I'd get a lower bottom bracket version if you plan to use it for a few things and not race cyclocross. And, if you want a deal, I'd consider a frame w/cantilever brakes since those are losing favor compared to discs unless you really want them given the rainy conditions in the UK.

Can't speak for local to you deals, but Redline, Felt, Fuji all make decent lower cost cross bikes. Ridley's are well known and can be a good deal, but their geometry is best for cross racing as the older models tend to have higher bottom brackets which I do not prefer.

Competitive Cyclist has some good last year deals sitting around, so that's worth a look and on some of the UK sites like Total Cycling, you'll see some Guerciottis which are decent if the geometry fits you.

j

I concur. You shouldn't have any problems getting a good bike for 1000 bucks. You could shop the second-hand market - CX seems to have a pretty high turnover rate, but seeing as the season is starting up, the prices might be higher right now than if you were looking in early Spring.

I have both built up my own cross bikes for over $2k ( an Orbea) and under $1000 (an unmarked frame). I also have a cross bike from Raleigh that is great -- I think they make excellent bikes. Redline is another brand (in the US at least) that makes a great $1000 cross bike.

With my Raleigh, it was a bit over $1000 and over time I have swapped a few parts to upgrade an excellent baseline bike. Highly recommended brand.

I just got an aluminum Felt 65x with SRAM. Got it for $1400 on sale. Really love it and I am able to explore some great dirt roads.

Raleigh is turning out some really nice cross bikes these days, another good value is the Diamondback, as others have already mentioned Fuji and Redline are also good values.

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http://www.instagram.com/cyclewise

I just picked up a Raleigh Tamland 1 this past spring and have been loving it. Not quite a cross bike but has been handling great on grass, gravel, and single track. I pick it since it also has all the mounts for fenders and racks if I ever feel the need to tour. It is quite heavy though, so if your looking from something light steer clear of this steel frame.

I have a Ridley for sale.......good deal at $675 and amazingly clean.

If you are eligible for the cycle to work scheme I would definitely use it to buy new something like this http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/...ogate-road-bike-sale. Cycle to work effectively gives another 15% off the bike so buy using it on a sale bike you can get a great deal. Also while I am not advocating Specialized I had a much better experience redeeming the cycle to work scheme from them than I did from Evans. As for PX there frames lack some of the bells and whistles of high end names brand frames but are every bit as good anything else on the market at the price range. The only drawback to PX is that at the moment all there CX bikes have disk brakes so you wont be able to swap wheels you already have. I like the ability to switch setups between road winter trainer and true off road CX with a quick wheel swap rather tire switched but thats a personal thing.

Totally do it....

Get the best cannondale disc model you cAn afford...
And that's from someone who scored a Spec crux red disc 3 months ago and rates it really highly.... It was on a rediculous sale after the SRAM red disc fiasco.... 30% off.... This years model...

Anyhow do it... Enormously versatile and fun bikes to use....

FWIW


I HAD a 2011 high end redline cross bike for a few years (conquest pro I think)...and it was not that great. This was before their high end models were full carbon. Heavy and the BB was the most flexy of any bike I've had. If you're just getting it for winter training that stuff might not matter to you, but as someone whose been there I thought I'd share my $0.02.

thanks for your thoughts guys.


i'm now thinking that i'll invest in a decent cross bike and split my time through the winter between that and the TT bike on the turbo, rather than use the road bike much, and just ride a mixture of road and trails and save the turbo for some specific stuff.


looking at either;


- Specialized Crux Elite Carbon Evo 2015
- Cannondale SuperX Carbon SRAM Rival 2015


again, i'm not too sure what to look out with on a cross bike in terms of wheels, brakes and other components. i'll hopefully be able to sit on both and see how the feel to make a decision, but any thoughts?


the specialized looks like a road focussed cross bike, where as the cannondale is a full on cross bike from what i've read - not sure exactly what makes this the case for either, both have road looking frames with bigger tyres on!


i think i'm too swayed by how good looking the specialized is to make a sensible decision.

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Feel the Speed

Apologies for newbie bike knowledge, but if you have a CAADX for example can you put on small diameter tires or swap out the wheels to sort of turn it from a cross bike into something a bit quicker on the road? Realizing the geometry may be a bit dif between a CAAD10 and X, but would it work? I was wondering how to get the max range of tire size on a frame for flexibility, any opinion?

2 answers for both posters:

1) Those are both good bikes, get the one that fits your desired geometry better and / or the best deal. I have not ridden either for an extended period, and am more familiar with the Crux. It is very nice. Cannondales are also nice but with appreciably different geo. Two quality companies who both have been in the cross game for a bit so it's more about what fits, what you like, and pricing.

2) You do not need separate wheels to ride a cross bike on the road if you aren't ready for that investment. You need TIRES. Think of cross bikes as altered geometry road bikes with better tire clearance. A 23 or 25 race tire on a decent set of wheels will make a good cross bike nearly as fast as a typical road frame. The caveat - the geometry, parts and weight are a little different so it's not going to be as quick a set-up, but nearly so. Generally slacker head tubes (less quick steering), longer wheelbase (slightly slower handling and less "nimble" but stable).

Many have two sets of wheels for cross bikes to do dual purpose (off road and road, or training and race) and / or serve as pit wheels in a race in case you flat. Really the only thing you need to do is change tires from one tread pattern to another to get the capability you want. Road tires for road training, heavy tread for muddy days, lighter tread for mixed terrain, etc.

Oh, and tire pressure is very important. If you are using road tires and plan to be solely on the road, use typical road pressures. Cross tires and course conditions dictate what pressures you will use and they are much lower than the road. For example, I ran 38-40 pounds of pressure yesterday for fire road trails in some fairly wide volume cyclecross tires (38s).


J

does anyone know anything about the Vitus brand? Only heard that they're an old French brand, but don't know anything about their reputation.....

looking at their carbon cross bike;

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-energie-vr-carbon-cyclo-x-bike-2014/rp-prod107018


seems like good value, but don't know what they're like for flexy carbon, handling, fit, etc.

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Feel the Speed

Look at the Specialized Crux E5. If you can get one a year or two old, its a solid bike at about that price. Aluminum frame, canti brakes and you're set.

I built up an empella bonfire sl with 105 parts, fsa cranks and fulcrum cx 7 wheels for about 700 U.S. all parts came off ebay, some new, some used