Best Cyclocross under a grand

Liam28

Looking for a cyclocross bike for €1000 budget (BtW) for commuting, longer weekend runs and some off road, gravel paths etc.
Narrowed it down to the Giant TCX 2 or 3
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/tcx.2/9328/49856/
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/tcx.3/9328/49857/

or the Ridley XBOW
http://www.ridley-bikes.com/pd/gb/en-gb/4/354/cyclocross/x-bow

Any comments or advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks, Liam.

Raam

Liam28 wrote: »

Looking for a cyclocross bike for €1000 budget (BtW) for commuting, longer weekend runs and some off road, gravel paths etc.

...and for racing cyclocross, right?

Liam28

Raam wrote: »

...and for racing cyclocross, right?

Eh, of course! Must get fit first...

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

I bought the X-bow last year and love it, stick a set of road wheels on there and its a great commuter/longer spin bike, very comfortable.
I got the Tiagra equipped Ridley from The Bike Shop in Wexford on the BTW scheme. I think they had a few of them in stock although that was a good few months ago - no harm calling them.
I have no connection to the shop in any way but would strongly recommend them - sound people to deal with.
Be careful of the Ridley frame size - my x-bow is a 48 but my road bikes have been 53.

Cant comment on the Giants I'm afraid.

Word of warning - however fit you think you need to get to do a CX race, get three times fitter...

Slogger Jogger

I've a TCX2 and love it. I don't cyclocross race though. I bought it cos it offered me a good compromise for where I live. The roads locally can be dodgy enough surface-wise but the TCX2 copes fine with that. I can go offroad on trail with it without a problem.

25sean

Friend of mine selling a Focus Alu with carbon fork, 52 with aksiums, a set of road and cross tyres..

I ride a 56 on the road and race a 52 for cross, so you can get right over the front wheel... people seem to ride smaller frames for cross

will pass on his details if interested...

kingoffifa

someone else was asking about bikes today so i feel like a halfords salesman but the boardman cx is brilliant value for money. you won't find anything close to the price for the money. I have one and love it. its definitely has to be considered if you are looking at cyclocross bikes for around 1000.

at the moment it is 1124 i think so its a little outside the btw scheme money but not by much to be fair.

RobFowl

http://www.hargrovescycles.co.uk/products.asp?category=Cyclocross&product=Crossbow%20Tiagra%202012%20Cyclocross%20Bike

Super bike from a Belgian company, only tiagra but i've seen this frame alone for similar money.
I've bought from them before as well and can recommend them.

Liam28

Thanks for the advice, so it's 1-1 between the Ridley and Giant.

Joey Joe-Joe Jr wrote: »

Be careful of the Ridley frame size - my x-bow is a 48 but my road bikes have been 53.

Joey, can I ask what height are you? Have heard that the CX sizing is different.

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

I'm 5' 7"

Tenzor07

kingoffifa wrote: »

at the moment it is 1124 i think so its a little outside the btw scheme money but not by much to be fair.

ouch, oh yea thats €124 means its off the B2W scheme :eek:

kingoffifa

not so sure about that. cant you pay the excess? my bus was 1062 euros. i just paid the extra 62 euros. maybe different btw schemes work, well, differently.

i was told get name to make the cheque out to, along with a vat number for that company. what i did with the grand was my concern

fat bloke

kingoffifa wrote: »

not so sure about that. cant you pay the excess?

Course you can yeah. You can buy a bike for 10 grand if you like, but the tax relief is only off the first 1000.

kingoffifa

10000?

be some bus...

fat bloke

kingoffifa wrote: »

10000?

be some bus...

Ha ha ha. More easily done than you think! There's a nice bike in cyclesuperstore if you only had another 5 to put with that!:pac:

kingoffifa

seen a black one for there for 10k alright - it was indeed some bus.

missed the 15k one. i wonder did you get pedals for that. got none with my boardman the tight gits

Tenzor07

Pah! 10k, try €20,000! BMC