# Opinions on CX bikes



## Broadside (4 Oct 2020)

My kids do some CX racing, just for fun sort of stuff. My 10yr old son has a Worx JA700 which is a good bike for the money and we’ve been very pleased with it. 

I’m looking for a CX bike for my 14yr old daughter, I nearly always buy on the second hand market for my kids bikes. Looking at options I can see a fair number of bikes like Boardman CX Comp, Trek Crossrip and stuff like that. My question is are these anygood fro CX racing or are they just pretend CX all purpose bikes? I don’t want to buy something too low down the market and then find out is is no good for racing.

What do you think?


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## bikingdad90 (4 Oct 2020)

I had a Boardman CX. It was a heavy bike, particularly for a teenager due to the alloy fork unless you went for the team model which has a carbon fork. 

Often overlooked is the Wiggins Rouen bikes. The new 2020 models have cantilever brakes so ideal for wide tyres used for the CX racing. The bikes weight about 9.5kg off the bat and as they run Claris it’s fairly cheap to replace it parts break.

I’ve seen a few Focus Mares around but they are expensive! They look cool but sizing is a bit odd. A XXS is a 51cm frame.


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## Broadside (4 Oct 2020)

Thanks, it was probably weight that I am most worried about with these lower end bikes, after they are caked in 10kgs of mud during a CX race they can become impossible to move!


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## Cycleops (4 Oct 2020)

If you’re at all handy with the spanners how about building one yourself from a donor bike? Should be cheap and fun.

View: https://youtu.be/gFJcWdur3iM


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## Broadside (4 Oct 2020)

Cycleops said:


> If you’re at all handy with the spanners how about building one yourself from a donor bike? Should be cheap and fun.
> 
> View: https://youtu.be/gFJcWdur3iM



I have been thinking about building one but when you start having to buy drop bar shifter the self build costs escalate quickly and then ready built ends up cheaper. We could end up with a nice light bike though....


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## vickster (5 Oct 2020)

Ridley were always up there for CX.
my Boardman CX Team had a carbon fork but still felt a fairly heavy bike (apparently around 10.5kg naked which mine never was)
how tall is the rider as the Boardman’s come up big, My medium felt just on the cusp of being too big for me at 5‘10

there’s a small Scott CX on eBay 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scott-Ad...982356?hash=item421b11a394:g:jCMAAOSw161e702O


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## matticus (5 Oct 2020)

[at the risk of stating the obvious ...]
Do you follow things like the Wessex CX facebook group? Quite a few kids bikes for sale on their recently.
(I've seen at least 1 Worx, but I don't know anything about kids' bikes! )


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## Red17 (7 Oct 2020)

If you're on Facebook worth a look at the cyclocross buy and sell UK group. Good source of used bikes and spares


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