone off in the bottle when I got a slow puncture in a tub.

Run two sets of wheels, one for road and summer off road, (same thing on the chalk), use the other set for winter off road.

I run a single 38 ring with a 12-25 block and that works for racing and road training. However I'd most likely use a double ring and a wider cassette range for riding on the Downs.

Cool.

Are you mainly on drops, even for the more technical stuff? Does it make much difference? A mate won't touch them and swears by flats only. But I quite fancy reverting to my old road racing days and giving drops a go. Might well have to get some flats anyway.

Drops give you good stability but can make drop-offs a bit scary 😯

I don't use the drops that much as I've set my brakes up so I can use the hoods and feel in control. See panic stricken look:
[img] [/img]

control

I don't have any of that anyway.

Think I'll start with drops and see how it goes. Ta

We (accidentally) ended up doing the flatter lower section of the Fort William DH on ours, between the first big wall ride and the top of the motorway section. Its not really a case of 'can you ride it' more just a case of 'how much slower do you have to ride it'.

Most importantly though, it was a lot of fun 😀

A road bike on some rocks 🙂

As per 13thfloormonk, you've just got to hang on and give it the firey death. Flights of steps are quite punishing on the wrists mind.

Fine. Ive seen two steel crossers fold up including mine, no issues on the ally frame. Also wheels with low spoke counts are more likely to be unrideable if one goes, I threw up a rock took one spoke out and had to walk, no problem generally bashing them about though. I use cheap heavy tyres when not racing. And as for their abilty, well they can do a lot. Steep drop ins are scary though as you are so far forward.

With compact 34/50 up front and an 11-28 out back you'll be covered for road and the rough stuff.Set up the bars with the hoods as the primary poition and a bit higher/shorter than a pure road bike.Discs would be good for 'proper' off road but there are'nt too many off the peg builds about yet.... or invest in some shorty ultimates.Bontager LT3 38mm tyres are a bit bigger and tougher than pure cx treads but clog badly in the goop.
I ride mine off road a lot round N Wales including the odd trail centre and am considering swapping my current rigid 29er for a 'monstercross' aka burly offroad cx bike .

Cheers guys. I've got a pretty good idea of what I'll be looking for now. Just need some time to spec it.

I ride mine all over...

Was down in Cannock last week & that was great fun...

As has already been said, it's more the rider that'll hold them back..

Oh, and Carbon FTW!!! 🙂

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Nice frame, how do you rate it? What did you have before?

Limiting factor is the rider. SDW shouldn't be a problem. How good are you? 😉

I rode the SDW inaday on my cx bike in '96 and '97, and then did about half of it on cx bikes in '05 with Jo Burt et al.

Another thought....wiiide bars,I run 46cm salsa bell laps and love em... though they are quite deep drop.Woodschippers are good also but a lot less roady.Hav'nt seen the new ragley lux bars up close yet but could be worth a squint.

[i]The Belmont Descent snaps CX frames clean in half. FACT! [/i]

Must have been a crap rider. I've ridden cross bikes down there loads of times. No snappages.

Was it you? 😉

That X Crow looks the dogs - serious discounts on frames at the minute too. But add everything else and it's heading for double the UJ. Wish I could justify it but can't 🙁

Tbh, you'll probably want to get off an lay down before you actually break a CX bike.

Re: Drops Off-road

Potential Controversy
You could always set-up your drops with a higher-rise stem so that your hand-vs-saddle height [i]in the drops[/i] is about the same as that on your MTB. Much less scary when braking downhill...
End Potential Controversy

i have just bulit one only used it on roads at the moment but absoloutly love it is feels so light and responsive came in at 9.8 kilo cant wait to get on some trials just concerned if the tyres are good enough they are kenda small block 8s 32mm what do you guys run

Woodchippers,luxy,wtb dirt drops et al are designed to be primarily used in the drops and set up accordingly but work ok on the hoods.Find shaggy's blog for eulogising the joys of drops.

