i am a fairly experienced cycler and the world of cyclocross has caught my eye. I have been lookin around this subforum and have been seeing a few brands come up a few times (ie bianchi velope, kona jake, giant txc, tricross, van dessel, etc) and i have been wondering what would be a good beginner bike for someone who wants to do some fast paced riding in. also, if u are from around the bay area: what is the cyclocross scene like? i know zero people that do it so i really know next to nothing about the sport as a whole.