Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

28 tonnes.

Cyclocross people, so I bought the RIdley Crssbow that has been flating around the Classifieds. A quick question, can I port most of the gear off a donor road bike, mix of campag, and use the current shifter/brake set up (Chorus 8spd) with canti brakes with no issues? Sorry for the Noob question. Ta G

Yes you can.

Awesome thanks :)

Best off build your own around a frame - If you need utility, something like a Jake the Snake (later models better) Giant and others have a variety of specs from do it all to racers with no cages (but shit components)
Things like Ridleys & Kinesis have best off road geometry and this is possibly more important than Scandium or carbon. You could use just a front disc with a fork change and keep rear canti. Strong rims a must (not factory built hi spoke tension) on hard pack. Sram is good in mud but Shimano levers bend when you come off.(I might be selling my SRAM stuff and DT wheels soon..)

Sram levers bend too I find, or rather, twist.

I think I'd really like some gum wall tyres for an up and coming project.
Any recommendations peeps? Looking at 28/32c
Are the Jack Browns any good?
What are these below?

Challenge grifo

Thanks man, although to be fair they're probably a bit too knobbly for my needs.
Look good though.

Thanks. They are actually the Limus tread - but yeah made by Challenge. So far they've been a bit too aggressive for this season but might come out for Muddy Hell.

Sram levers bend too I find, or rather, twist.

One of my local shops says to avoid SRAM, perhaps this is why.
I still like Shimano.

Pointless discussion and arguments about groupsets based on hearsay this way ------------------------->

Can any one recommend the best Shimano shoe for cross?
wanna stick with Shimano as heir 43 is a perfect fitfor me, want grippy sole, top buckle and some flex....and no too expensive.

I went for the XC50N.

Basically, they're the same as the XC50s, but with the mesh bits covered up so you don't get soaked straight away.

I don't think the sole is super grippy though - maybe it'll wear in a bit? You can add studs if required.

Apologies for linking to bikeradar...

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/shoes/product/review-shimano-xc50n-45666

Pointless discussion and arguments about groupsets based on hearsay this way ------------------------->

Ahhh, so the shop with a race team knows nothing.
I'm glad I never take their advice.

Pointless discussion and arguments about groupsets based on hearsay this way ------------------------->

Thanks man, although to be fair they're probably a bit too knobbly for my needs.
Look good though.

Try Panacer Passellas, they're great but I don't like them.

Who here said eggbeaters is great for CX? I and John discovered the hard way after he tried but failed to clip in his mud sodded shoes and pedals whether I managed with surprisingly ease with the old Shimano spuds.

Who here said eggbeaters is great for CX? I and John discovered the hard way after he tried but failed to clip in his mud sodded shoes and pedals whether I managed with surprisingly ease with the old Shimano spuds.

From personal experience clogging is in 99% of cases a problem with the shoe not the pedal

I disagree, it's 100% of cases a problem with the rider, stay on that bike!

In that case, the s-works mtb shoes worked flawlessly better than northwave.

Just use whatever shoes + pedals you like & carry a stick to poke the mud out.

Each to their own. But I've used eggbeaters in some pretty fecking extreme conditions, and find they are more open than SPDs, and therefore easier to kick the ice/mud out of. I love the mechanism, and now have Quattros, 2 pairs of candys, and some mallets.

In that case, the s-works mtb shoes worked flawlessly better than northwave.

how would something work flawlessly worse..?

More to the point. Disc brakes in CX I'm down with.

But full sus is a couple steps too far no?

that bike is a Pacific, it's a road bicycle;

Speaking of disc brakes, I've now found the perfect levers/disc combo.

Avid BB7 Road paired with Cane Creek SCR-5, it felt like a normal cantilever brakes without any extra adaption needed such as the Travel Agent.

The worse, funnily enough, are SRAM.

Shimano Tiagra and 105 felt great with road disc, Sora (old style) doesn't, haven't tried the new one that come with a switch to change pull ratios.

Can't speak for Ultegra or Dura Ace.

SRAM, apart from the new Red (haven't tried that), have appalling performance, which can be fixed with Travel Agent.

Haven't tried Campagnolo.

Each to their own. But I've used eggbeaters in some pretty fecking extreme conditions, and find they are more open than SPDs.

That I agree with, I have to take the pedals out to try and pry the muds out of them as there's a pebble inside it that won't come off.