CTech Picks: CX Bikes Under $2000

Interest in cyclocross is slowly growing in Australia, and as the cold and wet of winter approaches, riders can look forward to ideal conditions for CX and a growing race calendar. In this article, I take a closer look at CX bikes you can get for under $2000.

A few years ago, there was no market for CX bikes in Australia and they were considered a foreign oddity. Now a dozen or more brands have at least one model on offer in the local market and there are plenty of bikes on offer for less than $2000 that will appeal to newcomers to CX. Of course, you can always pay less for a used road bike and convert it to CX, but you’ll be defeated by poor tire clearance (which traps mud between the frame and the tires) every time.

Choosing a CX bike

CX is really hard on a bike due to constant exposure to mud and water so expect to see accelerated wear and tear in the drive-train and bearing surfaces. Also expect to spend more time and money on maintaining a CX bike. Best advice here is to spend a bit more money up front for harder wearing parts, and that’s why I’ve limited my picks here to bikes equipped with Shimano 105/SRAM Apex or better.

A few thoughts on bike-fit and geometry

Any search for a new bike should start with frame geometry to ensure a comfortable and effective position. While there is some difference in opinion on bike-fit for CX, an experienced road rider can largely adapt their current fit for off-road purposes. There are however, a few considerations unique to CX that are best explained by Australia’s sole representative at the recent CX world championships, Lewis Rattray:

“Two main differences are a slacker head angle, for more control at lower speeds and a higher BB, to enable pedalling through corners and ample clearance of obstacles. Many riders (myself included) run their hoods a little higher on the handlebar, as well as a slightly higher stem position, as this gives much better control and I am able to grab a whole lot more of the hoods. At the same time, it gives me a more upright riding position, which helps through the technical stuff. Having less weight over the front and more weight over the back also provides more traction for the back wheel, which is important for churning through slop.”

As a starting point, consider a frame that is the same size as your road bike, but run a 1cm shorter reach that comes as a result of a shorter top tube, rather than a shorter stem. Most CX frames have a taller front end as a result of taller forks, but don’t hurry to cut down the steerer and slam the stem until you’ve ridden in the slop. Finally, consider dropping your saddle 1cm to lower your centre of gravity.

All of the bikes I’ve picked here feature an alloy frame and a fairly robust build kit. Cantilever brakes remain standard on most CX bikes, providing excellent braking power and feel, and are featured on most of the bikes below. However, some manufacturers are starting to offer models with cable-operated disc brakes, and while they may not be as powerful cantilever brakes, they are easier to maintain and worth considering, even in the sub-$2000 price range. On to my picks:

 

1. Apollo Xact, $1499

Frame: Triple-butted alloy

Fork: Carbon blades, alloy steerer

Groupset: SRAM Apex

Brakes: Cantilever

Sizes: S, M, L, XL

Complete specs: Apollo Xact

Geometry chart (all lengths are in mm):

Size	Seat Tube	Top Tube	Seat Angle	Fork Angle	Head Tube
S	520	535	74	71	110
M	540	555	74	71	120
L	560	565	73	72	140
XL	580	585	72	72.5	160

 

 

2. Cannondale CAADX 5 105, $1899

Frame: Butted alloy

Fork: Carbon blades, alloy steerer

Groupset: Shimano 105

Brakes: Cantilever

Sizes: 44, 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Complete specs: Cannondale CAADX5

Geometry chart (all lengths are in mm):

 

 

3. Focus Mares AX 2.0 Disc, $1799

Frame: Triple-butted alloy

Fork: Carbon

Groupset: Shimano 105

Brakes: Mechanical disc

Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL

Complete specs: Focus Mares AX 2.0 Disc

Geometry chart (all lengths are in mm):

Size	Seat Tube	Top Tube	Head Angle	Seat Angle	Head Tube
XS	500	515	70	74.5	105
S	520	527.5	70	74.5	105
M	540	538	70.5	74	115
L	560	553	71	73	125
XL	580	571	71	73	140
XXL	600	587	71	73	155
3XL	620	603	72	73	170

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Boardman CX Pro, $1,519.19

Frame: Alloy

Fork: Full Carbon

Groupset: SRAM Force, FSA Energy Compact BB30

Brakes: Mechanical disc

Sizes: 52.5, 54, 55.5, 57, 58.5cm

Complete specs: Boardman CX Pro

Geometry table (all lengths are in mm):

Size	Seat Tube	Top Tube	Head Angle	Seat Angle	Head Tube
52.5	500	525	72	74	120
54	515	540	72.5	73	130
55.5	530	555	73	73	140
57	555	570	73	73	160
58.5	570	585	73	73	175

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Specialized CruX, $2199

Frame: Aluminium

Fork: Carbon

Groupset: SRAM Apex

Brakes: Mechanical Disc

Sizes: 46, 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Complete specs: Specialized CruX

Geometry chart (all lengths are in mm):

Size	Seat Tube	Top Tube	Head Angle	Seat Angle	Head Tube
46	460	510	69.5	75.5	100
49	490	516	70.5	75.5	115
52	520	537	71.5	74	125
54	540	549	71.5	73.5	140
56	560	557	72	73.25	155
58	580	570	72.5	73	170
61	610	587	73	72.5	190