Boardman CXR - Looks Like a Good Deal?

[Mista Preston]

Hello. So since my last what bike thread i did actually purchase the Genesis Equilibrium 20 but it was just too big for me so it went back and I am back to the drawing board. i am looking for a commuter come winter bike that will happily go on the rough stuff and this Boardman looks closer to the geometry of my current Specialised and looks like a good deal.

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/1058-cxr-9.0.html#size

Does anyone have any experience of these?. It looks well spacced with SRAM Hydraulic brakes so for the money looks like a good deal.

My current alternative all be it lower specced is the Diverge.

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Specialized/Diverge-Elite-DSW-Disc-Road-Bike-2017/E6TW?s=1

Any thoughts ?

Ta
Clive

 

[NorthernDave]

The Boardman looks a right deal. I'm almost tempted myself.

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Hello. So since my last what bike thread i did actually purchase the Genesis Equilibrium 20 but it was just too big for me so it went back and I am back to the drawing board. i am looking for a commuter come winter bike that will happily go on the rough stuff and this Boardman looks closer to the geometry of my current Specialised and looks like a good deal.

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/1058-cxr-9.0.html#size

Does anyone have any experience of these?. It looks well spacced with SRAM Hydraulic brakes so for the money looks like a good deal.

My current alternative all be it lower specced is the Diverge.

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Specialized/Diverge-Elite-DSW-Disc-Road-Bike-2017/E6TW?s=1

Any thoughts ?

Ta
Clive

Did the shop take the Equilibrium back ? Did you ride it at all or was it just returned unused ? I have just bought a bike and it's just not for me so looking at options to change,
Thanks
Paul

 

[jack smith]

although I love specialized that boardman not only looks better but for the components ( sram rival is actually pretty nice ive used it before) it is well worth the money, your getting hydro discs tubeless ready which is great for the winter and srams wifli system which allows a really big gear range for those long winter rides.

 

[Mista Preston]

Did the shop take the Equilibrium back ? Did you ride it at all or was it just returned unused ? I have just bought a bike and it's just not for me so looking at options to change,
Thanks
Paul

Yes they took it back. I just sat on it at home and worked out it wasn't right. I didnt even take the protective packaging off the tubes.

 

[Simontm]

Hello. So since my last what bike thread i did actually purchase the Genesis Equilibrium 20 but it was just too big for me so it went back and I am back to the drawing board. i am looking for a commuter come winter bike that will happily go on the rough stuff and this Boardman looks closer to the geometry of my current Specialised and looks like a good deal.

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/1058-cxr-9.0.html#size

Does anyone have any experience of these?. It looks well spacced with SRAM Hydraulic brakes so for the money looks like a good deal.

My current alternative all be it lower specced is the Diverge.

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Specialized/Diverge-Elite-DSW-Disc-Road-Bike-2017/E6TW?s=1

Any thoughts ?

Ta
Clive

My last bike was the A1 Sport Diverge with sora. They are fun stable bikes with a lot of control and I happily commuted on it throughout winter and even did Ride London on it. Loved that bike until a Corsa did for it a couple of weeks ago

Money wise, you are better off with the Boardman but I am liking my new bike a Whyte Sussex currently in a deal at Cycle Surgery for £899 hy-rd 105 or £999 for full hydraulics, 105. Only in 56 or 58 tho.

 

[Pale Rider]

The Boardman looks quite racy for a commuter, although I suspect @Mista Preston does many more miles than me so he will know what suits him.

Mudguards look nice and deep, so they should do the job.

The second set of CX tyres probably doesn't add much value, but would be immediately to hand in the event of extra grotty weather or a failure of one of the original equipment tyres.

 

[Andrew_P]

Hello. So since my last what bike thread i did actually purchase the Genesis Equilibrium 20 but it was just too big for me so it went back and I am back to the drawing board. i am looking for a commuter come winter bike that will happily go on the rough stuff and this Boardman looks closer to the geometry of my current Specialised and looks like a good deal.

https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/1058-cxr-9.0.html#size

Does anyone have any experience of these?. It looks well spacced with SRAM Hydraulic brakes so for the money looks like a good deal.

My current alternative all be it lower specced is the Diverge.

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Specialized/Diverge-Elite-DSW-Disc-Road-Bike-2017/E6TW?s=1

Any thoughts ?

Ta
Clive

it looks good - nice bike a little heavy maybe but £1200 is cracking vlaue. The CXR 9.8 looks stunning value with Di2. Would take one of these over the Diverge any day of the week. Specialized have special wheels limiting changing them without altering the rear hanger due to them trying to keep a normal rim braked chain line. Same caveat really try and get to sit on it. Cycle Republic might be able to help, they are the Halfords boutique stores and some of these Boardman /elite are in the stores.

 

[Mista Preston]

Thanks for all the replies. I did indeed get this bike and made it out today for a short ride. Its feels sure footed and cruises over the rough roads of kent. Yes its heavy but the discs work great and i am slowly getting used to the SRAM. It comes with some knobbly tyres which i am looking forward to trying out. All in all i think it will make a great winter/commuter/adventure bike.

 

[nickr]

I'm seriously tempted by this bike too. However, I'm 5'10" (178cm) and according to Boardmans own recommendations should go for a medium sized frame, this has a seat tube of 56cm. One of the reasons I want a new bike is that my Specialized Sirrus Elite feels too large, but its seat tube is 54cm.

 

[vickster]

Try it out?

How does the rest of the geometry compare? At 5'10 or 177cm you are right between sizes it seems https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/1058-cxr-9.0.html#size

Cycle republic sell the higher up Boardmans, try the branches in Twickenham, Putney and Purley, none of which are very far from Kingston

 

[nickr]

You are right, I will try it out. I do find it weird though that the Boardman range is split at 177cm, surely the most common height of the British male. Its difficult to compare geometry of a hybrid with a dropped bar bike, I've tried. The top tube on my Specialized is a huge 60cm and the chain stays are 45cm. Its basically a very big bike, and according to my bath room scales weighs 14.1Kg. I'm really looking forward to something smaller and lighter. If the Boardman turns out not to be right for me I'm also looking at :-

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLD...n-road-sram-rival-11-hydraulic-disc-road-bike

The sizing of this seems more sensible.

 

[vickster]

I'm 5'10 (but female), so shorter torso, longer legs. I recently got a 53cm Boardman CX team 2014 which is a good size for me (other than I needed a narrower handlebar). I've no idea if 5'10 is the average male height now

Height really isn't the best way to choose a bike

Go and get some test rides on roadbikes or adventure/gravel/CX if that's your preference, you are pretty much located in bikeshop Mecca

No you really can't compare a hybrid with a roadbike unless they have the same frame (very rare), my Planet X roadbike ended up too small for me when converted to flatbars