Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

What tubs would you recommend Andy?

It's the low pressure that's the problem, typically you'd be running a tubular in a muddy race at 25 psi or lower.

Feck, thats low. I had my 2.55" tyres at 20PSI and banged the rim. I was riding down a load of concrete steps, but still.

What tubs would you recommend Andy?

Depends on your budget, Dugast or FMB if you can afford them or Challenge if you can't. I've been very impressed with my Challenge Fangos, although they struggle in really bad mud (but I've a pair of Dugast Rhinos for that now).

Depends on your budget, Dugast or FMB if you can afford them or Challenge if you can't. I've been very impressed with my Challenge Fangos, although they struggle in really bad mud (but I've a pair of Dugast Rhinos for that now).

Still some money in the bank after not buying a Lynskey :)

I suppose the real cost comes from having to have as many wheelsets as you have tyres?

Cheers anyway, I'll check them out.

I've been building up my stock of tubular wheels over the past year or so. I've two pairs of fairly cheap wheels (Miche Primato road hubs, Kinlin TB25 rims) and a pair of Mavic Ksyriums now. Total cost to acquire these has been less than £500.

Cost to aquire new shed for all the wheels?

We don't talk about 'all' the wheels. Ever.

my neighbour has a 57 voodoo banzo I think? ( on phone so can't check) Fsa/105 group set with carbon forks in white, cost 950 new but he would sell maybe? what's it worth? 500?

I tried tubeless this year and burping was a big problem. Used road and touring rims and the width made no difference. To avoid burping I had to run them above 40psi, I can run normal tubes at 42 without pinching so I have ditched tubeless for the time being. Also tubes give me more tyre options and the ability to switch them on race day after scouting the course.

Used mud2 tyres
Scirocco rims and some wider touring rims (not sure what brand)
I weigh 89 kilos

I was wondering if rider weight had something to do with burping. At 69kg I wonder if I could get away with it. Anyone want to lend me their tubless so I can test this theory?

@Tilover depends on condition and how desperate he is to sell it - I'd try to get that well below £500.

I had a chat with the stans rims rep this lunchtime

His verdict - tubeless for road and MTB but even he's abandoned using the rims/tubeless combo for CX due to burping issues and has gone back to using his tubs…

Is the burping happening when the rider remounts after an obstacle?

Quite like this, bit pricey tho...those wheels don't appear the most suitable for CX?!

D - remounting and tight cornering that puts pressure on the bead

Just wondered how that sort of impact differed from a bunny-hop on an MTB, or a drop-off at speed, but I guess the rider would distrubiute their weight between the wheels, rather than slamming down on the rear as in a remount?

rim width seems to be the biggest factor

I burped on the dismount, I think my step off twists the front a bit. I go heavy on the left hand while I reach for the frame and step away/unclip the left.

Jumping was fine, as was anything else where the pressure on both beads was equal.

Quite like this, bit pricey tho...those wheels don't appear the most suitable for CX?!

Why not? They are strong as fuck.

even with 100kgs of pure beefcake riding them ?

I got one of these this week for £799.00

Had planned to get the 2012 but its a bum deal compared to the 2011 imo.

had missed the tubeless debate

i use them on the 29er, stans rims and run them at about 25 psi, and I am a lump

never had burping issues

now that the solution is running low they lose pressure a bit faster (so after a week of no use the pressure is really quite low) but have had no problems on trails and pulled a couple of large thorns out with no problems

Took the CAADX to Swinley again, this time armed with Michelin Mud 2s and the CXP33 / X9 wheelset Arup made up for me.

Addition of SwissStop Greens and some brake tuning really improved the ride and I was able to attack the same technical trails as the guys on hardtails.

Also really impressed by the 105 road group's ability to shift perfectly, under full power, even in fairly muddy conditions too. Fun times.

Just need to sign up for some more Cross races now :)

Howard, I swapped out my CR720s to Cane Creek SCX-5 last week as the CR720 were too wide and low due to wide rims I am using.
The braking has improved A LOT, pretty much back to the point of the mini Vs. Just thought I would point out my experience although a lot of people rave about CR720's so could have just been mine/my setup.

Ah...those SCX-5s look to be a similar design to the Tektro Oryx cantis the other half has on her Surly - was always impressed by the power and modulation they had, but wondered if it was because they were paired up with Tektro leavers. Glad they work for you.

I'm just about happy with the 720s now - I could lower the straddle cable further at the front as its still above the fork crown and the rear is still running the stock pads. A disc fork and Travel Agent for an XT V brake at the back are in the works though so I'll probably stop mucking around with them as the entire set-up is going to change.

130mm <--- 135mm?

The wheelset in the pic above was built for another frame I was intending to build up that had a 135mm spacing at the back.

The CAADX is supposedly spaced to 130mm.

But the rear wheel just drops in, no problems. The fit is a little tighter than the 130mm stock wheels; when closing the QR on the stock wheels you can see the dropouts clamp together. That's not so easy to see with the 135mm rear. But it's certainly not a fight to get it in and there's no 'pinging open' required at all

Should I reduce the 135mm rear to 130mm? Will the world end if I don't?