What Cyclocross bike. ~ £1300

[Dixie]

Hi,

Mate of mine is looking to buy his forst Cyclocross bike for a bit of touring and maybe the odd race. He's liking :-

http://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/crosslight/pro...

I thought i'd run it by the masses on here as i bought the bike i have today as a direct result of a post on here.

Cheers,

Matt.

[itsnotarace]

As an alternative and under budget

http://www.cannondale.com/gbr/2013/bikes/road/cycl...

The Boardman CX bikes are also well rated

[anonymous-user]

I'm a self confessed fan boy so default is the Cotic X, loads of people race on Kenesis though so they work from that point of view. I'd also look at Ridley given cx is what the Belgians do best. As a more mainstream option, the Cannondale CaaD X is pretty popular too.

[itsnotarace]

Good shout on Ridley

Stevens also do some tasty CX bikes, this is 60 quid over budget but reduced from £1600 with Ultegra 6700

http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/products.asp?cate...

[MadDad]

I have the 2012 CAADx 105 and really rate it. Very capable, very comfy, fast, handles very well - I have to admit that I was tempted by the Cotic and Kenisis but my LBS had the CAADx in stock so I was able to try before I bought it.

[BadgerBenji]

Good timing on your friends behalf. I ride a Cannondale SuperX, have ridden a CaadX as well, which is a very good bike, with a quality frame. The CaadX is slightly more sat up due to a slightly shorter top tube and a longer head tube. Handling is still spot on.

There are alot of second hand bikes up for grabs as well, as cross race season is just coming to an end.

Another one worth a look is the LaPierre, aluminium frame carbon forks, and 105, some places have them reduced to £800 from the £1100 they were.

[mikecassie]

I've recently bought the Stevens vapor, cracking bike and good spec for the money with the Ultegra. I'd easily recommend Hargroves for quick delivery too.

[BPC7]

I was toying with the idea of a CX bike too. The Carrera MTB I first bought which started this expensive re introduction into cycling never gets used and its too heavy anyway. Is it better to have disc or rim brakes bearing in mind its use on tracks will be very limited, more of a really bad weather bike.

Why do some have straight bars and not drops?

[seadragon]

I 2nd the Genesis Croix De Fer, I have owned one. The 2013 Model looks amazing in black too :-)


http://www.epic-cycles.co.uk/Genesis_Croix_de_Fer....

[Antony Moxey]

Recently got myself a Spesh Tricross Elite as a commuter/winter bike. Working well so far, especially with mudguards and is saving getting my Roubaix (and me) plastered in muck. Cost £1200 for a 2013 model but there are a couple of cheaper versions within the range - I think the cheapest one is the only one without discs.

[rhinochopig]

What do people think of the Focus Mares? Seems well spec'd for the money.

[BadgerBenji]

rhinochopig said:

What do people think of the Focus Mares? Seems well spec'd for the money.

Good bikes, got a good race pedigree as well, and if you are into Rapha they do some matching kit/bike combo.

[BadgerBenji]

BPC7 said:

I was toying with the idea of a CX bike too. The Carrera MTB I first bought which started this expensive re introduction into cycling never gets used and its too heavy anyway. Is it better to have disc or rim brakes bearing in mind its use on tracks will be very limited, more of a really bad weather bike.

Why do some have straight bars and not drops?

Disc or rim, now theres a question, personally happy on rim brakes, some have discs and love them, when it's very wet the pads can be an issue, this was particularly the case at the US nationals on one of the days, the pads were wearing that quickly they were having to change bikes to get a bike that had working brakes, but that's racing and probably an extreme case.

As for drops or flats, it's personal preference really, I like drops, the position suits, and multiple hand positions to get comfy on and they are usually thinner than flat bars so smaller gaps can be squeezed.

If you are only going to be using it as a bad weather bike, it's really going to come down to personal preference and which one you feel comfortable on when you sit on it.

[bga]

rhinochopig said:

What do people think of the Focus Mares? Seems well spec'd for the money.

I had one a couple of years ago. Seemed decent enough but have subsequently ride Genesis & Kinesis bikes that were similar cost but IMO better bikes.

[rhinochopig]

bga said:

rhinochopig said:

What do people think of the Focus Mares? Seems well spec'd for the money.

I had one a couple of years ago. Seemed decent enough but have subsequently ride Genesis & Kinesis bikes that were similar cost but IMO better bikes.

Thanks Benji / BGA. I have an old kinesis Hardtail MTB which I have to say I absolutely love. Cracking frame. Good to know their CX frames are up to the same standard.

[Barbarossa]

Check out this site Shop4Cross. Ridley X-Ride would be in budget.

[Gizmoish]

Did someone say discs or cantis?

Oh dear.

Shall we debate helmets, carbon fibre or the Rules next?

[MadDad]

BadgerBenji said:

BPC7 said:

Is it better to have disc or rim brakes

Disc or rim, now theres a question, personally happy on rim brakes

I am very happy with rim brakes on mine but I have to say that on long downhills they can smell a bit! I did The Ridgeway in March last year, very cold, very wet, I needed to ride the brakes a bit - rims were steaming by the bottom of the long descent and my legs were covered in black gunge from the rims (handbuilt Mavic Open-Pros on 105 hunbs).

Depends on your style of riding, if I could buy again I would probably go for discs........

[BPC7]

Thanks for the sensible answers to my questions, always nice to have opinions rather than childish replies by certain members, mention no names (Gizmoish)!

[2volvos]

There's a review of three cyclo cross bikes in this month's Cycling Active magazine from Lapierre, Kinesis and Saracen. Nothing on their website though so a trip to Smiths beckons if you want to look.

http://www.cyclingactive.com/news/cycling-active-f...