# Contemplating a Cyclocross



## Ruary (3 Sep 2013)

I'm contemplating a new bike, I do a bit of XC on my MTB and commute over some rough roads most mornings, the road bike it taking too much of a hammering on the commute and the MTB has seen better days so I'm considering a cyclocross.
Don't really want to break the bank so hoping getting something half decent for sub £700 is possible since I'm not intending racing, I've been and had a test of ride of a Revolution Cross Sport and it felt pretty good (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/pro...sport-13?bct=browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes) the salesman mentioned that although they didn't have one in the shop for the same money I could get a 2011 Specialised Tricross Sport (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/pro...rt-27-11?bct=browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes) which has left me in a bit of a dilemma, I've asked them to get one in so I can have a test but I've ridden afew specialised on the road and wasn't that comfortable with them. Trouble is most of the reviews seem to rate the tricross well and in truth I can find that much opinion of the Revolution so I'm a bit stuck.
Hoping someone might have an opionion or other options that might help
Thanks


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## HorTs (3 Sep 2013)

I haven't tried the cyclocross Revolution bike but if it's anything like their touring range then I only have praise.


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## Howard (3 Sep 2013)

I can't help but feel that these 'which cyclocross bike should I buy that I won't actually use for cyclocross' threads might be better served in a different sub forum?


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## Howard (3 Sep 2013)

That's OK - if you have questions about actual cyclocross, post away 

There's a lot of knowledge about commuters in the commuting threads I'd guess - the responses to 'which commuter bike' would recieve meatier responses there I'd wager. Here the OP might be missing out.


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## Rob3rt (3 Sep 2013)

Howard said:


> I can't help but feel that these 'which cyclocross bike should I buy that I won't actually use for cyclocross' threads might be better served in a different sub forum?



We should also take the time to acknowledge that the Tricross is not a proper CX bike!


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## sazzaa (3 Sep 2013)

I'd probably go for one with disc brakes.


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## Howard (3 Sep 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> We should also take the time to acknowledge that the Tricross is not a proper CX bike!



You purist


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## VamP (4 Sep 2013)

Rob3rt said:


> We should also take the time to acknowledge that the Tricross is not a proper CX bike!



Having said that I saw (with some degree of bewilderment) a guy at one of the races last year with not just one, but two spanking new Tricrosses all kitted out like Sven Nijs. Talk about getting hold of the wrong end of the stick!


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## Ruary (4 Sep 2013)

Sorry, I just put this in the Cyclocross forum coz I though I'd get more response from folk in the know, although it will be used for daily commuting the a fair proportion of it's use will be on cross country rides, I'd doubt I'll do any racing, mainly down to my lack of pace, but I said that about my MTB as well and that changed, I might have been terrible at it but it was fun!
Thanks for you help


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## Kevin Alexander (4 Sep 2013)

Only had one CX - Cannondale Caadx Sora 2014 and cant only say its brilliant, I have roads where the road is full of small stones and can be dicey but the bike holds it own due to the grip.


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## Snapper88 (4 Sep 2013)

I've got a Whyte Kings Cross absolutely love it although I haven't been off road I've been on some pretty rough roads. Think Leisure Lake now has Kings Cross in the sale.
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/10594/whyte-kings-cross-cyclocross-road-bike-2013-sale


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## Joey Shabadoo (4 Sep 2013)

I love my Tricross. It's as fast as me and a bit more rugged.


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## mustang1 (4 Sep 2013)

I had a 2009 tricross for commuting.I don't lime it as much as my current cx bike, a 2012 focus mares ax3.0. The geo is more suitable for me (a little racier than tricross), and I don't have to put up with silly CX style brakes (which you don't have to either since you should get disks) and silly MTBwide ratio cassette (which can easily be changed but the mares comes with a road cassette out of the box). 

The tricross did have some rather good tires though, 32mm specialised Burroughs which were surprisingly good. Now my mares rolls with schwalbe marathon supreme.

Which road bike di you have which you don't like for it to get battered on the commute? If something pricey then I understand but if cheaper then sounds like maybe you have n+1 blues perhaps?


