Cyclocross bike for Sunday morning family jaunt?

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richie244

Active Member
Location
Highbridge
Having just upgraded the kids bikes walking along side then is no longer an option. I'm getting my beloved a nice Liv hybrid as requested which leaves me.

I can't really use my roadie on the gravel cycle paths practically (gives me an excuse to buy a new bike). The question is would a cyclocross tick the box or should I accept I NEED a hybrid/cheep moutain bike.

In other ways it would be practical as a winter bike, turbo trainer option and perhaps doing cyclocross to a degree. The only concern is it not being a "sit up and beg" style so may be less comfy on slow rides for ice cream. Does any one have experience of this?
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I rue the day I advised a buddy to buy a cyclocross bike and use it as a winter bike. He could never get comfortable on it and we had to work out some ghastly bodge to fit mudguards. I reckon cyclocross bikes are designed to be ridden hard for an hour and no longer and certainly not fitted with mudguards. Unfortunately at that time the new style of go-anywhere gravel bikes hadn't been invented. My advice would be to look at a gravel bike with disc brakes.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
My Boardman team works well for the use described, fitted with full mudguards and a rack. Has 32mm slicks as used on roads/paths. If mud riding, can also take Knobblies

I prefer the drops to the flat bars they replaced On a Whyte R7 (due to shoulder issues). Test ride all the options and decide

It's called a CX but in reality it's a gravel / adventure bike now (ah marketing men and their names to sell the same thing under a different guise ;) )
 

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Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Why not look for a second hand touring/hybrid/adventure bike frame and build it up how you like? Maybe something like a Surly. You could use drops or flat bars. Just a thought.
 

grellboy

Über Member
I had the same Boardman as @vickster before it was stolen but with the subsequent insurance payout I got a CAADX. Available for about £800 in an awesome shade of lime, I use it all the time to accompany my kids - one on a pendleton, the other on a bmx - but also set a KoM on the road the other day, so pretty versatile really. Apparently it does have fittings for mudguards too, if that kind of thing interests you.
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Ciar

Veteran
Location
London
I ride a GT Grade 105 as a commuter bike, it's actually classed as a gravel/adventure bike but it works perfectly well on the roads.

i also have it fitted with marathon plus tyres along with full guards and a rack.

personally i would never go for a drop bar over flat, for recreational pootles purely due to comfort issues and depending you might fancy doing something a little bit more than fire roads/gravel once the kids are older, i know once my daughters are of the age i will be out in the forest as much as i can with them :smile:
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
My Boardman team works well for the use described, fitted with full mudguards and a rack. Has 32mm slicks as used on roads/paths. If mud riding, can also take Knobblies

I prefer the drops to the flat bars they replaced On a Whyte R7 (due to shoulder issues). Test ride all the options and decide

It's called a CX but in reality it's a gravel / adventure bike now (ah marketing men and their names to sell the same thing under a different guise ;) )
This^^

I have the same, with bodyguards and rack. It's an all year round commuter and perfect for family rides plus shopping trips.
 
Location
Birmingham
Just spent 8 days on my cx doing tour of holland. Put rubino 35s on and it goes like stink and is sooooo smooth on road yet still nimble on gravel. Its my main bike now as it is FUN
 
In the olden days, cx bikes were for cx races, had cantilever brakes, no bottle cage threads and often no chainstay bridge. Modern cx derived doitall bikes are a different kettle of fish, with practical festures such as rack and mudguard and bottle cage threads, disc brakes and easy handling like a light touring bike. The best ones place rear disc brakes on the chaibstay for std rack mounting.
 
Location
Essex
I'm going to add interrupter brake levers or 'cross-top levers' as they're also called into the mix. Tremendously practical way of making a CX bike a little more sitty-uppy and handy for more relaxed riding where you may still need to stop suddenly, i.e. winter commuting or riding with kids! If I remember rightly, some of the Boardman CXs have, or had, them as standard.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I'm going to add interrupter brake levers or 'cross-top levers' as they're also called into the mix. Tremendously practical way of making a CX bike a little more sitty-uppy and handy for more relaxed riding where you may still need to stop suddenly, i.e. winter commuting or riding with kids! If I remember rightly, some of the Boardman CXs have, or had, them as standard.
Yep mine does. I have on 3/4 bikes and the Ti will too if/when I get one
 

pjd57

Veteran
Location
Glasgow
I want to go back to drop bars after years of flats in a hybrid.
Not sure how the change will be so I'm not wanting to spend a lot.
Seen Halfords doing a cross for under £400 , voodoo something or other.
Looks ok. Anything else I've seen is at least double or heading to £1k.
Much more than I want to spend on a whim.
 
OP
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richie244

richie244

Active Member
Location
Highbridge
Thanks for the tips guys. I'm being drawn to the CX (gravel type) have seen a Giant Revolt and a Cannondale CAADX Sora in my local cycle surgery. Of course the Board man is an option.

Not sure if its just me being tight vickster but people seem to want almost as much second hand as new (some are asking more than sale price bikes). I guess its good bike hold their value unless of course you trying to buy one.
 
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