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tang - MemberMight be over budget but Wouts Colnago gives me shivers.
Pretty sure I had a Raleigh with that colour scheme back in the day.. and come to think about it, I had a shell suit like it too 😳
Got the Alan direct from alanbike.it
Wynne, nice those. Quite fancy one of these...
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That Giant is tempting though. Di2, rotor chainset, in my size, just down the road....
Alan have world heritage on their side, been making CX World champs winning bikes for yonks. Have great reputation and now seen as a "boutique" brand by some. His Alloy bikes are a simple work of fun/function.
The TCX Adv1 off K57's link is an absolute bargain.
I like them, something a little out of the ordinary with excellent pedigree and manufactured in Europe to decent labour and environmental standards.
I have the exact same rim braked Focus Mares, Bikebouy 😀
You can't have it!
Thanks Kryton, bit big, probably a 54/56 for the Crockett.
The TCX Adv1 off K57's link is an absolute bargain.
Think I'm going to go have a look at this ^^^ on the weekend.
I'm pretty gobsmacked with my Crosslight 5T disc. I took a bit of a punt on it based on reputation, and honestly it's soo racy by default it's a shock. I've got the standard build on it (the one shown on the popover on their site) which is basically 5800 and FSA with the crosslight Disc wheels, Spyre C's and Crosswolfs.
It's done some Peaks MTB trails and a bunch of town riding so far, and I'd not hesitate to buy another for the £1300 (topped up c2w voucher). As earlier suggestion, your budget would allow two if you plan to race properly.
I'm 178 and on a 54. Strictly the geo charts say I should be on the next size up, but it woudl honestly spoil the bike I think...
Anyone seen the new Genesis Vaypor? Looks pretty...
http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cyclocross/cyclocross/vapour-cx/vapour-ccx-30
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Think that warrants a closer look.
That Genesis looks too like an mtb frame with the dropped top tube for my liking.
How about:
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Dolan price is nice. Rather like the look of that Genesis though even if it does look a bit xc mtb.
So... where is the cx bike? Plenty of mud around with all this rain!
I'm busy! Went down the LBS last weekend, they'd got the new TCX and Crux but not built up yet. Hope to get to PedalOn this weekend to check out the Trek, Scott and Cannonade options.
Still not 100% sure I want to go CX racing this winter. I could do some wessex league rounds on the MTB, may just do that first.
There's some pretty bikes in this thread! I'm debuting my Scott at Mary Hare 🙂
Ooo what you got crosshair?
Scott Speedster CX 10. It's been my summer road steed for Ride London etc.
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Crosshair, nice. Best of luck at Mary Hare. Better get the knobblies on! Can't make the first few races but hopefully get some in later in the year.
I have just got 2 Trek Crockett 7's. Lovely red colour and come through fantastically well speced with CX1. The ride quality is fantastic, light, fast and nimble.
The money you save over the Boone will leave some of your budget for quality CX Tubs which you WILL need for effective racing in the UK once the slop begins.
I am over the moon with my bikse and couldn't recommend enough.
PlumzRichard , they do look rather good.
Still not 100% sure I want to go CX racing this winter.
I dare you to try one and not be hooked 😆
I thought I would do one or two last winter and became an obsessive!
Ferrals, I'll definitely have a crack at one at least this winter if only to keep things interesting. Figuring a CX bike might also be a nice way to add a bit of off road variety to winter road training too.
Those Crocket 7's, definitely worth a closer look.
Plan I'm debating is a boardman team from halfords and then if I really like cx and get into it upgrading the frame.
A Ritchey 😉 or one of them Bowman bikes (can't remember the model; but they look good)
Was quite interested in that Bowman but got the impression it was more an "adventure" CX bike rather than race CX. Quite pricey too.
Bowmans are bloody lovely bikes, a couple of lads in the Club have then and they're lovely to both look at and ride. True, neither of the lads have CX'ed them, just stuck 28's on them on the road. One is the Pilgrim and the others a Foots Cray though the lad with the Foots will CX it later in the season when back in the country.
Expensive? Well yes, kinda. All depends on what you want on it.
But my choice for a first time CX would be the Disc Focus Mares Ali ^^ I posted earlier. Easily one of the best bikes for usability, ride and cost for both CX riding and easily converted for road hacks.