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## Ruary (5 Sep 2013)

I did have a CAAD 8 but got rid of that at the start of the summer for a Focus Cayo Evo 4.0 and I don't want to commute on the carbon through winter, if I'm honest I don't want to train on it through the winter either and probably should have kept the CAAD but the wife wasn't having it at the time, as I say though I do want to do a some cross country trails on it so the cx soome a decent middle ground.

There probably is an element of n+1 to it but then again isn't there always?


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## RolandsuperX (6 Sep 2013)

Would only ever buy a cyclocross bike now, even though my current cannondale SuperX Ultegra`s the wrong size ..  .. its shown me what these bikes are truely capable of... jumping in with the local chain gangs or blasting around the forests with the mountainbikers, its the classic jack of all trades.........


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## oldroadman (6 Sep 2013)

Can you still get the old Alan aluminium frames/bikes? Tough, repairable, light enough, nothing not to like. No need for carbon unless you are a serious top end rider.


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## Howard (6 Sep 2013)

You mean those lugged jobbies? Yes nothing to dislike there except the lugs debonding and the skinny tubes reaching the end of their fatigue life. I'm sure I've seen some with without replaceable mech hangers too. Popular in their day but a £200 modern alu frame from planet x would run rings around them now.


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## Moss (3 Feb 2014)

I might consider selling my RIDLEY X-Ride for £780.00 collected ? Only used on the road in dry weather, actually had very little use,


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## ayceejay (3 Feb 2014)

Alan bikes are still made but difficult to get hold of. You can get them direct from Italy or from Germany. http://www.alanbike.it/


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## sazzaa (4 Feb 2014)

ayceejay said:


> Alan bikes are still made but difficult to get hold of. You can get them direct from Italy or from Germany. http://www.alanbike.it/
> View attachment 37438


 

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgvR3y5JCXg


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## Joey Shabadoo (4 Feb 2014)

sazzaa said:


> View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgvR3y5JCXg





I've got a colleague at work who, at every sales meeting, greets me with that. it was funny once ...


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## sazzaa (4 Feb 2014)

swl said:


> I've got a colleague at work who, at every sales meeting, greets me with that. it was funny once ...


 
Oh dear... It's just the first thing I thought of at having a bike called Alan!


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## Moss (4 Feb 2014)

sazzaa said:


> Oh dear... It's just the first thing I thought of at having a bike called Alan!


 
Top end Italian manufacturer!


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## shouldbeinbed (4 Feb 2014)

@Ruary. One of the most miserable days of my cycling life was having my Revolution Cross 10 stolen. For what you say on your initial post, it would be an ideal bike. Nimble, comfortable, confidence inspiring, very solid and reliable & specced exceptionally well for its price point. I couldn't fault it once I'd put different tyres on - for road and hard trail use, most CX tyres are too soft and wear rapidly.


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## Hobbio (3 Apr 2014)

swl said:


> I've got a colleague at work who, at every sales meeting, greets me with that. it was funny once ...



Yup, me too.


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## Strathlubnaig (18 Aug 2014)

Plumped for a Kona Jake CX as my latest n+1, should be a good winter trainer and will allow some mixed routes on forest logging roads etc too. Club does CX evenings too over the winter, so fun all round.


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## Richard A Thackeray (26 Aug 2014)

Kinesis, or Ridley, would be my choices if I was buying another 

My cross-bike hasn't moved out of the garage for quite while, & I've not raced cross, since 2010


Paul Milnes (in Bradford) used to be *the *shop for anything CX related in the north of England (believe it still is)


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## Richard A Thackeray (20 Sep 2014)

oldroadman said:


> Can you still get the old Alan aluminium frames/bikes? Tough, repairable, light enough, nothing not to like. No need for carbon unless you are a serious top end rider.



Zepnat Cycles, in Matlock can get them (complete bikes & framesets)

http://www.zepnat.com/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,65/Itemid,48/

The shop is run by Julian Gould (Tims brother), & he's a pretty decent cross-rider himself!!!


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