Thinking of swapping the MTB for a 'crosser.

[Globalti]

Since I took up road riding I've hardly touched the MTB, a nice titanium hardtail built up for XC with a rigid carbon fork and it's languishing in the garage gathering dust. Yesterday in the Dales we saw some people on 'crossers practising for the Three Peaks Cyclocross race and having spent some time this morning looking at videos of past races it strikes me that:

1 - A 'cross bike could replace an MTB easily for the odd off-road trip including up mountains. I have no interest in trail centres.

2 - A 'cross bike would make a fine winter bike, especially in snow.

But......

The bike would have to be steel as I have a strong prejudice against aluminium frames and it would have to have disc brakes.

In the event that I decided actually to ride a cyclocross event, I believe discs are now allowed, aren't they?

Am I thinking along the right lines here?

 

[david1701]

Genesis Day one Alfine, steel frame, discs front and back and the hub gear should cope well with snow in the winter.

Kinda wish I had one I worry too much about my tricross offroad with its carbon forks :s

 

[MacB]

Sort of similar to me, but I came from the other direction and have just gone down the Ti hardtail with rigid carbon forks route En route to that I built up a Salsa Vaya frameset, ticks all the boxes you were mentioning and has been featured as being used in cross racing. Basically it was a replacement for my Surly Crosscheck which couldn't take disc brakes, Surly and Salsa are owned by the same company anyway.

But it's all about getting the mix right and I realised that my new Ti road bike, arrived after the Vaya, was effectively a crosser, it even has carbon cross forks on it and the same clearances, up to 700x44, as the Vaya So I'd managed to get two bikes with almost identical potential in my stable, one steel and one Ti, so the steel had to go and it seemed appropriate to replace with a 29er to increase the scope of the stable.

As always it does depend on your intended useage, I chose the Vaya as it gave the greatest versatility. It can take guards and racks front and rear, so can go from road, to cross to touring. For some reason I had a mental block and didn't realise that this was also exactly how I'd specced up my custom Ti frame. If you need that sort of range then that ype of thing is the one to go for, otherwise it's more cross specific stuff, but the options in steel, other than custom, aren't as wide.

I'm still selling the Vaya frameset but, if I remember correctly, then the one I have would be too big for you. But I'd still recommend it as a bike, or frameset, worthy of a serious look for what you describe.

 

[Globalti]

I wonder how much I could get for my Ti Global hardtail with the Reba forks fitted? I could also flog the rigid carbon forks on Eblag....

 

[GrumpyGregry]

MacB has some excellent formulas for the calculation of secondhand prices.

 

[MacB]

Yeah, and then evil people haggle me down

 

[Globalti]

Thanks David1701 for the recommendation, I've been reading up about that Genesis all day and reckon I might go for one; it looks the perfect all-round bike. Been to see my LBS about it and he can get one in a couple of days. Might have to put it on Barclaycard until I can sell the old Global.

 

[david1701]

its not a proper recomendation, just a thing I drool over sometimes, they're bringing out the 11 speed this year too *dribbles*

 

[chris grace]

Have a look at the Cube Hooper.A new set of tyres and robert is your aunties husband.I still dream of this bike after getting an mtb to go rough riding with the kids.

Sadly it's an ally frame.