Cycling - NLC

[scott_e]

Rose Xeon CRS-4400 review | £1957.20 (6.9KG)
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... 0-12-46230

Seems to be some sort of 6.8KG racing limit. Cant find any bike below this weight.

Any thoughts on the Xeon lads ? (specifically for commuting)

[ryallm]

Rose Xeon CRS-4400 review | £1957.20 (6.9KG)
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... 0-12-46230

Seems to be some sort of 6.8KG racing limit. Cant find any bike below this weight.

Any thoughts on the Xeon lads ? (specifically for commuting)

Sram force groupset and Kysrium wheels make this an amazing spec for the money - you'd be paying a grand more for a similarly specced Specialized. You'd have to be very careful with the fit though as its mail order only of course. I do a lot of commuting by bike and I wouldn't want to do it on a bike like this as the roads as in such a terrible state - I'd want something that can take at least 28c tyres, but it is a personal thing and it depends on how bad the roads you use are.

Mark

[scott_e]

Thanks for the reply Mark , great help.

[Dark]

The Rose Xeon looks like a great racing bike but would be useless for commuting.

It's built for low weight and high speed. After a couple of weeks commuting (especially in the rain) it would be trashed unless you were meticulous in cleaning and lubing it almost every day. In particular the headsets on road bikes have little in the way of water / dust seals and your combination of cycle paths & all weather use would destroy it very quickly. Commuting is also very hard on the wheels & brakes. While the Kysrium wheels are hard as nails, road brakes are very ineffective especially in the wet. You'll also struggle to fit anything larger than a 25mm wide tyres which probably rules out most of the re-enforced & treaded tyres that you need for the commute.

Personally I'd buy something like a Cannondale CAADX or Focus Mares style cyclo-cross bike for about £1k max. For general riding they will be almost as fast as a £2k road bike, have much stronger frame & wheels, much better brakes and will accept wider tyres, mudguards and even a pannier!

Yes a cyclo-cross type bike would be heavier (~10kg) but you'd only notice going up hill for which they have much better gear ratios anyway! In any case riding a slightly heavier bike allows you to comply with rule #5!

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Cheers, Mark

[scott_e]

The Rose Xeon looks like a great racing bike but would be useless for commuting.

It's built for low weight and high speed. After a couple of weeks commuting (especially in the rain) it would be trashed unless you were meticulous in cleaning and lubing it almost every day. In particular the headsets on road bikes have little in the way of water / dust seals and your combination of cycle paths & all weather use would destroy it very quickly. Commuting is also very hard on the wheels & brakes. While the Kysrium wheels are hard as nails, road brakes are very ineffective especially in the wet. You'll also struggle to fit anything larger than a 25mm wide tyres which probably rules out most of the re-enforced & treaded tyres that you need for the commute.

Personally I'd buy something like a Cannondale CAADX or Focus Mares style cyclo-cross bike for about £1k max. For general riding they will be almost as fast as a £2k road bike, have much stronger frame & wheels, much better brakes and will accept wider tyres, mudguards and even a pannier!

Yes a cyclo-cross type bike would be heavier (~10kg) but you'd only notice going up hill for which they have much better gear ratios anyway! In any case riding a slightly heavier bike allows you to comply with rule #5!

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Cheers, Mark

Also thanks for the post , massive help too.

[max1966]

As both Marks have already said it is great for the money and would make an excellent 'sunday' bike, if that's what you want and can put up with the compromise and all the associated care regular use will bring, go for it!!

Sizing will be tricky unless you fit neatly within a size range and having looked at their website briefly there is no stock available!! but that's normal for a highly rated and recently reviewed bike.

Taking your requirements literally leads toward the bikes I previously suggested and the Rose, given that your current bike can still stand in for winter and wet day commuting duties, a hard core race style bike is a great addition but my personal advice would be to buy a road bike more sportive orientated, ideally capable of taking mudguards, probably compliant and made of steel and <£1K. Don't worry too much about the weight, get used to a racier riding position, run some reasonable rubber and enjoy.

