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Lowered Budget: EBC's Revolution Cross 2 thoughts?

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  1. Hopey
    Member

    First of all apologies if any of you have seen me post this on other forums, been trying to get as many opinions as possible.

    Long story short due to car troubles I've had to half my original budget for getting back into cycling. £450 for the Rev Cross 2 (http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-2-16) is all I can really afford now.

    After a do it all for commuting, sportives, off and on road exploring and light touring. Sturdiness and comfort are the main things. Speed with a tyre change would be nice.

    Sick of comparing bikes, I've spent the past two months comparing 10s of bikes online. Not had much free time but I'm planning to go down at the weekend for a test ride and fitting.

    If I decide I like it, can anyone think of a reason why it would be a bad purchase? I'm aware its a tad heavy, but that's neither here nor there at the moment. What does the upgrade potential look like for future?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    "apologies if any of you have seen me post this on other forums"

    Shocking!

    Welcome.

    You'll get a range of views here...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. chdot
    Admin

    "for getting back into cycling"

    http://cyclefridays.wordpress.com

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. Hopey
    Member

    Hah, I thought that was a bit of a cheeky way to start my first post. Rest assured when I get back into the swing of things I'll be a regular here. As a Craigmillar resident, I'll also soon be a regular on the Innocent railway!

    In regards to the above link, I poured through all of that stuff on the bus to work this morning. One of the few pleasures of travelling by bus!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. jonty
    Member

    I started with a Ridgeback Speed at £330 from EBC and it fared me well for ages, though more "upright" that what you linked and with flat handlebars. Also, don't forget to look into used bikes if you're wanting to make the most of your budget - I got a bike from Soul Cycles with some great parts on it recently for about a fifth of what it would have cost new all together.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. Frenchy
    Member

    For commuting, I'd want a bike with mudguards.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    "In regards to the above link, I poured through all of that stuff on the bus to work this morning"

    Hope you found something interesting/useful.

    If you have any comments/suggestions -

    http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15209&page=3#post-214150

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    Will take long mudguards, has clearance thus I would concur with frenchy you should factor in the cost of a pair of fenders.

    Tektra disc brakes I am not sure about, I am pre contemplative about disc brakes. They are the right thing for commuting and will save wheel rims so economical. All fine unless they break.

    Bike looks good. Change the tyres for sportives.

    So yes, go and try it. Shop is nice during the sale now as the former scrum is all online.

    I will be in the shop soon looking for panniers for friend of my partner's who is going to moray house. After contemplating basil brand etc Inthink EBC's own brand waterproof red panniers are the right thing for this trainee teacher

    Just picked up very good bargain on bibshorts from chapeau cycling club £17.50, free postage. Looked fine and pad looks sturdy.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. Edinburgh Cycle Training
    Member

    Mudguards aren't a necessity if you have a locker and showers at the other end!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. Stickman
    Member

    They're nicer for anyone cycling behind you!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Mudguards aren't a necessity if you have a locker and showers at the other end!

    And don't mind cycling home in damp, smelly kit and washing it every day!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Back to the question in hand, it looks like a good amount of bike for the money. Claris components seem to be the new Tiagra-ish level (i.e. the one above the lowest end for road component).

    So long as it has the braze-ons for racks and mudguards I'd personally be happy to buy that myself as a back-into-cycling general purpose bike. My first ever road bike was a Sora-equipped, bottom-of-the-then-range alloy framed Trek 1000 and it did me really well. I commuted, did leisure cycles and Sportives on it and got into club cycling. It's still going (the frame anyway) as Recombodna's light tourer.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. Hopey
    Member

    I'm gonna browse around LBS and have a look at what's on offer second hand. I don't want to buy online as I want to AT LEAST sit on any potential bike before buying.

    If I see nothing else of interest ill likely go with the Cross 2. Maybe...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    Mudguards also extend the life of components on the bike, esp. If the rubber flap at the end doesn't get knocked off. My summer bike does not have mudguards and we were out a couple of Sunday's ago and it rained mightily. The cupcakes cafe at torphicen may not let us back in, though I at least dried the seat I had been sitting on.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Eastide Bikes at Abbeyhill does a good range of good quality second hand bikes. Soul Cycles as mentioned above also.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. Mandopicker101
    Member

    I have the 2012 flavour of the EBC Cross, which in its original incarnation was somewhat lower specced than this one you're considering.

