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My brother wants one and has asked me what I'd recommend but I'm not up to speed on this type of bike. So where better to ask than here. HE was going to get an Arkose which I thought were universally liked but he has been put off by a review on Bikeradar (yes, I know) which said the frame is dull and lifeless
See this thread
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/which-1k-cross-bike
Nice one, ta
FWIW - I also found the Arkose didn't really feel like a road bike at any time.
More a commuter/tourer/hack
Lots were recommending the Croix de fer to me too, but my test ride on that felt more like a long distance tourer - no ability to excite.
So I ended up with the Boardman. It's not particularly special, but it feels exactly like I wanted my CX bike to feel - like a road bike on the road, and a lively skippy thing offroad. Love how it encourage me to charge on offroad climbs.
edit:
Bikes I test-road were:
Croix de fer
Boardman CX team (pre hydro)
Arkose
Cannondale CAAD (with cantis)
Why not cable? If you chuck around a quarter of the budget at the brakes /shifters then the frame and wheelset will suffer imo. And I'd say those two were more relevant to how the bike rides. A lot of focus on here with brakes(rim/cable/hydro) and unless you are really going to rag the bike hard, they are for decelerating and cable is more than adequate and I think fairly low maintenance.
From memory, the Bikerader Arkose 2 review was of the fluro yellow one from 2014, since then the frame has been changed (for the better?) for a triple butted design.
Bikearadar did recently do a brief review of the white (with random thin black/blue lines like a kid had scribbled on the frame) Arkose Singlespeed, it was pretty positive.
However, like I commented on the end of that review, why would you pay £850 for it when you could pay £50 more for the Arkose X with 1x10 gearing?
Discovered recently you can upgrade the Hylex "proper" hydraulics to make them STIs, instead of using a bar end shifter, https://gevenalle.com/product/trp-hylex-gear-upgrade/
Choose the right frame/bike first*. Can always exchange brakes.
*Go for a spin on a demo-bike.
When you say 'adventure' what kinds of adventures? Bike-packing on fire-roads and back-lanes? World touring? Easy day out down towpaths? What is most important? Grade:
Low-weight/fast speed
Comfort
Ability to carry gear
I've had a punt at this and to be honest could not really find much £1.2K - £1.5K. The obvious choice is the Genesis CDF 10 (£900), you get a lot spec but the frame suffers, the CDF 20 (£1.2K) gives you a great frame but not the hydros you are after. The CDF30 is all singing all dancing but a whopping £1.5K.
The Light Blue Robinson is a great looking bike too in two specs but again, the top line at £1.5K has the X11 but mech disks. Seems convergence around spec if a few years off. http://www.thelightblue.co.uk/Sport/5LB5RV62O/Robinson-1x-
Nice looking bike though and a bit more unusual than the CDF
I've just started a new job and as I was going to buy one 50% cash/50% interest free, I'll wait until I'm through my probation. I hope that by the time the 2018s are out, the CDF30 will have X10 or X11 too.
The Whyte Friston looks nice in the flesh. Not ridden one though.
That Light Blue Robinson above only has room for 32mm tyres without guards, I looked at the £1k sora version recently but that put me off.
You'll need the Darwin frame for wider tyres - max is 45mm
If you want steel, the Jamis Renegade [url= https://www.evanscycles.com/jamis-renegade-expat-2017-adventure-road-bike-EV275250 ]Expat[/url] will be out in a few weeks. £999 at Evans but Tektro Spyre mech discs. I think a couple of guys on here have them and are quite happy.
Hi all,
I'm 'the brother'. I had a Planet X CX before and while it flew on the road I found it far too harsh off the tarmac (old back injury). I'm after an adventure/gravel bike as I hope I'll be able to do what I want from my next bike which is;
Canal paths, gravel cycle paths etc
Roll reasonably well on road
Drop bars as I (and my back) like riding on the hoods (road bike is a Rose Xeon)
Mudguard mounts for sure
Rear rack mounts would be handy - not that I'm planning much touring, but you never know
Hydro disks (had mechanical disks on the Px, not for me)
Basically am after a bike to mooch about on - I always seem to be somewhere new where I don't really know where I'm going, which is only so much fun on the road bike. Also want to be able to go on training rides round the local water park (Chorlton in Manchester) and canal paths to keep me away from traffic.
Have been looking at the pinnacle arkose 2 and arkose x
Had a brief test ride on the arkose 2, felt alright, nothing special... but I'm definitely looking for comfort over performance.
