# Road Bike or Cyclocross for Commuting?



## Whodat

My Specialized Sequoia was recently stolen from outside my office. This summer, I had been riding it to work (~11 miles round trip) and going 20-40 miles (50 was my max) on the weekends. 
For now, I do have an old hybrid, that I could use for the commute, but it wouldn't be as much fun as the Sequoia.

I am looking to find a replacement that I could use both for commuting (once security issues are resolved) and recreational riding. I'm hoping to kick that part up a notch, with my goal for next summer being a ~160 mile ride over 2 days. For this reason I was planning to get a bike that was more of a "pure" road bike than the Sequoia.

The leading candidate for the replacement is a Madone 3.1. However, the guy at the LBS suggested that just for the heck of it I try a Specialized Crux, which is a cyclocross bike. To my surprise, I really liked it. It probably had the most immediate appeal of anything I have tried. I'm not sure though how much of the appeal was intrinsic virtue vs perhaps it being a closer geometry and fit to what I had been used to.

At this point, I'm not a really hardcore bike commuter. Once we get snow, ice & sand all over the roads, I'm done until the spring (and if I did decide to brave the winter elements, I could use the hybrid), so the ability of a cyclocross bike to deal with suboptimal riding conditions is not that much of a selling point for me. If I were to go with the Crux (fitted with thinner tires), what would I be giving up in the way of "roadiness"? One thing I had read was that, as cyclocross events are typically fairly short, cyclocross bikes are built to optimize short term performance, possibly at the cost of comfort on a longer ride. Is there any truth to this? 
What other compromises would I be making? Is there anything else I should consider here?
Thanks a lot!


----------



## bigbill

I commute on a Gunnar Crosshairs. It rides like a road bike but has a longer wheelbase and cantilever brakes. Very smooth ride. I've supported century rides on it while carrying tools, tubes, and a floor pump sticking out of the pannier for 100 miles. It has mounts for fenders and a rack plus clearance for larger tires. If could only have one bike, it would be a cyclecross bike. 

Not that you couldn't race on a Gunnar, but the hardcore racing cyclecross frames tend not to have fender and rack mounts and will have lesser road manners due to a higher bottom bracket. A Gunnar, Soma, or Surly is a nice middle ground. One particular good deal right now is from Handsome cycles. They are selling a steel cyclecross frame and fork for $499. Ebay some parts and you're on the road with a nice bike from a small investment.


----------



## irnrck

I commute on a Specialized Tricross - brakes aren't great for quick stops but I love it. Deals with the crap roads easily - plenty quick enough and has mounts for mud-guards, panniers etc if you need them.
I'm the same as you, 10.5 mile commute and 25-50miles at the weekend.


----------



## tarwheel2

The Salsa Casseroll is a sport touring frame with some crossbike details -- like cantilever brakes, clearance for tires up to 38 mm. The frame, fork and front rack sell for $550 or you can buy a built-up version for about $1200. I've been riding a Casseroll since last April and love it. I commute on it several days a week and also have taken it on long weekend rides, bike tours, centuries. Very nice riding bike that can be built fairly light if that is your goal or loaded up with racks, fenders, etc. Here are some shots of mine in various guises.


----------



## weltyed

i have an AL cross bike with disc brakes. i find it more comfortable than most road bikes. most cross bikes are built with a more upright geometry in mind. i wouldnt worry about it being uncomfortable. it might be heavier. mine is a pig, especially with disc brakes.

i think one reason cross bikes have been selling is commuting. they make nice fast communters, but atrent too serious. when people ask me about a bike that can do all sorts of things, i point to a cross bike. or 29er.

i have been drooling over the raleigh furley this week. it is steel, disc, has tabs, and is orange, baby! it is one speed but has a hanger. the roper has gears, but aint orange.

Raleigh Bicycles Furley









Raleigh Bicycles Roper


----------



## kjdhawkhill

weltyed said:


> i have been drooling over the raleigh STEEL this week. the roper has gears, AND aint orange.
> 
> Raleigh Bicycles Roper


Too darn bad they don't make a 61 or 62 in it. I've found after 14 months that a 59cm RX 1 is a hair too small, and the angles get messed up if I change the stem length... The geos are very similar to the Roper/Furleigh.

Anyone have an in with Raleigh? Let their RD know that a 61 would sell at least one. The trials of being 6-3+....


----------



## philoanna

Those Raleighs are phat.
I got a Salsa Vaya recently and I love it. May be overkill for you if you want speed and lightweight. It's no sloth, but it is heavy but it can handle just about anything.
Good luck. Sorry to hear about your Specialized.


----------



## llama31

+1 on the Gunnar Crosshairs. I race mine and I use it for practical riding. I don't commute (at all) but I use mine for running errands and going to meetings etc. Outside of cross season, I set it up with a road triple crankset, rack, and fenders so it's a do-all bike. In fact, I decided to buy a dedicated cross racing bike so that I can continue to use my gunnar as my do-all bike.