Thanks bikebuoy. Shall look at the focus but the Crockett does look a favourite right now. Shall take one for a spin when I get the chance.
Btw, any tips for CX sizing? Assuming a little shorter on reach and a bit higher on stack than on the road?
Both my roadie and TCX are mediums, 54" , my roadie is set up with a 120 stem and 42" bars and no stack. My TCX is setup with a 120 stem and 44" bars (short drop) and no stack.
Visually they both look the same if you sit them side by side, except the TCX sits higher on the headset due to the taller head tube. I've tried 42" bars and 110 stem on the TCX but for me it was too cramped, so reverted back to what I have now. I'm an old school roadie by nature, which for my sins means low and long and over the (many) years perfected the setups I have which I can setup by sight on a myriad of different bikes.
I used to XC race years ago too (26" rigid when it was all the rage) and I had a pic of my Klein from back then, I visually made note of the set up from that, tried to transpose that to my current bikes and I reckon my TCX isn't that far away from the setup back then.
What I'm saying is this.. CX racing (proper CX) is hard, fast, whoopy, on/off, mixed terrain fun and you need to be able to honk hard and drive the bike hard, for this (and it's my opinion) I need to sit only slightly more upright than the roadie, for me it's no more than a few cm's, millimetres even. This is just because I'm used to the fit/feel of my bikes over a very long period of time.
Sure, I've seen high stack, short stem, wide bars, small framed bikes for 6ft riders win races, but I've also seen long, low, slack big frames win races with 5'5" riders on too.
But I do ride my TCX on long distance CX events too.. Probably why I just set it similar to the roadie because I know in both disciplines (CX racing and long distance CX) I'll be able to ride it hard for either short or a long time.
I've gone off tangent, sorry. But I guess if you have a bike you like the setup of already, don't go too far away from that setup on your new CX bike. Of course there are many theories and proven ones too, but buy the right size frame first then setup the reach on the seat post, then the stem and finally the bars. If you fancy a smaller frame than what may suit you already (say a 52 rather than a 54) you will end up either cramped and looking for reach, where you may need a much longer stem which may mean you are weight forward on the tops and placing a lot of pressure on your wrists and shoulders. Don't discount comfort when riding hard, with teeth rattling and being bashed on your arse by the seat down a long decent.. Obviously a shorter/smaller bike will feel whippy, maybe.. but I do think you'll miss out on that comfortable "locked down/driving/grinding" position of a mortal size bike for you.
All my opinion obvz, many different views, many more experienced seasoned CX racers on here may give other opinions, I'd like to hear them too because I'm always looking to improve.
Fun isn't it, all this trying out/setting up.. 😆
Thanks bikebouy. Looking at, say, the geo between the TCR and TCX, there's only about 5mm between the stack and reach numbers anyway. I've got a 140 stem with 40cm bars on the TCR but I'd probably want something wider for CX which would probably need a slightly shorter stem. Anyway shall go ride some this week and see how it goes.
Though looking at the training for CX thread earlier today I suspect I'll be rubbish at it anyway 🙂
I've always run identical geometry (where possible).
Sometimes it would mean running a 140+ stem, so i've had to wind it in a bit and compromise!
Mods: apologies if this isn't the done thing and please delete if so...
Can I blatantly plug the 2015 SuperX CX1 I've just put on the classifieds this weekend? Would seem to be right up your street if the sizing is right. I'm not going to be able to race this winter due to injury. Couldn't race last winter either so the bike has basically done nothing since I bought it...
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cannondale-super-x-cx1-2015-56cm-cyclocross-bike-with-new-hope-pro-wheels-1400 ]Cannondale Super X CX1 2015 56cm Cyclocross Bike with NEW Hope Pro Wheels £1400[/url]
Bensales, like that. I'll have a closer look tomorrow.
mrblobby - Member
Bensales, like that. I'll have a closer look tomorrow.
Awesome. (Munged) email is in my profile if you have more questions or want to have a look at it. Cheers.
Still not got one, still want one.
Any reason not to go for a 2016/17 Boone 7 for £2k? Only spec issue I can see is QR rear and post mount brakes.