# Is a cyclocross bike a viable option for a road bike?



## bwalton

I’m looking into getting myself a road bike. I am a 6’-3” 200 pound 45 year old male who loves to mountain bike and commute to work. The last two summers I participated in a sprint triathlon at Pyramid Lake in Nevada riding a 2007 Specialized Sirrus Sport hybrid bike. The Sirrus is essentially a compact road bike with flat handle bars. To convert this bike over to drops, would entail purchasing road shifter/brake levers (Shimano 2303), mini-V-brakes (Avid Shorties), in-line or cross brake levers (Cane Creek’s Cross-Tops), drop handle bars and cork tape. These items together retail well over $250.00.

I predominately ride my Sirrus to work three time a week and may ride a century on it once a year. The flat handle bars and mountain shifter pods/brake levers work very well in traffic during my commutes. The idea of reaching forward to shift and brake where there is block-to-block stops seem a little tedious. I have posted on the triathlon forum about ways to improve my speed on my bike and using drops is one of the ways to do it (i.e. cut through the winds as opposed to being a sail).

My question is; is a cyclocross bike, which has a slightly taller stack (i.e. vertical measurement from the center of the BB to top of the handle bars), a longer wheel base, a heavy duty frame, 700 x 32 tires and cantilevered brakes as fast as a typical road bike? Note; by road bike I mean a plush type road bike like a Specialized Roubaix. If I get a road bike, I want one that is comfortable to ride otherwise it will sit in the garage. In general, are cyclocross bikes more comfortable than road bikes?


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## bikerjulio

I had one. Yes the geometry is a little more upright. And they can take bigger tires. But the brakes are a total PITA. I'd be looking for a comfortable road bike if I was you.


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## Magsdad

It can be, depending on what you get. I ride a Yeti Arc-X for multiple uses. Its not really any slower than a road bike, but my positioning is a little different. I put on a good set of tires and I'm off. I have even see 29er tires put on the Yeti, but have never tried it myself. 

I would also look into a bike that uses long reach brakes (or discs) so that tire clearance is larger. If its important to you to have a 'do all' bike, or you can have only one bike, I think its the way to go. My opinion only.

Good luck.


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## kbiker3111

Unless you need to go off road, a road bike is what you want. Or really, a tri bike.


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## caldonio

Since Sebastien Turgot finished 2nd at this year's Paris-Roubaix on a cyclocross bike, they absolutely can be as fast as road bikes. Having said that, it sounds like you're on a budget and if you buy complete bike, be sure that the chainrings are as big as you desire: most road bikes are 53/39 or 50/34 while many cyclocross bikes run more like 46/38 or 46/36. Otherwise, it's going to cost more money to change them out for bigger rings.

Because cyclocross bikes can run bigger tires, they are more comfortable than road bikes: 700x35 or 700x37 are no problem and you can find fat slicks for speed. I find they make great commuters, especially if you buy one with rack and fender mounts, and once you get used to riding on the brake hoods, your brakes and shifters are as convenient as they'd be on a flat bar bike while the drop bar provides many more hand positions for comfort on long rides.

Unless you really want to, I don't think you need to go to all this expense. The cheap alternative I would suggest is to mount clip-on aerobars on your Sirrus and be done with it. If you look at time trial and triathalon bikes, they basically run flat bars (cow horns) with aero extensions in the middle.

Good luck!


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## dot

bikerjulio said:


> I had one. Yes the geometry is a little more upright. And they can take bigger tires. But the brakes are a total PITA. I'd be looking for a comfortable road bike if I was you.


what's up with the brakes? They just work.


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## rearviewmirror

dot said:


> what's up with the brakes? They just work.


People only say the brakes aren't good when they're clueless on setting up canti's properly. With that being said, Mini-V's are even better, easy to setup, and have heaps of stopping power. 

A CXer can certainly do road duty, no worries, Lars Boom rode in the Paris-Roubaix as well. The geometry is a bit more relaxed and many have a slightly higher BB for clearing obstacles, but if it's for recreation and not crit riding that shouldn't be much of an issue.