Basically am after a bike to mooch about on - I always seem to be somewhere new where I don't really know where I'm going, which is only so much fun on the road bike. Also want to be able to go on training rides round the local water park (Chorlton in Manchester) and canal paths to keep me away from traffic.
You could just get a hybrid e,g, Scott Sub Cross
How about [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-kinesis-crosslight-pro6-disc-57cm ]this[/url]
I've been looking for the same thing. The only thing which really comes close at that budget is the on one full monty. QR though 🙁
Still good value at £900
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXFMAPEX1/planet-x-full-monty-sram-apex-1-hydraulic-disc-gravel-bike
Have you looked at buying the Full Monty bundle for £360 http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/ZX302FULLM/planet-x-the-full-monty-alloy-gravel-frame,-carbon-fork--and-fittings-bundle and then sourcing other components yourself, such as maybe a bargain set of wheels in Superstar's 30% off deal?
Or play Russian Roulette with a £250 London Road bundle, that might come with an oval seatpost, or a round seatpost and a seat tube that doesn't have QC issues?
I've ridden one, lovely bike and a good spec. and there are some 10% discount codes floating about at the moment
If you're a back sufferer like myself can I recommend finding a frame and fork that will take decent volume tyres i.e. 38mm+ and trying a cambium saddle?
Helps take a lot of any harshness out.
Choose the right frame/bike first*. Can always exchange brakes.
True up to a point. If you want to upgrade from cable disc to hydro discs, that's new calipers and STIs, so £££!
To add another one in to the mix, a workmate got something very nice from Oro bikes.
If it's comfort you want then I can recommend a Genesis Vagabond, just upgrade to hydros, not so expensive* if you keep the bar-end shifters. No lightweight at around 12kg but the frame (for me) feels nice and the geo is spot on for long tours or dicking about. I ride on the drops most of the time it feels like the natural place to be. Would go so far to say it's equally the most comfortable bike I've ridden (other being an old British Eagle 531st Touristique), and it urges me to go further 'over there' all of the time. Being monstercrossy doesn't harm either, means it's well-suited to all terrain. Currently have 35cs on, hoping to fit some Bluemels guards. .
*TRP Hylex f&r currently less than £200 incl levers.
I was thinking on similar lines but ended up going for a Kona Private Jake with cable disks, thinking I'd upgrade later.
The TRP Spyres have won me over though, double sided 'pistons' means no rub and they are a simple allen key twiddle to adjust clearances (takes literally 15s to adjust out on the trail).
With a light frame and nice Novatec wheelset as standard, plus some tubeless G-One's it's perfect for the type of riding you're suggesting, and a lot of fun!
I ride on the [s]drops[/s] hoods most of the time it feels like the natural place to be.
Edit.
I ride the cross tops (with levers) most of the time downhill because I'm a mountain biker 🙂
That's what's keeping me away from hydro for the time being.
Malvern Rider - good shout, looks bang on for me. Gonna do some ringing around tomorrow and see if I can locate a L or XL 2016...
^ good luck, 2016 models seem pretty thin on the ground now, a few seconds/ex-demos around, ie:
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Down-Tube-Marks-Genesis-Vagabond-Monstercross-Bike-XL-52cm-Minor-Blue-/322398201151?hash=item4b106e253f:g:vPYAAOSwdGFYrJL3 ]Here[/url]
Slightly reduced but should leave enough over for paint-matching and T-Cut 😉
This is in the classified with scope to then complete it and replace some bits within budget :
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/genesis-853-fugio
(nothing to do with me)
if you can stretch to £1499 Rutland have the Genesis Datum 20 down from £2100... had mine a week and it seems to be very nice (bar a slidy saddle & slightly too long stem)
So, thanks to google maps I ended up doing some light offloading on my road bike today (Rose Xeon CDX Di2), apart from having to keep the speed down cause of fretting about punctures, I was surprised at how comfy it was! If I could get bigger wheels/tyres on that it would probably do me... And as my big bro pointed out, that Vagabond is 13KGS, which is pretty lardy... That datum looks nice but I deffo want to keep the bike this side of 1k.
The pinnacle arkose 2 I was initially looking at really leaves me cold (even after a 5 min test ride outside Evans, it just felt dull) but I'm gonna see if I can find a Vagabond to have test ride on and go from there... But I do feel it may just be that bit too heavy to blast along on.
Cheers for the input guys, this will (hopefully) be a bike that I keep for many years so wanna make sure I get it right (especially after the Planet X debacle)