# What's a good first cx bike?



## flyingfish59 (13 Feb 2016)

Recently photographed a CX event up at Leconfield and was totally impressed by the whole thing. Now looking to purchase my first cross bike but it'll have to be a used model. Any suggestions, please? Currently running a 1990's Peugeot Carbon Teamline 1500 road bike but want to get off-road as well. The Peugeot will be sold to raise funds for the new bike if anyone is interested? Cheers.


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## outlash (13 Feb 2016)

Welcome to CC . All the major makes a cross bike of some kind and you won't got far wrong with one. My personal choice at the moment is a Cannondale CAADX.

HTH


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## Pale Rider (13 Feb 2016)

flyingfish59 said:


> Recently photographed a CX event up at Leconfield and was totally impressed by the whole thing. Now looking to purchase my first cross bike but it'll have to be a used model. Any suggestions, please? Currently running a 1990's Peugeot Carbon Teamline 1500 road bike but want to get off-road as well. The Peugeot will be sold to raise funds for the new bike if anyone is interested? Cheers.



Does it have to be used?

There's a Boardman CX which is decent value, particularly if you hit the 'buy' button when the variable price is low.

A mate has one and is pleased with it - apart from the bottom bracket failing which is not unknown and was fixed under warranty.

@EasyPeez may be able to assist.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bik...vc:c|adp:1o2&gclid=COqY1r_N9MoCFSIIwwodNQsPzA


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## outlash (13 Feb 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> Does it have to be used?
> 
> There's a Boardman CX which is decent value, particularly if you hit the 'buy' button when the variable price is low.
> 
> ...



Hm, not so sure it's ideal for 'cross racing. It's heavy, runs compact (50/34) chaingrings rather than cross specific (46/36), tyres are too big (UCI legal limit is 32mm, although local races may not be so strict), I think you could do better for roughly the same money.


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## flyingfish59 (13 Feb 2016)

flyingfish59 said:


> Recently photographed a CX event up at Leconfield and was totally impressed by the whole thing. Now looking to purchase my first cross bike but it'll have to be a used model. Any suggestions, please? Currently running a 1990's Peugeot Carbon Teamline 1500 road bike but want to get off-road as well. The Peugeot will be sold to raise funds for the new bike if anyone is interested? Cheers.





outlash said:


> Welcome to CC . All the major makes a cross bike of some kind and you won't got far wrong with one. My personal choice at the moment is a Cannondale CAADX.
> 
> HTH


Thanks for the welcome and replies! It'll have to be second hand as my budget won't stretch to a brand spanker. Also need to sell the road bike to put towards it. The biggest thing that has put me off the Boardman CX and Team models is that the cables run along the down tube. Think I'd prefer one that has internally routed cables. And disc brakes! Am I setting my sights too high perhaps? Not looking at racing just yet - just love the idea of getting off road as well for training purposes.


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## midlife (13 Feb 2016)

Hi Welcome . Slightly off topic but us there still an RAF base at Leconfield? The Hull Thursday 25 course went past it BITD.

Shaun


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## flyingfish59 (13 Feb 2016)

midlife said:


> Hi Welcome . Slightly off topic but us there still an RAF base at Leconfield? The Hull Thursday 25 course went past it BITD.
> 
> Shaun


Leconfield has been for a long time now, the largest military driving school in Europe. There's still plenty of the old airfield buildings, etc, but it's run by the army. The CX course the other week used the 'off road' part of the driving school which featured some quite tasty hills - 1 in 3 gravel features! Short n sharp.


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## Spartak (13 Feb 2016)

flyingfish59 said:


> Thanks for the welcome and replies! It'll have to be second hand as my budget won't stretch to a brand spanker. Also need to sell the road bike to put towards it. The biggest thing that has put me off the Boardman CX and Team models is that the cables run along the down tube. Think I'd prefer one that has internally routed cables. And disc brakes! Am I setting my sights too high perhaps? Not looking at racing just yet - just love the idea of getting off road as well for training purposes.



Hi - CX racing is fun, okay it's serious at the business end but towards the back of the field ( where I am ) there are lots of smiles & people enjoying themselves. 

Give it a go the summer leagues usually start in May.


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## outlash (13 Feb 2016)

flyingfish59 said:


> The biggest thing that has put me off the Boardman CX and Team models is that the cables run along the down tube. Think I'd prefer one that has internally routed cables. And disc brakes! Am I setting my sights too high perhaps?



I missed that, it's a given a crosser would have the cables running along the top of the top tube or internal for when you shoulder the bike over the carries. Discs won't be a problem but internal cabling tends to be on the more expensive bikes.


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## Mrs M (13 Feb 2016)




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## midlife (13 Feb 2016)

This is what Boardman says about his CX bikes.....

“I think ‘cross bikes are the next big trend,” said Boardman. “I think cyclo-cross bike can almost replace the mountain bike for a lot of people. who aren’t riding technical trails, but who want a bike for road riding, light off-road riding and the towpath.

Not sure he meant it for competition?

Shaun


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## Jimidh (13 Feb 2016)

Welcome

I'm really keen on getting into this too - have almost nearly persuaded myself to buy the new Trek Crocket 5 Disc but going to look at a few others and buy next month.