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## RJP Diver

If you want a road bike. Get a road bike. Pretty simple.

If you don't want to spend "Roubaix money" look at a Specialized Secteur, Cannondale Synapse, etc in aluminum. If you want carbon, consider a Cervelo RS for more bike than comparable (or even more expensive) Roubaix models.

Run 25 tires for even more comfort.


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## c-lo

unless you plan on going on gravel road rides, have gravel trails that you can take to work then go road. 

but....since you come from the world of MTB's like me, you want something a little more comfy and something that will give you more options like taking your cx bike on some of your mtb trails, go cx bike. :thumbsup:


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## RJP Diver

c-lo said:


> unless you plan on going on gravel road rides, have gravel trails that you can take to work then go road.


Just back from riding my Cervelo R3 on miles and miles of unpaved gravel roads. (See my sig line...)


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## rollinrob

Yes you can ride a cx bike as a road bike. I did just that last tuesday on the climb up to MT Diablo at the TOC. I ride a Ibis hakkalugi and put a set of mavic k sls on it with my cx cassette 11-30 and spun to the top. It was a blast!


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## huckleberry

I am a roadie that is now addicted to my Ibis Hakkalugi - just got home from a ride up Mt. Tam.

It pulls double duty with ease. I often find myself in group rides while on the CX and have no issues, and that is with 32's on it. So easy to have a set of road tires/wheels to swap out.

The Lugi is set up just like my road bikes. Matter of fact, it weighs the same as my road bikes.

P.S. I don't ride with the deep wheels...


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## atpjunkie

*indeed he did*



caldonio said:


> Since Sebastien Turgot finished 2nd at this year's Paris-Roubaix on a cyclocross bike, they absolutely can be as fast as road bikes. Having said that, it sounds like you're on a budget and if you buy complete bike, be sure that the chainrings are as big as you desire: most road bikes are 53/39 or 50/34 while many cyclocross bikes run more like 46/38 or 46/36. Otherwise, it's going to cost more money to change them out for bigger rings.
> Good luck!


he did also @ Flanders.Lars Boom rode one both this year and last. I used to commute on my cross bike and during the off season set up as 50/36 with a 12-25 cassette. Never had any trouble keeping up with fast road groups, in fact I took more than my fare share of pulls


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## bigbill

If I had to pick one bike to do it all, it would be a cross bike. I have a steel Gunnar Crosshairs which has a relatively low bottom bracket height so it has good road manners. I installed mini-V's last year and if I didn't know better, I'd swear they were calipers. With the right gearing, you can ride with any group. My cross bike has 38/48 rings (130mm shimaNo crank) and a 12-26 cassette and I've jumped into groups on my commute and held my own pulling and drafting at 24+ mph.


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## limba

I've been riding my cross bike on and off road for years. It's plenty fast enough to be your road bike BUT why not just get a road bike? It doesn't seem like you need a cross bike for your cycling goals.


and that Hakka is awesome. One of the nicest I've seen. I think I already saved that picture on my computer.


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## 251

I converted my wife's '06 Sirrus to dropbars many years ago. I used Sora levers, Sora FD, Nashbar interrupter levers, Salsa Bell Lap bars, and a very short/steep stem. You'll also have to add an in-line tensioner in the FD cable. 

The bike turned out nicely and she really likes it. Here it's set up with the original wheels and knobbies:









This is what it currently looks like with Shimano RS20 wheels and road tyres:









I race a Gunnar Crosshairs in the local CX series and lent the Sirrus to a friend so he could try out CX racing:


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## c-lo

RJP Diver said:


> Just back from riding my Cervelo R3 on miles and miles of unpaved gravel roads. (See my sig line...)


nice most roadies I know would be too chicken to do that


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## NJBiker72

You can ride a cross bike on the road but it seems like you want a road bike. A road bike does not have to be uncomfortable. 

