End of the road bike era?

[gummibear]

http://theradavist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Santa_Cruz_Stigmata_Cyclocross_Bike-12-1335x890.jpg

[gummibear]

I wonder what a stunner like that will set you back, guessing R80 000 plus randelas?

https://www.coloradocyclist.com/santa-cruz-stigmata-carbon-c-cc-cyclocross-frame

[LOOK695]

I wonder what a stunner like that will set you back, guessing R80 000 plus randelas?

And sadly with the way our rand is falling such nice toys will become even more out of reach for the ave wage earner

[Butterbean]

I dunno. I love love love my road bike, and road riding in general. I love feeling the speed, hearing the hum of tar beneath my tyres, and puts printing cars between robots is unbeatable.

 

As for disks. Again, I dunno. Cantis are already more than powerful enough, and the feeling through the latest shimano pairs is awesome. The only time I wish for disks is on long decents - where ironically my only worry is the cost of brake pads, and in the rain - again, only worry is grinding away my rims when some grit gets stuck on the pad.

 

Tyres still seem to be the problem, because canto brakes still overpower our road Tyres. It's not power that's the problem. In fact, there really isn't much of a problem with canti brakes.

 

Let's see where the industry goes but I'm definite not going to be hopping off the road bike, or onto disks or that matter, anytime soon!

[Johny Bravo]

And sadly with the way our rand is falling such nice toys will become even more out of reach for the ave wage earner

Yip, depressing as that is.

[DIPSLICK]

http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media.bespokecycling.com/app/public/spree/products/1358/large/stigmata_2web.jpg?1440671828

This is why the N+1 must exist

[LOOK695]

I dunno. I love love love my road bike, and road riding in general. I love feeling the speed, hearing the hum of tar beneath my tyres, and puts printing cars between robots is unbeatable.

As for disks. Again, I dunno. Cantis are already more than powerful enough, and the feeling through the latest shimano pairs is awesome. The only time I wish for disks is on long decents - where ironically my only worry is the cost of brake pads, and in the rain - again, only worry is grinding away my rims when some grit gets stuck on the pad.

Tyres still seem to be the problem, because canto brakes still overpower our road Tyres. It's not power that's the problem. In fact, there really isn't much of a problem with canti brakes.

Let's see where the industry goes but I'm definite not going to be hopping off the road bike, or onto disks or that matter, anytime soon!

I have to agree that it is lekker feeling the speed on a road bike, especially with some deep carbon wheels with a tailwind. I believe a cyclo bike can also be quite fast on back roads and you don't have to stick to tar the whole time and you get to see some new scenery

[Frosty]

I'd rather ride canti brakes before mechanical disc.

Like this one...

http://ritcheylogic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/7/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/w/swiss-cross-build-2012.jpg

[gummibear]

Like this one...

http://ritcheylogic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/7/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/w/swiss-cross-build-2012.jpg

Yes please [emoji106][emoji6]

[lechatnoir]

The cheaper bikes have mechanical disc, like some of the Giant Defy models. Those are absolutely ***, just a gimmick to sell bikes. The hydraulic ones are superb.

 

Yeah, but no. The mech disc brakes are actually pretty good. And no piddling around with bleeding brakes and not pulling levers when the wheels are off.

 

I am stoked with my Defy. Looks neat and tidy. Also looks like a road bike come to think of it

[LOOK695]

Yeah, but no. The mech disc brakes are actually pretty good. And no piddling around with bleeding brakes and not pulling levers when the wheels are off.

 

I am stoked with my Defy. Looks neat and tidy. Also looks like a road bike come to think of it

Do you use it on less travelled roads?

[lechatnoir]

Do you use it on less travelled roads?

Not as much as I'd like, and it's certainly a LOT more capable than what I ask of it.

