Anyone got a Tricross?
Discussion
I'm looking a buy a Specialized Tricross at the moment with the cycle to work scheme, and I was wondering if any owners could share their thoughts on owning one?
I've read quite a few things on the internet about them and have talked to the staff at the local bike shop and they seem just about perfect for what I want a bike to do - which is mainly the ride to work (3.5 miles on road and cycle paths), longer road rides after work and at the weekend, and be able to ride the odd bridleway/track.
The main question I have is how far off road can you go? I guess it would cope with something like this no problem?
The guy at the bike shop suggested it would even be able to do the North Face trail at Grizedale "providing your bike handling skills are up to it" - hmmm, not at the moment!
I've read quite a few things on the internet about them and have talked to the staff at the local bike shop and they seem just about perfect for what I want a bike to do - which is mainly the ride to work (3.5 miles on road and cycle paths), longer road rides after work and at the weekend, and be able to ride the odd bridleway/track.
The main question I have is how far off road can you go? I guess it would cope with something like this no problem?
The guy at the bike shop suggested it would even be able to do the North Face trail at Grizedale "providing your bike handling skills are up to it" - hmmm, not at the moment!
I can't remember the exact model of tyres. I think they are Spesh branded, they came with the bike.
The wheel set is heavy, but I've battered that bike and they're still true.
The brakes are a little s
t in anything other than dry, and don't get the 'chicken' levers fitted if you get given the choice. They ruin the cable lines and don't work well at all.
I've never done any maintenence on the bike as it's single speed. It's truely a ride to work, through it in the garage and forget about it till Monday bike.
The wheel set is heavy, but I've battered that bike and they're still true.
The brakes are a little s
t in anything other than dry, and don't get the 'chicken' levers fitted if you get given the choice. They ruin the cable lines and don't work well at all. I've never done any maintenence on the bike as it's single speed. It's truely a ride to work, through it in the garage and forget about it till Monday bike.
I've got a geared one and it suits me fine.
I use it predominantly on road and for that it's spot on. I did a 100 mile event on it last year (Brighton 100) and felt surprisingly fresh at the end of the day whereas my mate on his pure race bike was feeling pretty beaten up!
I have taken it off road but would say that the standard spesh tyres (Boroughs?) do not cope at all well in the mud ! But for a bit of hardpacked bridleway I imagine they would be no problem.
I use it predominantly on road and for that it's spot on. I did a 100 mile event on it last year (Brighton 100) and felt surprisingly fresh at the end of the day whereas my mate on his pure race bike was feeling pretty beaten up!
I have taken it off road but would say that the standard spesh tyres (Boroughs?) do not cope at all well in the mud ! But for a bit of hardpacked bridleway I imagine they would be no problem.
Thanks all 
swerni said:
The other added benefit is if you get more into road riding you can just change the tyres to some slicks and you are sorted.
That's the plan - next year I'll buy a proper MTB through the cycle to work scheme and then I'll use the Tricross primarily for road riding - although around here there isn't much different in surface quality between on- and off-road at the moment..!
swerni said:
it would make a huge difference.
Over a 25 - 30 mile ride I can average 18mph on mine with road tyres on
Yer OK Over a 25 - 30 mile ride I can average 18mph on mine with road tyres on
A bike will support you and make life easier but it wont make those 30 miles flyby and get you averaging 18mph if you found a 30 mile bike ride hard (which if your getting back into cycling would be)
I about average that on my carbon road bike over 30 - 40 miles.
the thing that people forget about cx bikes is that they are designed for things like this:
and this:
whilst they look like beefed up road bikes, there are som subtle geometry differences and some much stronger components. having seen a few cx races, the bikes take immense punishment, so most bridlepaths in the UK would be more than rideable on a tricross. it just takes a while to get used to the narrow bars.
and this:
whilst they look like beefed up road bikes, there are som subtle geometry differences and some much stronger components. having seen a few cx races, the bikes take immense punishment, so most bridlepaths in the UK would be more than rideable on a tricross. it just takes a while to get used to the narrow bars.
Cheers everyone, the Raleigh looks good but I'm not sure where I could see one in real life and I'd rather do that before I buy one!
I went and found another LBS this weekend that had a Tricross that was actually the right size for me, and I've made my mind up I want one now. I have a couple of questions though:
1. What tyres is everyone using? The standard ones look OK but I've read about them picking up punctures quite easily and would like to put some decent tyres on that have some sort of puncture resistance!
2. The first bike I saw had just the one set of brake levers, but the second one also had 'suicide' levers on the tops. These look like a great idea but they had a yellow sticker on them saying that with them fitted the brakes didn't conform to British Standard 3 thousand and something. Is this something to worry about? I've read the brakes aren't great but do these extra levers make them that much worse?
Ta!
I went and found another LBS this weekend that had a Tricross that was actually the right size for me, and I've made my mind up I want one now. I have a couple of questions though:
1. What tyres is everyone using? The standard ones look OK but I've read about them picking up punctures quite easily and would like to put some decent tyres on that have some sort of puncture resistance!
2. The first bike I saw had just the one set of brake levers, but the second one also had 'suicide' levers on the tops. These look like a great idea but they had a yellow sticker on them saying that with them fitted the brakes didn't conform to British Standard 3 thousand and something. Is this something to worry about? I've read the brakes aren't great but do these extra levers make them that much worse?
Ta!
I heard the same thing about these brakes too but if they are set up correctly I think they are great. If I have a choice i'll grab a handfull of these every time over the drop bar Ultrega brakes.
Currently have these as the levers:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tektro/rx-2-0-...
With the Frogglegs cantilever brakes in place... if you put your mind to it you can do an endo on the front brake alone!
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/products.asp?part...
These brakes are all about the set up... do it right and they are amazing, wrong and you'll be on here telling everyone how dissapointed you are, see Sheldons explanation.
http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html
Currently have these as the levers:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tektro/rx-2-0-...
With the Frogglegs cantilever brakes in place... if you put your mind to it you can do an endo on the front brake alone!
http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/products.asp?part...
These brakes are all about the set up... do it right and they are amazing, wrong and you'll be on here telling everyone how dissapointed you are, see Sheldons explanation.
http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html
CooperS said:
swerni said:
it would make a huge difference.
Over a 25 - 30 mile ride I can average 18mph on mine with road tyres on
Yer OK Over a 25 - 30 mile ride I can average 18mph on mine with road tyres on
A bike will support you and make life easier but it wont make those 30 miles flyby and get you averaging 18mph if you found a 30 mile bike ride hard (which if your getting back into cycling would be)
I about average that on my carbon road bike over 30 - 40 miles.
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