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Really fancy a CX bike to mix together some road and trails so looking at purchasing a cx bike. My budget is around 1000, but cheaper the better and the only thing I want is mudguards as I would also like to use it as a winter road bike, discs would be liked also but not necessary.
Boardman cx seems the best I've found so far, any others?
Look at the Pinnacle options from Evans. They seem like good value and probably what I'd have bought but a CdeF came up at a good price on the classifieds.
2nd hand Croix de Fers fetch around the £700 mark. I would look for a minty one and then, if you like it, spend another £300 on a decent, tubeless capable, wheelset as the stock one is what makes it so heavy.
If you don't like it you can sell for not much loss and get a different style bike.
I find mine fun but long rides can be more of a challenge due to no-suspension - but good fun for shorter, more intense blasts around the local woods.
If you're not racing cx then Kaffenback with some cx tyres is a very versatile bike.
Good value too:
http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKAFF2RIV/planet_x_kaffenback_2_sram_rival_road_bike
This build spec has road tyres on, but it's got massive clearance for knobblies! Guard and rack mounts too.
if you're not racing it every w'end then boardman cx is perfect.
I won't be racing every weekend, would like to aleast try it.
build up a kinesis crosslight pro 6?
frame on sale at the moment:
http://www.fatbirds.co.uk/22281/products/kinesis-crosslight-pro-6-cyclocross-frameset-white.aspx
can easily be built up for around £1000.
a few places discounting the Genesis Vapour Disc to £900 now - looks good for the money to me
Will sell my 54cm Vapour Disc for £850. Covered a grand total of 460 miles in 12 months!
I had this exact same question a few months back.
I ended up going for the Boardman, and bought one 2nd hand from Ebay for £600. (when it arrived it looked brand new!)
Fantastic bike, very capable off road and on, to the extent I wouldnt buy a hardtail mtb again, and it is faster on road the Ribble road bike it has replaced. The only thing I have consider changing so far is the saddle which is too soft for my liking, and the tryes which are not the best CX ones, but they are definately ok.
You can at the right time with Halfords sales etc get a Boardman for £800 brand new, but I doubt they will be having a big sale just yet?
Spyke, thanks for the offer but would probably be too small for me.
Genesis just seem heavy to me and dont see the appeal.
With BC discount the Boardman is around the 850 mark.
[url= http://www.ukbikesdepot.com/m117b156s862p8068/GENESIS_Vapour_Disc_Cyclo_Cross_Bike_2013/RS_GB/24287?gclid=CPzkncfa3rgCFfLHtAodaR0AvQ ]new Vapour disc under £900[/url] would get my money over the Boardman. It's not a heavy bike - alloy frame, carbon fork, good kit
It is indeed a good bike, but sadly I need to make the room for a new tourer
I have a vapour disc too. Great bike, done about 2000km on it now on a massive range of terrain and it's handled it all with aplomb.
I have an 07 Jake the Snake for pretty much the same brief as the OP. Were I replacing it, and I sometimes wonder about it, I can't actually see past the Vapour disc. I used to reckon a CDF was top option, but a bit weighty, whereas the Vapour seems to have sorted that 🙂
Might also be worth a look at http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/bikes/road-bikes/cyclecross-bikes/
The boardmans don't look bad, seen one or two raced.
Genesis just seem heavy to me and dont see the appeal.
as I said - it is the wheelset/tyres.
My croix de fer is 21.5lbs with 105 level kit and BB7s - that's only 2lbs more than my equilibrium which has a carbon fork and no discs.
The vapour is a lot stiffer than the croix and the one I rode had toe overlap for me (56cm with size 42 shoes).
No toe overlap on my 54 croix de fer.
I could say it has steel springiness and comfort (which it does) but the titanium seatpost (as long as a reasonable amount is showing) appears to contribute more to the ride feel.
I have an Orange RX9 (yes, I probably am [i]that[/i] demographic). Great for tours with the missus, nipping to the shop for the 'thing' (steaks today), trails in the forests and generally arsing around. 🙂
i got a Boardman team and i love it. great bike for a bit of everything. i don't use my roadbike or my hardtail now
Don't forget, if going for a new Boardman, that the 2014 models will be out in about 6-8 weeks...well, according to the guy in my local Halfords.
I got mudguards on my cx bike. Clogged up on the first of road ride I did
I'm in the market for a new CX bike (or frame) myself, going to hang on til some of the new 2014 stuff starts trickling in then see a) what's new and b) if there's any deals on 2013 stuff.
Definitely want something with discs though so kind of thinking the 2014 kit may have more disc options than current models.