curttard

I have a 2018 Diverge E5 Comp but I think I'm going to sell it. The low bottom bracket drives me up the frigging wall; I hit my toes on the ground on any trail or even on flat towpaths (I guess I'm too toe-down with my pedaling). I also don't notice any comfort advantage with the FutureShock compared to other bikes, even my entry level Fuji road bike with 28mm tires, and I'm concerned about having a proprietary part like that 10 years down the line. It really is a beautiful bike, though.

I've been looking at the Fuji Cross and this seems like a great line of bikes. I test-rode one at Performance, the 1.7 model for $1200. Fuji lists it at 21.17lb; I weighed it at the store and with no pedals it weighed 20.8lb and with plastic test pedals on, it weighed about 21.5lb (Diverge weighed 22.5lb with test pedals). 105 double, mounts for racks/fenders. Stock tires were 33mm and iirc there was 10-15mm more clearance. Tektro Spyre mechanical discs.

They also had a Performance edition Fuji Cross 1.4 LE with Rival 1x11 and Rival hydraulic discs for $1300. Or the 1.5 with Rival 1x11 and Spyre mechanicals for $1500.

As always with Fuji, the paintjobs are really nice:






Anyone else riding a Fuji Cross as their gravel/adventure/road/everything bike?

curttard

Obviously the Performance edition with the Rival 1x11 and hydraulics for $1300 is the best deal, and I like the paintjob (it's the blue one above), but I really don't want hydraulics. I just feel like it's one more thing that can go wrong when I'm out on a long ride and not be fixable out there.

chas58

Glad I'm not the only one that hates low bottom brackets!

Well, hydralics are really really nice and self adjusting. I wouldn't by a nice gravel bike without it. Its a better improvement than going to disks IMHO.

Bikes direct tends to use Fuji designs for their bikes. Check them out for an alternative when you know what you want. I have a BD Fantom Cross bike that was pretty similar to what Performance offered with Fuji, just with better components.

curttard

I checked out the BD stuff but they just don't look nearly as nice as the Fujis.

Anyway, I ended up going with the Raleigh RXM. I just fell in love with the classic look and I am partial to steel. Unfortunately I missed out on all the crazy sales that were going on last fall through recently.

chas58

Ooooh, nice!!!

curttard

Yeah, I took it out at lunch today and it felt fast, smooth, and stable. Basically everything the Diverge was supposed to be, but never really felt like for me.

And holy moly is it a nice looking bike .

MattyMurdah

Nice bike! I own the highlighter yellow Fuji Cross 1.7 and it's been great as a commuter/entry gravel bike. I upgraded the wheels and saddle and it's definitely more enjoyable after shedding some weight. It's my first bike that has Discs and I'm considering upgrading to Hydraulic 105 shifters & calipers at some point although I may just save the cash and buy a carbon race bike for cross.

PixelPaul

I just bought a 2017 Fuji Cross 1.5 (the orange one with the Sram Rival 1x Spyre mechanicals) for $1050 shipped. It's a sharp looking bike, I'm impressed with it. I also looked at the yellow 1.7 model at the local Performance bike shop, really liked the color. But I wanted a 1x, so after all the mods I would have had to do I just decided on the 1.5. Unfortunately the rear derailleur hanger was damaged during shipping, but I'll post some pics once I get it up and running.

curttard

That's a great deal! If I'd seen that deal for that price my decision would have been much harder, I liked the orange one the best and the 1x plus mechanicals was exactly what I wanted.

chas58

Nice looking bike. Interesting that you liked it better than the Diverge. I test road a diverge, and was unimpressed (compared to my old Fuji clone). It didn’t seem particularly fast or responsive, and the pedal strike was irritating.

curttard

Yeah, that's exactly how I felt. Now I don't necessarily think everyone else would describe the Raleigh as fast or responsive, but at the very least it's not inferior to the Diverge in those respects, and the lack of pedal strike, steel, and (imo) cool aesthetic made it the one for me.

I was even pleasantly surprised to find that despite them saying it only fit 35s, I can fit 38s with no problem and 40s if I don't mind only having a few mm of clearance on each side in the back.

chas58

ISO standards are 6mm on each side of the tire, so you usually can go a little bigger (if you are not worried about mud or broken spokes (causing wheel wobble)).

Metieval

I am one more guy not liking the lower bottom drop trend,

the RXM has tire clearance but is on the porky side. porky all being very relevant to ride style, as in it could be good or bad. and I like the
RXM colors! bikes direct has alwas been mostly miss for me. yet one of my favorite bikes to ride is my dawes SST AL ($430) that I picked up from Bike island for $280. I guess where I am going here is take a look at the "new" bikesdirect whipshots coming in TI, 853 and Al.

none of this is to take away from FUJI, it's just a few more brand new options.
Ti

853


Al.



Save Up to 60% Off Disc Brake CycloCross Cross CX Bikes - Motobecane Whipshot TI Titanium SRAM FORCE1 Hydraulic Disc Brake CycloCross Cross CX Bikes

Save Up to 60% Off Disc Brake CycloCross Cross CX Bikes - Motobecane Whipshot 853 Reynolds 853 Steel SRAM FORCE1 Hydraulic Disc Brake CycloCross Cross CX Bikes

Save Up to 60% Off Disc Brake CycloCross Cross CX Bikes - 2019 SRAM FORCE1 Disc Brake, HydroForm ALU Cross Bikes on Sale Super Cross, Hydraulic Disc Brakes, HydroForm ALU +Carbon Fork Bikes Motobecane Whipshot AL FORCE1

budgets are budgets though, Because I want to double duty I want to double duty gravel (never in a hurry on gravel, to commute to bike pack the Niner rlt 853 hits my list, but between frame, cantu wheel, and ultregra with absolute compact 46/30 Im way above this budget.

Metieval

excuse typos, or random post valium + hydrocodone. or even off the wall replies.

chas58

You probably want to read this (BD Titanium review) - even though it is the worst review I have ever read. Bicycling.com writes a lot of cr*p. Says almost nothing about the bike - mostly generic stuff that could relate to any bike.
Still, I enjoy my Fantom Cross.

https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear...d-bike-review/

Metieval

I am surprised that link worked, bicyli*******om hates my add blocker. lol

I really wished I has bought the UNO fantom back in the day. but as of now I'd rather ss a Giant TCX SLR, (TA and disc) but trp carbon cants oh so light.

I am not really a fan of bikesdirect, neither am I a hater. The whipshot just happened to catch my eye the other day. I either want utility based Niner RLT 853, or superX type stuff.
regardless I dropped the whipshots here....