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## outlash (13 Feb 2016)

> This is what Boardman says about his CX bikes.....
> 
> “I think ‘cross bikes are the next big trend,” said Boardman. “I think cyclo-cross bike can almost replace the mountain bike for a lot of people. who aren’t riding technical trails, but who want a bike for road riding, light off-road riding and the towpath.
> 
> Not sure he meant it for competition?



Perhaps, but there's a lot of crossers that are 'commute during the week, race at the weekend' that still manage to have cross chainrings and the cables going across the top tube (a 'proper' crosser wouldn't have bottle bosses or mounts for racks & guards either). IMO, it's a little bit of a cheek calling it a CX bike, it's more like a gravel/adventure bike that seems to be quite popular atm.


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## steveindenmark (13 Feb 2016)

outlash said:


> Perhaps, but there's a lot of crossers that are 'commute during the week, race at the weekend' that still manage to have cross chainrings and the cables going across the top tube (a 'proper' crosser wouldn't have bottle bosses or mounts for racks & guards either). IMO, it's a little bit of a cheek calling it a CX bike, it's more like a gravel/adventure bike that seems to be quite popular atm.



I like the idea that it has bosses for bottles and rack. Once they are removed for racing it is a CX bike. In fact its a CX bike with a bit of extra. I dont see where the cheek comes in just for a couple of bosses.


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## flyingfish59 (13 Feb 2016)

Cables across the top tube would be fine. Just don't fancy any running underneath. Don't tempt me about racing - I'm more in to photographing races!


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## outlash (13 Feb 2016)

It doesn't Steve, my CAADX has bottle bosses, rack and guard mounts and does get used as a road bike, general off road and has been raced. My comment was at the Boardmans where they haven't even got the cross chainrings or the cables going across the top tube.


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## midlife (13 Feb 2016)

flyingfish59 said:


> Leconfield has been for a long time now, the largest military driving school in Europe. There's still plenty of the old airfield buildings, etc, but it's run by the army. The CX course the other week used the 'off road' part of the driving school which featured some quite tasty hills - 1 in 3 gravel features! Short n sharp.



Thanks for that, I was just curious what happened to the place.

Cheers

Shaun


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## MrGrumpy (15 Feb 2016)

Just bought myself a Cube Cross Race Pro and had its first outing in anger yesterday. Seemed good value having full hydraulic discs and Shimano 105 groupset. Handled fine albeit a noob rider  . Its not light by any stretch but its not heavy neither, only upgrade I think for it at the moment would be some lighter wheels for cross use. Keep the existing wheel for commutes on slicks. However if the rider can shift 10 kgs, he would probably finish a bit further up the field  . My choices were Merida CX500, CAADX 105 and Giant TCX . Cube kind of came left field and seemed the best value out of all of those. Got all the bosses for guards which is what it will spend most of its time during the winter months. ( lightweight under 8kg road bike comes out from mid March onwards! )


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## EasyPeez (17 Feb 2016)

I have the 2015 Boardman CX Team. Got it for under £600 in a sale - http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/boardman-end-of-season/boardman-cx-team-bike-2014.

Their new range is out now; so the new CX Team is significantly dearer but comes with full hydraulic brakes and the new x1 SRAM chainset. I assume it's the same frame; the new paint jobs are rather dull in comparison - http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/boardman-cx-team-bike

I'm with @outlash - I wouldn't recommend mine for racing, due to the weight and the compact gearing. My bottom bracket went after 200 miles too. Seems ridiculous that this problem persists after years of Halfords and Boardman being aware of it, but it was quick and free to get sorted.

I use mine for commuting and so that I can do some light off-roading that would be too much for the road bike. This pretty much sums up the abilities of the bike IMO -



midlife said:


> This is what Boardman says about his CX bikes.....
> 
> “I think ‘cross bikes are the next big trend,” said Boardman. “I think cyclo-cross bike can almost replace the mountain bike for a lot of people. who aren’t riding technical trails, but who want a bike for road riding, light off-road riding and the towpath.
> 
> Not sure he meant it for competition?





flyingfish59 said:


> Cables across the top tube would be fine


I wouldn't want cables on the top tube if racing/off-road sportives are a possibility in the future, as you'll likely be wanting to shoulder the bike at some point. I have not had any probs with cables on the downtube - it looks neater and allows the bike to be carried more easily, but I guess means the cables need more maintenance from being exposed to crud.

Also, if looking at disc brakes I'd suggest avoiding Promax and anything that starts with 'BB' and try to get something Shimano or TRP based instead.

If going fast is important, or you think you might want to enter some events in the future, I'd suggest saving up for a longer period of time and buying something lightweight with hydro brakes. If you're basically after a replacement for your roadie that can go off-road a bit then something like a second-hand Cube Cross Race or a CAADX (budgeting for new brake calipers), or one of the older Boardmans (again, with new calipers) when they come back on sale, would likely do you just fine.


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## MrGrumpy (18 Feb 2016)

The 2016 Cube Cross race pro is full hydro, got one a few weeks ago, its not light by any stretch but it could be slimmed a bit so if racing you would probably want to, its my plan with it for now. A set of light wheels would make the world of difference to some bikes.


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## flyingfish59 (18 Feb 2016)

Weight isn't really an issue for me as I'm just after a cx bike for training purposes. Wouldn't even consider entering a race at this moment!!


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## Mike! (25 Feb 2016)

What's your budget and size @flyingfish59 ?

I know of a nice Giant TCX SLR 1 for sale in a small


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