Chris Boardman is back, this time getting muddy in the States via his new 2014 CXR cyclocross bikes. © Cyclocross Magazine
What do you do when you’ve already won an Olympic gold medal, broken the world hour record not once, but three times, worn the yellow jersey three different times during the Tour de France and made a name for yourself as the one of the most successful riders to come out of Great Britain?
If you thought the answer was “retire,” you’d be wrong. Instead, British cycling legend Chris Boardman went on to develop himself as a sports journalist, TV commentator, and if that wasn’t enough, in 2004, co-founded the UK-based Boardman Bikes company.
His background for starting a bike brand began long before the company formed, and even before leaving professional cycling, he led the R&D team for Great Britain leading up to the Beijing Olympics.
Now, Boardman Bikes doesn’t just showcase Boardman’s area of expertise—track, road and time trials—but encompasses road, mountain, hybrid and, more importantly, cyclocross bikes. With two models in the affordable Performance Series and four options in the Elite series, the ’cross lineup is clearly developing rapidly.
While Boardman did not race cyclocross during his decorated career, he’s certainly intimately familiar with suffering for an hour while riding laps, and now has been bitten by the cyclocross bug and almost exclusively rides his cyclocross bike.
Boardman Bikes is now entering the States, and is bringing three of its Elite series cyclocross bikes over in the from of the aluminum 9.0, and the carbon 9.2 and 9.4 bikes.
Boardman Bikes’ CXR 9.4 carbon cyclocross bike with Shimano R785 Di2 / hydraulic disc brakes. © Cyclocross Magazine
Cyclocross Magazine had the opportunity at Winter Press Camp to be one of the first to both see (and briefly ride) the 9.2 and 9.4 CXR models. Both models share the same Ultralight Boardman Elite CXR full Carbon monocoque frame, with a Boardman Elite CXR full carbon, tapered steerer fork. The frame features a PF30 bottom bracket, internal wiring for Di2, and… front and rear fender mounts!
