Planet x london or Merida Cyclo Cross 500 ?

[benb]

I've got the London Road with the SRAM 1x11 and hydraulic brakes.

IMO it's pretty much a perfect commuter bike.
The 1x11 is brilliant. Lowest gear is just as low as a compact double, and I've only once come close to spinning out at the fast end. You just have bigger gaps between gears which is not a problem for commuting.

I really like it.

 

[tom73]

Great to find after being out for most of the day so much great advice. Thanks to every one

A few things as for fitness am not too bad and the 1/11 on hills maybe just fine for me . I getting good at hills I’ve plenty to go at round here.

The brake issue is a good point one thing I’d thought about on my current bike and part of why I upgraded the spec pre build. As this bike will be for winter (When not being a bit of an all rounder) I need to have confidence in them.

The London is on offer at that spec only so can’t get an pre build up grade on it.

As am new to cycling I don’t have bike bits to hand to up date stuff and getting the green light from Mrs 73 for n+1 is one thing getting ok to buy bit’s to upgrade a new bike is another

My current bike is full 105 so having another that is th same looks to make sense one thing less to learn at the moment.

On balance with your help it’s looking as the Merida is winning I’ve had confirmation too once they asked around and double checking a few things it’s the right size for me.

Sleep on it I think I am after all only 6 weeks in and I’m looking at n+1 think I’ve come down with a bug

 

[Johnno260]

Always test ride if possible.

It may be the correct size on paper but not feel right in the flesh.

 

[tom73]

Always test ride if possible.

It may be the correct size on paper but not feel right in the flesh.

Very true not sure I can with this one

 

[Johnno260]

Very true not sure I can with this one

Do you have a Merida stockist near you?

 

[vickster]

Very true not sure I can with this one

Newcastle isn't that far from Sheffield Cycle there, make a weekend of it

 

[cm2mackem]

If you're buying the Merida from Start fitness they also supply the correct mudguards, £33, these are only for this bike which has a strange threaded hole in the fork under the headset into which the securing bolt goes as well as the two on the fork.

 

[Johnno260]

My Ride 400 is a ML and I’m around 6ft, but the the frame geometry will be different so sizing will be as well.

Like I said see if you have a Merida stockist near you and try some bikes.

 

[cm2mackem]

My 2015 CX 500, the only change on the 2017 model is Shimano cranks instead of FSA, and hopefully a Shimano BB as the FSA one is awful, I'm 5'10'', bike is 54, comfortable winter bike not stretched out, bit of toe overlap but I'm in-between sizes , the dork disc has been removed ,12/30 cassette added and BB swapped to Ultegra and some sintered pads added, its a lovely frame, welds are smooth so some mistake it for carbon.