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Steel CX bike

by jr10021
Fri, Oct 11, 2019 12:56
13

Hi all,

Looking for options for new steel CX bikes - there dont seem to be too many out there these days. The Ritchey Swiss Cross is lovely, but a bit pricey. Are there any others? Must haves are disc brake capability, CX geometry, good mudclearance, be less that boat anchor heavy for mediocre quality CX racing. Don't need mudguard attachments or stuff like that. Dont want a slack gravel bike.

Has to be steel (for emotional reasons :)).

Am I asking too much?

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks,

Joe

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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13 comments

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Boatsie | 5 years ago
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https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polygon-bend-rv-gravel-cyclocross-disc...

https://www.chesini.it/eng/bikes/strabia-tx

Found these. Top link is one of the budget bikes down here. I don't know racing. I don't know postage. Looks neat. I know one bloke that loved his similar priced budget brand bike but recently spent the extra on another and goes faster easier. Little tricks of geometry, etc that idiots like myself don't know.

Bottom link are steal bikes. Stainless 935 Reynolds, Columbus Spirit and Zona tubes. I like looking at pictures. Pricey though. 2600-3900 Euro, frame and carbon forks, per gravel bikes through to smooth tarmac roadbikes.
. (Look like light weight fast commuters with 45mm clearances). Ohh dude I dream too. Mine made home 5minutes before it pissed down. Happy as on the old girl but she ain't stainless. 1

Avatar
matthewn5 | 5 years ago
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There's a Surly cross bike, a mate has one, decent bike with plenty of mounts:

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check

https://richmondcyclecentre.co.uk/shop/surly-cross-check/

Proper steel fork too. She's a strong cyclist and absolutely loves it.

Avatar
Boatsie replied to matthewn5 | 5 years ago
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matthewn5 wrote:

There's a Surly cross bike, a mate has one, decent bike with plenty of mounts:

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check

https://richmondcyclecentre.co.uk/shop/surly-cross-check/

Proper steel fork too. She's a strong cyclist and absolutely loves it.

You guys have awesome choices of bikes too.
Wow, Pickenflick looks really racey.
I like the look of the Surly Cross. At 135mm rear axle width and horizontal dropouts with disc brakes she looks like she'd take a hubgear on dropbars without the braking issues of rim clamp, guard, wide tyre combination.
A nice light arse end avoiding a fare weight at the end of a skid lever would have higher probability of better race bike performance though.

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zero_trooper replied to matthewn5 | 5 years ago
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matthewn5 wrote:

There's a Surly cross bike, a mate has one, decent bike with plenty of mounts:

https://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check

https://richmondcyclecentre.co.uk/shop/surly-cross-check/

Proper steel fork too. She's a strong cyclist and absolutely loves it.

The Cross-check has V-brakes. It's the disc equipped  Straggler the OP should be 'checking' out. If it's no good then they can 'cross' it off their list…

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jr10021 | 5 years ago
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Thanks all - more options than I thought, and lots of good choices there that I was not aware of.

I'd assumed titanium would be off the scale price-wize, but the pickenflick does look like a bargain at the moment, and shiny metal is good, so it's on the short list.

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Spangly Shiny | 5 years ago
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Genesis Croix de Fer worth looking at?

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Boatsie | 5 years ago
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http://www.malvernstar.com.au/bikes/oppy-s-1-heritage-bike/

Malvernstar make a double butted chromoly cx bike. Steel end of alloy.

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/granite-1-0.html

Reid offer a lighter alloy. I've read the cx like to shoulder their bikes and hike over heavy terrain. She's 11.5kg and towards the endurance shape and comfort more so than the bicycle motor Cross ease of throwing around something that will roll.

I'm Australia but sure similar products are with United Kingdom.

Using similar components
Malvernstar Oppy at $1100(550 quid) Claris 2*8
Reid Granite at $500(250quid) using Tourney 2*7

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/reid-cx.html
Reids CX bike. Alloy fork, double butted alloy frame. 11.5kg Claris 2*8
$650 (325quid)

Just typed thoughts. I bought a $200 Reid road bike about 12 years ago. A light bike. I had lots of punctures until fitting a large volume tyre then basically none. Occasionally exploding the 23 front on 50℃ tarmac.
My friend gathered interest to ride and bought the next model up. A much better bike in many ways. He didn't like the cheap spokes on the Alex rims. During warranty he broke many. When warranty lifted (lifetime on frame/forks) he replaced the wheels with used at $100(50 quid). A nice relatively fast ride.
That was stolen. Replaced with same. Fair dinkum; another year of broken spokes and replacement of wheels after warranty.
After 12 years my Alex rims were ok but clinching cheap tyres was sometimes and issue. Wider tyres shouldn't have these problems. I gave my bike to another friend whom had lost his driving license and he noticed how fast the bike is. Never serviced, the 7 speed Tourney just shifted without issue.

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
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Pickenflick is an absolute bargain at the moment. £610 for a titanium frame and fork??

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djbwilts replied to kil0ran | 5 years ago
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kil0ran wrote:

Pickenflick is an absolute bargain at the moment. £610 for a titanium frame and fork??

They wanted steel....

Though the pickenflick is a great frame.

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CyclingInBeastMode replied to djbwilts | 5 years ago
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djbwilts wrote:
kil0ran wrote:

Pickenflick is an absolute bargain at the moment. £610 for a titanium frame and fork??

They wanted steel.... Though the pickenflick is a great frame.

And you offered up an even less suitable single speed frame ... titanium is a great alternate to steel and given the slim pickings of decent quality steel frames that have disc mounts and are not gravel bikes throwing in suggestions that are a close match should be welcomed not criticised.

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djbwilts replied to CyclingInBeastMode | 5 years ago
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CyclingInBeastMode wrote:

djbwilts wrote:
kil0ran wrote:

Pickenflick is an absolute bargain at the moment. £610 for a titanium frame and fork??

They wanted steel.... Though the pickenflick is a great frame.

And you offered up an even less suitable single speed frame ... titanium is a great alternate to steel and given the slim pickings of decent quality steel frames that have disc mounts and are not gravel bikes throwing in suggestions that are a close match should be welcomed not criticised.

 

No I didn't.

 

Try going back and re-reading my comment and/or look at the link I posted. 

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CyclingInBeastMode | 5 years ago
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Given the few options why not have something built for you in the exact specifications you require, ure it'll cost more but it'll be perfect for you?

Presuming the PX Kaffenbach is too slack what about the titanium pickeflick?https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FROOTIPFCC/on-one-pickenflick-titanium-cyc...

just wondering why you need discs, if cantis are good enough for Tom Pidcock when winning the 2017 World junior CX in muddy conditions I can never see why you'd restrict yourself by wanting discs with a steel racing frame?

These are all nice cx race frames that you'll only likely find 2nd hand but are v/canti mount. Merlin Rocklobster 853, Lemond 853, Ritchey Swiss Cross. Cotic made a steel CX IIRC,

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djbwilts | 5 years ago
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Take a look at the All City bike.

 

I've got a Nature Boy Zona which is a single speed with cantis but they have disc models in the range.

 

Here it si : - https://allcitycycles.com/bikes/macho_king_a.c.e. 

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