I have a mate with 2k burning a hole in his pockets. Now before he spends it on strippers and coke… help me suggest him an off the shelf CX bike. He was originally after a roadie for commuting to and from work. I then planted the idea in his head that if he gets a CX bike he would be able to ride off road (he used to ride BMX)… his ears pricked up.
Happy to hear any suggestions. I have no idea… a lot of brands seem to do CX bikes but then they don’t seem to be available in Australia.
^ that’s what I was going to say CAADX 105.
I was asking my LBS about one today and they said they were hard to get - but I don’t think they sell a lot of CX bikes.
Fitzroy Cycles Carnegie have two versions of the Scott CX alu cross bike complete on the floor - one with 105 for around $1800ish the other with ultegra for around $2500.
Both look pretty nice.
i heard today that the last of the rival-equipped caadxs in australia have been snapped up from the distro by a local store down here. they are my pick of the oz-available complete cxs.
the 105 version might be good (i dont like 105 that much)
Cool, all good options! I might have to ring around town to see if any of the big shops have any CX bikes in stock for him to check out. I do like the look of some of those Scotts.
a bunch of specialized crux’s in the revolution atm
disclaimer: i am one of their sponsored riders. and they are sponsoring dirty deeds this year. and i love them. especially francois.
^ I highly recommend going in there and expressing an interest in purchasing a ‘fixie’ because you’ve heard they’re cool. As far as cx bikes go let me not recommend a cross check if you’re thinking about racing it. I love mine to bits but the thought of actually shouldering it this year fills me with dread.
pls also mention you like the smiths.
Cannondale’s have traditionally had the nicest smoothest welds if that means anything… although according to BikeRadar now they are made in Asia, the welds are not as nice. Interesting.
Oh nice bike
105 or strippers and blow… not a hard choice really.
Test-rode a CruX down at the Revolution after work, pretty much couldn’t resist putting it on lay-by.
Pair of Specialized MTB shoes included as a freebie - they’re white so obviously they’re good!
Cyclic in Flemington has a few too. I was very impressed with the $1600.00 ride-away price on the Crux with Tiagra. Sure not the best groupset but great price!
Dura-Ace it ain’t but it seemed fine enough! Besides, can always upgrade if I HAVE to.
Thread dig.
Now the 2013 bikes are out what do people think?
Focus or Specialized?
Disc brakes or cantis?
CAAD X is again the best alloy i think.
Focus and Crux not too far behind.
as for disc/canti debate. i think right now, it depends on where your stock lies. i have spare road wheels, carbons and a house full of mates road bikes - so canti’s work best for spare bits. if you’re an MTB’er and have 29er wheels floating around everywhere from that craze… then i’d go a disc bike.
once hydro discs become the norm, discs will rule. until then… not so much. Those Nys and Albert guys seems to still be going plenty fast on cantis.
what Coach Spiro said… though im reserving judgement on hydro until i try it. discs definitely have their advantages but they arent the game changer that the MTBers make them out to be IMO especially if you have a backstock of rim brake wheels.
As coach Nik Cee pointed out to me, if you’re racing CX, why do you need discs to stop so suddenly? Watching the Koppenburg Cross I couldn’t see anyone on discs, the push seems to be coming more from the US.
Having said that I’m getting a new cx frame with disc mounts on it because I want it to do light touring commuting and cx… still thinking whether or not to include removeable canti studs on it though