# best cyclocross bike for the money



## tetter

I'm looking for a good cyclocross bike for the winter. i have few ideas on what i want but suggestions would help. kona jts, giant xo1, ibex's XRay (if and when they get them in stock). but i am torn with which is best. pricing under 1400 is best.


----------



## musgravecycles

That's easy, best bike for the money is a Zank. Yes I know he's not taking orders at the moment so hows'about a Goodrich, Rock Lobster, or a Zero (he's not taking orders either  ).

I'm not kidding, think about it for a minute. Might spend less coin on an alloy bike with a carbon fork and it's got a usable life of 2-3 seasons. A steel frame/fork will last decades, plus you buy individual attention from a builder who'll vary geometry and tubing selection to fit the specific rider and his/her fit needs. Trust me on this you'll not find a better value/dollar ratio out there...


----------



## Mosovich

*I'd go with..*

Motobecane.. Phantom Pro I think is the model.. You truly can't go wrong.. It's the exact same as the Fuji.. My wife has a Fuji and I had a motobecane and they were IDENTICAL! So, for best bang for the buck that's my bet.. Although I must admit, I have a steel IF..


----------



## celerystalksme

musgravecycles said:


> That's easy, best bike for the money is a Zank. Yes I know he's not taking orders at the moment so hows'about a Goodrich, Rock Lobster, or a Zero (he's not taking orders either  ).
> 
> I'm not kidding, think about it for a minute. Might spend less coin on an alloy bike with a carbon fork and it's got a usable life of 2-3 seasons. A steel frame/fork will last decades, plus you buy individual attention from a builder who'll vary geometry and tubing selection to fit the specific rider and his/her fit needs. Trust me on this you'll not find a better value/dollar ratio out there...


aluminum frames will only be usuable for 2-3 seasons?!?!?! is aluminum that unsuitable for cyclocross? how about those all carbon cx bikes? are they pretty much thrown away after 2-3 seasons as well?

this is hard to believe...


----------



## atpjunkie

*aluminum does start to fatigue, especially the thinner it is*

but for the buck I'd think a Redline Conquest or Bianchi Axis


----------



## celerystalksme

atpjunkie said:


> but for the buck I'd think a Redline Conquest or Bianchi Axis


i realize aluminum fatigues...but TWO SEASONS?!?!? maybe three??!!?! now granted....i'm new to cx...but i've seen racers use mountain bikes and road bikes made of aluminum for many many years. even after they get a newer to race, they use their old alloy bikes to train.

it's hard for me to believe alloy cx bikes are junked after 2-3 seasons. there'd be ZERO point to getting aluminum bike. better off going steel or titanium. yet...alloy is the best selling cx frame.

and what about carbon? is that basically useless for cx as well unless you're willing to shell out several thousand for a new bike every 2-3 years?


----------



## B15serv

For your budget you can build up a hell of a Surly crosscheck. Jensonusa.com has the frame/fork for like $390. Im currently building one up as a single speed with mostly FSA parts off of ebay and going to wind up about $250 under your budget. Ill be using it for commuting as well as winter and rainy fun in the trails.


----------



## pretender

musgravecycles said:


> Might spend less coin on an alloy bike with a carbon fork and it's got a usable life of 2-3 seasons.


I like steel as much as the next guy. (I race steel.) But this is bullshit.


----------



## pretender

B15serv said:


> For your budget you can build up a hell of a Surly crosscheck. Jensonusa.com has the frame/fork for like $390. Im currently building one up as a single speed with mostly FSA parts off of ebay and going to wind up about $250 under your budget. Ill be using it for commuting as well as winter and rainy fun in the trails.


$1000 to build up a framest isn't really that much. (Remember, you have to buy wheels with that money.) OP asked for best bike for the money, and best bike for the money comes from buying the package deal. Sad, depressing, but true.


----------



## Unoveloce

Which shop has the best vibe for picking their brain and hanging out? Which shop supports cross the best? Do they treat the sport like a dreaded necessity, or are they into it? Which bike fits better? Do they have a good after purchase maintenance plan? You'll need it if you are going to race cross. Which color gets you the most worked up? Value is too subjective of a term to break it down into which bike has the nicest rear derailleur. Almost all companies make pretty good stuff. find one you like to look at and gets you excited to race cross, from a shop you like to visit and you can't go wrong.


----------



## The Sundance Kid

Raleigh RX1 is a pretty sweet deal. Only bike I know of in this price range with a full carbon fork. 

I agree it's best to buy from a local shop that supports 'cross if you can.


----------



## musgravecycles

pretender said:


> I like steel as much as the next guy. (I race steel.) But this is bullshit.


Ok, so bump it up to 5 years if you like  ... 

The point is that lightweight alloy tubing fatigues and work-hardens over time. I used to race for a Cannondale sponsored mountain bike team, we'd get at most 3 years out of a frame. Steel doesn't do that, I worked on and resprayed dozens of 20+ year old custom frames when I was working in a frame shop. And I'm not even gonna ask if you'd race the same carbon fork 5 seasons in a row...


