What CX Bike under $2000?

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Drizt
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Fri Jun 06, 2014 11:42 pm

Seen the ax 3.0 not the 1.0 as they were recalled. Didn't notice the axels, sorry.

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Drizt
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:16 pm

Third bike shop said a small or a medium mares ax 1.0 would work for me. Adjusts could be made on either to suit. The smalls measurements are closest to my small defy.

The guy set up the fit bike to match the measurements of my small defy and said I looked good on it.

He did say if he were choosing he personally would go the medium.

Wasn't quite as definitive as I had hoped.

Interestingly he put my seat up 14mm as my knees were too bent at my bikes current height. Going to try that for a while to see how my body likes it.

With shoes on in the store they measured my standover at 85cm. Pity focus don't state standover in their specs

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ProCelebrityGolf
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby ProCelebrityGolf » Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:04 pm

I'm sure you know this, but as an example:
I am tall and depending on the brand of bike and headstem length, I can potentially ride either:

a 58cm frame with no spacer under the stem
a 56cm frame with multiple spacers under the stem and the seat almost at minimum insertion level

some bike shops will encourage you to put you on the smaller frame as it will be slightly lighter.

some people (myself included) dislike the aesthetics of multiple spacers under their stem.

standover is only one aspect in bike fit and in isolation doesn't tell the whole story.

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Drizt
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:18 pm

Cheers, I did the online fit up calculator and it looks like at my height with short reach a small is the best bet. Thanks for the help.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby metrofarm » Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:28 pm

Drizt wrote:Cheers, I did the online fit up calculator and it looks like at my height with short reach a small is the best bet. Thanks for the help.

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Out of interest, what was the difference in the length of the top tubes and the standover heights for yoyo between the small and medium sized models?

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Drizt
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Sat Jun 14, 2014 10:16 am

Sorry I don't remember the standover measurement and they aren't listed on focus' website.

I was ok for standover on both but my reach on the medium was too stretched out. Apparently I have short arms.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:58 pm

Hmmm... possibly should go in another thread given title... but

If you could get the BMC GF02 (105) mech disc for $2500 would you pay the extra $500 over the Focus Mares AX 1.0 ???

SRAM Rival vs. Shimano 105
Hydro disc vs. Mech disc


http://www.focus-bikes.com/au/en/bikes/ ... ax-10.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Image

http://www.bmc-racing.com/int-en/bikes/ ... _disc/105/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Image

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby nezumi » Sat Jun 14, 2014 6:24 pm

If you're looking at this as a cross racing bike, I can't see anything in favour for the BMC.

The Focus has internal cabling, which is going to be much nicer than the cabling under the BB on the BMC if you ride mud.
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby CXCommuter » Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:23 am

nezumi wrote:If you're looking at this as a cross racing bike, I can't see anything in favour for the BMC.

The Focus has internal cabling, which is going to be much nicer than the cabling under the BB on the BMC if you ride mud.
Aide from the BMC looking better (personal preference) the Focus is a better deal (and still looks good), Rival/105 are equivalent groupsets- both good solid workhorses and cheapish to replace. Hydro discs are a major positive also.
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Drizt
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Sun Jun 15, 2014 12:24 pm

OK. Still playing the waiting game with the ax 1.0

Who knows when they will actually be available.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby sir_camel » Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:04 pm

Man that Mares AX 1.0 is super tempting and a great price.
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby mitchy_ » Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:09 pm

both are attractive bikes.
i like the look of the BMC better, but i prefer the Sram groupset of the Focus.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby nezumi » Mon Jun 16, 2014 5:42 pm

CXCommuter wrote:
nezumi wrote:If you're looking at this as a cross racing bike, I can't see anything in favour for the BMC.

The Focus has internal cabling, which is going to be much nicer than the cabling under the BB on the BMC if you ride mud.
Aside from the BMC looking better (personal preference) the Focus is a better deal (and still looks good), Rival/105 are equivalent groupsets- both good solid workhorses and cheapish to replace. Hydro discs are a major positive also.
The BMC, better looking? This is cyclocross, there is no way that BMC is loud enough for the track! :P :lol:
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What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:09 pm

The BMC GF was not originally a CX bike per se .... It was a purpose built endurance/grandfondo frame and came standard (I think) with 28c tyres. It looks like they've morphed it a bit to meet the market for CX.

Having said that it's a pretty cool bike.


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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby nezumi » Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:19 pm

cyclotaur wrote:The BMC GF was not originally a CX bike per se .... It was a purpose built endurance/grandfondo frame and came standard (I think) with 28c tyres. It looks like they've morphed it a bit to meet the market for CX.

Having said that it's a pretty cool bike.
I did spot the "GF" in the model name - I figured they were just co-opting an existing frame - perfectly cyclocross!
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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:34 pm

Ok, so which size tyres should I buy?

I'm primarily going to use the bike on the road / paths in the wet. Basically my wet weather road bike.

I was thinking of getting Marathon Supreme in 28 or 32 or GP 4 Seasons in 28.

Currently leaning towards Marathon Supreme in 28.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby cyclotaur » Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:44 pm

I ride GP4S 28s on my winter road/trail wheels on the CX.


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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:46 pm

cyclotaur wrote:I ride GP4S 28s on my winter road/trail wheels on the CX.


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What are the good and bad points? Would you change to something else?

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Mugglechops » Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:58 pm

I have been running some 28mm Panaracer tourmasters for the past few hundered kms. A bit heavy at 690grams but I can still ride them on the dirt. They lighter than my last rear tyre, a 38mm Marathon plus that was about 980grams but heavier than the smart sam front tyre.

So far pretty happy with them.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby cyclotaur » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:45 pm

Drizt wrote:
cyclotaur wrote:I ride GP4S 28s on my winter road/trail wheels on the CX.


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What are the good and bad points? Would you change to something else?
Good, bad ... They're just tyres. You ride 'em they wear out, you buy some new ones. I might get something different next time, depends what's on sale. For me tyres make less difference than how you ride, beyond preferring at least some puncture protection built in.

The slick 28s give a nice enough ride on most of Melbourne's trail network and roads. I fit mudguards over winter (mid-May to mid-August ?) as well. I have treaded 35s for rougher stuff (these have just worn out and need replacing after 2 years and probably 8-10,000 Kms ) and slick 25s on lighter wheels for when I want to pretend the CX is a road bike. These are all on different wheel sets so no mucking about changing tyres, just swap wheels.


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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:48 pm

Tyres are definitely not all the same.

How long they last
Grip in dry
Grip in wet
Corning ability under speed
Puncture protection
Etc.

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby munga » Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:17 am

a friend who mechanic's in a bike shop bought a focus cx recently. regretted it. shoddy build quality apparently. ymmv.

any love for the giant tcx range?

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Drizt » Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:18 am

What in particular did he find shoddy?

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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby Carrots » Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:45 am

munga wrote:a friend who mechanic's in a bike shop bought a focus cx recently. regretted it. shoddy build quality apparently. ymmv.

any love for the giant tcx range?

Lots of love for the TCX here!

Recently picked up a TCX 1 - brilliant! Friend is sponsored and just got her new 0. Paint scheme isn't as cool but 11spd red is pretty noice!

Pretty sure if I have seen right Giant is selling the cable version of the TCX 1 for low $2ks - absolute bargain for a cracker bike! (Obviously cheaper to sell the cables at bargain prices then the labour to refit the hydros)


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Re: What CX Bike under $2000?

Postby munga » Sat Jul 05, 2014 11:21 am

Drizt: the frame itself was fine, but everything else needed looking at. bearings mostly, afaik. talk to the guys at Gear Brisbane.

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