CX bike in it's natural environment:

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Belmont descent? LOL! I went down that on my Tranny last night and would NOT want to do it on a CX Bike!

I'm sure it was fun and that, but do you not think, "Urgh, this would be so much better on a real bike?"

You could always set-up your drops with a higher-rise stem so that your hand-vs-saddle height in the drops is about the same as that on your MTB. Much less scary when braking downhill...

Erm, unfortunately I sit high up anyway (long inside leg 😯 ), so certain drops and roll-ins can be pretty hairy anyway.

Have you had a look the salsa vaya or van dessel WTF?

The Swedish Chef - Member
Nice frame, how do you rate it? What did you have before?

Love it...

I had a FOCUS Mares before it, so Alu, but yeah... Love the carbon.. Great fun.

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I commute across the Quantocks on a CX bike, which gives me to option of quite a few offroad routes, the main limiting factor as far as I concerned is the awful canti brakes, after several years of disc brakes and even V's before that, the canti's are really scary.

awesome tandam madness!

my cx gets used on a lot of the stuff I ride my mtb on but I stay clear off hucking type stuff and dh tracks - best suited to bridleway bashing and smoothish singletrack IME

I had a FOCUS Mares before it, so Alu, but yeah... Love the carbon.. Great fun.

Did you not consider the carbon Mares as raced by the US Rapha team, they look super nice, but maybe not available as a frameset option?

cheapy cross frame and lightweight tub wheels survived a few of these:
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[img] [/img]

Also done a few very rocky descents in France which is probably one of the only times I've used the drops apart from sprint finishes.

[img] [/img]

That looks the damage. 8)

Yeah, I've heard canti's can be shit. Are you lot just accepting that's the way it is, or switching to V's or discs?

spacemonkey - Member

Yeah, I've heard canti's can be shit. Are you lot just accepting that's the way it is, or switching to V's or discs?

I have discs on my X bike. I wouldnt entertain cantilever style again if I can help it.

See here; 8)

[IMG] [/IMG]

Linky no worky.

Nice.

I think discs (or at least V's) are the way to go.

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yk5wbd&outx=800&quality=70 [/img]

I use mine regularly in the Peak District, it's set up with a 34/48 and 12-27 so low enough for most stuff. I quite like going out on the roadie club-run then taking the off-road route back from the cafe stop.

I've done the Three Peaks 4 times now, the bike has survived fine each time. Done various bits in the Lakes with it too including the North Face Trail - you get some great looks from all the armoured up freeriders! It's just a great bike, really versatile and fun.

I'll switch to disks once I can get STi integration with ultegra or similar. Problem being that is most likely 2 years away and in the mean time I want a new frame.

have ridden all the popular trails at swinley forest on my kinesis 5t, did it on the stw swinley ride which was fun, no problems. theres less room for error on steep dropins and stuff but if your ass is off the back it should all be as doable as my mtb. downhill fast bumpy stuff is obviously tricky specially with bends as canti not much use.
canti are shit compared to disk, i can set my canti to be fairly good stoppers though but if i do that i get reduced clearance, kinda like if using mini v's.
just watch your wheels and tyres for pinch flats
i dont use drops much on tech stuff, but i'm getting more confident that way

I'm a majorly fat chunker and I take my Kona Jake the Snake around Carron Valley fairly regularly. In fact I probably hoon it faster down hill on that than on my old hardtail. Mostly because the brakes are a bit rubbish.

It's certainly never folded, creaked or moaned at my weight throwing it off drop offs.

Here she is at the top of Kelpie's staircase to prove it (yes that is sunshine)
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My cross bike has regularly been ridden on club mountain bike rides and all manner of road / off road mixed routes. Unfortunately, some tube decided to ride into the back of me deliberately at traffic lights last year and bent my frame. ****!

