Cyclo-cross newbie – best choice for under £1000

peterjigsaw · 2015-08-10T15:56:13+01:00

This is my first post, so be gentle!!!! I'm looking to get my first cyclo-cross bike, so I can go riding with my young kids as they continue to grow and also do some more serious riding alone on a mixture of tarmac, gravel and grass tracks. I'm attracted to a cyclo-cross bike because of the flexibility - change the wheels quickly to give it more of a road bike edge or leave it in cyclo-cross mode for all-round ability. A hybrid would be the other alternative, but I've never much liked the more upright position. So, having had a good look around, I'm trying to narrow down to a few definitive possibles. I live in a pretty hilly area, so need good hill climbing scope, and preferably the bext all-round kit for the money - budget £1000. As of now, I've been looking at the: - Cannondale Caadx 105 disc - Giant TCX SLR2 - Norco Search S1 - Pinnacle Arkose 3 or 4 I've discounted the Boardman CX Team on the basis of so many negative reports on build quality. I know everyone waoul probably have a different view, but assuming you were buying a CX bike for someone else and didn't want to be shot-down for getting them something awful, what would you choose for them? Thanks in anticipation of feedback.

This topic has 7 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 11 months ago by Vejnemojnen.

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August 10, 2015 at 3:56 pm #24585

peterjigsaw

This is my first post, so be gentle!!!!

I’m looking to get my first cyclo-cross bike, so I can go riding with my young kids as they continue to grow and also do some more serious riding alone on a mixture of tarmac, gravel and grass tracks.

I’m attracted to a cyclo-cross bike because of the flexibility – change the wheels quickly to give it more of a road bike edge or leave it in cyclo-cross mode for all-round ability. A hybrid would be the other alternative, but I’ve never much liked the more upright position.

So, having had a good look around, I’m trying to narrow down to a few definitive possibles. I live in a pretty hilly area, so need good hill climbing scope, and preferably the bext all-round kit for the money – budget £1000.

As of now, I’ve been looking at the:
– Cannondale Caadx 105 disc
– Giant TCX SLR2
– Norco Search S1
– Pinnacle Arkose 3 or 4

I’ve discounted the Boardman CX Team on the basis of so many negative reports on build quality.

I know everyone waoul probably have a different view, but assuming you were buying a CX bike for someone else and didn’t want to be shot-down for getting them something awful, what would you choose for them?

Thanks in anticipation of feedback.
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August 12, 2015 at 9:32 am #856575
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Vejnemojnen

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/pr
http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/cross-bike/?order=aprice#anchor_products

Rose Pro DX 2000

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/felt-cyclocross-f65x-230899/wg_id-40

Felt F65

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/fuji-cross-1.3-260067/wg_id-40

Fuji Cross 1.3

August 12, 2015 at 8:20 am #856573
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Chris James

I used the multi cross as the
I used the multi cross as the basis of my build too. It is a bit lady for a race machine but I have taken it to Glentress etc so it can certainly take some punishment.

August 12, 2015 at 12:03 am #856571
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Redvee

A friend has just bought a
A friend has just bought a 2015 Felt F65x from Wiggle for £850: 105, internal cables, TRP Spyre discs. Unfortunately Wiggle no longer sell them.

August 11, 2015 at 10:49 pm #856569
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Beefy

Have you considered the Dolan
Have you considered the Dolan Multi Cross? I bought the frameset from Dolan and built it up myself. Coped well around Grizdale and coniston in Lakes as an off roader while was a worthy winter bike with a change of wheels last winter. Mr Dolan does design fine frames and his full bike prices are vert competative

August 11, 2015 at 10:17 am #856567
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Anonymous

I have a Boardman CX Team and
I have a Boardman CX Team and there’s nothing wrong with the build quality, but the BB5 brakes are crap because they only have one ‘moving’ side.

I’d probably go for the Pinnacle Arkose Three from that list – at £850 at the moment it’s a bargain and the 34/32 bottom gear will get you up almost anything.

Worth looking at the Planet X London Road too –
£799 with Rival gears and BB7 cable discs, http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV/planet-x-london-road-sram-rival-22-road-bike
£999 with hydraulic discs http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIVHRD/planet-x-london-road-sram-rival-22-hydraulic-disc-road-bike

August 11, 2015 at 10:14 am #856565
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jason.timothy.jones

I agree on the build quality
I agree on the build quality of the CX team, however the build quality is a Halfords issue, not a Boardmans one… that’s why I ordered mine boxed and built it myself, I think it’s a quality bike for its price.

August 11, 2015 at 8:49 am #856563
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Chris James

Proper cyclocross bikes
Proper cyclocross bikes usually have a 46/36 chainset. You may find the big ring a bit small if you intend using the bike for fast riding on the road, with road tyres. On the other hand, if you actually fancy racing cyclocross then a 50 tooth ring is too big for most people.

Also, if you plan on swapping tyres back and forth (road tyres and nobblies) then it can be convenient to have two sets of wheels. Most people have some old road wheels knocking around but might not have a spare set of disc ready wheels.

I believe the Spyre brakes are supposed to be better than BB7s.

I was in the same position as you a couple of years ago. Now both my kids (aged 7 and 9) race cyclocross, and so do I. I built my own bike – it is cheap and cheerful with cantis and I don’t worry too much about destroying it. In my experience tyre selection and pressure matters more to off road performance than minor changes in the specification of the drive chain.
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