If you do you'll soon find an excuse to buy a Rose, Canyon or what ever takes your fancy. The money you save commuting by bike can easily justify another bike, well worked for me..............

Malcolm

[philthy]

Im starting to get out on my bike a lot more, been looking at upgrading the frame better suited to XC and freeriding as I have a 14" Azonic Jump frame right now, which was great when I was 16 but not so much now, 10 years on and 6" taller.

Anyone have a full sus frame they are selling?

[Lazydonkey]

my personal advice would be to buy a road bike more sportive orientated, ideally capable of taking mudguards, probably compliant and made of steel and <£1K. Don't worry too much about the weight, get used to a racier riding position, run some reasonable rubber and enjoy.

Like this you mean?
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check



I bought that bike in July last year and have just tripped over the 1k mile mark and it's been fantastic. Wouldn't hesitate to get another surly in a flash. I hummed and hawed for ages about alloy, carbon, weights and gearing and eventually bought a bike cos i though it looked cool. It's worked out well though Not as extreme as many of the cyclocross bikes and as such much more versatile.

[woody]

my personal advice would be to buy a road bike more sportive orientated, ideally capable of taking mudguards, probably compliant and made of steel and <£1K. Don't worry too much about the weight, get used to a racier riding position, run some reasonable rubber and enjoy.

Like this you mean?
http://surlybikes.com/bikes/cross_check



I bought that bike in July last year and have just tripped over the 1k mile mark and it's been fantastic. Wouldn't hesitate to get another surly in a flash. I hummed and hawed for ages about alloy, carbon, weights and gearing and eventually bought a bike cos i though it looked cool. It's worked out well though Not as extreme as many of the cyclocross bikes and as such much more versatile.

We've all told you how it actually looks several times.

[s29ttc]

Right eventually got my arse in gear and dropped into walkers cycles as woody suggested. Have my heart set on a road bike for some reason despite mixed opinions and got my eye on this.

http://www.walkerscyclingshop.co.uk/pro ... ductID=891

Am I mad or is it worth going for? Never have riddin a road bike so they have offered to lend me a demo for a day to try before making a purchase, costs £20 and taken on purchase price if I buy. Any help or advise would be much appreciated!

[GregR]

If you have never ridden a road bike before spending £700+ on one is madness. The riding pisition is so different for one thing. Can't you borrow one to try out before taking the plunge? Can you borrow one for a few months to see if this is a fad?

[s29ttc]

Yep I asked, as above they can lend me for the day or longer if required which assume will cost more. £20 they told me for the day and taken off purchase price. In my mind if I have £700 bike I'll use it, I need to to get in shape! Just need to test see how it feels? but is one day enough to know

[woody]

Scott, was very impressed by the boardman team my dad bought recently. Lists at £1000, but can be had for 800, and if you join seloc, 10% off of that. Has better wheels and shimano 105 groupset. Wasn't fussed by tiagra on my bike when I bought, but having tried 105 would hold out for that now.

As Greg says, its a lot of cash for a fad, but if you really don't use it you ll loose maybe £100 a cycle. Had you posted this yesterday, would have given you my cross bike for the next couple of week its set up like a road bike & on rroad tyres so would have been close enough to give you a flavor. If you can wait, you can borrow my old road bike for a while.

[s29ttc]

I'm just juggling everything in my mind at the moment.I am not the most patient and likely jump into purchasing something. The guys where really good in the shop and offered me a bike to use. Do you think a day would be enough to make up my mind. Surely I'd know ridding it for a few miles whether the road bike is for me? Having read the reviews of the Giant defy 2it's got cracking right ups. The thing that put me off is halfords with the boardman. Will they set it up etc and give same service. Walkers offered 6 month interest free, so way I see it is for little over 100 a month I'd have a good entry level bike with the guilt of I better use it cause it was expensive! Have you a link to the Boardman bike?

[Rag_It]

Rolfey, Sometimes waxing larger amounts of money on items, bikes, lenses, running shoes, (to name but a few of my vices!) might seem madness, but knowing I've spent a fair bit on items often means I look after them more, better investment, and also knowing there is expensive kit not getting used guilt trips me into using it more often!!!