Hello!

I am looking to commute a 28 mile round trip, keeping off the road as much as possible using dirt paths and whatever cycle routes are available.

My excitement had me wanting a cyclocross bike between £2-3000. But I'm told how this is a bad idea, that winter will just eat through my components and make it very costly.

So everybody recommends a £1000 "gravel bike" which I'm sure will do the job, but it's very uninspiring. A Singlespeed bicycle was also suggested, which perked my interest.

On-One Pickenflick SRAM CX1 Cyclocross Bike | Planet X

I like this bike, but as mentioned it's ill advised for my requirements...

So why not a single speed with titanium frame, something strong and light. Going to want mudguard eyelets I guess, but the pickenflick doesn't have them.

can I get opinions on using a titanium frame for singlespeed? Or advice on where to start?

Thanks

Why would winter "eat through" your components? Are your roads salted? Are you planning to leave the bike outside? Cyclocross bikes like the mud. It's hard to see why it wouldn't be right for your situation.

Get a cross bike. I have a titanium (though steel, carbon or aluminium would be fine) cross bike and I use it all the time in the winter. As long as you clean it off if you're riding in heavily salted areas you'll be fine.

whoever told you this was talking out of their ass.

"gravel bike" and "cyclocross bike" are generally speaking the same thing. its a road bike with fat tires and lower gearing.

SS is fine, most of us here (that actually live where the temp goes below 40ºF) use a SS for commuting year round. id recommend checking out the pompino by on-one

you dont need titanium and unless you got $ to blow titanium is unnecessary for a commuter. its nicer sure but a steel bike could do the same thing

find an old steel touring bike built for 27" wheels, slap on some 700c wheels with fatter tires and call it a day

I saw this and liked this

https://sscx.me/on-one-ti-pickenflick...ss-build-2014/

But if you guys think i'll be fine with the CX, maybe I should just buy the fully gear CX

On-One Pickenflick SRAM CX1 Cyclocross Bike | On - One

The CX1 would make an awesome commuter if its in your price range. Weather or not you need gears is up to you. Your commute is not short. If you have hills and/or you have to carry a lot you might appreciate gears

That SSCX is just a geared frame with vertical dropouts and a derailleur hanger that has been converted to a SS with an eccentric hub or BB. If you want a SS do it right with track or horizontal dropouts. Ti is a great material for an all weather bike, but also extremely expensive. You may have to pay for a custom built frame to get what you want.

Attached is the elevation chart, it's fairly hilly.

OK, being from Seattle, I view that as flat.... Just an issue of perspective.

yeah that elevation propfile looks simular to my commute if i were to take the long way, and i have no problem doing that on a track bike with 75GI

im from "nyc" where its "flat as a pancake"

I'll order the Pickenflick with HED Ardennes Plus SL Centerlock Disc Road wheelset

On-One Pickenflick SRAM CX1 Cyclocross Bike | On - One

any other recommendations on options before I order?

Cheers

thats a lot of bike for a commuter, but if you got the skrilla why the hell not

for a commuter I would go with a used craiglist special with some wider tires and fenders. I wouldn't be going with a new/expensive bike, especially if you'll be locking it up outside.

If he's riding 1.5 hours a day may as well spend the extra money to be extra comfortable. That's a lot of time in the saddle, and if it's riding to work it's a "have to" ride. Gotta make those "have tos" in life as comfortable/enjoyable/easy as possible I think.

I've a ti mountain bike that I rode single speed (but now my son races with it so I'm back on steel) and Ti definitely rides nice if you can afford it.

hey i never said dont do it. just dont lock that thing up outside.

forgot to mention, re: mudguard eyelets,

check out the hardware store for "p-clamps", can attach fenders/racks to any frame no problem, dont really need eyelets.

Thanks, I will look into that!

I've just ordered the bike woo

got my bike very happy - thanks all for input

Excited about new bike by dancook1982, on Flickr

Nice.

cheers,

Took it for a spin at lunch, made mince meat out of some inclines, and felt fast on the flats.