Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

sub £1,000 CX bicycles tend to be porky I think the Cannondale weight around 9kg, whether other CX bicycles within the price range are a little over that, even as far as 11kg*.

See what you mean. Maybe the overall weight is less of a selling point/less competition than with road bikes and the companies play that to their advantage when speccing the bikes?

Most alloy CX frames are built stiffer/stronger to take a hammering. Like you said most of the specced parts are will the same as cheap road bike.

105 CAADX isn't really a sub £1000 CX bike unless it's heavily discounted. And it features the same running gear as some of C'dales carbon roadies, i.e. 105 & Gossamer BB30. It's no surprise it's light, really.

Those cranks are still shit, though

what's bad about them?

FSA init. Most of their kit is a bit ropey.

But in perspective they aren't much heavier than Force BB30 cranks and a bit stiffer.

So I still want a winter commuter and a cyclocross bike seems the best OTP answer...

Which one would we say is better, the Boardman CX Team or the CAAD 5 X?

For general commuting, on paper, the Boardman.

But you need to ask yourself - are you willing to buy a buy from Halfords? Do you find SRAM doubletap shifters comfortable? Would you be happy to replace the brakes and cabling? If the answer is no to any of these then the CAAD might be a better bet.

There are better winter commuter options out there though, if you aren't planning on serious off road or racing CX.

such as?

I was thinking pretty much any touring / sportive frame that takes a slightly larger tyer and mudguards but uses caliper brakes.

Or a tricross.

^ I'm pretty happy commuting on a BMC Roadracer full carbon jobby at the moment so comfort isn't an issue. I just want something on top of the BMC that I don't mind getting wet.

Also, come January, the new commute is just about 12 miles each way so I want something a little speedy anyway.

I think I might just pick up the CAAD.

I just want something on top of the BMC that I don't mind getting wet.

I'd have thought something like the Ribble 7005 would be a better bet if that's your only requirement. Ah well, the CAAD is nice. It's a bit more racey than the boardman and bit more true-cross, i.e. it doesn't like stopping. This seems like an opportunity to shamelessly plug mine:

edit: bah, images not working. Here's a link.

But the only thing it will be used for is racing cross this winter.

such as?

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p2573

Not cheap but as near to perfect (IMHO) as I've ever seen. Every component is spot on. Even has 50/34 11-32 gearing. Which is spot on when you want to go for a fast ride one day, then carry a few Kgs in the panniers up some hills the next.

If you don't want to go off-road then you'll be carrying weight around with you that you simply don't need with either the Cannondale or the Boardman.

Flip side being of course that both will keep going in conditions that would bring a tourer to a grinding halt.

The vast majority of miles that I have put on my Boardman have been on road tyres, and in it's role as training bike the 3kg that it has on my road bike is, in a way, an advantage.

^ I'm pretty happy commuting on a BMC Roadracer full carbon jobby at the moment so comfort isn't an issue. I just want something on top of the BMC that I don't mind getting wet.

Also, come January, the new commute is just about 12 miles each way so I want something a little speedy anyway.

I think I might just pick up the CAAD.

Plenty of people ride light off-road trails on CX bikes. So if you dont have an MTB it can give an extra cycling option (depends where you live I guess). Getting one with a rack is a nice idea if you dont have a tourer.

A CX bike with rack'n'guard braze-ons. Is like a Nice multi tool. Yeah we all prefer to use a full size allen key. But if you cant afford, or dont have storage, for a full toolset. The multi-tool will sort you out. I would'nt get one just for wet commuting. Thats kinda like buying a multi-tool just for the allen key. But I did find myself jumping on mine for all sorts of riding.

The vast majority of miles that I have put on my Boardman have been on road tyres, and in it's role as training bike the 3kg that it has on my road bike is, in a way, an advantage.

I always had low tread off-road tyres on mine. That way if there was any chance of taking a trail, gravel path etc, to where I was going. I could do that.

The conti speed cross tyers that came with my CAAD were pretty good for that.

Plenty of people ride light off-road trails on CX bikes. So if you dont have an MTB it can give an extra cycling option (depends where you live I guess). Getting one with a rack is a nice idea if you dont have a tourer.

A CX bike with rack'n'guard braze-ons. Is like a Nice multi tool. Yeah we all prefer to use a full size allen key. But if you cant afford, or dont have storage, for a full toolset. The multi-tool will sort you out. I would'nt get one just for wet commuting. Thats kinda like buying a multi-tool just for the allen key. But I did find myself jumping on mine for all sorts of riding.

Heh; like the analogy.

At the moment, I have storage for 3 or 4 or more bikes but when we move in January, I will only have room for 2. The BMC is definitely staying so it's just a case of working out what the second bike is.

As we're buying a flat, i'm on a pretty restricted budget so the CAAD is looking like a good deal.

Once i've added 105 groupset and a nicer pair of wheels to the Ribble 7005, it's closer to £1,000 which is putting me off.

FWIW I tried to buy the CAADX but Cannondale couldn't import any at the time.
The Boardman has treated me very well, although I have replaced almost all the parts now.
If I can get one of the new disc CAADX frames in 2013 I will swap my components to that.

Heh; like the analogy.
.

Doesnt take into account that CX bikes are very good for CX racing. But then who'd do that.

People who are not averse to cleaning their bikes all through the winter.

CAADX purchased.

Epic Win thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

People who are not averse to cleaning their bikes all through the winter.

Much like MTB'rs then. Yes we photo our bikes all dirty'd up. But I for one would'nt store one away after a ride before it'd been at least hosed and wiped down.

Andy - what are your racing plans this winter?