Cyclocross - need cx bike : help

ok, i dont frequent this forum, but i'm sure this comes up a lot. here goes anyway, since my question is pretty specific.

i need a cx bike for an upcoming ride i want to do, i've been wanting one for a while anyway, here are my needs, whats out there??

- cx bike
- steel or alu is fine
- i'm a campy guy, i'd love veloce or centaur running gear, but i'm not opposed to:
-veloce
-centaur
-rival
-apex
-105
- budget : <1000
- decent wheelset

For that budget and those requirements, I think you're in the market for a used bike or something from Bikes Direct (http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fantom_cross_pro_rival.htm) or Performance Bike (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1072843_-1_1511002_1511000_400318).

If you're willing to rop down to Tiagra components, you could get a new Kona Jake for that budget.

i'm actually totally open to just framesets, which is probably the direction i'm going to go. i can get campy groupsets fairly cheap from the UK, what are the inexpensive frames out there that dont suck?

That depends on what your threshold is for "suck" and what you consider inexpensive. I actually really like my Surly Cross Check frameset, but it's as heavy as anything you're going to find (nearly seven pounds).

If that isn't what you're after, I'd offer these two suggestions. If you want to go cheap, check out the Scattante XRL frameset (butted 7005 aluminum with headset and carbon fork for under $300). If you want something really nice, check out the Giant TCX (http://giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/model/tcx/3889/37116/) for $700.

i'm actually totally open to just framesets, which is probably the direction i'm going to go. i can get campy groupsets fairly cheap from the UK, what are the inexpensive frames out there that dont suck?

Soma for $400 ish. Surly crosscheck.

you can get these...

fuji cross comp $700.00
or
fuji cross $950.00

you can get these...

fuji cross comp $700.00
or
fuji cross $950.00

Reputedly the same as some of the Motobecane models Bikes Direct sells.

In another similar thread someone just said that performance is trying to get rid of their (in store only) inventory of Fuji Cross Pro's with Ultegra for about your price range.



Consider a 09 Fuji Cross Pro? You can still find these in PB stores and they're willing to make a deal to clear the inventory to make space. I paid $1050 for Ultegra!

http://2009.fujibikes.com/Specialty/Cyclo-Cross/CrossPro.aspx

If you look around, you might be able to find a last year's model Bianchi Axis for just over 1K.