    For me, the Cross has been an astoundingly good bike and remains my favourite ride. It's capable of everything I've needed/wanted to do. Claris is a nice groupset (I have it on a road bike). Not perhaps as light as some higher spec stuff, but it's durable, inexpensive (as opposed to cheap) and looks good. On a run out somewhere I was asked (I think seriously) if my bike was full Ultegra.

    The wheels on my 2012 Cross turned out to be pretty pants, but my LBS remarked they'd seen a lot of EBC bikes coming in with wheel issues (spokes mainly). They reckoned it was simply a less-good batch from the factory. Plus this was in the depths of winter - my Cross was my commuter. When I put an old set of Mavics on, the bike handled great.

    Beyond this, worth looking at the very tail end of the 2014/15 Boardman range now heavily discounted at Halfords. I have one of their road bikes and it's great. There's a lively trade in bikes and parts over on FaceBook too. I did see a Specialized Tricross on Gumtree for sub £200, which allegedly had a carbon fork. If its the right size, you'd be onto a winner (a friend of mine has a Tricross and loves it).

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @JHopeRDW

    The shop floor of the Bike Station is currently full. Great place for those with restricted budgets. There's junk and there's good stuff.

    Great Canondale commuter in right now - lefty suspension fork and Alfine hub, eyeleted for guards. Have a browse there first?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. Frenchy
    Member

    Have a browse there first?

    Indeed. Now is probably the best time of year to go, just before all the students get back in a few weeks.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. gembo
    Member

    When is bike station open might get eldest a bike she can get nicked as she is about to be a student at Edinburgh uni.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    "There's junk and there's good stuff"

    Indeed, and priced (an approximate science) on what 'people will pay'.

    So can be real bargains in slightly older/less fashionable brands/well used but mechanical sound. (Sometimes 'retro' stuff priced for a 'style' market...)

    I think all BS bikes have new cables and often new chains/blocks.

    If you know what you are looking at then look closely. If not, staff helpful/knowledgable and not there to 'sell' - expect in the sense that genuinely want to sell bikes for people to ride.

    Open late Wed because of 'fix your own' session.

    If you don't see what you want, go back in a week.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. Ed1
    Member

    I have a revelation country explorer 2015, I see looking at the spec, the revolution cross 2 2016 and explorer 1 2016 look very similar.

    I have found my bike ideal comfortable easy to cycle rolls smoothly, unlike my previous pinnacle that needed cogs constantly replaced twice in a year both derailleur also and ate chains brake caliper snapped off on train. With my revolution I have need no parts apart from bottom bracket and got the rear wheel rebuilt after 2 spokes snapped. As someone else mention and seen other mention on other blogs the wheels are possibly not the best pinged a lot before rebuilt.

    I find the mechanical disc brakes good, I would not worry about cost if brakes break as parts on line for low amounts mine have not broken but wondered about the potential cost so checked .

    I find the disc brakes better as need few little adjustment you can get pads online for 2 pound. Mine has the older avid bb5 which seen to be harder to find parts for in shops but can get online in 2 days.

    As far as I can see the revolution cross and explorer 1 look to be almost the same bike same groups set bit different ratios same parts apart from tyre size. With the explorer you get mud guard and rack with cross disc brakes, mud guards and rack can be fitted but disc brakes cannot so may be disc best. I am no expert so may be not the same bike you could ask in store.

    As far as bike station is concerned to be me it seems good but bikes are not that cheap great for parts and odd bits. I wanted a galaxy was going to pay 300 for an old one but was something wrong with it they said or ended up being withdrawn or something. In bike station depends what is in your size and type of bike condition a lot of variables that mean if you want something good to use a lot would take a little luck. As the cross is currently on discount don’t think you would get that much more bike for money in the station even if happened to be in size as a dalesman or a galaxy even 20 year old be over 300 if good order more.

    I bought my revolution used from internet. The dawes galaxy Al can normally be had for 450 on line new with rack and mud guards, but no disc brake and group set more budget( I think).

    I would also agree mudguards vital but as bike can fit them even if sold with none no big deal

    Posted 8 years ago #

  22. crowriver
    Member

    Revolution Cross 2 and Revolution Country 2 seem to be same bike, except for front forks, rack and mudguards (maybe tyres). Price difference of £149!

    Posted 8 years ago #

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