# CX bike for life



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

Hi,
Greetings everyone.
I'm 41 and riding bike just last 4 years. Before begining I have read forums and understand that it is impossible to choose a right bike before any personal experience. So I went to Decathlon and too a rigid for 150$.
Since then I spent around 1000$ for saddles, shoes, helmet, maintenance equipment... you know. Now I'm riding 400 km a month mainly commuting. 20% park with proper roots and other obstacles, 80% roads (russian roads are slightly different from parks). I like riding at maximum possible speed but like a comfort so bought a Brooks. On weekends we travel with children in a neighbour forest.
Now I think I know what I want and would like to buy a bike for the rest of my life.
Local shops mainly sells cheap china bikes so the Internet the only choice. Digging around I found that Titanium is almost perfect and two companies selling sexiest ti cx 
lynskey
volagi

First are very nice guys reply fast and detailed. They offer Ti bike for 2100$ which actually becomes 2800$ with shipment and stuff.
https://www.lynskeyperformance.com/store/viale-with-shimano-105.html

Another guys offer the most fun and sexy looking CX I ever can imagine but Ti version is almost cost double. They sell steel version Viaje XL | Volagi Cycles for 1400$.

There are many good words about Lynske and almost dead silence about Volagi.

I'm looking for light durable fast and comfortable CX. 
What to choose?


----------



## kini (Feb 19, 2010)

Bikesdirect has Ti Cross bikes starting at $1399.


----------



## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

I wouldn't trust a ti bike from that website. Lynskey or Volagi would be good choices.


----------



## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

Both are great, however I have no experience with Volagi other than the epic Specialized thread. 
I would say neither are CX rigs, though "CX" seems to not be what you are looking for. That Lynskey is dead serious. Hard to beat the life that would offer.


----------



## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Just to add to your list of possibles. Crash policy is liberal as well..

Habanero Cycles Cross / Touring frames and bikes


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

robt57 said:


> Just to add to your list of possibles. Crash policy is liberal as well..
> 
> Habanero Cycles Cross / Touring frames and bikes


Thanks for Habanero interesting one.
So far no Volagi owners/testers.
Is their bow geometry so good?
Or I never feel actual difference?


----------



## Myriad (Jun 13, 2015)

On June 20 I received my new bike, a Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro TI from BikesDirect.com, and I can't overstate how highly I recommend it, or one of the other Fantom Cross Ti models (see the site's Cyclocross section). It's one of the most enjoyable purchases I've ever made.

I don't know why pretender, below, wouldn't buy from bikesdirect.com, but my purchase experience has been excellent, and several reviews on this site (eg, see the Ti model reviews in the Motobecane Fantom Cross review thread) tend to also be fine.

About going with a cyclocross-style bike, and titanium - for me that was exactly the right thing to do. Though I have no interest in racing, I wanted something the works well for _everything_ - a goal I expected to be unrealistic, until I found the cyclocross category. As I continued to look, I realized that titanium meant durability without sacrificing feel or lightness, but unlike you I was starting with a mid-level budget - between $1000 and $1500. I was surprised, and a bit dubious, when I eventually discovered the Motobecane Fantom Cross Ti line on bikesdirect - it seemed too good to be true. On researching it I saw only good signs, so I decided to take the chance. It turned out to be as good as I could have hoped.

I may have a pretty limited perspective on different kinds of bikes - I only rode a few modern bikes during my three or so weeks of researching. My previous bike is the one I built on a Reynolds 531 straight gauge frame, when I was 14 (over 40 years ago), and have been riding since. All that said, this new one feels really, really good. I have no car, use my bike to get where I'm going, and in the midst of getting somewhere I'll suddenly find myself grinning, and just relishing riding. When I ride my old steel bike (which I've upgraded in various ways over the years, but it's still a straight-gauge cromo steel frame), I feel a distinctly shaken up compared to the new bike. When I finally got on some of the extensive dirt paths in our local parkway (Rock Creek Park, Washington DC) I felt totally at home - confident to deal with whatever I encounter. Big fun - enhancement of what I've loved in biking, all those years.

