Cyclocross - Looking for a Cross Bike

Hey all I am in the market for a cross bike. Looking for a titanium frame that would be good for cross, non-competitive road racing and light touring. This will be my only bike besides my 6 something year old Schwinn mountain bike I purchased from target when I was 12. I would like to use the cross as a somewhat road oriented hybrid that is able to handle trails. I will probably do a few road races, but nothing very competitive. I will be purchasing separate road oriented tires for it and will switch out when I need the knobby's again. I have never done cyclocross but am really interested in the sport and want to get into it. Although there are not many opportunities where I live in Indiana. Price is not much of an issue as long as its not over $4000. Overall I want a very durable bike, which is why I am leaning towards ti, that is light enough to carry over my shoulder and can take bunny hopping over curbs and the occasional crash, but won't leave me needing a doctor after riding it for more than an hour.

Won't be able to respond until around 6:00 so thanks for your replies in advance.

AirChambz

If I had $4000 to spend for a bike to do what you described, I would probably buy a CX bike and a road bike. There are a few CX bikes which have the braze-ons and eyelets to do light touring, but they are mostly at the lower end of the price spectrum and not made of titanium.

Take a look at something like the Specialized Tricross or Kona Jake. Consider whether or not you really need to spend your whole budget.

If this is your first bike since you were twelve, I would start by not spending $4000.

I'm not going to spend $4000, I just want to see all the possible bikes, and if I see a higher end one that looked like it would fit I was probably going to buy just the frame and start from there, otherwise I am probably going to spend $2000 at the most for a complete bike, I just wanted to see the higher end bikes so they weren't ruled out, so I could check out the frames. And I have been on a racing team borrowing one of the teams bikes, so this is my first bike, however I am a good rider, just this year our team went out to Japan to compete in one of their bike races. So if that clarifies things I was wondering what some good cross bikes were

Vicious Cycles Slider in Ti could be an option. They have great paint jobs also.

http://www.viciouscycles.com/images/frames/slider-page.jpg

link (http://www.viciouscycles.com/frames-slider.php3)

I'm not going to spend $4000, I just want to see all the possible bikes, and if I see a higher end one that looked like it would fit I was probably going to buy just the frame and start from there, otherwise I am probably going to spend $2000 at the most for a complete bike, I just wanted to see the higher end bikes so they weren't ruled out, so I could check out the frames. And I have been on a racing team borrowing one of the teams bikes, so this is my first bike, however I am a good rider, just this year our team went out to Japan to compete in one of their bike races. So if that clarifies things I was wondering what some good cross bikes were

Take a good look at this Titanium bike for less than $2,000 ... :thumb:

2010 Fantom Cross Team Ti $1795
Carbon Fiber Cross Fork, FSA Crank, Disc Brake Tabs + Rear Rack mounts
Ritchey Bar, Stem, Pro Wheels, Shimano Ultegra 6700 Shifters + Derailleurs
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fantom_cross_ti_x.htm

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/ftc_ti_600x.jpg

http://www.habcycles.com/cross.html

Here's a place to get started.

Take a good look at this Titanium bike for less than $2,000 ... :thumb:

2010 Fantom Cross Team Ti $1795
Carbon Fiber Cross Fork, FSA Crank, Disc Brake Tabs + Rear Rack mounts
Ritchey Bar, Stem, Pro Wheels, Shimano Ultegra 6700 Shifters + Derailleurs
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fantom_cross_ti_x.htm

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/ftc_ti_600x.jpg

That is a nice looking bike, and with rear rack mounts? Oh really considering this one. Have you ever owned a motobecane? I hear a lot of good things from motobecane but I have never ridden one. I really want to find a ti bike I can ride before I buy one but have no such luck with any of the bike stores around my area.

How about something like this? http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/blueridge.aspx

Not exactly a cross bike, but no reason why you couldn't put cross tires on it and do some races. Probably pretty light and has the ability to do touring. No idea what the cost of it would be.

http://www.habcycles.com/cross.html

Here's a place to get started.

Do you know if they offer complete bikes or just the frame and component sets?

How about something like this? http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/blueridge.aspx

Not exactly a cross bike, but no reason why you couldn't put cross tires on it and do some races. Probably pretty light and has the ability to do touring. No idea what the cost of it would be.

Well if it is a a touring bike it probably can go a bit bigger on the tires but unless it specifies it I don't think it would be able to handle 32c tires or anything. But wow their Vortex Compact bike looks amazing with those diamond shaped tubes although its definitely a road racing bike.
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/vortextc_.aspx

Well if it is a a touring bike it probably can go a bit bigger on the tires but unless it specifies it I don't think it would be able to handle 32c tires or anything. But wow their Vortex Compact bike looks amazing with those diamond shaped tubes although its definitely a road racing bike.
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/vortextc_.aspx

Yeah, that is sharp, but you'll never get racks on that bike. FYI, the Blue Ridge can fit up to 35's.

Do you know if they offer complete bikes or just the frame and component sets?
I'm guessing if you bought all the parts you needed to build it from him he'd build it for you.

If I had that budget I'd be riding a Moot's Phychlo-X http://moots.com/#/product/bicycles/road_+_speciality/psychlo-x/ with the frame couplers so you dismantle the frame and pack the bike in a case.

Those are sweet!

You do know that a $4000 Ti bike is only marginally better than a $1000-1500 alu or steel bike, yes? And that most of the value of an expensive bike is very personal - it comes from exact fit with you. You'd be much better buying a used Kona Jake or whatever, riding it for 6 months, and then making an informed investment of that $4000. You'd get most of the cost of the used bike back when you sell it, and you'd get the right $4000 bike instead of the wrong one.

Well if it is a a touring bike it probably can go a bit bigger on the tires but unless it specifies it I don't think it would be able to handle 32c tires or anything.


I'd be very surprised if a bike with cantilever brakes couldn't handle 32mm tyres. Why else would it have them?



But wow their Vortex Compact bike looks amazing with those diamond shaped tubes although its definitely a road racing bike.
http://www.litespeed.com/bikes/2006/road/vortextc_.aspx

It's your money - but you really don't know enough to spend $4000 without wasting most of it. The wrong bike can make your life - literally - very painful. Buy a popular model of cross bike, used, off ebay, get to know what your tastes are and the how your body reacts to different riding positions, then buy a bike that's right for you. So many people who do what you're doing end up offering someone an amazing deal on ebay.

H Overall I want a very durable bike, which is why I am leaning towards ti, that is light enough to carry over my shoulder and can take bunny hopping over curbs and the occasional crash, but won't leave me needing a doctor after riding it for more than an hour.

A steel or alu bike can take this sort of treatment for decades. And it's bike fit, riding technique, and wide tyres - in roughly that order - that will keep you from injury. At the moment you're heading to have the worst bike fit of all time!

wow. from a $200 bike to a $4000.

i've gone from $350 in 1992 to $800 in 2010...i must be doing something wrong. ;)

Gulp! I wouldn't blow THAT much cash on a CX bike! Look at the Bianchi San Jose. Pure SS CX bike, priced under $700, cro-moly heat-treated steel. I like my ride! :)