I thought like you when I bought my Secteur. Last year realized i wanted more speed and went to a Tarmac. The comfort level is fine. Rough roads jar a bit but you learn to avoid holes better and life yourself up when you can't. But i can avoid them better on the tarmac than the Secteur. 

If you do want plush. Wide tires help. I kept the Secteur and put 28s on it. Comfy. Not quick though.


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## dot

Another personal best on the cross bike posted today. I think my position is more optimal on it than on my road bike but I can't understand where is the difference, ETT, reach, seat position are the same, the only thing that's different the bars are 1.5-2cm lower on the road bike.

I keep MTB pedals on it and only swap wheels. Since I ride road and off-road equally often it seems like quite a practical solution.


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## RJP Diver

c-lo said:


> nice most roadies I know would be too chicken to do that


Plenty of us around this part of NJ love nothing more than seeing this...










Gotta figure if pros can rock an the same road bikes on cobblestones and worse during Paris-Roubaix why can't we hit a few rough patches?


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## Magsdad

huckleberry said:


> I am a roadie that is now addicted to my Ibis Hakkalugi - just got home from a ride up Mt. Tam.
> 
> It pulls double duty with ease. I often find myself in group rides while on the CX and have no issues, and that is with 32's on it. So easy to have a set of road tires/wheels to swap out.
> 
> The Lugi is set up just like my road bikes. Matter of fact, it weighs the same as my road bikes.
> 
> P.S. I don't ride with the deep wheels...


Please refrain from posting that image. I love my Yeti, but that thing is sick.


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## sawtooth

I did an 80 mile road ride on my cx bike yesterday and never thought it was holding me back at all. The only time I wish was on my road bike is when the group I am with is ultra aggressive and speeds start to regularly exceed 25 mph on the flats.


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## limba

Yup, same here. I would only buy a road bike if I started racing again or did very hard rides with a competitive group.


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## MShaw

it depends on your cross bike. Some are better'n others at being a 'road bike.'

My Gunnar Crosshairs is a fantastic all-rounder but isn't quite there as a bike to go really fast on.

The Full Tilt Boogie on the other hand is the other way. Great for fast training and being a race bike, but isn't the best bet for all-day escapades and rougher roads. (least not with 23c GP4000s on it!) I bought mine back and re-built it with the Red parts off one of my road bikes and the thing just flat out works as a road bike. Fast. Stiff. Reasonably light (no I haven't weighed it lately, but last time it was ~17# with heavy wheels on it). I'm a hair higher thru the bars, but overall, the position works.

Gearing? 1 tooth in the back is 3 in the front. If you're running a 50t big ring, its only the difference between a 53x11 and a 53x12. When's the last time you spun out in the 53x11? I found myself cruising in the 50x21 the other day. Comfy for toodling along.

I rode the Devil's Backbone 'race' the other week on my Crosshairs. *It* wasn't the limiting factor for how fast I was going! I spent more time in the 34x27 that day than I have ever!

M


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## Local Hero

You _can_ do it. 

I do not commute on my cyclocross bike -- I work out of a home office. I do use my CX bike for cyclocross races, recovery rides, rides with my girlfriend, cruisingrolling down to the coffee shop, gravel rides, cruising the bike path, and so on. It's my all-rounder. 

A few people have talked about the gearing. Standard chainrings are 53/36, compact is 50/34 or 50/36, and many cyclocross bikes come with 48/38 or 48/36 chainrings. Now unless you're a Pro 1/2 racer or just a ridiculous gridner, you're not going to "spin out" with any of those setups. It's just not going to happen. 

That misses the point anyway. I don't like to shift my chainring in races -- I really do not like shifting in the front anyway. That part of the chain is the part carrying the load (it's the top of the chain that pulls the rear cogs, not the bottom). Shifting the rear derailluer is easier; there is less tension on the return. So what do I run? 

1X10. 

Since most of my riding is under 30mph, 36 X 11-28 is sufficient. I don't think very many racers ever get above 30mph in CX races.