About durability - the Motobecane U.S.A. warrantee (for which bikesdirect.com is the primary retail outlet) adds 100 years for their titanium frames. I realize this is basically a marketing ploy, but it's still enjoyable - and a contrast to their 100 year warrantee on their carbon fiber frames, which entails paying wholesale purchase price for replacement frames. (Though that may sound outrageous, I have the impression it's not unlike other vendors, who recognize that carbon fiber can be susceptible to impact damage that's hard to diagnose.)

I realize I digress, and realize that you may be able to afford spending the additional money to buy from a more highly credible source. I just don't want to see anyone miss their opportunity to get what has been, for me, a dream bike, when they didn't think they could afford it.

(This may also all be moot. I continue to check the bikesdirect site, and see that the Ti cross bikes are all currently on pre-order - this is the model-year turnover time for them.)


----------



## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

I'm happy for anyone who enjoys their bike. That said, the BD business model is based on being able to say things like "A full carbon road bike with 105 for only $XXXX!!!! OMG!!!!" and do whatever is necessary to meet that price point. The devil's in the details. So I would not recommend any bike from BD to someone seeking a CX bike for life.


----------



## kini (Feb 19, 2010)

kini said:


> Bikesdirect has Ti Cross bikes starting at $1399.


Don't see what the issue is. They show you exactly what you're getting. This site reviewed the BD Ti cross and liked it alot. 

It's a good deal.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

kini said:


> Don't see what the issue is. They show you exactly what you're getting. This site reviewed the BD Ti cross and liked it alot.
> 
> It's a good deal.


May be BD sells a good bike in Ti but I personally had a bad experience with them. Last year I bought hybrid for my wife. Before I paid they answer polite and fast. For delivery to Russia you can imagine the weight is very essential. I have ask them before pay money and they say that shipping weight is 10,5 kg. It was a good surprise. Then forwarder weight it and it was 17,5 kg! So it cost me extra 300$ (500$ in total) for delivery and BD never answer any of my email since got my money. I was able to refuse delivery if BD accept return within 3 days of unpacked bike but now my wife drive very mediocre bike for 1300$.
So I hardly ever buy from BD or recomend them.


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

Ti is a great choice for a 'lifetime' bike
if you are serious about a lifetime purchase I'd spend the extra money and get custom.
A perfectly fit bike will provide many, many years of fun and comfort


----------



## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

I own a Ti Volagi Viaje and love it. Mine is equipped with Ultegra 6800 and I put on a set of HED C2 on Chris King hubs and am currently running it as my all weather commuter on Continental GP 4 Season 25's. Brakes are TRP HY/RD. 

You said you are looking for a CX bike, but I assume you are not looking to race, but for a road bike that can handle some park trails. 

The Viaje is not a race bike. That isn't to say it isn't fast and fun, but that's not what the designers had in mind. It's an all-day rider that is designed with rider comfort as the primary design goal. 

I can't answer the 'is it worth the money?' question. I know I am happy with the purchase. Everyone has their own value judgements. How important is your money, and how much are you willing to pay?

Another thing to consider is service, especially considering your location. I know some people on this board have experienced problems with Lynskey, but I'm sure there are quite a few happy owners out there as well. As for Volagi's customer service, I really can't say. I haven't had to use it, and hopefully that will be the case forever. I think in your case, you should prioritize a bike that is least likely to have problems (design, construction, initial build quality, etc...) over customer service, because dealing with service in the US is going to be difficult (and likely expensive) for you.

As for my Viaje, I have about 1000 miles on it so far. I intended to put a lot more on it this spring, but was hit by a car (not on the Viaje thankfully) and haven't been able to ride at all. I should be able to start riding again in Sept or early Oct, just in time to start the wet weather commuting again, which is where that Viaje really shines.

Last summer, I did put some heavier duty tires on it and did an 80 mile gravel and dirt road ride over part of the John Wayne Trail here in western Washington state. The bike performed flawlessly, and is everything I expected it to be. It works great as comfortable all-day road bike, or can be set up with tires to work as a 'gravel grinder' (not a big fan of that nomenclature). 