The cross bike I ordered is a Specialized Crux. I suspect something less race-specific would meet your needs a little better. Gunnar Crosshairs, Surley Crosscheck, Soma Double Cross, Salsa Casseroll, the touring bikes from Gunnar or Soma or any number of other such bikes would work well.


----------



## masherjim

That's a bummer about your Sequoia. I ride a 2010 Allez and I commute 45 mile round trip a few times per month, usually on Fridays. Michigan roads are so potholed that I spend a lot of time dodging hazards and cringing when I am unfortunate enough to land in one. Besides that, sometimes cars will force me to the gravel shoulder of the road where the Allez is out of its element and I have already had two flats caused by gravel in the past three weeks.

Because of this, I am also looking to buy a cyclocross bike for both commuting and entry level racing.

The Madone 3.1 is a nice road bike but unless your roads are in great condition, you will probably benefit more from a cyclocross bike. I am finding that it is probably best to own both. Take the road bike when you know you have nice roads to run and take the cross bike when you have doubts or when you want to ride a gravel rail trail or two-track.


----------



## Maximus_XXIV

Fenders are also a huge benefit when you might get caught in an afternoon rain storm. I use cross to commute on now that I live in an area that sees wet weather. I went disc brakes and fenders.


----------



## Whodat

Thanks for the advice & sympathy. I ended up going with the Madone 3.1 after trying out my old hybrid on the commute and realizing that it only took me a few more minutes to get in than it had on my Sequoia. It's also a much less enticing target for thieves & vandals. So I think I'll just stick with it for commuting. That leaves me free to go for a dedicated road bike. And if I change my mind (and bike security improves at the office) I can always fit the Madone with a rack.


----------



## Whodat

masherjim said:


> That's a bummer about your Sequoia. I ride a 2010 Allez and I commute 45 mile round trip a few times per month, usually on Fridays. Michigan roads are so potholed that I spend a lot of time dodging hazards and cringing when I am unfortunate enough to land in one. Besides that, sometimes cars will force me to the gravel shoulder of the road where the Allez is out of its element and I have already had two flats caused by gravel in the past three weeks.
> 
> Because of this, I am also looking to buy a cyclocross bike for both commuting and entry level racing.
> 
> The Madone 3.1 is a nice road bike but unless your roads are in great condition, you will probably benefit more from a cyclocross bike. I am finding that it is probably best to own both. Take the road bike when you know you have nice roads to run and take the cross bike when you have doubts or when you want to ride a gravel rail trail or two-track.


45 mile RT commute on those roads. I'm impressed. Sounds like the cyclocross bike is the right idea. The roads I do here are in a bit better shape.


----------



## Killroy

Fenders for the commute win
.


----------



## nate

Killroy said:


> Fenders for the commute win.


Agreed. My commuting "bad weather" bike with fenders has a broken chainring tooth and I'm really missing the fenders at this time of year with all the wet and leaves. My other bike will only take raceblades or something along those lines and I just haven't bothered to get any. I need to get a new chainring on the one bike.


----------



## david58

I have really liked my Fuji Cross Comp for my commute, and it doubles as a CX racer quite well. But stopping is a negotiation compared with my new road bike - the cantilever brakes aren't super positive. But the ride is good, and with CX tires on it for the winter commute, it is a very comfortable ride. Not the greatest hill climber, but that means I get to harden up if I want to get home (work is near the river, house is on the big hill).


----------



## kjdhawkhill

david58 said:


> Not the greatest hill climber, but that means I get to harden up if I want to get home (work is near the river, house is on the big hill).


At least the ride in doesn't make you 100% sweaty. And I presume you have clothes, toiletries and a shower at the house which negates the normal commute questions.


----------



## david58

kjdhawkhill said:


> At least the ride in doesn't make you 100% sweaty. And I presume you have clothes, toiletries and a shower at the house which negates the normal commute questions.


Thou knowest me not. I sweat like a pig (if pigs were to sweat). I have to shower when I get to work, or it would take me an hour to get there (daylight riding time is about 30 min)


----------



## kjdhawkhill

Just trying to find the silver lining. But actually having a shower facility at the office goes a long way puts you in a club that I'm quite happy to be a part of. Now if you tell me you're fortunate enough to have inside and secure bike parking you can add that club card too.


----------



## david58

Don't get that punch - must park outdoors on a rack. But I'm the only guy working there that will ride in the rain, and only a couple do on nice days. So I rarely even have to share the rack.


----------



## motobecane69

Whodat said:


> Thanks for the advice & sympathy. I ended up going with the Madone 3.1 after trying out my old hybrid on the commute and realizing that it only took me a few more minutes to get in than it had on my Sequoia. It's also a much less enticing target for thieves & vandals. So I think I'll just stick with it for commuting. That leaves me free to go for a dedicated road bike. And if I change my mind (and bike security improves at the office) I can always fit the Madone with a rack.


i don't know about putting a rack on a madone or parking it outside all day if yoru sequoia got stolen but I'm sure you could make some minor upgrades to that hybrid and really make it an ideal commuter


----------



## jrm

*If your talking recreational use*

and commuting you might consider looking at the spec roubaix or giant defy.


----------

