Getting a Cross Bike – Do I need disc brakes?

If you want hydraulics on your crosser then I have to say that the Hope V-Twin is a brilliant system. I have one on my Pro 6 and its very powerful but has great modulation so the braking is very controlable.

Its not light and does look a bit ungainly but i can put up with that.

I have Avid mechanical discs on my X (which is my first cross bike – I do have a number of hydraulic disc equipped mts bikes) and I find they function very well BUT the do not self adjust for wear like hydraulic discs do. On the 3 Peaks this was a right pain – I had to adjust them twice during the ride. No doubt I was dragging the brakes more than some, more cyclocross-adept descenders but I also wore through a fairly new set of pads and ended up with very little braking power by the end. These were the pads that came with the bike – not sure if they were organic/sintered etc and so maybe the new sintered pads I have fitted will last better. Right at the moment though I am wishing I’d gone for cantis or mini-v’s.

“I was thinking of putting a different fork on and trying a front disc.”

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

Could be some bargain canti cross bikes available soon, as people upgrade?

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

I guess nonsense. I’m going to switch the fork on my PX Uncle John to a carbon disc job (prob that nice Spot Brand effort Sideways sell) and put a disc on the back and give it a try. Cheaper than buying a new bike and I can always go back to cantis if I fear for the front of my bike separating from me as I challenge for 4th from last place in the north west cross league.

I’ve one of these – great fun

Is that a Fixie inc? Looks nice!

Can I ask the cross racers (as I haven’traced cross for abouyt 10 years) – do most people still take 2 bikes? With all this carbon, discs etc it must be getting a horrendously expensive form of punishment!

/ old codger mode

do most people still take 2 bikes?

Only the quick lads. And not even all of them.

I take 3 bikes and 6 sets of wheels to big races. Yes it is expensive, but not as expensive as cocaine or owning children of which I don’t partake in either of….

I saw somewhere the suggestion that lots of people were going to rip the front off their cross bikes in the next year or so by doing this. Might be nonsense though.

Been trying to break my bike for ages 😉

You’re right though. The Vapour disc has a tapered head tube to 1.5″ whereas mine (and the current canti one) has 1.125″ all the way. Richpips seemed to get away with a disc fork on his Day One last year.