Here is a picture of it right after it was built, but before I put the Continentals on it.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

*Migen21*
Thank you finally the owner of the Ti Volagi Viaje!
It looks there are not many of you. It is a third forum I ask and first owner to reply.
What bike did you had before? Could you describe difference? Does the longbow geometry makes difference?
Definitely I am not going to participate in competition. I use to be a ski racer but many years ago I choose university and I know the difference between sport and health. 
I need comfort and low weight even on the way to work I have to put bike on shoulder at least twice. And yes it must be very reliable to avoid service question between Russia and USA.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

*atpjunkie*
I did not think about custom yet. I expect it to be a lot more expensive and better to visit master in person.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

kini said:


> Don't see what the issue is. They show you exactly what you're getting. This site reviewed the BD Ti cross and liked it alot.
> 
> It's a good deal.


There are more better brands with the same price tag Adrenaline Bikes


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

Konstantin_RU said:


> *atpjunkie*
> I did not think about custom yet. I expect it to be a lot more expensive and better to visit master in person.


my only point is, if you plan on buying it and riding it until you drop, get one tailored to you. What is a thousand dollars amortized over 30 plus years of riding?


----------



## Myriad (Jun 13, 2015)

*It's a good deal.*



Konstantin_RU said:


> There are more better brands with the same price tag Adrenaline Bikes


From the bikes I looked at on the page you linked, the least expensive ("Half-price sale") bikes were around $1000 more for less well-equipped bikes. The lead prices were for frames, only! (Some of the frames cost less than the complete Bikes Direct TI bikes, but not much.)

My Bikes Direct bike - 2015 Ti Fantom Cross Pro - is one of the best purchases I have ever made. I grant that they it may not suit everyone as well as it does me - I like to work on bikes, want exactly what they're offering, etc - but I DO NOT understand why people who those who haven't actually tried a Bikes Direct bike, and recommend against them, continue to do so.

Most of the reports from actual buyers glow with appreciation, and reports of problems - like the one, above, where the shipping was more than indicated, was logistical, not in terms of bike quality. (I don't excuse Bikes Direct being unresponsive, after the fact - but the vast majority of problem reports I've seen include very conducive follow-up from Bikes Direct.)

As the poster said, in the item cited by the one I'm citing, "It's a good deal."


----------



## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Konstantin_RU said:


> *Migen21*
> Thank you finally the owner of the Ti Volagi Viaje!
> It looks there are not many of you. It is a third forum I ask and first owner to reply.
> What bike did you had before? Could you describe difference? Does the longbow geometry makes difference?
> ...


Sorry I missed these questions.

Q: _*What bike did you ride before?*_
I have several bikes. The bike I was riding as my all-weather commute to work bike was a 62cm Surly Straggler. It was a good bike, but had a very long wheelbase. It tracked really well, but it was reluctant to turn, especially at speed. Once I had to get off and ask it nicely to go around a corner for me. 

Q: _*Could you describe the difference?*_
The straggler was a much bigger bike. My straggler was a 62cm frame, which from a fit standpoint is probably ok (I'm tall - 6' 5"), but a frame that large with a long wheelbase, was just not fun to ride at all. 

I migrated all of the components from the Straggler (except the Avid BB7 discs, which I upgraded to TRP HY/RD), over to my 60cm Viaje, and the bike rides like a dream. It's a smaller frame, and has a high stack and sloping top tube, so it's much more comfortable. I have dropped the bars down on the Volagi as far as they will go and it's still an extremely comfortable ride. I've taken it out on a couple of all day rides (one 8 hour day, just exploring, the other an organized century). This bike is made just for stuff like that. 

Q: _*Does the longbow flexstay geometry make a difference?*_
I can't say. I know the bike is very comfortable. 

In some ways it's more comfortable than my BMC Gran Fondo GF01. Titanium bikes have a springier feel to them than carbon. It's not as stiff as the Gran Fondo (GF-01), but it has other advantages. As a general all-purposed all-around bike, it just can't be beat (in my opinion). It will take a rack and fenders. It will take much wider tires. It is agile and adept on gravel and still runs fast and solid on paved roads. It's probably not the greatest out of the saddle climber, but it's not a turd either. For the type of riding I do (mostly), it's just about perfect.

