lardboy's CX Replacement

Instead of clogging up the CX races thread with talk of my broken Boardman CX Team frame and how to replace it, it makes sense to start a thread here to keep track of the various ideas that scoot in and out of my brain. My overall budget is around £500 all in after selling the bits and pieces left over from each option, but the lower the better. Must be disc, as I've got a garage full of appropriate wheels.

Current shortlist
eBay China Carbon: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/55cm-Cyclo-cross-Frame-Road-Bike-Frame-BSA-Disc-Brake-Frame-Headset-Lightweight-/121428193759?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Fragrances_Women_s_Fragrances_PP&hash=item1c45af31df
Verenti Substance: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-substance-cx11-sora-2014/
Pinnacle Arkose Two: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/arkose-two-2014-cyclocross-bike-ec054865

Initial thoughts on each:
China Carbon: Carbon all over. Unknown quality, full build required, new crankset required as BSA fitting, compared to existing BB30 FSA Gossamer (sell). Unsure if will take rack, but will I want to? Probably a race only option.

Verenti: Reynolds 520 frame/fork. Heavy? Sell complete GS, buy 10sp cranks. Alternatively, use the new 9-speed Sora on one of the stable (Islabike, probably) and sell/bin the older GS. Sell BB5s + cockpit, Sell stock wheels and use existing handbuilts. Relatively decent stock wheelset (Alex on Novatec 521/522). Can fit guards/rack

Arkose Two: Alu frame/carbon fork. Hylex brakes - use on Pomeptamine, sell existing BB7/Crane Creek combo (from Pomp), bar end shifter, rear mech and cockpit. Keep as single ring front, as it probably doesn't have bosses for front mech. Would need a bigger ring for commuting, but could have separate racing/commuting cranksets with chainring/chains to match and swap over when I swap wheelsets. No guards. Sell stock wheels and use existing handbuilts. Probably comes in over budget.

*Bonus (literally, if I get a decent bonus this year) option: Talbot custom steel. Unlikely, but you never know.

I'm currently thinking along similar lines for a custom cross frame (but with touring capacity via a steel fork)...

Have you looked at the polish frame builders? Seem very cheap.

My favourite (super traditional cross bike) is this one...

Or...

Like for like replacement: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/boardman-cx-team-/311066798749?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item486d06aa9d

Thoughts: Boring, practical option. The bike was nothing special and committing to the same again, and a second hand option at that seems a bit daft. However, everything will swap straight over easily, and I could be back riding in a few days. Single ring chainset for race option, sell all the other bits, but maybe keep the rear wheel if the X9 hub can be converted to bolt on axle?

Crabon. Do it so I know if it works!

Crabon for a real world CX race bike can do one. You crash it into a tree you've ruined it. Imho.

Orlowski looks a good shout if you can't stretch to Talbot...

Or my original suggestion of a pompetamine plus derailleur hanger and bolt on cable guides still stands. As in, literally buy another one.

I can't see any prices on the Orlowski or Rycharski sites. If they're much over £400, it will have to go on the "not right now" list.

Erm... no.

Not sure I ever really go fast enough to break a frame against a tree, but Chinese carbon would be the easiest one to break, I fear.

I'm leaning towards the Arkose at the moment. I like the idea of leary green for a nice change from the black Pomp/grey Boardman/black Brompton/black Wilier in the garage right now. I could probably bung the front end of the Boardman on it if I felt so inclined.

What about one of the kinesis cross frames?

Tempting, but maybe a bit too race focussed for me. Probably a bit pricey as well.

That applies to pretty much any frame material.

The secret is to not crash into trees.

Easy enough for an expert :-)

We looked at the Pinnacle frames last year - the headtube on the smallest was huge.

Likewise the headtube on the Kinesis is tiny, and you are right, it's racy and stiff as a very stiff thing, especially at the front end with the super beefy tapered fork.

Canyon Cross bikes look pretty ace.

How tall are you?
This is an absurd bargain:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ritchey-Swiss-Cross-cyclocross-cyclo-cross-bike-2013-SEE-VIDEO-/271599159078?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3f3c924726

I'm only 5'9, so that Ritchey is too big by a good chunk. No discs either.

I'm getting more tempted by the Arkose, as I could collect it from the shop rather than fucking around with couriers, I get to play with hydro discs and I get a disgusting green bike ready to ride. There's one in Spitalfields, so I might head in and buy it tomorrow.

They're really quite fun to ride. I wanted one for the gf (and me) but they'd sold out of small.

Bugger. Forgot we already had plans, so pickup today isn't going to happen. Monday, by the looks of it.

Small is back in stock at Wimbledon if you're still looking for one.

Tested the Arkose. It is fun. I even like the bar end. The hydro brakes are bloody noisy though. Might sell them to get myself back below budget.

It seems like the bike in Spitalfields Evans would be the one I get if I were to buy it now. Which is all well and good, but it's obviously been taken out for a load of test rides, so is a bit scratched, the paint is flaking around the seat clamp and the drive train is somewhat worn.

Fuck it, I'm flying out of the country in 12 days and won't be back for 2 weeks. It's not worth rushing a decision just to get it done before I leave. I doubt I'll be riding this weekend, so I'm not missing any races I would have otherwise done.

What about the PX SRAM build going for £999 at the moment?

I think there was a reluctance to full crabonz.

Me being clumsy and riding crabon is a potentially expensive combination. Chinese crabon would be more likely than a full build, as I could move so much straight across from the busted frame.