Best cyclocross bike under £1000 and other CX chat

I built up one of the Forme Hivers as seen on ebay for cheap out of the parts from my old road bike and I am really impressed with it, quick and comfortable only down side is the large amounts of brake judder on the front but then it is a cross fork

It looks like this

down side is the large amounts of brake judder on the front but then it is a cross fork

A fork mount hanger will sort this right out.

Hah yeah just be happy that it stops ;)

It would but there is no hole for it :(
Plus its kinda like ABS.
I never realized that riding a cross bike is so good fro your arms, after an evening mtb ride on it I had serious arm pump and on more than one occasion thought my fingers would break as i was pulling the levers so hard

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?

I've had a 135mm MTB hub in my 130mm CX frame for years. The actual spacing is probably around 132mm, so youre bending each drop-out 1.5mm. No worries.

It would but there is no hole for it :(
Plus its kinda like ABS.
I never realized that riding a cross bike is so good fro your arms, after an evening mtb ride on it I had serious arm pump and on more than one occasion thought my fingers would break as i was pulling the levers so hard

Having to pull the levers that hard doesn't sound right. Sounds like a break change or setting them up differently is required there!

I can stop very quickly even on the hoods with very little pressure needed and in the drops (which is where I am 90% of the time off road) it requires even less effort.

yeah but this was while it was raining, bike covered in mud on downhill sections trying not to run in the back of mtbs with disc brakes :)

I've had a 135mm MTB hub in my 130mm CX frame for years. The actual spacing is probably around 132mm, so youre bending each drop-out 1.5mm. No worries.

Yeah I reckon it will be OK. It's a alu Cannondale. What could go wrong? ;)

Yeah I reckon it will be OK. It's a alu Cannondale. What could go wrong? ;)

Yeah, meant to say. Its a cheapo alu frame (was decaled Graham Weigh)

My bike finally no longer creaks like an elderly Tea Clipper making all sail, as I changed the stem and seatpost last night.

I now have a neat stack of Boardman bars, stem and seatpost in my workshop.

Have you raced it yet, Neil?

Nope, to my shame I've not even got it muddy- it's been rolling on Gatorskins as my winter road bike.

I'll be taking it to Winchester with me for Christmas to thrash round the old trails that I used to do though.

Just got home- honestly, if you have a Boardman CX change the stem- so much stiffer, no creaking, I feel like I can trust the front end a lot more.

Did I mention the creaking is gone?

It's gone.

Good news on the creaking.

I'm thinking of heading down to Brighton on Sunday for the london cross league. Doesnt appear to have a newb category so well up for finishing last :)

yeah but this was while it was raining, bike covered in mud on downhill sections trying not to run in the back of mtbs with disc brakes :)

I can't help there as I don't have experience of that, I like to keep in front of any MTBs...

Good news on the creaking.

I'm thinking of heading down to Brighton on Sunday for the london cross league. Doesnt appear to have a newb category so well up for finishing last :)

Or check out the central league. Racing at Luton this week and they normally do a novice race (full course but only 30 mins).

http://www.centralcxl.org.uk/

The last round of the London X League, at Herne Hill on the 5th of Feb, has a Go Race for anyone fancying a bash at cyclocross racing without 100 regulars shouting "LEFT" or "RIGHT" at you all race.

How about "RED!"?

Cyclo cross is shades of BROWN, never RED.

Cyclo cross is shades of BROWN, never RED.

Dunno about that, I know some riders who always have various shades of red trickling down their legs after a race.

On that note, where is Chris (I wrote off a BMW with my 'cross bike) Daccordi?

Dunno about that, I know some riders who always have various shades of red trickling down their legs after a race.

On that note, where is Chris (I wrote off a BMW with my 'cross bike) Daccordi?

It's not a proper race unless you're bleeding at the end.

Red blood. Weirdos.

On One carbon disc complete £1500 with SRAM Rival BB7s and FSA chainset

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOODDRIV/on_one_dirty_disco_cyclocross_rival

but isn't the qualifier in the title "under £1000" - or is that just the frame set :-)