Specliazed Secteur V's Whatever you guys come up with !!!!

[Michael B]

Hi All

I am in the market for a new ride after being only on my two legs for long enough !!!!!

I have been considering a Hardtail MTB then saw the CX bikes around and these lately have sparked some interest.

My quetion is, what is everyones opinion whether or not the Specialized Secteur Elite Disc C2 would make an OK CX type ride with different tyres ? Or will the Specialized Tricross be a better option. The Avanti Circa also looks cool.

I am at this point not going to compete and am after a bike that will take me on rides with the kids and also some more spirited firetrail rides.

On another note is the jump from the Secteur Sport Disc C2 ( Sora based) still be a worthy buy ???

Kind Regards People
Michael( Adelaide )

[alexander]

The Secteur was traditionally a road bike for more endurance and comfort, so it's not really a CX bike, just a road bike with safer and comfier features, i.e. disc brakes.

Same with the Avanti circa, it's more a road/tour/commuter do it all, than CX. The tricross is slightly better built towards being a proper CX bike, but again it's a do it all workhorse for adventure touring. If you're commuting and doing the occasional gravel ride they're all ok choices, but the one thing you're saying thats ruining it all is "spirited fire trail rides"

None of these will really cope with "spirited" but thats open to definition, so we could be talking two different things here.

If you're really looking for a proper CX bike, here's a very good article addressing it: http://cyclingtips.com.au/2012/04/ctech ... nder-2000/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pravda]

Yup road bikes with discs not Cross bikes.

You'll probably find yourself bottoming out your bottom bracket on either of those two - that's one of the main differences with a CX bike, higher BB for clearing rough terrain.

CX bikes seem to have skyrocketed in price recently, probably down to their popularity. Check out the Jake the Snake from Kona, I'm biased because I have one but I've seen them around in Perth for $1200 and for a 105/ultegra equipped bike that's a pretty good pricepoint.

[Blackrock]

Michael, I have the Merida 2014 CX5 and it is a bike that has surprised me in its versatility. I commute on it 16km each way and also love to take it across reserves and rugged parklands. It is quick over hardpack and I'm sure that it would also eat up clay-dirt firetrails. I've got commuting tires on and while it isn't as quick as my carbon flat bar was, it still gets over bitumen with ease and speed.
I've seen them for $1900 and they come with 2014 ultegra 6800 11spd.
I don't race and haven't kidded myself by thinking I ever will. However, this bike will take you largely wherever you want to go. So much fun, you'll wonder why you didn't get a CX bike earlier....

[cyclotaur]

...
CX bikes seem to have skyrocketed in price recently, probably down to their popularity. ....

Not here ... CAADX 105
I bought the 2011 model 3 years ago for $1700. Same shop,new management since then.

[Michael B]

Guys, Your help has been great.
I hadn't realised that CX bikes had a higher BB, I thought that tyre clearance was the main differences.
I have been checking out the Merida bikes on their website, Blackrock where did you see the CX5 for $1900 ? The CX4 looks more in my budget but $1900 who knows !
Been also looking at pedals, thinking something like Shimano Dx Pd M647 like the versitality of a platform pedal with SPD !

[Calvin27]

I semi-cx with my secteur - no problems except my lack of skill and endurance.

I've jumped over small things and it has held up well. I've never had and bottom bracket issues with respect to clearance which probably means I am not actually cyclocrossing at all but some sort of bad attempt at single tracking with a road bike.

To sum up it will do the job no worries unless you are really going all out cyclocross. By the way it does ok on the road too I might add.

[Michael B]

Thanks for that Calvin27.

I've been around and looking and keep coming back to the Secteur and feel comfortable on it.
I really just need to decide on which spec, Expert or Elite.

I'm really after something I can use on the road and dabble on gravel tracks on(with a change of tyres), nothing too rough, but still keep up with my kids.

Semi CX, I like the sound of that !

[Calvin27]

Go for the 105 spec if you want hidden cables, tiagra spec if you don't mind exposed cables (at the hoods). That is about it. I don't 'feel' any difference between 105 and tiagra. If anything I swear the tiagra shifts better - possibly due to more direct cabling.

Don't worry too much about the brakes. Very soon you will get sick of the avids and upgrade to some TRP spyres.

Throwing an oddball out there - the Trek crossrip limited is a bit more than the spesh but ticks all the boxes including hydraulic calipers! $2k.

[VinoVelodrome]

Felt F5X - given the current 10% off everything promotion, bringing this to under $2K - looks like a pretty sweet option, covering all bases.*
http://www.cyclingexpress.com/?lang=en& ... 4&keyword=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

* I haven't ridden the bike and have no association with Felt and/or Cycling Express.

[Mugglechops]

Felt F5X - given the current 10% off everything promotion, bringing this to under $2K - looks like a pretty sweet option, covering all bases.*
http://www.cyclingexpress.com/?lang=en& ... 4&keyword=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

* I haven't ridden the bike and have no association with Felt and/or Cycling Express.

A mate has that bike and he loves it.

Also check out the Norco and Marin as they are pretty good too.

I have almost 11000kms on my Merida CX4 and it's still going strong.