Here's a pic of a 1X10 I found online:









I really think it's the way to go with cyclocross and mountain bikes. Here's an example of a 1X10 coming straight out of the factory: 









2012 Civilian Vive Le Roi - Competitive Cyclist


Now it's not going to be the best for a triathlon, but that's another story.


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## bwalton

251, your Sirrus looks great with drops and CX tires.
1.	How much did the drop conversion cost on your wife’s 06 Sirrus? 
2.	Why did you go with such a short neck? Does your wife predominately ride with her hands on the brake/shifter hoods or the flats? 
3.	Is the bike outfitted with an 8 or 9 speed cassette? Which shifter/brake lever combination did you purchase?
4.	Did you add cantilever brakes or did the bike come equipped with them?
5.	Lastly, did you notice any speed improvements with the drops?


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## 251

bwalton said:


> 251, your Sirrus looks great with drops and CX tires.
> 1.	How much did the drop conversion cost on your wife’s 06 Sirrus?
> 2.	Why did you go with such a short neck? Does your wife predominately ride with her hands on the brake/shifter hoods or the flats?
> 3.	Is the bike outfitted with an 8 or 9 speed cassette? Which shifter/brake lever combination did you purchase?
> 4.	Did you add cantilever brakes or did the bike come equipped with them?
> 5.	Lastly, did you notice any speed improvements with the drops?


I don't remember the cost of the initial conversion, but I'd guess is was a $300+. I used some parts left over form other bikes (bar, cantis, pads) and bought some new parts (shifters, fd, interrupter levers, tensioner, cable hanger, stem, bar tape).

The Sirrus, like most other flat-bar bikes, has a relatively long top tube. This works fine for flat bars, but it puts the hood/levers on drop bars a bit too far forward for most. A shorter stem helps bring everything back where it should be. My wife primarily rides on bar tops, which is why the interrupter levers are there. I'm not a fan of these levers because they tend to degrade braking performance and feel, but she likes them.

The Sirrus is 8-speed with Sora 3300 shifters, front and rear derailleurs. The cassette is a Shimano HG50, 12-25. I don't recall what the original front derailleur was or why I swapped it for the Sora. I initially used a Wipperman Connex 808 8-speed chain, but when it wore out I replaced it with a 9-speed SRAM PC991. The 9-speed chain works great with the otherwise 8-speed drivetrain.

I think the Sirrus came with some sort of Tekto v-brake, which wouldn't work well with road levers. The cantis are Tekro Oryx, a low-cost brake that I had from another bike. A mini-V or canti brake is the best option for use with road levers.

She likes the drop bars on the road and seems more comfortable. However, she's not as confident as she was off road with this bike. The bars are Salsa Bell Lap cyclocross bars with flared drops. The flared drops help off road, but she only rides on the bar tops and hoods, so she's not getting the full benefit. Anyway, she's been happy with the conversion and enjoys riding the bike.

On a side note, the friend that borrowed Sirrus for a CX race won his class on it. That doesn't really have much to do with the bike, but at least it now has some pedigree.


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## GeoKrpan

I will never buy a road bike again. Why be limited to tire size?
I never have a problem keeping up on a road ride.

But, caliper brakes are easier to live with than cantilevers.
Here's a titanium road bike with carbon fork and caliper brakes that has clearance for 700x40 tires.
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/centuryelite_x_ti.htm


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## rearviewmirror

GeoKrpan said:


> I will never buy a road bike again. Why be limited to tire size?
> I never have a problem keeping up on a road ride.
> 
> But, caliper brakes are easier to live with than cantilevers.
> Here's a titanium road bike with carbon fork and caliper brakes that has clearance for 700x40 tires.
> http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/centuryelite_x_ti.htm


Mini-V's eliminate the hassle of canti's, so any CX frame is a viable candidate.


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## Kram

Not by choice but out of necessity I am riding my crosser as a roadie. Not perfect, but certainly better than not riding IMHO...


