Hi Guys,
I sold my 29" mtb and planning to get rid of my roadbike also.
Because I was thinking of buying me a Cyclocross bike that can handle all the fun I had with the 2 other bikes.
The 110mm travel was not needed where I rolled with the 29". And the outer blade (50t) on my roadbike is hardly used (riding a triple).
So first question is: Is it a good idea? My wife thinks it is. More space in the garage
Second question: What to look for?
My thinking is buying a mid-class aluminum bike with minimum Shimano 105 group on it.
On those bikes, the wheels are 90% cheep.
Use the original wheelset with some Gp4000 road tires and buy me a extra wheelset for offroad (CX).
I'm not really on a budget but I like to keep my expenses low.
And the choices are rather limited here, in Belgium.
Brands: Ridley, Stevens, Colnago, Giant, Koga, Zannata, Scott, Kona...
Looking through some reviews (on an other site) I bumped into Merida.
Because of owning one and being happy with it, I thought why not.
Well, why not?
It's this bike:
CYCLO CROSS 500 - Road & Fitness - Merida Bikes International
Alu frame, Carbon fork (almost same geometry as my road bike)
105 group except for the crankset and the diskbrakes.
Discbrakes are TRP Spire.
Oh, and it has got a thru axle in the front wheel.
Except for the blue color and the handlebar brakelevers, I think it's fine for its price.
Anyone tips on this bike, geometry and setup?
Or should I go for a secondhand, more expensive brand, carbonfibre bike?
I deff not in for canti's. I had it before and that was a reason I ditched cx for a long time
So disc's or at least mini v-brakes is a must.
And what about the extra wheelset, cx purpose?
DT-Swiss Spline R23. Affordable but any good?
Purpose off the cxbike is really simple.
Take me from A to B with as much fun as possible.
Tarmac, cobblestone, gravel, forest... might not be a problem.
Coloror looks of the bike, I don't really care. As long it's not pink or white.
The weight of the bike is less important for me. It would be better to shave some pound of myself instead euros out of my wallet.
Thanks already.