Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

or a g clamp

or a fat person (would say hippy, but he's in Poland)

^too soft (fat person, not hippy)

find a kid.
Get them to throw a temper tantrum.
Subtly put rotor under foot.

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=35105&category=13

Anyone used these? They are the brakes on the Focus Henry linked to above

Really spongy and underpowered, save your pennies for avids.

+1 These are what allowed me to rear end a Renault 5 earlier this year. I can only lock the back on loose gravel, not tarmac, and I haven't come close to locking the front. Huge lever travel using Tiagra STIs, and no progression to the braking at all.

Very much avoid.

Redoing the brake cables with Goodridge inners and outers.

Rear brake had been the worst performing- most slop, refused to return all the way 80% of the time.

Pulled the cable out and found this, which probably wasn't helping:

That's in the middle of the cable run down the downtube, fully sheathed from lever to brake.

No idea how they did that.

wtf!?

Yep, it's actually worse than that photo shows- in shot it's straightening itself under it's own weight, when removed from the bike it's pretty much bent double.

Only think I can think of is the guy building it wrapped the cable round his (or her) hand and yanked hard to pull it through.

Needless to say it's fucked- and I am hoping my braking should get a bit better.

Cross-tops are also history.

Ok, all done- great upgrade, Malaysian I strongly recommend you do this!

Chainreaction secret sale £24 Goodridge performace brake kit is down to £12, grab a couple of metres of Goodridge housing as well.

Get rid of the cross-tops

Braking is hugely better.

Love the bile dammit. But what are the non mechanically minded supposed to do, when their bike won't go forward because of the fecked chain, or stop because of the fecked brake cable.

you guys are. not selling boardman bikes to me.

Well, they clearly have some issues, but as I sit here now I really want to be out riding it.

"What the fuck do I do with a road bike that has knobbies?! Crazy Europeans!" :)

Focus is the brand name, not an instruction to stare at it until your eyes hurt. Crazy Antipodeans.

He's pissed there's only one pie holder.

Well, they clearly have some issues, but as I sit here now I really want to be out riding it.

TBH I'd still buy one myself.

Love the bile dammit. But what are the non mechanically minded supposed to do, when their bike won't go forward because of the fecked chain, or stop because of the fecked brake cable.

Swap front wheel out for 24inch cruiser wheel and enjoy constant downhill extreme?

And yeah, may have a couple of teething problems but it is very good fun to ride.

I'll look at sorting the brake cabling out, just have to find the time, and decide on a bartape.

anyone reccomend one with a bit more cushioning to help absorb to bumps?

And yeah, may have a couple of teething problems but it is very good fun to ride.

I'll look at sorting the brake cabling out, just have to find the time, and decide on a bartape.

anyone reccomend one with a bit more cushioning to help absorb to bumps?

For CX I'd go with a Fizik microtex + gel strips combo. The microtex is virtually whipe clean, and grippy when wet, and the gel strips allow you to put the extra cush exactly were you want it.

I've been using the same gel strips on my beater CX for years. Really helps on winter ice clumps.

He's pissed there's only one pint holder.

ftfy.

Drink faster, won't need a holder.

Drink faster, won't need a holder.

They're only there to balance the 2L vodka in the Camelbak.

you guys are. not selling boardman bikes to me.

The Boardman bikes are brilliant.

Halfords aren't.

We had a customer who brought a Boardman at Halfords which were a minutes walk from the shop, and ask the mechanic at Halfords to not build it up and give him the bike in the box instead.

He brought the unbuild bike in, and ask our mechanic to put it together instead, and wouldn't mind paying extra to do so.

As long as you have the knowledge/skill to make the necessary adjustments/make good from Halfords then they are fine by the sound of it and a good price bearing that in mind.

I would imagine the majority of people on this forum would be up to the job so shouldn't really put anyone off unless you are highly principled and I don't need imagination to know that is not the case here.