Changing bike from Road to Cyclocross

[2wd]

I'm considering selling my Specialized Allez Road bike and buying a Cyclocross

I love the bike and it rides great but the main reason for thinking about changing is the roads where I live are a disgrace and full of potholes and from the liitle I know of the Cyclocross I think this type of bike would be more suibtable?

I bought the road bike last year to keep fit and also for enjoyment, but find most of the time I'm looking out for potholes.

I also would't mind taking the bike off road,I've owned a Hybrid but preffer the road bike look and ride,but in the main I'll be on the road, so my question will be based on that.

Would you point me in the right direction/recommend a bike based on riding mainly on the roads please.

My current bike's is a 2011 Specialized Allez Sport with Sora STI,I have changed the tyres to 700x25 Conti Gator Skins to try and cope with the roads better.

I would like to upgrade to Tiagra/105, but would prefer to keep to a triple as I live in a hilly area,I hardly use the granny ring but it's comforting knowing it's there just in case

I would be looking at spending no more than £1000

Thanks for any advice

 

[jdtate101]

From the briefest search on the internet, it's clear the Allez doesn't have generous clearance on the forks or stays to fit chunkier tyres, so your options are two fold:

1) Buy Tiagra/105 components and maybe a new fork with clearance to get up to 30mm tyres (this may not be possible). This is likely to be difficult as your current frame does not have mountings for either canti or disc brakes and calipers will only go round skinny(ish) tyres. Also likely to be quite an expense.

2) Sell the Allez and get dedicated cross bike. You should be able to pick a very decent crosser for £1000, and sell the Allez for maybe £300-450 depending upon condition (or keep both...you know N+1 makes sense).

Getting the new bike would be my choice if you are dead set on a cyclocross bike. I recently got a CAADX6 for winter training (it's a Tiagra shod 2011 model) and love it. It can take serious punishment and brush it off with ease. The only thing I have upgraded was the brake pads, as the stock one's wouldn't stop a daisy let alone a 90KG bike and rider combo.

 

[Norm]

I've got a Secteur (the Allez's softer brother) and a Tricross (their CX-styled first cousin) and I think you are doing exactly the right thing.

As much as I love riding the Secteur (it is lighter, it is more responsive, it does climb easier and it does ride nicer) the convenience of riding the CX where I want, road, path, mud, whatever, is just amazing.

One thing that I've found which you might not expect is that journey times on tarmac are the same on both bikes as the Tricross just rides over almost anything as I'm not worrying about dodging potholes.

 

[2wd]

Appreciate your comments jdtate and Norm,thanks

I think I'll probably ride the summer out on the Spesh and try and pick up a 2012 end of year bargain before the 2013 models are released

The Allez will still be reasonably low miles by then (usually do 3 x 10 to 12 miles a week) and is currently in spanking condition

I have changed the seat for a SDG Bel-Air with TI rails and as mentioned put the conti gator skin tyres,also put red bar tape on

Bit of a thread here on the changes.....

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/update-of-the-2011-specialized-allez-sport-27.94813/

 

[wakou]

It sounds like you are the 'perfect' customer for a Specialized Tricross Sport or Comp. I have one and I loves it.

 

[2wd]

The Comp looks a good spec and I'm really liking the 2012 Cube Cross Race but its not a triple

 

[VamP]

Consider whether you want disc brakes and a rack mount. The X race has neither. Rose have a tidy road biased crosser with disc brakes and rack mounts, which is a lot lighter than the Tricross, there are others...

 

[dan_bo]

Harry halls' have got a 56cm spesh crux with a mix of fsa, LX and tiagra for £850, down from a grand. I was slavvering over it last night and they reckon they'd move a bit more on the price as well. go and offer 'em £750 if it's your size.

 

[jdtate101]

Or you could go with the commuters favourite the Boardman CX TEAM for £899, granted it's not a triple, but you could always use the remainder to buy a lower geared cassette later on.

 

[2wd]

Thanks again for some great advice and for taking the time to look around

The Crux looks great but is too big

Those Rose bikes, they look very good and I'll see what reviews I can get

Boardman,another decent choice

I rang Leisurelakes where I bought my Spesh from to enquire on the 2012 Cube Cross Race but nothing available and was offered a 2011 Specialized Tricross Comp for £999,as already said this is a great bike with Shimano 105

Then I went into my LBS today to enquire on the Cube Cross Race but non available,in fact he said he didn't think it ever went into production ?

So i looked at a Cannondale CAADX 6 Tiagra but was then given the heads up on the 2013 Cube Cross Race which is claimed to be available around August

I really like the Cube so may hold out for that unless something else comes along (those Rose bikes are attracting my attention)

Need to sell mine first though to help fund it

 

[smokeysmoo]

Have a look at the Focus Mares as well. They're generally exceptionally well specced bikes. I had a 2011 Mares AX 1.0 and it was an awesome bit of kit. Why did I sell it? Not a clue, I do silly things some times

I actually ended up taking the Nobbly Nics off mine and fitting road tyres as it was turning me into a hooligan. I just wanted to ride it everywhere and I had visions of me ending up in casualty

I'll definitely have an other CX bike when funds permit though

[EDIT] Whyte seem to be getting well rated as well

 

[2wd]

I cant seem to take to the looks of the Whyte frames geometry

is it me or are these a strange angle

 

[Norm]

I should point out that I've got a 2010 Tricross Sport, but the world of CX (and, for VamP, CX-styled ) bikes has changed since, though, with more disc-equipped rides out there and a much wider range of bikes which have the combination of drop-bars, MTB gears, 700c wheels and wide clearances.

Given the choice, I'd probably go with something which wore discs, although I don't feel strongly enough that I actually want to change the Tricross which would be the last bike that I'd sell as it covers 95% of the abilities of the road bike, 85% of the MTB and 100% of the fun.

 

[Dave5N]

Struggling to understand your logic. My Road bikes and cross bikes have the same wheels.

 

[2wd]

Dont struggle Dave......

Just come and ride the streets of Oldham

The craters are still there from the riots