CX bikes – what kind of stuff can they handle?

cheapy cross frame and lightweight tub wheels survived a few of these:

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.

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)

Linky no worky.

Nice.

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

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)

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 😛

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

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’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. 😆

[/url]
Col Steps[/url] by 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.