Cross / Adventure Bike - thoughts?

I am in the market for a cross bike and maybe doing some events later in the year

BUT would also like to do some mixed/adventure/gravel rides (such as the SDW and smashing around wimbledon common and tow paths etc)

I would like to try and buy a single bike for all that (if poss) and want something fast and light, decent tyre clearances, disc brakes and maybe even rack/guard mounts etc

I have done limited research but have been considering:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/bikes/grave­l-adventure-bikes/Tempest

https://www.reillycycleworks.com/collect­ions/titanium-frames-bikes/products/grad­ient-adventure

http://road.cc/content/review/204686-spe­cialized-diverge-comp-carbon-adventure-b­ike

They might be terrible for cross?

Any thoughts most welcome...

@andyp @Demeaux @Ved @biarittz

I can recommend a Ridley aluminium cross frame.

Or Open UP ;)

I agree with Ved. A man of your means and styling should be riding an Open U.P.

Open UP mmmmmm

and maybe 1x would be good

A man of my means... Guffaw

That bike is far too good and expensive for little old me

Skim off a bit from the shed fund?

Get a cross bike, it's easily versatile enough to do all the things you list, but will also be better for racing on. Adventure/gravel bikes are just an excuse for manufacturers to market another type of bike, but they don't offer much more than slightly more tyre clearance and more relaxed angles, which make them less manoeuvrable on tight corners, which hinders their racing suitability.

I've done all day rides on my cross bike, which it's handled with aplomb, but it can also handle rapid changes of direction and slow turns. It's more versatile than an adventure bike.

Can get discount on Open UP

I've done the pilgrims ride with Andy and apart from the 4 punctures my cross bike was great.

If you don't want to throw a lot of money around the planet x xls/ xla is good, i think. And has mudguard and rack mounts i think.
However, other opinions are available.

I don't think mudguards are a consideration unless you're leaving them on full time. They just don't go on and off bikes easily.

Get a Cielo cross bike.

Mudguards go on. They stay on.

With disc brakes and the right clearances you can have fun with rim size/tyre combos too

Agree with this. A cross bike is a great 'do-it-all' bike, but also means you have a machine that can be raced properly. My Cannondale CAADX was a trusty winter bike for a couple of seasons, and was then a great little race bike on the few occasions when I actually did race.

And I agree with Dov. Taking mudguards on and off a bike is a real pain. So ideally it's better to have a cross bike for off-road stuff only if you intend to do quite a bit. Otherwise you'll be forever fettling with mudguards.

I had an 'on trend' gravel bike built to my specs by Talbot (basically exactly the same as my road Talbot but with massive clearance, mudguard mounts, discs and slightly less saddle to bar drop) and fucking LOVE IT. Enve GRD fork with integrated snap on guard and custom machined spacers for the rear guard make fitting/removing the guards a 5 minute job (admittedly the enve guard is not as effective as a proper front guard). 700c wheels with up to 35c tyres when guards are fitted, or 40c sans guards. Am building some 650b wheels to run with 2 inch MTB tyres in the summer for proper off road LOLS. Currently running 30c Strade Binache tyres on it and it makes for a great more relaxed set up for long distance road rides. I'm going to have a pop at some summer CX races on it for shits and giggles over the summer.

I know the new trend for gravel bikes (I'm not really sure if my Talbot even qualifies as a 'gravel' bike?) gets a lot of stick from the purists... ... But I fucking love mine. I never thought it was possible to have one bike that was capable of such varied types of riding and terrain. It's now my go to bike. I used to be pure 100% road bikes and smooth blacktop only, but now my favourite routes are the ones that involve a load of gravel/fire road/woodland track sections with some crappy B roads joining them up. Its just so much more fun, and thats what its all about (for me at least, anyway).

Hydro Di2 is a revelation.

Bit spendy, but got exactly what I wanted without any compromise. Can hook you up with a discount if custom is a consideration.

Open UP with the new updated and much better looking fork would be my OTP choice.

Ridley cross bike with a special bobby hoops paint job.

Open UPs are proper dentist fodder.

That sounds like a fun bike :)

I like the look of their bikes/builds
http://talbotframeworks.co.uk/gallery/

Makes me want to buy another bike...

When I watched a cross race at HH a while back (when a few Grumps were riding) the only person I saw fall off was riding an Open U.P. He failed to take a simple corner.

Can organise discount for any CSG members, will speak to Matt and see what he can do!

Clear quantitative evidence that they are shit.

I am tempted by a Dalsnibba.

1x is good if you like being in the wrong gear most of the time.

Got it on my commuter and I have adapted to it but I don't really like it. Hard to find a happy place for my cadence, either spinning out or pushing a too big gear.

Yeah, it hit the MTB world some time ago, and I don't really get it.

The Dalsnibba looks nice.

As, interestingly, does Dalsnibba the place.

http://www.dalsnibba.no/en/

My 1 x 10 has been fine/good for racing. It hasn't improved my results though.