Anyhoos, I run a triple on the front and a 12 - 27 on the back. Good for most stuff but I reckon my replacement frame will have a wider range on the back. For brakes, I'm a big fan of Tektro CR520s. They just work better than the likes of offerings from Shimano and Avid. Having said that, I reckon discs are the way forward. Looking forward to seeing what Shimano have up their sleeve.

You can ride an awful lot of stuff on a crosser that you would normally ride on an mtb. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower but usually with a smile on your face. The drop bars, light weight and big wheels mean you can cover a lot of ground quickly. I regularly do rides of 50 or 60 miles or more mixing road and off road on mine e.g. Fife Coastal Path, sections of the West Highland Way etc. Never bother with road tyres even when going to Mallorca for a couple of weeks.

Whichever bike you get, just get one!

Cheers

Sanny the cross jihadist!

Has anyone ever fitted a dropper seatpost to a cx? Just wondering like...

Has anyone posted this yet? As above, looks like the bike's up to it if the rider is

i love that video

Here`s a Kona Jake The Snake @ 931m 😛

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Then rode it down what is arguably one of the best decents in the lakes...did buckle the back wheel but then again its a CX bike! 😉

Cheers guys. Just hearing your stories and seeing these pics/vids is making me want to get a sorted one and get out there. I think I'm somehow seeking to relive my teenage road biking days but blend it in with all the MTB stuff of recent years, and basically get the best of both worlds. Can't wait now - just need to justify the purchase and/or find a way of keeping the missus sweet 🙂

I think it was Harry the Spider who wrapped it up in the first post.

If they can take the 3 Peaks they can take the North Downs.

And I can vouch for both as I live and ride the North Downs and did the 3 Peaks in 09 (**** that was tough!!).

I've an Uncle John as well. Great bikes, full Ultegra, light frame, tough wheels. I just chamge the tyres to 23c's and ride with the local roadie club, see's 60 - 70 mile rides no problem. They always have a pop when they see mud on the frame though....

No doubt CX bikes are true all rounders!!

Forgot to add, Cantis are great when they are just set up and fresh, unfortunately they go off pretty quickly. Just adds to the fun though!!!!

ive riden pretty much anything on mine for cx training

As above there's not much you can't ride on a cyclox bike. But unless its your only bike why would you want to ?? Apart from smooth fast trails a mtb is much the better bike for the job. My cyclox bike gets used for racing cyclox not much else.

That vid kicks ass

[i]But unless its your only bike why would you want to ?? Apart from smooth fast trails a mtb is much the better bike for the job. My cyclox bike gets used for racing cyclox not much else. [/i]

I'm sorry for your loss. Fun and challenge are things that some people get, and others don't. It's not always about getting the fastest time.

But unless its your only bike why would you want to ?? Apart from smooth fast trails a mtb is much the better bike for the job

It wouldn't be my only bike. I just want something that's going to help me get more miles in. I've spent years exploring the trails around here and want to revisit my road routes, but mix it up and go off-road. MTB not quick enough even with slicks, so CX has to be the way to go. Plus I can take it up north, into Wales and up to Scotland etc - and see more than I did before.

As above there's not much you can't ride on a cyclox bike. But unless its your only bike why would you want to ??

As samuri says, the fun and the challenge. Added to which, it's a great way of combining road and off-road. I've done 70+ mile rides on mine in the Lakes: on-road up to say Grizedale, a loop of the bridleways and boardwalks, cut through the forest then back round the lake shore singetrack, back onto the road and go home. Saves putting the MTB in the car, driving all that way and doing a short off-road ride and it's more fun and gives me far more route options than just a road ride.

Any old excuse to post this picture up again. 😆

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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/34381595@N00/123268041/ ]Col Steps[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/34381595@N00/ ]mark.westwood[/url], on Flickr

younggeoff, that is obscene!fair play do you guys carry your b+*llocks around in a wheel barrow? completely stunned

SSS - surely you should have put the original Bridgnorth step pic up not that photshopped one instead.