Cyclo-cross continues to increase in popularity and nowhere is this more evident than with the release by Shimano, at its 2012 launch last week, of two new ‘cross groupsets.
There’s two offerings, CX70 and CX50, to cover different price points. At the top sits Ultegra-level CX70, offering a 46-36t Hollowtech II chainset and all-new cantilever brakes providing the essential adjustable toe-in brake shoes.
For the cost-conscious, CX50 uses a more affordable two-piece chainset but with the same 46-36t chainring configuration and it comes in either black or silver. There’s matching cantilever brakes.
There’s also new front derailleurs with a choice of top pull and down pull cable routing and clamp band or brazed-on fittings.
Both groupsets will be available before the traditional cyclo-cross season starts, with CX70 coming out in August and CX50 in October.
It all looks very nice, we were certainly impressed. But where are the hydraulic disc brakes? Maybe it was too much to expect Shimano to make a bigger splash into cyclo-cross, but this seems a conservative move for the Big S.
To read more about cyclo-cross bikes, take a read of our cyclo-cross buyer’s guide.
