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I got my commuter bike nicked (again) last week so need to replace it.
I'm thinking of building up a cyclocross bike... I don't want to spend anymore than £600 on a frame really as I need to buy wheels too (I have most other bits).
Looking for disc brakes ideally and must have mounts for mudguards.
Any recommendations?
Cheers,
Andy
Are you after trad CX or yer modern gravel cross type?
Here's a few of the latter: Sonder Camino, Cotic Escapade, Kinesis Tripster AT, NS RAG+, Octane One Gridd, Orange RX9... Lots of choice in that price range
FWIW I'm building a RAG+ at the moment and CRC have them on sale at £400. Takes guards and discs but is 1x specific
I've been impressed with my Vitus energie. All the mounts are there, it's pretty comfortable yet still racey enough for the odd cx event.
I bought a Merida cx in alu when I was thinking along the same lines. Very happy with it and ticks all your boxes. Most importantly it's fun enough to ride that I enjoy getting on it even in the cold and wet of winter. Not so relevant if you just need a frame though
Kinesis are doing their CrossLight 5T Disc CX frame with a full carbon fork for £450 (usual price £600) or £375 if you go with the alloy steerer fork.
https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Models/Crosslight/5T-DISC
Not going to get much cheaper or better VFM than that at the moment given it's the start of the CX season so most bikes and frames are full price.
I got my commuter bike nicked (again) last week … I don’t want to spend anymore than £600
Wow, unless somebody beefs up the security I'd be on a scabby old MTB frame from the museum at the back of the garage.
I've been riding a Crosslight Pro6 frame for a few years now. It has all the mounts for guards/carriers/discs. I use it for daily commuting, general riding and the occasional Audax event.
+1 for the crosslight. I've got a pro6 and it has been used for commuting in London, touring, sportives and ragging it around woodlands. It is pretty light for what it is.
It could be improved with bolt-through axles and better tolerances on the disc brake mounts.
Quite happy with my Vitus Energie for road, off road and everything in between. Although not used for commuting yet, as it feels a bit too nice to be subjecting to all the grime and salt of winter!
Another vote for a Kinesis Crosslight pro6 v2, had a 55.5cm one for about a year now, it's great. Seem to be still some out there at sale prices around £450.
Cheers for the ideas. I like the look of the NS Rag, but I have a double chainset so I think thats out.
There is a Vitus Energie carbon frame on CRC for £550 which looks good value - i'm just not sure about carbon for off-road stuff.
I have my eye on the Kinesis CX1 too. So much choice!
The Pro6 is a nice frame - I had one for 4 years - but IMHO there's more versatile frames out there now, especially in terms of tyre clearance
What would you buy then? 🙂
merlin do a few nice commuter builds. There is a cx commuter for £850ish with a good build
Genesis Croix de Fer- with the significant advantage for a commuter of being steel. It's Reynolds 725 and builds up quite light and lively. With a choice of tyres, you can make it surprisingly trail friendly too. Takes discs, double or triple and can be specced with either a steel or carbon fork.
Mine currently has 40mm tubeless and also full mudguards.
Genesis Croix de Fer- with the significant advantage for a commuter of being steel
I had a Croix de Fer before my current frame, and that was a major disadvantage for me. It scuffed up and rusted really badly after a couple of winters of commuting. Aluminium is one of the reasons I switched to the Pro6.
What would you buy then?
The Escapade is very nice and the Sonder looks great value. I haven't seen the Tripster AT in the flesh but have had a few Kinesis frames and liked them.
If I was spending that kind of money I would want thru axle and flat mount
Ns rag plus looks good but seems heavy
Depennding how you feel about Planet X stuff ,the London Road frame comes in cheap.Yes it is a bit lardy ,but I am heading into my second winter on one and it's been good .Taking it on it's first big off road trip at the end of the month,running it on Sammy Slicks and gaurds just now so jst the gaurds to ditch and it's ready to go ..
If I was spending that kind of money I would want thru axle and flat mount
Ns rag plus looks good but seems heavy
Mine has built up into a 10kg bike with middle of the range kit. It's not super light but looks built to take a hammering.
Thru axle - definite functional improvement over QR... Flat mount... Aesthetic improvement only.
I've got a giant tcx slr which doubles up cross racing and commute, and mixed terrain riding. Very happy with it, and I've noticed some good (although above budget ) deals on last year's models.
Shameless hawk of my parts, but if your building up, I'll shortly have some 105 11spd shifters, front mech, and trip hy/rd hydraulica brakes for sale...
Any views on the Vitus currently on offer @ CRC?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-energie-carbon-cr-cx-frameset-2018/rp-prod159580
Thru axle F+R and has mud guard mounts apparently...
Looks canny but I'd want to know what the tyre clearance with mudguards is.
In the spirit of recommend what you have, I will suggest a caad x. I got my 2017 version last year in the sales for 700 quid for a full bike. Had a few cx bikes in the past and the caad x is far nicer. Replaced the heavy wheels and it rides far nicer than the price would suggest.
When the existing groupset wears out ill be hanging some far nicer parts off it as the frame is lovely.
As far as I know the carbon energies don't have mudgaurds mounts only the alu frames do
I have got a caad12 which I love so that't not a bad shout !
I recently bought a 2018 aluminium Focus Mares CX bike from Wheelbase for £999. The frame has mudguard and rack mounts however the fork doesn’t. I figured it is easier to change the forks for some with mudguards mounts should I need to in the future if I use it as a serious commuter.
It features RAT thru axles and flat mount Tiagra hydraulic disc brakes. I changed the 50/34 chainset to 1x. The wheels aren’t tubeless compatible though. The 2017 version has post mount brakes.
There aren’t many in stock around now but you might get lucky.
A discounted Trek Crockett frameset.
So I somehow got carried away and ended up ordering a whole bike.... went for a cannondale caadx se 105 - £900 with topcashback
Purchased on a bit of a whim but we'll see !
You won't regret it. I love mine. If it doesn't come with hydros I assume it will have pro render brakes. If it does that's the only thing that needs immediate attention.. They are awful.
Yeah, wasn't quite the deal I thought as I didnt get the topcashback I thought I would as it was a sale item - doh.
Going to stick with it anyway and yep - it has got spyre-c mechanical discs.... what would you do/get?
Cheers
More gravel commuter than CX but Ribble's new CGR looks tidy and has me tempted for a new commuter.
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cgr-al-orange-shimano-tiagra-1/
it has got spyre-c mechanical discs….
They are far better than pro render ones that came with mine. In fact I have just fitted a set on my caad so hoping for good things.
The search goes on.... I've been told that the bike wasn't infact in stock and is unavailable even after being allowed to go through the whole ordering process, including payment.
Poor service from westbrookcycles 🙁
Disappointed.
What size are you after. Evans have a medium 105 in stock for a grand, with additional 100 quid off if you can somehow find an old hack bike to trade in.
I need a medium/54cm - I was after the 105 se version though.
There is one place which i'm going to try tomorrow.
Cheers