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Use tyres, they are far superior. :-)

Got my first event in December with the new set up at the Wiggle Fallen Leaves. Should be a better result than the CX Sportive I did in March as it's flatter.

Anyone got tips for setting up canti brakes properly? I lowered the yoke which seemed to help but they're still pretty shocking... Have burned through the blocks in only a couple of weeks so I'll be getting new ones soon - worth splashing out?

Plenty of tips on the 'net. It takes time to set them up, but they are truly awful in the wet. Toe in and as close to the rim as possible I found and only use a decent set. I had TRP EuroX on my CX9 which were good in the dry.

Thanks for the tips on the Spyre brakes.
I'm still undecided on those or the Hy-Rd as they have very mixed reviews on the few I have found and if anyone here has them then that would be a good start.

TP88, what levers does that bike have? I'm thinking of going TRP Spyre but I believe throw is an issue with older SRAM RED levers.

Yup, 130mm, same as the CX9, which was/is a better bike being handmade in the USA, if you can still get one.

Back again after a year off. But in that time I have sadly sold the CX9 and gone the Boardman CX route.
As usual this is now highly modified with SRAM Red shifters and a FORCE WiFli groupset. Currently running standard 50/34 chainset, I've worn out the 18 & 17T on the cassette and just ordered a 46T big ring as I am not man enough to push higher gears in general use than a 16T on the cassette, so the 46 should mean more ratios get used.
Cassette is 11/28 for road and 11/32 for off-road

Different Carbon seat post, Pro_PLT bars, Kinesis wheels and the whole bike is 1.5kg less than when new.

Entered one event in March, an off road sportive, which took just over 4 hours with one stop for a puncture and the bike is totally brilliant, but not quite so "flighty" as the CX9, nor as good off-road.

Now looking for a new project to buuy or build. I have a Ribble carbon road bike, but seriously thinking about a carbon CX disc to replace it

After riding my carbon roadbike over the Christmas break I realise how good disc brakes are, even cable operated ones.
Ultegra 6700's are nowhere near as powerful and I reckon give it a year and we'll see production road bikes fitted with discs.

B'Twin bikes are very good. They supplied one of the pro teams a few years ago and the current crop are the same geometry and direct copies.
Used to be made in Holland, not sure where now though.
They are cheap in the same way that Merida are as there are no middlemen to make their margin each time.

It's a shame they don't have a disc model yet.

Strange CX bike..................................................................

The same peepul hoo luk at internet syts

Cycling Plus magazine, £4.50 from your newsagent.
Very heavy, rattly mudguards and not so good as the others.

Plus several other CX bikes, some under £1000, but they missed the two that I think are best value.

After reading the current review of the FOCUS MARES DISC 4.0 I am glad I didn't buy one in a way.

I liked the 46/36 on the CX9, but did run out of gears downhill. The 50/34 is better for commuting as much of my ride is flat (Portsmouth), but the 34 is TINY, so I may make that a 36 again.
For commuting a double front ring makes perfect sense.

Where? Can't see it on the work's 'pooter.

I think I have to get over my Shimano favouritism as SRAM seems to work very well. It must be good if most of the pro teams are using it, or so it seems. Judging from things I have read it appears that Shimano brakes work better than SRAM though.

I'm certainly impressed with the new bike overall, especially the gears and discs brakes, which at last seem to be getting better by the day. Mind you, 8 days and 150 miles are early days yet.

I'm just after some wheels now, found some cheapies at 1800g, and some discs so I have a spare set for the off road tyres.
Do you know if ARTEK are compatible with AVID BB5?

Money, really.
The old Shimano is just that, old. It's very very slick, but now about 3 or 4 years old and hard to find new.
I have Ultegra 6700 on my Ribble. Very precise shifting, but not so "sewing machine" smooth as the old version of both (I've had both on my older bikes) Many reckon the hidden cables may increase resistance.
I got the SRAM front mech for £10.00 off ebay, very light use and not bad for their 2nd to top groupset parts. I wouls like to try a RIVAL equipped bike to see if it's worth upgrading, or just get some well proven 105 5700 when the time comes. Also toying with the idea of Di2 for the Ribble and moving the mechanical Ultegra across as well, but it depends upon funds next year.

What surprised me the most is that the MICROSHIFT front mech weighs 108.2g, just 6g more than the RIVAL.

So, let's make bikes heavier again..........................................why?

