# Cyclo-cross bike



## Young Un (11 Jun 2008)

i went along to the local club this evening and i was told that a cyclo-cross bike would be better for me because it would allow me to do both road and cyclo-cross with the simple swap of tyres. back up to this is that the road bike do not have the brake clearances to allow you to put on slim knobblies, whereas with a cyclo-cross bike it would really mater which ones you put on. or should i just stick to buying a road only bike and give cyclo-cross a miss??

1. is this correct??
2. what bike can i get for aorund £300 that would be any good.


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## RedBike (12 Jun 2008)

At £300 i'm afraid you're looking at the second-hand market.

Cyclo-x bikes are slightly slower on the road (even with thin slick tyres) than a road bike; but there isn't much in it. Basically you're sat higher up on a cyclo-x bike so they don't corner as well and you're not as areodynamic. - Basically you'll only notice the difference when really pushing it!

Cyclo-x is a great intro to racing. It's relatively cheap and open to riders of all abilities.

Another option would be a cheap hybrid. officially they're not allowed in CX races; but at club level I seriously doubt anyone would mind. They will be slower than a CX bike. But on the plus side you should be able to get one new for £300


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## Young Un (12 Jun 2008)

hmm shame. looks like its back to the road bike idea


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## Joe24 (12 Jun 2008)

That would be if you wanted to get into Cyclocross. If you just want to stick to road biking then i cant see the reason to have a cyclocross bike.
If you join the club and get to know the people, you might find one has an old cyclocross frame tucked away that you can borrow/buy to use for the events.


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## Young Un (12 Jun 2008)

I was lookin at them cus sumone sed at the club come winter they all will be doing CX and so was advised i should get a CX and put slicks on for the summer and the slim knobblies on for the winter.


but now i have changedby mind and gone back to looking at road bikes.

so i guess i have just rendered this thread useless, thanks for the input though guys!!


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## Dave5N (12 Jun 2008)

Redditch have some very good people who know 'cross.

How old are you? They may have a certain brand in mind.


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## Young Un (14 Jun 2008)

13


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## RedBike (14 Jun 2008)

Cyclo-x is a great intro into bike racing. Unlike road racing or MTBing you don't need 'all the gear' to be competative. 

The races are lapped based so you'll never be left behind no matter how slow you are to begin with. (With road racing if you can't keep up then your race is over.) 

The races are relatively cheap. They in vary cost but your normally only talking about £10 (Less for juniors). 

You could easily branch out into either road racing or MTBing.


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## Dave5N (14 Jun 2008)

Talk to the coaches and the 'cross riders at Redditch. It's a good suggestion - We use 'cross bikes on the road all the time.

£300 is a lot of money but might not get you what you want. Ask the club to help you find a good deal secondhand.

Do you know what size you need? Post it here and we can all keep an eye out for you.


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## Dave5N (14 Jun 2008)

Would this be your size?


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## Young Un (15 Jun 2008)

posablly but i dont hav the fogiest on how to build a bike


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## Joe24 (15 Jun 2008)

Thats where being in a club and knowing the people helps
A guy in the club has said if i want to borrow and use this old cyclocross frame he has then its no problem. 
He also has this garage packed full of stuff for bikes, some of it new. And he's charged me little for some good second hand/new stuff for the fixed. Aswell as giving me advice. 
Other people have given me stuff for it, advice, tips and have stuff they can let me have cheap.


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## Young Un (15 Jun 2008)

so how much would it cost to build up that frame using either shimano or campag - dont really know the difference as im knew to serious cycling - with a triple chainset with 9 or 10 spd cassete with bar end shitfers etc etc


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## Dave5N (15 Jun 2008)

Depends what you can scrounge. 

Seriously, Joe 24 is right. Ask your club. It's your right!

If you get very stuck, I can help, but I really want you to get the club onside!


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## Young Un (16 Jun 2008)

you in the redditch area then dave?