 

In truth, I like the frame lines with no cluttering by rim calipers. Also, I got it a week before Shimano announced the hydro 105 groupset. Not sure I'd have waited for it though

[eddy]

Like this one...http://ritcheylogic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/7/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/w/swiss-cross-build-2012.jpg

I had exactly this one, but now have the same frame with disks so I can compare apples with apples.

 

I ran Paul canti brakes, as good as it gets and they worked beautifully. I would happily go back to them.

 

BUT, there was noticible brake shudder from the front brake under hard braking

(this is a problem with all canti brakes and is due to the design of the system with the calipers on the fork and the cable anchored on the frame).

 

Also, the modulation is not nearly as good as on disks so the risk of lock up was much higher.

 

Overall, no matter how good cantis are, all other things being equal, disks are better.

[Baracuda]

Not the end of an era, just a gradual change. The shift from rim to disk brakes in mountain biking did not lead to the end of an era.

The prevalence of more cyclo-cross rough road bikes on the shop floor is due to a new gap in the market that manufacturers have spotted but it won't lead to the death of road cycling. Pure road bikes are still best on roads.

 

 

From a South African point of view - with the deterioration of our roads and tons of potential rough roads that were previously uncomfortable - these bikes certainly have application.  But they not the answer to all our wishes. Once you get onto decent sandy gravel roads and roads / jeep track with corrugations, they suck and that is were a dual-suss 29 is best.

 

The adverts for these bikes are funny. Yes, sure, they are more comfy and safe on cobbles, jumping pavements on your commute, and for taking a short cut through the woods on the way home, but this footage of guys on single track in Whistler - for goodness sake, get proper MTB

[LOOK695]

Not the end of an era, just a gradual change. The shift from rim to disk brakes in mountain biking did not lead to the end of an era.

The prevalence of more cyclo-cross rough road bikes on the shop floor is due to a new gap in the market that manufacturers have spotted but it won't lead to the death of road cycling. Pure road bikes are still best on roads.

 

 

From a South African point of view - with the deterioration of our roads and tons of potential rough roads that were previously uncomfortable - these bikes certainly have application. But they not the answer to all our wishes. Once you get onto decent sandy gravel roads and roads / jeep track with corrugations, they suck and that is were a dual-suss 29 is best.

 

The adverts for these bikes are funny. Yes, sure, they are more comfy and safe on cobbles, jumping pavements on your commute, and for taking a short cut through the woods on the way home, but this footage of guys on single track in Whistler - for goodness sake, get proper MTB

Good answer. I have though tried a mountain bike, but did not like it. Prefer the feel and fit of road bikes

[eddy]

 

 

From a South African point of view - with the deterioration of our roads and tons of potential rough roads that were previously uncomfortable - these bikes certainly have application.  But they not the answer to all our wishes. Once you get onto decent sandy gravel roads and roads / jeep track with corrugations, they suck and that is were a dual-suss 29 is best.

 

 

 

You are right and you are wrong

 

First, you are right about the applicability of a CX type bike on our deteriorating roads.

 

I have been doing my pre-dawn/pre-work training rides on a CX bike for about 3 years now. I run 28mm GP4000s (25s before) and have not had a pinch or any other kind of flat in all that time. I no longer fear the  potholes, unfilled trenches, or general muck I did on my road bikes.

 

I think you are wrong about the unsuitability on "decent sandy gravel roads and roads / jeep track with corrugations".

 

I did the Van Gaalens gravel grind race on mine (using 35mm tubeless  Ritchey CX tyres) last Saturday and except for the steep bit down from the top of Breeds, I would not have swapped it for a DS on the rest of the route which included some sand, lots of corrugations, some farm tracks and about 12km of single track.

 

If you have the luxury of a specific bike for each application I think one can afford to be picky. 

 

But if you want one bike that does everything very well, but perhaps not quite as well as a specialised (with an "s" not a "z") bike for each application, a good CX frame, well specced and with good wheels, will be the one.

 

ps.

 

Have a look at what a CX bike can do on a DH course :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZH6BNN2TBU