----------



## bikesdirect

We really beleive in Cyclo Cross
and are adding several models for the season
Should have 7 Motobecanes and 1 Windsor and 1 Dawes
{the 7 Motos this year will include 1 SS, 1 with Disc Brakes, 1 Ti, 1 with triple, and 3 traditional AL versions
Next year - we will add 3 more bikes; so that we will have a dozen

This Fall this will be the best deal in a cyclo cross bike under $2000 sold in the USA










Ti and great components at about $1700


----------



## toddre

bikesdirect said:


> We really beleive in Cyclo Cross
> and are adding several models for the season
> Should have 7 Motobecanes and 1 Windsor and 1 Dawes
> {the 7 Motos this year will include 1 SS, 1 with Disc Brakes, 1 Ti, 1 with triple, and 3 traditional AL versions
> Next year - we will add 3 more bikes; so that we will have a dozen
> 
> This Fall this will be the best deal in a cyclo cross bike under $2000 sold in the USA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ti and great components at about $1700


I gotta wipe the drool off the key board...How about sending one for review to a guy here in New England who's coming out of retirement :thumbsup: 
I may have to rethink my equipment strategy


----------



## jroden

Aluminium is plenty durable, you either bend it enough to break it or it snaps back unchanged. I remember when the line of baloney was that steel frames got "flxed out" over time. Get a redline or cannondale or similar, there are tons of nice bikes at that price.


----------



## BetterThanAliens

Lovin' the hell out of my Conquest Pro! Nice components and is race ready out of the box. You can _maybe_ snag one for about $1600.


----------



## atpjunkie

*well I agree*



celerystalksme said:


> i realize aluminum fatigues...but TWO SEASONS?!?!? maybe three??!!?! now granted....i'm new to cx...but i've seen racers use mountain bikes and road bikes made of aluminum for many many years. even after they get a newer to race, they use their old alloy bikes to train.
> 
> it's hard for me to believe alloy cx bikes are junked after 2-3 seasons. there'd be ZERO point to getting aluminum bike. better off going steel or titanium. yet...alloy is the best selling cx frame.
> 
> and what about carbon? is that basically useless for cx as well unless you're willing to shell out several thousand for a new bike every 2-3 years?


my 99 Ridley is still functioning but they built them like tanks back then

I'm a steel guy, but still said Alu was the good choice


----------



## hayduke1972

*Any Steel*



bikesdirect said:


> We really beleive in Cyclo Cross
> and are adding several models for the season
> Should have 7 Motobecanes and 1 Windsor and 1 Dawes
> {the 7 Motos this year will include 1 SS, 1 with Disc Brakes, 1 Ti, 1 with triple, and 3 traditional AL versions
> Next year - we will add 3 more bikes; so that we will have a dozen
> 
> This Fall this will be the best deal in a cyclo cross bike under $2000 sold in the USA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ti and great components at about $1700


Any chance one of those new models will be steel, about 1/3 of the cross bikes I see at races are made with the ferrous material

:thumbsup:


----------



## jroden

What is that Motobecane? I thought the bikesdirect company had bought the rights to some of those old names and was having them made by Kinesis and selling direct to consumer in aluminium, am I thinking of a different brand?


----------



## rkj__

musgravecycles said:


> Ok, so bump it up to 5 years if you like  ...
> 
> The point is that lightweight alloy tubing fatigues and work-hardens over time. I used to race for a Cannondale sponsored mountain bike team, we'd get at most 3 years out of a frame. Steel doesn't do that, I worked on and resprayed dozens of 20+ year old custom frames when I was working in a frame shop. And I'm not even gonna ask if you'd race the same carbon fork 5 seasons in a row...


Most brands have at least a 5 year warranty on the frame. If it cracks, you get a new one.


----------



## dubjay

Performance has the 2007 Schwinn Fastback CX on sale @ $749.

On top of that, there's currently a 15% off coupon, bringing the price down to $636.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=24505&subcategory_ID=3040

I couldn't help myself - so I went ahead and ordered my first cyclocross bike today. Can't wait!


----------



## rkj__

dubjay said:


> Performance has the 2007 Schwinn Fastback CX on sale @ $749.
> 
> On top of that, there's currently a 15% off coupon, bringing the price down to $636.
> 
> http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=24505&subcategory_ID=3040
> 
> I couldn't help myself - so I went ahead and ordered my first cyclocross bike today. Can't wait!


That looks like a good deal. Welcome!


----------



## bikesdirect

jroden said:


> What is that Motobecane? I thought the bikesdirect company had bought the rights to some of those old names and was having them made by Kinesis and selling direct to consumer in aluminium, am I thinking of a different brand?


That Motobecane is one of mant Ti Motobecane models
Several Ti models have had magazine reviews this year; the Ti Cross bike will be reviewed in major mag in Sept

Motobecane does use Kinesis on many aluminum models
But uses Advanced composites and ADK on carbon fiber models
and Maxway on many steel models
Ti is from custom Ti framre shop

Of course, Kinesis, ADK, Advanced, Maxway all build frames for most high end brands sold in the USA and Europe

I think the Moto cross Ti bike will be the nicest CX bike sold this season
but the Moto Team Ti Cross full race model for 2009 with be even nicer and as light as any production CX bike made and full Ti including fork - really radial [I think]

I am glad Motobecane is going from one CX model to 10 models; I love cyclo cross bikes


----------

