Cyclocross bikes

dooverylittle

I am thinking about giving cross a lash, It seems very difficult to pick one up second hand. All the usual sites(wiggle, chainreaction etc) are very low on stock. Anyone know anybody selling a 2nd hand cross bike. My budget is about 1000euro. (I take a 54cm frame in road bikes)
Thanks.

C3PO

Probably not a great time to go looking for a 2nd hand Cross bike with the season just started. I think Richie in Eurocycles on the Long Mile Road has just got new bikes into stock - the Focus AX3 might be close to your budget? Worth giving him a call!

Lemag

Did Raam ever sell this? You could search for other advert threads in the adverts sub-forum.

dooverylittle

RPL1 wrote: »

Probably not a great time to go looking for a 2nd hand Cross bike with the season just started. I think Richie in Eurocycles on the Long Mile Road has just got new bikes into stock - the Focus AX3 might be close to your budget? Worth giving him a call!

I will give them a call, their site indicates no stock.

C3PO

dooverylittle wrote: »

I will give them a call, their site indicates no stock.

Their site is a joke but I'm sure I heard that they have new CX bikes in stock.

dooverylittle

Great thanks.

Lemag

dooverylittle wrote: »

I am thinking about giving cross a lash

If you're only intending to give it a lash would you not consider getting a road bike with enough clearance for the bigger tyres? That way, if you've realised that it aint your thing, you're not stuck with a cross bike.

dooverylittle

I was thinking about the boardman cross. Buts its 10kg! Is that ok for a cross bike? I wouldnt give you 50euro for a 10Kg road bike.
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?catalogId=15551&storeId=11101&categoryId=212536&langId=-1&action=listrefine&constraints=fra%7C%7CPrice%7C%7C1000.0%7C%7C1500.0%7C%7Csor%7C%7CPrice%7C%7C1

C3PO

Lemag wrote: »

If you're only intending to give it a lash would you not consider getting a road bike with enough clearance for the bigger tyres? That way, if you've realised that it aint your thing, you're not stuck with a cross bike.

But you'd have to change the brakes too?

dooverylittle

Lemag wrote: »

If you're only intending to give it a lash would you not consider getting a road bike with enough clearance for the bigger tyres? That way, if you've realised that it aint your thing, you're not stuck with a cross bike.

The thought process was that even if I dont do much cross racing, It would make a good commuter and winter trainer. The snow realy disrupted training last year and I cant handle the thought of the turbo again this winter.

Lemag

They do tend to be heavier. This CAADX looks like better value. Is it in your size?

Tenzor07

dooverylittle wrote: »

The thought process was that even if I dont do much cross racing, It would make a good commuter and winter trainer. The snow realy disrupted training last year and I cant handle the thought of the turbo again this winter.

Pick up a FOCUS MARES, dont wanna spend too much on a Cross bike that may end up being a go to work bike!

Lemag

RPL1 wrote: »

But you'd have to change the brakes too?

I've never had nor used one. The CAADX which I've linked doesn't have disc brakes. The 105 brakes on my alu bike look like they could accommodate a fat(ish) tyre.

dooverylittle wrote: »

The thought process was that even if I dont do much cross racing, It would make a good commuter and winter trainer. The snow realy disrupted training last year and I cant handle the thought of the turbo again this winter.

I would have thought that a road bike would be a nicer commuter. Get some fat tyres for it.

Tenzor07

Lemag wrote: »

I would have thought that a road bike would be a nicer commuter. Get some fat tyres for it.

It would....but for Cross it will have less mud/tyre clearance, caliper brakes and although a decent road bike frame would not crack, i personally would not wanna risk it.... just my 2c..

dooverylittle

Lemag wrote: »

They do tend to be heavier. This CAADX looks like better value. Is it in your size?

One of my bikes is a 56, I think 54's in general fit me better. With cross geometry I have no idea.
Thats a great looking bike, with 105's for that price is very attractive.

blorg

Lemag wrote: »

If you're only intending to give it a lash would you not consider getting a road bike with enough clearance for the bigger tyres? That way, if you've realised that it aint your thing, you're not stuck with a cross bike.

No road bike will have clearance for cross tyres. The very most generous road bike you will get 28s on and that will be pretty close to the chainstays/fork blades and will get very clogged. I started with a hybrid frame and that got clogged very badly. To give you an idea, this is the sort of clearance you need (these are 32mm tyres):



In my experiencing sizing should be similar; I ride 58cm on the road and have two 58cm cross frames with my race bike being 57cm. The stem on that one is 10cm longer to compensate.

10kg sounds OK for a cross bike, good for an entry level one. Frame, fork and tyres are a fair bit heavier than a road bike.