CX frames

[Dazzlin]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a carbon cx frame and use on the road with road tires and dbl chainset etc..
Saw a cube cx today the guy who owned it said he uses it as a road bike and it performs better than his road m/c.
Have been told they reinforce lugs b/b and head tubes,sounds perfect for British roads.
Planet X XLS sounds perfect and frame is only 1700 gr.
Any help would be great.

[interestedcp]

I don't see any advantage in buying a CX bike for the use you describe, that is regular road use with "skinny" road tyres.
At least be aware that so called CX bikes comes in two styles; racing and what is "A road bike that can use tyres wider than 28mm", perhaps better called a "gravel bike" or "ATB All Terrain Bike" or similar.

The racing CX bikes usually have a very forward, aggressive position, meant for going all hammer and tongs for a couple of hours, not being comfortable for all day riding, since CX races tend to be short affairs.
So they usually have a very short top tube and steep angled seat post. If you got a road bike already, try position yourself so you can clearly see the entire front hub above the handlebar to get a sense of the position.

Also, some racing CX bikes also have low BB drops for better clearance when bunny hopping obstacles, which means the centre of gravity is higher than on a road bike.

Even tyre clearance often isn't so good on racing CX bikes, since UCI have banned tyres wider than 33mm.

The above is somewhat simplified, but don't just buy a CX frame unless you have an opinion about its frame geometry.

As for frame strength, I wouldn't worry about getting a race bike; they are meant to ridden hard all day long by strong riders. Wheels are by far the weakest link on modern bikes, not frames.

[iandriver]

Been riding cross bikes for years and echo the above. My first cross bike didn't even have bottle cage bosses, as races are only an hour, carrying water wasn't deemed necessary. The right one can be an exceptionally flexible and fun bike, but they do need care when choosing.

[The utility cyclist]

One persons interpretation of what makes a better ride isn't necessarily going to be the same for anyone else. If they have put wider tyres and maybe set the bike up differently to their so called 'racing' bike then it's virtually impossible to compare, and what exactly does 'performance' mean, faster, comfier, better handling, in what situations/conditions?

I've bought a NOS Spesh Sirrus Pro Carbon Ltd frameset recently, it's the same modulus as their second rung Enduro Pro from a couple of seasons back (just below the S-Works). I expect it will be more hard wearing in some regards to my racing bike but for outright performance I can't see it being better. Comfier maybe because I'll be fitting 40mm tyres to it.

Don't get duped on the back of one persons say so, buy a bike that suits best to what you are mainly going to use it for.

[Gattonero]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a carbon cx frame and use on the road with road tires and dbl chainset etc..
Saw a cube cx today the guy who owned it said he uses it as a road bike and it performs better than his road m/c.
Have been told they reinforce lugs b/b and head tubes,sounds perfect for British roads.
Planet X XLS sounds perfect and frame is only 1700 gr.
Any help would be great.

is this the roads you're going to ride?

if yes, than you need a CX bike, otherwise a road bike with enough clearance is more than enough.

Unless you are to jump with your bike, there's no need for "reinforcing lugs" as the manufacturers do state clearly what use the bike is designed for, and make it safe to international standards.

Also, just noticed that frame you've linked does not have mudguard mounts, so it's not great for British roads!

[LinusR]

This is my Cannodale CAADX with Shimano Tiagra gears. I bought it for day rides off-road on bridleways and byways. I made some modifications: longer cage rear derailleur to accept 32 and 34 cog rear cassettes, and swapped the 36 inner chainring for a 34 tooth; and installed better disc brake calipers. I've also fitted full mudguards and I use the original set of wheels with 28mm tyres for winter and general riding with a saddlebag. I built a second set of wheels with 35mm tyres for off-road riding.

It's one of the best bikes I've ever owned.

I have now ditched my steel Condor Fratello light touring bike which I also used for winter rides. The CAADX has a longer wheelbase, no toe-overlap even with mudguards (unlike the Condor), and was a lot cheaper.

I agree with much of the comments above about some CX bikes, but the CAADX is an entry-level CX bike and appears to have fairly relaxed handling and designed to be versatile. It's great for long day rides using a mix of on- and off-road surfaces.

[SmilerGB]

I bought a second hand cyclocross not so long ago for winter commutes enabling me to cut through estates & parks & for some light off roading its great fun, but if your sticking to roads, a road bike will be more then good enough.

Maybe you should adjust your position for a more relaxed/comfortably one, or consider a hybrid bike instead of a cyclocross.