Cyclo cross

[owen09]

Hi all,

I've been looking at investing in a cyclocross bike; more for light touring and day trips than racing though. Didn't want a full touring bike but wanted more versatillity than I could probably get on a road bike.

Been looking at 1) the Kona Jake
2) the Specialized tri cross sport

I know a some people have been suffering judder in the brakes on the Specialized but I was hoping people could give me a bit of advice on the two of them.

Alternatively, I've been looking at getting a second hand bike as I'd probably get more for my money.

Any advice or suggestion much appreciated, cheers!

[fatboy]

I don't see why a cyclo cross bike is any more versitile than a tourer. They are often little more than stripped down tourers but may not have the necessary braze-ons for mudguards and racks which you may well need for light touring. Why don't you want a tourer? It sounds like you actually should want one for the riding that you've described, light touring and day trips. Just because a tourer comes with guards and racks doesn't mean that you can't take them off. You can also change the tyres to knobblies and you've got to all intents and purposes a cyclocross bike, but one that you can bolt the stuff that you need to go touring with.

Tourers may be unfashionable but don't write them off for the riding you've described. IMHO cyclocross bikes are bit of a passing fad.

[Si]

I think that people like to view cX bikes as having the strength of a tourer, the lightness of a road bike and the off road ability of an MTB: the ultimate do anything bike. But the problem is that in trying to be jack of all trades you end up with a master of none.

For instance it won't be as light as a race bike if you ant the strength, and it won't have the quick handling characteristics of a crit bike if you want it to be stable of road. It won't have the load lugging ability of a tourer or the stability when loaded. And it won't have the off road ability of an MTB because the position is road oriented.

If you want to dabble in all three areas then one of the new do-anything cX bikes might be ideal for you (although some would argue that they are really touring bikes with a cX sticker on them).

If you want something that will be a little better at say, light road riding and light touring then maybe an Audax bike might suit you better. If you want something for heavy touring and a bit of off road then maybe a 26" wheeled expo' bike (it'll often have larger tyre clearances and a lower TT than some tourers). If you want something for more off road and some touring then maybe a rigid MTB with plenty of braze ons (eg Inbred).

So, when you say that you want more "versatility than a tourer", what exactly do you mean - do you want to be able to tour loaded off road, to be able to throw it around and have fun off road, or are you mainly thinking about different types of road riding?

[owen09]

Thanks for the advice both of you.

To answer about a tourer first, I haven't written one off, I was under the impression that they'd be slower than cyclocross for day riding which I'll probably do a lot of. This may not be the case though if I chose carefully, or at least not really an issue and I agree it'd obviously be better when it came to touring. Any suggestions for ones to have a look at which sound suitable?

To answer the second question I wasn't particularly wanting to do much off road, I already have a decent mountain bike. I'm trying to move out of mountain biking really, or at least branch out and enjoy different kinds of cycling so perhaps versatille was the wrong word. I'd be after something fairly fast without panniers as well as stable with (Allthough for the kind of light touring I wouldn't be loading it too havily) something I could have fun with on the road.

I thought a cyclocross sounded suitable for what I wanted but I appreciate it is a bit of a 'jack of all trades' so I'm definitey open to looking at audax bikes, any suggestions of particular models I should look at?

Thanks.

[zonc]

A funny thing...bikes...that is why we have so many of them.

It really depends of what you want to pay. I run a fixed wheel as an audax bike/lightweight tourer but nippier, also have a Colnago c40 - 9 years old but still great for posing and a cyclocross bike for ..cyclocross and roughstuff wilderness guiding and finally a tandem trike for riding with my wife - it has three wheels and three working cranks - my wife use a swinging crank. I could do with more......a decent folder, a mountain bike, a bmx and oh yes and an unicycle....

not very helpful but as you see - horses for courses, bikes for routes taken and planed in the future!

[owen09]

Sounds like you have a fair few bicycles!

I'm reckoning up to about 700, could stretch to 800 but no more really.

