What do you use your CX bike for?

[Owlie]

Besides CX, that is. Backup roadie? Commuter? Gravel? Inquiring minds want to know. (Also trying to persuade a certain someone that a CX bike--even a steel one with disc brakes--isn't a waste of money.)

[Blueberry]

Everything but cross (I don't ride cross, and don't have any current plans to start). Road rides, night rides, commuting, grocery hauling, trainer bike, etc., etc.

[Eden]

Snow! I put studs on mine last year and used it as a snow/ice commuter

[tealtreak]

Some of my fav trails are accessed by gravel fire roads.....so tell him "good for fire roads!" Also, a friend of mine bike commutes on hers in heavy traffic because she feels safer than on her road bike knowing she can pop over the curb or hop out of the way if needed......

[Becky]

Commuting and gravel grinders. No actual cyclocross yet.

[zoom-zoom]

CX, gravel roads, backup bike, casual family rides. If I could only have one bike, my CX bike would be it. I would like disc brakes, though. My cantilevers are not all that great when it's dry. Add water and they're even more ineffective. Add sub-freezing temps and it's scary. I did ONE Winter ride last year and loved the way it handled icy roads with studded tires, but the inability to stop was a deal-breaker. I just really didn't feel comfortable with that.

[jdubble]

CX, gravel roads, backup bike, casual family rides. If I could only have one bike, my CX bike would be it. I would like disc brakes, though. My cantilevers are not all that great when it's dry. Add water and they're even more ineffective. Add sub-freezing temps and it's scary. I did ONE Winter ride last year and loved the way it handled icy roads with studded tires, but the inability to stop was a deal-breaker. I just really didn't feel comfortable with that.

zoom, i felt the same way about my canti brakes! i had hoped to use my cx bike as more of a winter bike after cx season, but never felt like i could stop on wet roads well enough to feel safe. but i just had mini-v brakes put on at the beginning of the season and WOW! they stop me! and the fork chatter is gone! i haven't had one "omg will i be able to stop at the bottom of this" thought since i got them. they were well worth the investment (and cheaper than replacing the bike with one with disc brakes!)

[zoom-zoom]

zoom, i felt the same way about my canti brakes! i had hoped to use my cx bike as more of a winter bike after cx season, but never felt like i could stop on wet roads well enough to feel safe. but i just had mini-v brakes put on at the beginning of the season and WOW! they stop me! and the fork chatter is gone! i haven't had one "omg will i be able to stop at the bottom of this" thought since i got them. they were well worth the investment (and cheaper than replacing the bike with one with disc brakes!)

That's exactly the upgrade I'd like to try.

[jdubble]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1040&catid=185

[Trek-chick]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1040&catid=185

Oooooooohhh I like those and they come in RED :) Need to add to my Xmas list ;)

I plan to do some CX races and use mine for everything!!! We have terrible roads here and I commute on old gravel RR bed. Even though my CX bike has an aluminum fork, it is still more comfy than my raod bike was w/ CF forks. I am getting a new wheel set soon so, will have one with road tires mounted and one with CX tires. Best of both worlds IMO.

[zoom-zoom]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.php?productid=1040&catid=185

Ooh, they come in blue that would match my CX bike, too!!!

[warneral]

I had a soma double cross set up with VO fenders, rack for panniers and 32 tires. I do my round the town errands (grocery, Library). I also pull dd with a tag along when needed. I've used it for rails trail rides (WI is full of them). I've also gone on 30-50mi hikes solo. It's a great all-around bike. When I get back on my Indy fab race bike, it is much faster, but I'm enjoying this cross bike as a utilitarian bike :)

[SheFly]

Like others, my CX bike is my go to bike in all inclement weather, especially now that I have discs :D. I race CX on mine, and in the spring, throw on a set of slicks to use it as my winter training bike. The SSCX bike gets A LOT of use as well - recovery rides, training, etc.

The TRP mini-Vs are awesome! Put those on last year and couldn't believe the difference they made. Now that I have discs, though, there is no going back. I think our cantis are out of here, and there will be a major conversion to discs for our pit bikes and SSCX bikes as well as the racing bikes we already converted (yes, that's a total of THREE cross bikes EACH) ;).

SheFly

[Owlie]

Thanks! This is the bike in question: http://chargebikes.com/products/filter-apex/

I want something as a winter bike (disc brakes, clearance for wider tires, etc). This looks like it might be the solution. Part of the boyfriend's issue with it, I think, is that he lives somewhere without a real winter, so road cycling is possible year-round. ("Why would you need that rather than just getting a new road bike?!")

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, that is excellent! Steel, disc brakes, comes in a size that would fit me...too bad our LBS doesn't carry those.

[Owlie]

I think you and I would ride the same size. A coworker is about your height, and she's on the XS (she had to cut the seatpost). I'd actually be on the XS too, pending a test ride. A 53cm ETT works fine on an aggressive road bike, but I think it's too long for a bike of this type. Now, do I want black (2012), or white (2013)? :D (I just have to borrow coworker's bike for a test ride.) I'd be on a 46 or 50 cm Surly CC.

Why do non-Jamis steel bikes run so large? (Well, maybe not. I'm looking at a SuperSix and if I were to get the unisex version, I'd be on a 48 or 50.)

