29er, CX, Hybrid dispute.....

[AndyFletch]

My company has just joined the cycle to work scheme which has prompted a disagreement between myself and a couple of colleagues regarding good all-rounders.

My commute is a fairly varied 8 miles; 5 miles on the road, 1.5 miles along an old canal path (mostly gravel and hard packed dirt with a couple of technical steep short slopes to negotiate) and 1.5 miles through the town center, (where the bike path is just pavement painted red and involves avoiding pedestrians and hopping up and down kerbs every 20 yards).

Assuming all things are equal, which bike for under £1K could cover this route the quickest? We have a vote for a 29er Hardtail (Whyte 629), a CX (Caadx Tiagra) and a hybrid (Boardman Team). There’s no way a road bike would handle the canal path so we’ve discounted them.

This is purely a bit of fun so no need to answer with “depends on the engine” type stuff…… we know, we know….. but would love to hear your suggestions.

 

[jdtate101]

Personally (and this only my opinion) I would have the CX bike as it's a great all rounder. Love my CAADX6 and I've done some hard off road with it as well as racing flat TT's on it (not ideal but still do-able). A hybrid would also be a good choice, with the added benefit that it will probably come with disc brakes too. If you were on £1k budget then also take a butchers at the Boardman Team CX, which is a firm favourite on these boards.

 

[AndyFletch]

Good shout, one vote for CX, actually the Boardman CX has been mentioned along with the new Pinnacle Arkose Three that Evans have just received in.

An interesting point that was made was that if you go with the 29er you can go absolutelty anywhere, not neccessarily quickly, but everywhere nonetheless. Although I think CX maybe the way to go for 90% of my riding I can't quite shake that from my mind.....

 

[MacB]

CX would be fastest and the 29er would be the comfiest.

 

[Globalti]

My CX is only 1 mph slower on average than my roadie over my normal routes so I would go for that. It takes a rack and panniers and mudguards and it's got discs, it makes a fantastic tourer.

 

[AndyFletch]

Great, thanks, 3 votes for a CX. Anybody got experience of the Pinnacles then, those Arkose Three specs look nice (BB7's and 105 rear derailleur). Having said that the Boardman looks hard to beat price wise.

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Gearing, rider position and geometry all favour the more versatile CXer IMHO. Then the Hybrid then the 29er.

 

[HovR]

The CX would do both the off-road section and on-road section perfectly as stock, so my vote would be on that.

The Boardman Team Hybrid is basically a flat barred road bike, so the off-road section may be tricky without a change of tires.

The 29'er would be a bit over-kill in my opinion, and you'd probably regret it when on the roads.

 

[AndyFletch]

Thanks, I'd have looked at changing to some 700x35's (Halfords quoted me £52 for a pair of Sammy Slicks) if I'd gone down the Hybrid Team route, however it's kind of looking like CX all the way.

CaadX, Boardman CX Team or Arkose Three????????

 

[4F]

CX, then 29'er than Hybrid

 

[AndyFletch]

Pretty overwhelmingly in favour of CX, even the guy in my office who suggested the 29er is now looking at the CaadX on the Cannondale website.....

 

[wheres_my_beard]

Thanks, I'd have looked at changing to some 700x35's (Halfords quoted me £52 for a pair of Sammy Slicks) if I'd gone down the Hybrid Team route, however it's kind of looking like CX all the way.

CaadX, Boardman CX Team or Arkose Three????????

Whyte Kings Cross? I love mine (after changing the brakes to BB7's). The frame looks a little odd with skinny tyres but makes sense with big ass tyres.

 

[AndyFletch]

with zero votes for the 29er and Hybrid I'm thinking this should move to the Cyclocross forum...

 

[Globalti]

My CX is a Specialized Tricross. Not really a CX bike, more of a multi-purpose bike but now that I've fitted some bars of the right width (it came with 42cm bars) I am really finding it a very solid, reliable comfortable bike for easy cruises and long rides. I was enjoying it on the C2C until Gti junior hit a tree 17 miles out and knocked himself unconscious!

 

[AndyFletch]

Hurrah!! Off forum I've actually had a vote for the Hybrid Team fitted with 700x35 tyres.....

"it's basically a CX with flat bars so won't be much slower on the nice bits, has Hydraulic brakes instead of mechanical discs and the flat bar will make the technical bits that much easier...... plus it's still £100 cheaper after you buy the tyres"

Well that's what he said anyway.......