The Insurance has Paid Out

[The Eighth Man]

Following my accident last month the insurance company has paid out, I am going to get either:



Dawes Edge X

or

Kona Jake

Any comments before I get the Dawes because I like the colour?

 

[downfader]

Following my accident last month the insurance company has paid out, I am going to get either:



Dawes Edge X

or

Kona Jake

Any comments before I get the Dawes because I like the colour?

Excellant news.

The frame is better on the Jake but the Dawes looks great. Better saddle on the Dawes. Unless you specifically want a CX bike then consider proper road bikes too. The Giant defy, Kona dedicated road bikes, Kinesis etc.

 

[S_t_e_v_e]

I like the look of the Kona. I cant offer any advice really, but I will point out the difference between the chainsets;

Kona :50/39/30
Dawes : 46/36

Quite a difference between them.

 

[Norm]

Any comments before I get the Dawes because I like the colour?

Genesis Day01 Alfine.

I've got a Tricross Sport, and love it, but there were very few CX offerings with disc brakes last year. Many will / do poo-poo the idea that disc brakes are needed on a road bike, citing all sorts of stuff about the marginal extra weight or that they can lock their tyres in the dry. However, after experience of discs in the wet on my rigid MTB, I'd happily never go back to rim brakes again.

 

[John the Monkey]

Cotic X (or Roadrat)? Lovely bikes.

 

[downfader]

Genesis Day01 Alfine.

I've got a Tricross Sport, and love it, but there were very few CX offerings with disc brakes last year. Many will / do poo-poo the idea that disc brakes are needed on a road bike, citing all sorts of stuff about the marginal extra weight or that they can lock their tyres in the dry. However, after experience of discs in the wet on my rigid MTB, I'd happily never go back to rim brakes again.

A very pretty bike.

...just a point on what S_t_e_v_e said about the gears.. the Kona is great on steep hills where a usual 10 speed will knacker your legs. If you have very strong legs good with distance then a gearset that gets you 34/39 and 25 arrangement will get you up the steep ones anyway.

 

[The Eighth Man]

It will be used for a 16 mile a day commute so the distance is not really a problem, the bike that got wrecked in the RTA was a full road bike but I like the idea of the flexibility of a cross bike. It will take full guards and a rack and it I want to ride down a towpath at the weekend it will be okay, I have a Bianchi SLX with a new 10 speed 105 set up for the weekend so I fancy something a bit different for my day to day commute.

 

[P.H]

 I like the idea of the flexibility of a cross bike. It will take full guards and a rack and it I want to ride down a towpath at the weekend it will be okay, 

I know they're the fashion, but you don't need a cross bike for a bit of towpath.  A lightweight tourer/Audax with 28mm tyres and guards will probably be a lot more fun on the tarmac and still capable of a fair bit of rough stuff. It'll be a bit faster and have better brakes (Unless you go for a cross with disks)  A cross bike only really comes out best if you need those big clearances and a high bottom bracket.  Just my opinion

 

[jmaccyd]

Agree with the above really. Cross bikes are fine but have a higher bottom bracket and the brakes are not so good. A decent 28mm framed road bike will be more than able to handle towpaths, handle better when you are on the road, and will brake with more assurance. If you are still not sure - get both!

 

[Norm]

If you are still not sure - get both!

Which is exactly what the OP is suggesting.

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

Cotic X (or Roadrat)? Lovely bikes.

I have a Roadrat (see my pic!). It's a lovely bike, solid, handles well, can cope with loads. Trouble is, because it's flexible (in principle a great idea - being able to run it as a cyclocross bike, single speed lightweight, or tourer) means it has horizontal dropouts. So if you get a rear puncture while you're running guards and a rack, you've get to take those off to get the wheel out!

Not much fun, especially if it's raining.

But a great bike nonetheless.