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I stupidly sold my tourer then started a job with a 25mile commute the next week! But I've always fancied a cross bike so think I'll scratch that itch.
But can't decide if buying an old canti-braked one off ebay makes any sort of sense. 90% of it's use will probably be in the summer anyway, so wet braking isn't going to be an issue. And I've a SS hardtail for winter off-road riding. So actually spending more money to make it winter-proof doesn't really make sense. But then equally, my road bike does the commute just fine (in the dry anyway).
So I have a nice summer road bike, and a nice winter MTB, would I ever actually ride a CX bike?
It's funner to ride on MTB trails and faster on any tarmac/flat sections. Make it SS for max hipster / fun points.
Canti for racing - fine - you don't brake a lot and it's lighter and cheaper to fix. For commuting / longer 'gravel' type riding, disc is good, though I'm still not convinced by it on my skinny tubed gravel/tour/audax frame - it becomes really apparent that the forks have to be mega stiff compared to the frame, way more than they would be if it were a canti brake fork, and on braking, it's the frame that's flexing over the front hub rather than the fork... I've even considered putting a canti fork on the front, as SJS cycles do with Thorns.
Nothing wrong with canti brakes. Just be careful that you choose one with a fork-mounted brake cable stop for carbon forks. Get a second set of road wheels with a close spaced cassette for quick swapping and proper road rides.
Here's one I (road) raced earlier...
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Just replaced the cantis with mini-V's on my real cross bike due to fork chatter under braking.
Youl be fine so long as you dont want discs.
I wouldn't touch one - as your last sentence implies, it makes no sense.
They are cheap for a reason...
90% of it's use will probably be in the summer anyway, so wet braking isn't going to be an issue
It'll be fine then. My old cx bike is now my summer dry day commuter. Riding it off road isn't fun though when one is used to the power of disc brakes. That's why I've just bough a disc braked cx bike 🙂
Make it SS for max hipster / fun points.
I was thinking dinglespeed with one commuter (pretty flat) and one hilly gear.
I wouldn't touch one - as your last sentence implies, it makes no sense.
Disk brakes make even less sense though, as I already have a perfectly good rigid winter bike.
DON'T DO IT! 😯 I remember the 90s and we used to just hit into things all the time because before disk brakes were invented bikes couldn't stop. Literally just riding down the road and you'd hit into the house at the end.
My first MTB race was a disaster, huge pileup at the first corner. Wasn't until 2000 that people were able to stop and MTB racing really started to pick up. 😈
Seriously though, properly set up canti brakes are every bit as good as disks. The leverage is massively bigger so the lower pressure is somewhat offset. Just use more than one finger on them and you'll stop fine wet or dry. Also replace the blocks now and then as the rubber hardens over time and gives the impression your brakes don't work
Seriously though, properly set up canti brakes are every bit as good as disks
hahahahahahaha
thisisnotaspoon - Member
Disk brakes make even less sense though, as I already have a perfectly good rigid winter bike.
For a 25 mile commute?
Oh I give up...
Might be good for a more relaxed riding position on that commute, if you're doing it a lot, and maybe a bit of playing.
They'll work fine in the dry if you keep on top of maintenance. In the wet they'll still be alright.
Obviously you don't need it, but you don't need more than one bike, really.
For a 25 mile commute?
Which is almost entirely on-road (so no, not on the winter SS, although with a big gear and SB8's it's not a slouch).
My museing was, is a a cantilever braked CX for commuting (potentially year round although TBH I doubt I'd bother on a wet November day) and summer off-road use only a complete waste of time or will I never miss disks in which case the £££ differential to a new bike with disk brakes is huge and I wouldn't bother getting another bike and just live with the road bike in summer and winter SS for when I can be bothered in winter.
I commuted on a cx bike with cantis for 9 years, wet days and a 4 mile downhill were terrifying and I wouldn't do it again. Off road on anything remotely technical or steep then I don't find that much fun either.
You will miss discs in either of these situations
It makes complete sense.
The main issue here is fitting mudguards over the tyres, whilst still getting decent braking.
Long drop road calipers are all terrible. Cantilever brakes, or much better, mini-V's are a better idea. Plus, you still get to use whatever STI's you like and with some functional road wheels you can swap onto your road bike.
....or just stick some clip-on 'guards on the road bike.
I had this same quandary last year, I wanted to try CX and the bike I wanted was on here in canti version! I took the plunge & fitted TRP CX brakes, no regrets, great stoppers wet & dry!
I've just done this very thing - bought a canti-braked Ridley X-Bow off ebay for £200 as an on/off-road commuter. Disc-braked bikes were double the price and I didn't want to spend too much on something that has a fair chance of being nicked. The rear brake is a bit scary but I'm hoping it'll sharpen up with a bit of TLC. It's definitely taking me back to the exhilarating days of v brakes.