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## moralleper

My S-works Tricross is just as fast as my Road bike and much more comfortable on the lovely chip seal that I is on all our roads.


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## bwalton

Here are a few photographs of my 07 Sirrus all decked-out with its commuting rack and bag.

View attachment 257554


View attachment 257555


And here is a table that compare the frame geometry of different models:

Element(s)	58 cm Tri-Cross--61 cm Tri-Cross--61 cm Sirrus--61 cm Roubaix--61 cm Allez
Seat tube (ST)	580	610	565	570	580
ST (CL to CL)	520	530	515	520	530
TT (Horz.) 575	595	590	600	600
BB Drop 67	67	65	70 67.5
BB Height 282	282	280 272.5
ST Angle 72.5	72	73	72.5	72.5
HT Angle 72.5	72	73	72.5	72.5
Fork Rake 47	47	50	49	43
Fork Trail 61	58	53	53	53
Front Center	607	616	626	628	612
Wheel Base	1038	1047	1042	1038	1013
HT Length 170	195	240	235	220
Handlebar 440	440	580	440	440
Stem 110	120 120	120	120
Crank Arms	175	175	175	175	175
27.2 Seat Post	350	350	350	350	350


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## Lazy Spinner

I use my Fuji Cross Pro for commuting and as an off-season trainer and have no issues keeping up with roadies. When running it on roads in the off-season, I put on slicks and a 52t front ring.


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## c-lo

what year is yours? have the same bike. it's an '03 and I race, commute and do gravel road/road rides on it


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## millerb7

I'm brand new to the sport but I picked up myself a Ridley X Bow and ride it daily on the road.... no issues. I also take some off-road paths as I'm riding daily so it's nice to be able to easily do both. I love it.

I do have road tires as well I swap to if I know I'll be staying fully on-road. It's a great bike though and I'm glad I went with it over a straight road bike.


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## xjbaylor

There are numerous cross bikes that are closer in overall geometry to a "race bike" than a Roubaix is. 

As a recreational rider any CX bike should work well for you, and all should be a better option than converting your current bike to drop bars due to the fact that they were designed with TT and HT lengths "ideal" for drop bars.


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## ChilliConCarnage

The week before last year's STP (Seattle to Portland) ride, I had a problem with my main road bike, so I put slicks on my CX bike and rode the 200 miles without a problem. I in fact my buddy and I averaged 20+ MPH all the way into Portland city limits.. I have plenty of bikes, but the CXer is definitely the most versatile.


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## Lazy Spinner

c-lo said:


> what year is yours? have the same bike. it's an '03 and I race, commute and do gravel road/road rides on it


2008. It's been a darn near bulletproof ride that's taken quite a bit of abuse.


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## TheRiver22

*Crux Elite*

When I went to my LBS and described wanting a bike that could take the beating of rough road and the versatility to ride on dirt paths he steered me toward the crux elite. I test road the Secteur Comp and the Allez and the Crux Elite felt much sturdier for me. 

I'm 5'-9 and 220 trying to get to the 190 range. It seems to support me just fine.


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## bwalton

This weekend I test rode a Specialized 2012 Roubaix and a 2012 Allez. Both frames were 58 cm and the Allez handlebars are approximately 1”+ lower than the Roubaix’s handlebars. I was surprised how comfortable I felt on the Roubaix with my hands on the hoods and the drops. The Allez handlebar position was a little too aggressive for me because after a quarter mile I could feel the stain in my lower back, shoulders, arms and hands. Even though the aluminum Allez had a tapered BB with Shimano FC2300 compact cranks, it accelerated faster than the carbon fiber Roubaix with it’s outboard bearing BB and compact Tiagra crank-set. The Roubaix absorbed all the irregularities in the road very well while the Allez amplified them. There’s no question in my mind that I would get more free speed out of an Allez but I don’t think I would ever ride it unless started to do a lot of core training. Note both of the bikes tire’s were inflated to 110 psi. Too bad the bike shop didn’t have a Tricross on hand so I could compare it against the feel of the racy Allez and the Enduro Roubaix.