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## Dave5N (16 Jun 2008)

Birmingham. But ask at the club. I am sure they will help.


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## Young Un (16 Jun 2008)

tbh i think i am gonna stick with buying a bike ready built from decathlon, but perhaps for my next bike when i have a job and more moeny coming in a could build one of my own.


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## Big T (18 Jun 2008)

Joe24 said:


> Thats where being in a club and knowing the people helps
> A guy in the club has said if i want to borrow and use this old cyclocross frame he has then its no problem.
> He also has this garage packed full of stuff for bikes, some of it new. And he's charged me little for some good second hand/new stuff for the fixed. Aswell as giving me advice.
> Other people have given me stuff for it, advice, tips and have stuff they can let me have cheap.



Who's frame is that, then?

I didn't know you wanted to do cross!

Notts and Derby League starts 6th September, if you're interested.


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## Joe24 (18 Jun 2008)

Yeh, i'm up for giving it a try Trev. Would need to get some practice in first though, never really done any off road cycling properly. Need to see just how hard it really is first 
Andy Wilson(Ok not really in the Sherwood) has one hanging up in his garage, with about a ton of parts for bikes aswell.
Do all old cyclists have tons of bike parts hanging up and lieing around the their garage?


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## Dave5N (19 Jun 2008)

Yep.


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## Dave5N (19 Jun 2008)

Young Un - are you unsure who to ask?


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## resources1234 (19 Jun 2008)

It's great being a part of so many members having a good taste.i have been observing all these posts before I decided to join.


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## Joe24 (19 Jun 2008)

Young Un,
To show you how good the club i am is( the club you went to are probably the same) here is what i got for my fixed wheel project.










The wheel, chainset(double) and sprockets i got for free from one person.
The handlebars, brake levers, chainset(brand new!) and stem(one looks brand new) i got for £15 from someone else.
I also got a 531 frame free. Nothing really wrong wth it, the stem was stuck in but my neighbour helped to get that out but taking it to his garage.
Brakes are either from another peron or from the person i got the stem and stuff from, or i buy new. 
Young Un, there will be people that can help you build that whole frame up, and have different parts for it and be able to offer advice about it aswell.
Go to the thing you went to last time on the road bike you got now, and ask around.


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## Young Un (19 Jun 2008)

Dave yh i am kinda nerovous on who to ask, i might ask one of the coaches the next time im there.

and joe, i would take the road bike along but there are two problems.
1. i need to borrow a pump with a presta valve.
2. at the current stage, riding my dads mountain bike, i am stuck on the play ground with younger kids doin bike handlin and things and tbh i dont think the road bike is the best thing to be doin it on.


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## Joe24 (19 Jun 2008)

If you can afford it, get a frame pump that can do presta. Or bomb along to your LBS on your dads MTB and get a Schrwhatever to a Presta converter and use your normal pump.
Ask one of the coaches, they might be able to pass you on to someone else. You might be able to do bike handling skills on the roadbike. Only way to find out is to give it a go. See if you can. You just have to get used to the bike, you might find it abit 'twitchy' i suppose, i found my road bike alot more free moving from side to side. Now i'm abit too cocky with it but then i've rode it too muchalot
Ask around the club Young Un, if you have/are going to join them then go onto the forum and ask. The club rides helped me as i mingled in with everyone and got chatting to people. Then when i said i was going to give fixed ago alot of people on the table was giving me advice from when they did fix, they said to ask this person because he has a garage full, and someone else said they had a garage full of stuff i can look through.


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## Young Un (19 Jun 2008)

i have joined the club as i liked it soo much, but i only go along to the slipstreamers which is a group for upto 16/17 so there arent many folks about as the older ones/adults go off for a ride str8 away.


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## Dave5N (22 Jun 2008)

Young 'un, just sent you a PM


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## Young Un (22 Jun 2008)

pm replied


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## urbanfatboy (25 Aug 2008)

EBC do a Crosser for about £350


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