Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

Genesis Croix de Fer, the 2014 come down to 50cm, as well as a 931 option.

Saw equilibrium in flesh yesterday, such a nice bike! And impressive stock spec!

Question.

Is it just me, or are Boardman CXs very long? Recently acquired a small framed version, but at 5'7" it feels quite stretched out and has the same TT as my Medium Giant Defy.

Thinking of selling it on, and going for something like a Merida Cyclo Cross 4.

...which brings me onto my second question:

Anyone have can offer any opinions on the Merida? Looks half decent, but wondering about a) sizing as their size chart looks way off....i.e Usually a 52cm framer being 5'7", but they list 52cm for 5'5>6' range. So would I need a 48cm? ...and b) with such a short headtube on them and tight angles, it looks like toe overlap central.

I had to shorten the stem on my medium Boardman CX by 2cm to a 9cm and add a bit of rise as I'm not very flexible. They do seem pretty long overall.

Saw equilibrium in flesh yesterday, such a nice bike! And impressive stock spec!

until I broke it... :-(

Cross bikes are always 'long' to avoid toe overlap with luggy tyres. Especially them ones designed to fit 'guards.

What happened Mike?

Rival dirty disco at 999 - good value?

What happened Mike?

Too many watts

nerging mikey5k for letting me have a go on his new brakes, now i hate my V twins

Rival dirty disco at 999 - good value?

I was speaking to someone who races one a couple of weeks ago, and he told me he regretted buying it. It's a bit of a lump by all accounts and, like me, he hated cable operated discs.

Rival dirty disco at 999 - good value?

Depends if you could build to a similar spec with n.e. other direct import from china.

The DD frame / fork is surprisingly porky for crabon though.

I had to shorten the stem on my medium Boardman CX by 2cm to a 9cm and add a bit of rise as I'm not very flexible. They do seem pretty long overall.

It doesn't help they have a 20mm layback seat post as well. Thinking I might try a 80mm stem/10mm layback first to see if that helps.

...although I do prefer to go for the nuclear option some time, and just change the bike.

nerging mikey5k for letting me have a go on his new brakes, now i hate my V twins

what does he have? prov dibs on your v twins... ;)

^^
This:

Cross bikes are always 'long' to avoid toe overlap with luggy tyres. Especially them ones designed to fit 'guards.

The head tubes are also often shorter to give you a lower tt. I guess you could compare and contrast lots of frames, but I'd have thought they'd all have a similarish "problem".

Why not just measure the distance from your saddle to bar length on your Giant and replicate it with the appropriate length stem first? You don't really want to be moving your saddle back to accommodate for having too much reach.

what does he have? prov dibs on your v twins... ;)

TRP Hy/Rd

^^
This:

The head tubes are also often shorter to give you a lower tt. I guess you could compare and contrast lots of frames, but I'd have thought they'd all have a similarish "problem".

Why not just measure the distance from your saddle to bar length on your Giant and replicate it with the appropriate length stem first? You don't really want to be moving your saddle back to accommodate for having too much reach.

I just sold the medium Giant for being a touch too long, as well as fanxying a change, and was surprised when the small Boardman CX was the same length.

I was going to shorten the Giant with 80mm (from 100mm) stem, so will just do the same with the CX. As for the seat post, well, I hopefully will do as little messing with it as possible, but may still go for a zero/less layback post.

Too many watts

Just having a low speed trial spin round the green by the Flask and managed to spread the chain, twirl the mech cage up, snap the body of the deraillier and bend the mech hanger.

Not ideal - think the joining pin wasn't properly seated - caused utter carnage - left me feeling very bad indeed...

Lovely bike though.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLS105/planet_x_xls_shimano_105_cyclocross_bike

Difficult to argue with that, unless you are a shorty; Smallest is 51cm.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/charge/plug-5-2014-road-bike-ec053636#features

this seems decent, rival + hydro brakes.

Wut?

Image shows cable pull BB7s and normal rival hoods.

It's £1500

It will weigh six tonnes.

its wrong pic

No shit Sherlock.

It'll still weigh six tonnes.

yeah possibly :P Genesis still is a better deal