I'm still rehabbing a badly broken shoulder, so I'm not able to ride it. I get the hook plate removed my my clavicle at the end of this month, so hopefully I'll be able to get back on the bike and do some off-season commuting to get my form back.


----------



## wgscott (Jul 14, 2013)

atpjunkie said:


> my only point is, if you plan on buying it and riding it until you drop, get one tailored to you. What is a thousand dollars amortized over 30 plus years of riding?


Yeah, don't wait until you are 50 like I did. I have no other regrets, BTW.

Had I not got a custom bike, I may well have got a Volagi.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

wgscott said:


> Yeah, don't wait until you are 50 like I did. I have no other regrets, BTW.
> 
> Had I not got a custom bike, I may well have got a Volagi.


Thank you it is the most persuasive comment. I am already missing 20 years without bike and frankly any physical activity.
Now I've made a choice and waiting for a good deal for Volagi Ti.


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

Konstantin_RU said:


> Thank you it is the most persuasive comment. I am already missing 20 years without bike and frankly any physical activity.
> Now I've made a choice and waiting for a good deal for Volagi Ti.


Konstantin, his point was, he went custom and has no regrets

good luck


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

We read what we want  and I'm not native English.
I still believe that main point was "do not wait too much"
As I understand "custom" it needs my presence. To get visa and visit USA I need to spend ~$2.000 + time.
To be frank I still do not understand the difference between most bikes. Same 2 triangles. Ok custom means they would cut tubes to my size. But the beautiful idea of arcs that should work as spring and it simply looks different (read good). When I open the Tread I was ready to get comments like "this bow" construction is just a trick to suck your money but it did not happen. So I assume that it is not bad choice.
When I was engaged in racing skiing we use to believe that speed really depends on how do you like your ski. The most expensive ones would not slide if you dislike them.
We are in Russia having a kind of crisis and I'm really not sure about my budget (I run a small business) so as an real option I can order steel version and when I got extra cash and if I still be willing for upgrade order Ti frame and try to sell the iron frame.
I'm sorry if my English is not very clear.


----------



## Corndog (Jan 18, 2006)

"Forever" and "Bikes Direct" just don't go together, no matter what material the frame is made. 

If you're really after a forever bike and are interested in Ti, I think you should get in touch with Kent Eriksen or Mike DeSalvo. 

Sure, they cost marginally more (in the case of the Eriksen) than that Lynsky... but it's worth it.


----------



## robt57 (Jul 23, 2011)

Migen21 said:


> Titanium bikes have a springier feel to them than carbon.


I feel it apropriate to comment. Apparently the ones you have ridden, due respect. But this is not true as global statement by any means if I may say so. How it is made is how/why it will be 'springy'. Examples of carbon bikes I have ridden many miles which I 'can/will' say were 'springier' than Ti bikes I have owned and ridden many miles: Kestrel EMS200, SCI kestrel, @ 2005 Specialized Roubaix. 

Just as with every other material a bike can be made from, how it is speced and built is how/why it may or may not feel springy/lively IMO. With in the materials limitations, which Ti certainly has more limitations than Carbon/design/manufacturing as far as a bike frame goes. 

Hope I said all that with no snark or disrespect in my wording and made my point correctly.


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

Corndog said:


> "Forever" and "Bikes Direct" just don't go together, no matter what material the frame is made.
> 
> If you're really after a forever bike and are interested in Ti, I think you should get in touch with Kent Eriksen or Mike DeSalvo.
> 
> Sure, they cost marginally more (in the case of the Eriksen) than that Lynsky... but it's worth it.


Thank you. Now I'm really hesitate. Is the custom THAT different?
By the way I try DeSalvo Custom Cycles | Hand-built bikes, in Ashland, Oregon but it does not work.
Is it temporary or he is out of the business? Based on Internet DeSalvo close to my heart as a sole enthusiast as I in my business.


----------



## Corndog (Jan 18, 2006)

Mike's site works fine for me. Try again?


----------



## Konstantin_RU (Jul 27, 2015)

Did you use my link or any different one?
I have check again it is not accessible from Russia.
Just via google translate without pictures...


----------



## Corndog (Jan 18, 2006)

I used your link. Loaded right up here.


----------

