I bought a PX UJ frame a year ago, and have built it up as a commuter. It has RS11 wheels and reasonable kit. It feels sluggish and dead, and I a not sure if this is down to the frame material (ally), geometry (it has long chainstays), or the wheels/kit on it. Other people tell me that their CX bikes are quick, nippy and lively (cAAD X for example), but I have never ridden one of those so it’s hard to judge). What are people’s experiences of the Uncle John as a bike?

Thanks

I like mine a lot.

Built it up 18 months ago as a winter road bike.

Disc brakes, Full mudguards etc. Open Pro rims with GP 4 Season tyres.

Rides like a nice road bike. Climbs well.

Would be pretty happy with it as my only road bike.

What are you comparing it against?

RS11’s are heavy heavy wheels.

One of the guys doing that audax filmed for the Adventure Show was on an UJ so cannot be all bad.

They don’t make great road bikes to be honest.
I tried to use mine (which is my spare cx bike, for sale as it happens) as a winter road bike & simply didn’t like it. Offroad it’s great, but on the road not so. Geometry just doesn’t seem right, too short in the top tube for my liking for on road. Good excuse for another bike too…

They are a deliberately “tall” frame to make shouldering easier.
That’s where sizing issues crop up sometimes. Which could result in dissapointing performance.
Heavy wheels won’t help.

That explains a lot, thanks. Looks like I need to get lighter wheels, turn it into a CX bike proper, and buy some kit. Then a winter commuter is needed.

I already have 6.5 bikes – when is enough? (She sort of wants a tandem so we can go out together. I can see + and – points for this!

when is enough?

Does not compute..

I found mine small & difficult to shoulder, especially compared to my Ridley, but I suppose it’s all down to personal experiences.

Love mine.

Mine’s about to celebrate it’s third birthday and it’s been the most used bike I’ve ever owned/built. It does winter training/commuter duties with full mudguards, then I put a rack on and go touring with it in summer. I’ve never raced cross on it but I have done 100 mile chunks of the Trans-Pennine Trail and such like on it and I’ve generally taken it down paths that I used to think I’d need a MTB for.

Admittedly it’s a fair bit heavier than my Boardman carbon road bike, but it rides great in whatever mode I’ve got it in!

I’ve built some decent Open Pro wheels for it and that probably helps.