Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

Well. I have an On-One Dirty Disco on order (http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBOODDRIV/on_one_dirty_disco_cyclocross_rival).

It's being built on Thursday this week. I've ordered a small as it was the only frame size they had left, but looking at the geometry the small has an effective top tube length of 535mm and the medium is 547.1mm which I would have though of as too large as I tried a 55cm road frame and didn't like it. Will stick with the small and consider stem length as a possible change. It comes with 80mm, although I could upgrade it.

Sweet. Muddy Hell?

Yes and also Rapha Super Cross at Ally Pally next day!

Only concern is I dropped an 8x4 sheet of 14mm ply on my toe on Thu and ended up on morphine in A&E. Lost the nail (although they pushed it back in to stop the skin sealing where a new on will grow) and had the dressing changed yesterday and it's a train wreck down there. Just hope it'll be ok by then!

Zed, does what I said above make sense? Seems right to me! I think if I'd ordered a med I'd be having similar concerns...

Also. I have the choice of 32 or 34mm tyres? Which way? I will be using it as my winter trainer and have no intention to buy new wheels just yet.

Yes and also Rapha Super Cross at Ally Pally next day!

Only concern is I dropped an 8x4 sheet of 14mm ply on my toe on Thu and ended up on morphine in A&E. Lost the nail (although they pushed it back in to stop the skin sealing where a new on will grow) and had the dressing changed yesterday and it's a train wreck down there. Just hope it'll be ok by then!

Cover it in some gaffer tape, man up and you'll be fine.

Zed, does what I said above make sense? Seems right to me! I think if I'd ordered a med I'd be having similar concerns...

Your toe or the bike?!?

I also busted my nail this year. Week before Tour of Flanders.

Was fine.

Go for 34's innit.

Also. I have the choice of 32 or 34mm tyres? Which way? I will be using it as my winter trainer and have no intention to buy new wheels just yet.

Which tyers? Probably more important than the quoted size.

If the DD frame is too small, give it to me. Problem solved ;) Hope the toe gets better.

34

The options are:

Vittoria Cross XG Pro Folding Tyre, 34mm
Continental Cyclo-Cross Race Folding Tyre, 35mm
Continental Speed King Cross Folding Tyre, 35mm
Vittoria Randonneur Cross Pro Folding Tyre, 37mm, 32mm

Whadya reckon guys? Sorry but Thids is a new area to me.

Never used any of them, but the Vittoria Cross XG gets a good writeup as all condition race rubber. The Randonneur seems like more of a do it all option which could leave you struggling in wetter race conditions.

Michelin Mud 2s.

But if they can't offer those, then the Vittoria Cross XGs are the best of those four (assuming you want a tyre to race cross on?)

Yes, I've got XG pro's in 32, I feel 34 would be more comfy, more fun, less stressful and would therefore be faster. besides 35 isn't allowed by UCI so you don't have much choice and the randos will probably be heavier tyres.

Plus you'll never get the Rando's on.

PM scoble.

who called?

#nevergetsoldortyred (sic)

zing!

i see geared bikes and it looks more like a group ride instead of a race!?!?

Has anyone considered the MERIDA Cyclocross 4 Disc? £999.99 with full 105 components and some very nice Hayes CX5 brakes. Saw one last week in a local shop and it is rather nice.
Still hard to justify it over a Boardman when it is reduced by £70.00 and 10% discount through British Cycling.

Not as pretty as the Rose Bikes similar spec thing but yes, my LBS is trying to make me buy one!

Merida are on a lot of shops books now so you can get one properly put together by someone with brain (unlike the Boardman/Halfords situation).

oh wow, get that rose I say! the weight's not too bad 9.5kg is only 1.5 more than my tricross haha #sscxforever

Yeah that's a very well specified bike.

Spammage:

I think this is bike will go through until Spring in this configuration, then (certainly) new gears and (possibly) a new frame will appear.

More hardware than Robert Dyas.

More hardware than Robert Dyas.

It's a matter of balance- I made one very light bike, so decided to make this, very very heavy bike.