[zonc]

Sounds reasonable to me. I would look at used first of all. Either put put a couple of wanted messages on the usual bike web sites and check your local bike shop or club oftentimes folks have stuff to get rid of for lots of reasons. Otherwises people like George Longstaffs have some good used deals. Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

[frank9755]

It sounds like an Audax bike would be the best match for what you want. Something like a Dawes Audax or Ridgeback Horizon. Designed for light touring and fast day rides rather than off-road, and would be within budget. Spa Cycles usually has had the Dawes Audax bikes at pretty keen prices.

[Wesh-Laurence]

I only took up cycling just over a year ago. At one point I had 4 bikes in a very small house and I decided I needed to reduce the number of bikes I have. I recently sold 2 bikes and bought a Specialized Tricross. I now only have 3 bikes, an excellent Mezzo fold up, a hybrid and the Specialized Tricross. If the Tricross can handle the same terrain I was riding on my hybrid (in theory it should) then I'll be able to sell the hybrid and then I will only have 2 bikes. I will keep the fold up because I can put it on all forms of public transport, it's been on the London Underground and trams.

I am planning on cycling from Edinburgh to London on the Tricross soon. It is much lighter than the hybrid and has the braze ons for rear and front pannier racks etc. it also has 9 x 3 gears. As you have concluded yourself it should be lighter than a tourer and should be able to handle some not too rough off road surfaces.

[jamesofyorkshire]

I bought a tri-Cross last year. Put about a thousand miles on it doing day in the Lakes.........then, as I was feeling fit, decided to do LEJoG.Bought a pair of heavy duty wheels fro Spa Cycles and put 700x28 Panaracers on. Bike rolled along much smother and faster without the stock tyres/wheels. I put the bike on eBay when I'd finished as I was going overseas and had nowhere to keep it.
Once I'd put good wheels/tyres and my B17 on it - it was by far the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Longest day in the saddle was 156 miles fully loaded. (stock saddle is crap).

[Millhouse]

I've just got back from a tour of all the historic counties in Wales. I used my Specialized Tricross Sport and towed a trailer with all my camping equipment etc. The bike behaved excellently. Yes the front brakes do judder sometimes, but that hasn't caused me any problems. Yes there is a small amount of toe overlap but again that has not been a problem.
I covered 467 hilly miles over 7 days, some quite tough cycling with strong headwinds. The ride was comfortable and it has a good range of gears to allow me to tackle some serious gradients fully loaded with a trailer.
I fitted mudguards and a rack, both easy to fit. I also changed the chunky tyres for 700x25's for a smoother ride.
Last year I did a 1600 mile camping tour around France, for that trip I used a Ridgeback World Horizon, that too was a great bike but I did alter the gears to give me an extra 'granny' gear for the demanding climbs in the Pyrenees and the Alps.
I enjoy the Tricross because it also handles a bit of rough without any problems.

[arc]

I have a Surly Cross check frame that I built up with a variety of components. I've used it for touring (Austria, Germany and at home), commuting all year (West of Scotland so fairly poor conditions for a bike), winter training, going to the shops and a bit of bridle path/light off road trail riding. Whilst there is always a trade off with trying to obtain a 'jack of all trades' bike, if forced I would keep this one over my other 2 (1930s Rudge Whitworth for leaving at the station over a weekend and a Planet X road bike). In fact my reliance on it persuaded me that we really didn't need 2 cars a couple of years ago.

[owen09]

Its good to hear so much positive feedback on the Tricross as I'm really interested in this bike, hopefully test riding one next week.
Sounds like it works well for some touring too and the toe clearance and brakes aren't a big issue. Changing the brakes would seem to resolve the problem anyway according to the people who have had problems. Thanks for the help.

I'm going to take a proper look at the Dawes Audax next week as well. The Surly is a really nice bike - my brother's just purchased one and he couldn't be happier with it. Just a little above what I want to pay at the moment though.

[jamesofyorkshire]

..........actually, the toe clearance is a bit of a pain - I forgot about that, but still a bloody comfortable bike.
Just took delivery of a Tout-Terrain Silkroad today...........a once in a lifetime 'treat' for me! Love it! Though for the price I'm a bit annoyed I still have to peddle the damned thing..........

[owen09]

Rode one today and I noticed the toe clearance (Allthough on most small frames I think I'd have the same problem!), otherwise it was a great ride
Ordered one in and probably going to purchase it at the weekend.

Cheers for the advice!