Fitted the SRAM RIVAL front mech to my Boardman today. What a difference it makes. Easy shifting, but still not as good as the old Shimano 105 5600 or Ultegra 6600.

I can see why SRAM may be better suited to cyclocross as the whole lever doesn't accidentally move to one side...............................but I still like the old 105 5600 and Ultegra 6600 as they were like sewing machines in comparison to the new stuff. I haven't had much use from the 6700 on my Ribble yet, so can't really give feedback.

Right size, wrong colour eyes.

Alot.

No such word. It's "a lot". Here endeth the lesson. (haha)

Interesting to read about ghost shifting. Hasn't happened yet, but I have the crap Microshit front mech (waiting for a new Force item). If it happens then I will definately go for 105 or Ultegra and worry about the weight penalty later.
I have had the rear ghost shift, but then the bike is only 10 days old and may need a small adjustment, which I have never had with Shimano on the bikes I usually build from scratch.

After a week of riding on discs, I can offer some comparisons. OK, so they are only BB5, but the initial feel was WOW! Stopped on a sizpence. Now they don't seem any different to the Ultegra calipers and the very well set up TRP EuroX's I had on the CX9. Still seems to be a lag and then they work well.
As it hasn't rained hard, I can't say much, but damp weather there appears to be better braking.

Almost sorted, by the look of things. Can't wait to see what the price is.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/sram-red-hydraulic-disc-brakes-first-look-35887/

I don't think that it's the limit of teeth that are the problem with the effort, it's the physical properties of moving the parallelogram.
I've seen an Ultegra 6700 front mech for £19.99 in a sale, Dammit, even less than a 105, so I may get that first.

Not a great deal better in real terms. You still have to push the left lever a long way to shift and it's got an awful agricultural action. 105's it is then.

Just adjusted the front derailleur as the cable seemed a bit slack and not exactly aligned. Seems a bit better and will hopefully not have to reach so far to upshift now.

Edscoble, I had cut the stays and pushed the plastic covers on the guards all the way down. I cut the stays to be able to fit the 35 tyres back on if it snows or I go off road. I simply ran out of time yesterday and didn't adjust them properly, plus the wheels flex about 5mm or more under power, both front and rear, causing disc rub and the mudguard rub. Mudguard rub now sorted, I will tighten the spokes after a week to sort out the flex. I have been used to mid to top end wheels over the last 5 years on road bikes that hardly flex at all.

Dammit. Definately considering changing the front mech and possibly the whole groupset to 105 as it's cheap at present. I had 46/36 on the CX9, what a superb ratio, it felt so smooth and like changing down/up 1 or 2 rear ratios. I just ran out of gears on the odd downhill section. I have a "proper" 53/39 on the Ribble after a year of compact so I'm just trying to get used to it again and may fit a 46 big ring again
As you say, Microshit and very poor with it. There is far too much lever movement on the left hand shifter to do it smoothly when compared to even 10 year old Shimano stuff. More harsh than Sora and clunky.
Rear is very precise and I had no missed shifts today at all, even with waterproof winter gloves on. Ratios on the rear are a bit far apart, but I have an Ultegra 11-25 to fit which is betterererer.

Not really criticisms as this is the first totally new bike I have had since 2007 and like all new vehicles it needs bedding in. All my others are built up from new and used items so I get used to each new item as I upgrade..

First impressions on the Boardman.
Comfortable.
Seems quick enough
Disc brakes, in the pouring rain this morning, superb................why do people still use cantilevers? There is no comparison. No rubbing, easy to set up, can't wait to upgrade to BB7's
Gearing too spaced compared to my usual Shimano stuff.
Double tap gears??? Hmmm. Can't say just yet, no botched shifts, but the left (front) is VERY stiff. Already looking at 105 to replace it lol.
Mudguards worked a treat on the 28 Gatorskins.
Slight bit of rub on the guards when out of the saddle due to wheel flex I daresay and it was the first trip out so to be expected.
Weighs about 9 tonnes with the full commuting kit on though (Mudguards, lights, rack, panniers, different pump). OK, 13.5KG, which was a shock after using the 8KG (with mudguards) Ribble last week.

Well worth it and glad I chose it over the Focus Mares.....................I think as I could have got the Mares for £100 less, and got the 105 shifters for £150 and whatever I could get for the Tiagra.....................hmmm. Guess you NEVER stop tinkering.