Cyclocross bike - advice

Jay

Hi, I'm looking to buy a cyclocross bike and one of the options comes
with disc brakes. Can anyone advise on the pros & cons of disc brakes
on a cross bike? I appreciate the technology comes from MTB and would
seem to benefit a cross bike.

But are there any things I need to consider or real disadvantages?

Any advice welcomed......Jason

Has anyone any experience of 'Focus' bikes? as it's either the Focus
Mares Cross 2008 or the Focus Cross Disc 2008 that I'm considering - see

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryPro...locross%20Bikes

Roger Merriman

Jay <spam@dummyaddress.spam.com> wrote:

> Hi, I'm looking to buy a cyclocross bike and one of the options comes
> with disc brakes. Can anyone advise on the pros & cons of disc brakes
> on a cross bike? I appreciate the technology comes from MTB and would
> seem to benefit a cross bike.
>
> But are there any things I need to consider or real disadvantages?
>
they will be heavier but will give better wet performance and in some
forms will give truely awsome stopping ablity.

> Any advice welcomed......Jason
>
> Has anyone any experience of 'Focus' bikes? as it's either the Focus
> Mares Cross 2008 or the Focus Cross Disc 2008 that I'm considering - see
>
>
<http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryPro...CategoryName=Cy
clocross%20Bikes>

the BUT is will you need or notice the disks. will you be racing the
bike or useing it for well hybrid use? i'd question the need for such
brakes on a bike that has no suspention with thin tires one would need
to push hard to tell much diffence, at least by the stopwatch. but if is
was my money i'd get the disks as i love their wet performace.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

Jay

Hi Roger...thanks for the reply & advice. I recognise your name from
ucsm (I'm a bit of a lurker, with the odd post - macbook & iMac user).

I'm getting the cross bike because I like road/racing bikes but want
something that I can take through the local woods now & again, and not
limit myself to the roads. The bike will have thin rims, but thicker
off-road tyres, and I won't exactly be down-hilling or pushing it to
extremes, so d'you think I even need the discs? The thing is - instead
of the disc brakes I could get a better spec bike for the same money
(full Ultegra groupset etc. and better rims) - so I think I might be
leaning towards that option. What d'you think.

I'm now looking at a Ridley X-Fire:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...x-fire-08-28054

Any thoughts?

Thanks again, Jason


Roger Merriman wrote:
> Jay <spam@dummyaddress.spam.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi, I'm looking to buy a cyclocross bike and one of the options comes
>> with disc brakes. Can anyone advise on the pros & cons of disc brakes
>> on a cross bike? I appreciate the technology comes from MTB and would
>> seem to benefit a cross bike.
>>
>> But are there any things I need to consider or real disadvantages?
>>
> they will be heavier but will give better wet performance and in some
> forms will give truely awsome stopping ablity.
>
>> Any advice welcomed......Jason
>>
>> Has anyone any experience of 'Focus' bikes? as it's either the Focus
>> Mares Cross 2008 or the Focus Cross Disc 2008 that I'm considering - see
>>
>>
> <http://www.wiggle.co.uk/CategoryPro...CategoryName=Cy
> clocross%20Bikes>
>
> the BUT is will you need or notice the disks. will you be racing the
> bike or useing it for well hybrid use? i'd question the need for such
> brakes on a bike that has no suspention with thin tires one would need
> to push hard to tell much diffence, at least by the stopwatch. but if is
> was my money i'd get the disks as i love their wet performace.
>
> roger

Roger Merriman

Jay <spam@dummyaddress.spam.com> wrote:

> Hi Roger...thanks for the reply & advice. I recognise your name from
> ucsm (I'm a bit of a lurker, with the odd post - macbook & iMac user).
>
heh

> I'm getting the cross bike because I like road/racing bikes but want
> something that I can take through the local woods now & again, and not
> limit myself to the roads. The bike will have thin rims, but thicker
> off-road tyres, and I won't exactly be down-hilling or pushing it to
> extremes, so d'you think I even need the discs? The thing is - instead
> of the disc brakes I could get a better spec bike for the same money
> (full Ultegra groupset etc. and better rims) - so I think I might be
> leaning towards that option. What d'you think.
>
okay well you don't need disks, folks managed with out, they are good in
the wet.

> I'm now looking at a Ridley X-Fire:
>
>
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...product/x-fire-
08-28054
>
> Any thoughts?

sounds goood i've love one!
>
> Thanks again, Jason
>
Roger
>
snips