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## jroden

I think it's a bit of a misnomer to say a cross bike is somehow "sturdier" than a road bike, they are really quite similar with the exception of changes to brakes, gearing and some tweaks to allow for more tire clearance. My cross bike is the lightest thing I own so I use it for racing on the road, it's OK, though the handling is a little annoying sometimes.

Before they starting building road bikes with such tight clearances you could just bomb around on gravel roads with a set a 25c tires. I have an old steel bike that I take down trails and gravel roads when the urge hits me, which is often. It hasn't broken yet, but you do get more flat tires.


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## jimmtb

*I use my 'cross bike as a roadie.*

As a matter of fact, just finished riding it for my 1st Century ride today. I certainly don't feel that the bike limits my ability to ride at speed. My fitness does that!

I have a Surly CrossCheck setup 50-36 x 12-27. Never spin out except on steep descents that I wouldn't pedal anyway. I purchased the Surly based on the versatility of the bike. I generally have it fit with full Civia fenders in the winter, spring, and fall and an Axiom rear rack. I use the bike to commute to work most Friday's using Ortlieb panniers. The bike has been used primarily as a road bike, but I have also done the Great Allegheny Passage-C & O Canal Towpath tour (using 37cc tires) as well as the IronCross race. As a do anything bike for us mere mortals who can't afford a different bike for every occasion, the versatility of a lot of cross bikes seems hard to beat.

For some background, I am 6' 4", 210 # and generally use 28cc Conti Gatorskins for road riding. They are pretty comfy for my sasquatch sized body. I do throw the 37cc tires on for winter riding.


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## pretender

Man, a dude was ripping it up at the local mid-week crit on his Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie.

I don't think there's a need for a road bike. Just get a second cross bike and use the raciest one as your road bike.


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## Quattro_Assi_07

I use my BMC CX01 Cross Machine as a commuter bike. It is basically a BMC SLT01 (which I also have) except I can run much larger tires and fenders. In this regard, it is excellent for when the road gets rough. It is my go to bike for gravel and dirt paths.

CX01 Cross Machine










Its stablemate, my SLT01 Team Machine


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## royalty

CX bike with road tyres works fine. I think there is some give in the rear triangle, which is pleasant, but possibly not very efficient on the road.
Haven't used it as much offroad as I like, road training and road races take up quite some time, but it's all good, I'm very happy with it.

Here's mine in road mode:









Here is a pic from earlier this year, in CX mode:


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## Monty Dog

My CX race bike is the stiffest, lightest bike I own - I'd quite happily race it in road races if needed. I ride a slightly heavier, titanium frame for road races more for comfort - says more about the condition of the roads. These days I have 3 CX bikes because they are so versatile - when travelling, I take a CX bike and 2 sets of tyres and can ride virtually anywhere. To the earlier post about the quality of CX rim brakes - suggest they invests in a decent quality brake - TRP mini-vees have awesome stopping power.


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## shemsterism

Whatever is comfortable to you.


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## jan_nikolajsen

I have a C'dale SuperX (19 lbs carbon cross) and a SuperSix (16 lbs carbon road).

Both are for pavement. I ride in the mountains with multi hour climbs and steep descents. The crosser have 32c tires and is a bit slower up but inspires me to ride faster downhill, probably due to longer wheelbase and slacker headtube. It is also tons more comfortable on rough surfaces and is set up with a relaxed saddle to bar drop.. 

For races and important group rides I still grab the SuperSix, while 90% of the training miles are on the cross bike.


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## gregnash

bwalton - I live in Carson City and commute to work everyday on my Kona Jake. I have used it as a road bike (has been sitting with Conti Gatorskins lately) and have a pair of Vittoria XG Pro IIs that I throw on every once in a while. 