[zoom-zoom]

I think you and I would ride the same size. A coworker is about your height, and she's on the XS (she had to cut the seatpost). I'd actually be on the XS too, pending a test ride. A 53cm ETT works fine on an aggressive road bike, but I think it's too long for a bike of this type. Now, do I want black (2012), or white (2013)? :D (I just have to borrow coworker's bike for a test ride.) I'd be on a 46 or 50 cm Surly CC.

Why do non-Jamis steel bikes run so large? (Well, maybe not. I'm looking at a SuperSix and if I were to get the unisex version, I'd be on a 48 or 50.)

I would think a 48 SuperSix would be too small for you. Mine is the men's model and a 48. I am just under 5'4". My CX bike is a 44 with a top tube of 50.5, IIRC.

[gocard]

Just wanted to say that I'm living vicariously through your cx search even though I just got a road bike recently and already have a mtn bike... :p good luck!

[zoom-zoom]

Ahh...I see the ETT is 51.2 on that, so that's pretty long for a CX bike, you're right. That's roughly the same as my road bike. They don't show standover, so I'm guessing that would be pretty tall.

[Owlie]

Ahh...I see the ETT is 51.2 on that, so that's pretty long for a CX bike, you're right. That's roughly the same as my road bike. They don't show standover, so I'm guessing that would be pretty tall.

Coworker is about your height (though I don't know inseams), and she doesn't have a lot of clearance. I'd have to go look, but their bikes seem oddly tall. I've tried out their true road bike in a small, and it's a traditional diamond frame. I can't tell if it's the bike or the fact I'm used to a sloped top tube, but getting on the bike was an interesting experience!

And you're right. I looked up the geometry chart for the SuperSix, and it would have to be the 50. It's not that different, geometry-wise, from the 51 cm women's (which is what I think I'd be on, even though I only tried the CAAD10. Geometry's close.)

I think I might have to get this bike, assuming the test ride works out. I'm already contemplating how I'm going to deck it out. (Swap the red hoods for black and add red bar tape? Red anodized bottle cages?) :rolleyes:

The only issue is the pedals. I could replace the Crank Bros pedals that come on there with flats; swap the SPDs from my road bike and buy the SPD-SLs I wanted for the roadie, then buy another pair of shoes; or buy a second set of SPDs to save me buying a second set of shoes.

[Eden]

Coworker is about your height (though I don't know inseams), and she doesn't have a lot of clearance. I'd have to go look, but their bikes seem oddly tall. I've tried out their true road bike in a small, and it's a traditional diamond frame. I can't tell if it's the bike or the fact I'm used to a sloped top tube, but getting on the bike was an interesting experience!

Cross bikes measure out differently..... the bottom bracket on a CX bike is higher - for clearance over rocks, roots, barriers, etc. That means the seat tube measures out shorter on what is technically a larger bike (and seat tube length is what is used as "size"). A 48cm cross bike is going to fit more like a 50/52cm road bike - not to mention that they rarely have compact geometry so the stand over is going to be higher too. Expect that you will need to have at least one size down from your road bike size on a cross bike.

[anorange]

The Charge Filter XC e bike is sold at Performance. They have some of last years model on sale. I'm 5'2". I'm not good with math and have a hard time sorting out all the geometry numbers. I have a 29" inseam. If anyone is a similar size and has a fairly good fit on a XC bike I'd love to know what you ride. My brain is getting twisted trying to figure all the numbers out:eek:

[Owlie]

Anorange, a friend is 5'3" or 5'4"ish and had to have the seat post cut down on the XS Charge. I'd also be riding an XS Charge and I'm nearly 5'7". (I'm all legs, she's all torso.)

[Swan]

Funny how relevant this thread is just now! I finally learned a little more about bikes and made a list of what I wanted in one, and the Charge Filter Apex meets it all... crazy! I may have to take after your friend and get one cut down a little but I think it'll be well worth it. So excited that I finally know the bike! Too bad it doesn't come in pretty colors, but a paint job is only a couple hundred yeah?

I'll be using it for everything except CX as well (unless I get into CX... Which may yet happen lol)

[Owlie]

Funny how relevant this thread is just now! I finally learned a little more about bikes and made a list of what I wanted in one, and the Charge Filter Apex meets it all... crazy! I may have to take after your friend and get one cut down a little but I think it'll be well worth it. So excited that I finally know the bike! Too bad it doesn't come in pretty colors, but a paint job is only a couple hundred yeah?

I'll be using it for everything except CX as well (unless I get into CX... Which may yet happen lol)

I wish they came in colors other than black or white (the 2013s are white). I'd absolutely take it down to the other shop around here and have it sandblasted and powder-coated a deep green (Charge has a single-speed that's an absolutely beautiful shade of dark green), dark blue, or purple. The only problem is that you can't replace the decals. Oh well. Both colors are relatively versatile, and I have plans for them, depending on which one I get my hands on.

[Owlie]

Is that British racing green? They all sound lovely. I looked them up after you mentioned them before. :)

I think it could be said that it is, though it looks black in some light. If it weren't single-speed...

I think I'm going to hang on for a little while and order it around Christmas, or just after. So I'll be getting the white version, and I definitely have plans to trick it out. (I'm going to get red anodized bottle cages and spoke nipples, once I figure out what size I need.) I'm going to have to get it its own seat bag, because it's going to need different tubes and I am way too lazy to keep moving the contents around.