Is there a perfect bike for me?

[123456789]

Hope someone can point me in the right direction.

I used to be a member of a local racing club and I got really into things but it got to the point where I lost sight of the very reasons why I started starting cycling in the first place. Just getting out there and enjoying it, a post ride cuppa and cake with like minded individuals was replaced with intervals, Turbo training, Hill repeats and who can make it to that lamp post/top of the hill/back to the clubhouse first. This led me to getting a bit fed up and then the inevitable rather long hiatus.

I have however missed it and my expanding waistline says that it is time to start cycling again but as I am now older I do want to do things differently, so will be joining my local CTC group I also want to move away from an all out racer and have something that can take a wider tyre, has the ability to do a little light offroad (bridal/canal paths etc) although the majority of my riding will be country lane (the roads are pretty horrendous near me). So something built more for comfort than speed although I do still want to feel like I could go balls out fairly fast I will not be going down the route of full out touring so I think a CX bike may fit my needs but I am not sure if there is one out there that meets my criteria and I would like to have some idea of what might be available before I throw myself at the mercy of a bike shop and buy the first shiny one I see. Bikes do seemed to have moved on a little

Must be able to take full mudguards (rack would be nice to have the option but not really necessary)
Prefer disk then V brake but would like to avoid Canti's
Groupset I am not too fussed on but would hopefully be at least Sora/Tiagra or equivalent
I do not plan to go off and do fully laden camping touring so luggage carrying is not a necessity but the ability to take a rack in the future might be a plus
Budget: would prefer to spend around 6-700 but could go up to 1k max.
Happy to look at new or second hand options

Am I asking the impossible?

 

[vickster]

How about a Whyte Sussex? Ticks all boxes, well under budget

http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=16025

 

[mustang1]

Welcome aboard, like-minded individual!

I had a CX bike, a specialised tricross. Like you, I disliked the can I brakes. That biek had full size mudguards and rack, then got stolen. I replaced it with a focus mares ax3.0 which has mini v brakes, full sks guards and to peak rack. It also has slightly more road like gears which are not as wide ratio like they were on the tricross.

These days focus have a disk brake CX bike so you could look into that. If you are London based then swift cycles are a good bet (that's where I got my bike from). Mine is a 58cm and I might swap it for another model, depends if I put mine up for sale or not. Anyway if you buy new, the focus will be in your price range.

 

[PpPete]

As an alternative to CX bikes have a look at anything described as an 'audax bike'.
These typically sit on the borderline between road bike and tourer.
Usually have mudguard clearance and enough room for moderately wide tyres (although maybe not as wide as CX tyres)
Often have rack mounts
Rarely have canti brakes - usually long-drop dual-pivots, although discs are becoming more popular.
Groupsets typically compact + a wide range cassette or even (whisper it) triples.
Not as suitable for serious off-road as a CX but fine for hard-packed gravel like canal tow-paths. With care even quite lumpy stuff can be tackled.
Comfort-wise they are designed for mind-bogglingly huge distances without losing too much performance - think Paris-Brest-Paris or London-Edinburgh-London

 

[123456789]

How about a Whyte Sussex? Ticks all boxes, well under budget

http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=16025

Oh.... that has pretty much nailed it and more or less exactly what I had in mind.

Only trouble is I won't be able to test ride it but it is a keen price.

Do I gamble they have one in my size?

Glad I signed up now thanks

 

[vickster]

There is a 2015 model at £800 which you should be able to see in the metal at a Whyte dealer. That retailer I linked does have a few shops too (Broadribb cycles in Oxfordshire)

Whyte do have good size and geometry guides on their website

 

[123456789]

I'm going to test ride first. On paper it looks good and went all the way to adding to the basket but I really want to to test ride a few before I part with my cash.

Thanks fo your advice though if one manufacturer has what I want then I am sure that there will be others as well

 

[123456789]

Just by way of an update I have just purchased a Genesis Croix De Fer 10 stock due in on 17th November and the shop reckons a week or so turnaround. I hope I can be patient and I hope it turns up when they say it will. I also got £100 off the list price as well.