I looked into building a cross bike and the main thing you will see is the cost of the Brifters (brake/shifters) will increase your build cost quite a bit. I would stay away from the SORA level stuff. While it works, the need to reach with the thumb up to the indexer (not like the paddles on the Tiagra and up levels) can be a PITA and makes it hard to shift while in the drops. 

For brakes, stay away from cantis if you can unless you are good a tuning them. They can be great brakes but have some compatibility issues with Shimano's pull ratio and lack power. The Jake I have came with them and even pulled on hard I was only scrubbing speed. Had my LBS attempt to tune them (and show me how) and it was much more of a PITA than anything else. I spent good money on a set of Tektro TRP CX8.4 mini-v's (actually the ones on the C-dale in the pic above, same color and all) and they are leaps and bounds more power and comfortable. You could invest in something cheaper like the Tektro 976 or RX5 which will be significantly cheaper and still have the same power.

Here is Jake doing some single track love yesterday with the Vittorias.

single track by renofizz, on Flickr


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## MShaw

I rode my Full Tilt Boogie for 2.5hrs yesterday on the road. That thing's a rocketship!

...only issue was one of water bottles. As in the FTB doesn't have any mounts, so I had em in my pockets

M


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## bwalton

I started to look into building a CX bike frame the frame up. I am 6’-3” tall and currently weigh 205 pounds so I want a strong durable frame that can be used for my weekly commute, a sprint triathlon and a century I do once a year. 

Frame material: 1) Chrome-moly high strength steel frames with butted tubing seems like the best option for my size and commuting requirements. They typically are a little heavier than aluminum and carbon fiber but if designed and fabricated properly will last a life time. Aluminum frames typically are designed to be light weight and with their large diameter tubing (aluminum is has 1/3 the strength of steel) amplifies the road irregularities and vibration when the tires are inflated to 100 psi. Also aluminum’s fatigue cycle is quite a bite less than steel especially around the heat treated welds where cracks can form after 6 plus years of riding. Carbon fiber has great strength to weight (density) ratio with a long fatigue cycle. The material grains can the orientated in each tube to give the bike torsional stiffness as well as a little vertical compliance. However a beefed up carbon frame that is designed for longevity (not light weight) will be as heavy as a comparable steel and aluminum frame. Most CF frames are built to be light weight so their life spans match a light weight aluminum frame and they have extremely poor crash strength to boot. The CF bikes I have tested all ride really nicely because the material dampens/absorbs most of the road vibration, which is it’s the biggest selling point. 

I can order a Surely Cross Check Cr-Mo frame and fork from Jansen USA for $440.00, build wheels for $200.00, an 8 speed drive-train for around $250.00, seat post and saddle $100.00, mini v-brakes for $50.00, crank-set and pedals for $200.00, tire and inner tubes for $100.00, cork tape, cycle computer, bottle cages and rack for $100.00 and I would spend in the upwards of $1,500.00 (not including tax) for a custom built CX bike. It seems more economical to shop around for a complete CX bike with better drive train components for the same price.


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## gregnash

This was exactly the same process that I was going through prior to finding my Jake. I was planning on building up something like the CX700 frame and fork for about $200 but they became hard to find. After speccing out what I WANTED on the bike it became apparent that this would be an expensive build. 

One day while stopping at a local shop I happened across the owners wife's Kona Jake. While probably a size to small for me it fit well enough for commuting and a week later I had it for $500. I ended up putting new brakes on it (the KORE Sport canti's were HORRIBLE) spending another $120 on a set of TRP CX8.4s. Talk about a braking difference!! Other than that I have only picked up a set of used SPD M520 pedals and a pair of Vittoria Cross XG Pro tires to compliment it. So far loving this bike and have used it for both road rides (longest has only been 20 miles), single track, and my normal commute of 6 miles a day (turning into 12 miles a day on Friday). 

If you can, see what you can find that is used and pick it up. Around the same time I happened upon a Motobecane Fantom Cross with 3x9 for around $300 on CL. So they are out there you just need to do some hunting.


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