Trek CrossRip Elite (2014)

Commuter, tourer - ticks most boxes

Pros

- Sturdy, comfortable frame
- Solid components for commuting
- Greater than the sum of its parts

Cons

- Perhaps lacking some value

Review

The Trek CrossRip series are a solid bike aimed at the all round commuting and touring crowd. This is a sturdily built bike that we think is perfect for all-weather urban cycling and the gearing, tires and all-round design certainly speak of city riding, potholes, rain and basically making it to work in one piece!

Despite the name, we don't truly consider this a cyclocross bike, and would recommend looking elsewhere if this is your thing. The use of Sora gearing and street tires, plus the obvious look of the bike, really place it on harder and faster bitumen or hard pack surfaces than a boggy off-road cyclocross track. This is a solid machine and would be perfect for loading down with touring cargo, or simply a rack and panniers to make a versatile ride-anywhere rig.

Shimano Sora is a dependable option for the recreational cyclist and works quite well here. For the price I probably would have preferred Tiagra, but the CrossRip Elite does score well with some fine Hayes brakes and internal cable routing which really make this an all-weather bike. The wheels, fork and frame are all very well made and give the bike a very secure and capable feel. It won't break easily on a rough road!

Overall, despite not looking fantastic on paper when comparing specs, the CrossRip Elite is definitely a bike to look at if you want a reliable, unbreakable urban or touring weapon.