# Are cyclocross bikes taking over the trails?



## riDINGti (Feb 28, 2006)

I’ve noticed a large increase in the percentage of cyclocross bikes on our local trails this year in comparison to the number of mountain bikes. Our trails are relatively flat without any real technical areas and certainly do not require full suspension. I ride a nice mountain bike when not on the road, but my eyes seem to roam when groups on their cross bikes pass me by. I'm sure I'm missing something and am tempted to pick up a cyclocross bike either in addition to or as a replacement for my MTB. Just curious – have you noticed a trend of riders selling their MTB’s for cyclocross bikes for easy trail and off-road riding?


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Horses for courses.

A rigid 29er (or a hardtail with a fork you could lock out) might be a better compromise in your case, it would still ride faster on the smooth stuff, but having fat knobbies can be nice.


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## colinr (Nov 20, 2006)

Eh, every fall cyclocrossers train by riding cx bikes on trails they really aren't very good on. Last year I went mtbing on my cross bike a whole bunch for "training," this year I do the same rides on a mountain bike because it's more fun now that the cx novelty wore off.

Riding a cross bike on all but the smoothest mtb trails is not really fun.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

I would agree that its horses for courses I have ridden my cross bike on single track and its was fun in a sick sort way. However we have some very good fire roads in the park near here withe twisty descents and steep climbs and my cross bike if perfect for those so much so that I sold my MTB and just ride cross off road now but I think it was all single track I would not have as much fun.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

The great thing about riding a cross bike on singletrack is that it has the effect of turning a really lame and boring trail into something exciting...

I recently sold off my mountain bike when I realized that I probably won't be driving 2 hours to the good trails anymore and all the trails nearby pretty much suck. However, on a CX bike, they're pretty fun.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

colinr said:


> Eh, every fall cyclocrossers train by riding cx bikes on trails they really aren't very good on. Last year I went mtbing on my cross bike a whole bunch for "training," this year I do the same rides on a mountain bike because it's more fun now that the cx novelty wore off.
> 
> Riding a cross bike on all but the smoothest mtb trails is not really fun.



Not good on...? Ask the "core" dudes how they felt after two of us blew their doors off last Sunday. And yes, it was prety technical singletrack...

I got rid of my full suspension bike and my hardtail 26er. Now it's the crosser or the 29er only in the woods.


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## colinr (Nov 20, 2006)

backinthesaddle said:


> Not good on...? Ask the "core" dudes how they felt after two of us blew their doors off last Sunday. And yes, it was prety technical singletrack...
> 
> I got rid of my full suspension bike and my hardtail 26er. Now it's the crosser or the 29er only in the woods.


Feel free to bring a cross bike to an east coast mtb race and see how you fare on what we call "pretty technical singletrack." Just because you can ride faster than someone else doesn't mean your bike is the reason. 

Riding rough, rooty/rocky trails at high speed with a rigid frame and 1.3 tires (at 50 psi or more so you don't flat) isn't very fun.

If what you call mountain biking doesn't involve lots of the above, then a cross bike will suit you just fine. But it's not what I call mountain biking.


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

colinr said:


> Riding a cross bike on all but the smoothest mtb trails is not really fun.


"Fun" is pretty subjective. Riding a bike that eliminates all the challenges of riding off road is not fun to me.


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## colinr (Nov 20, 2006)

PeanutButterBreath said:


> "Fun" is pretty subjective. Riding a bike that eliminates all the challenges of riding off road is not fun to me.


Fair enough. Pretend that every usage of "fun" I've made in this thread is changed to "efficient."


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

Hmm. I have plenty of fun riding Utah singletrack on a CX bike. Must be nice to live someplace where there is real mountain biking.


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

colinr said:


> Fair enough. Pretend that every usage of "fun" I've made in this thread is changed to "efficient."


Define efficient. Nobody aked about lining up for an XC race with their CX bike. Unless I am racing, "efficient" riding comes down to maximizing my enjoyment. Since I enjoy a challenge, riding a CX bike is often the most efficient. Ironing out the trail with big tires and suspension is the least efficient way to enjoy trail riding, IMO.


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## colinr (Nov 20, 2006)

PeanutButterBreath said:


> Hmm. I have plenty of fun riding Utah singletrack on a CX bike. Must be nice to live someplace where there is real mountain biking.


Such is the problem with having this discussion on a national message board  I should have put [eastcoast] tags around all my comments.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I've gone both ways... bikes that is.

Sometimes it's more fun to have a less than optimal bike. Sometimes it's more fun to ride to the trailhead (which is far enough away that I wouldn't enjoy doing it on mtb tires). And I don't really miss full sus since I've never had one... still have my first mtb, a full rigid Specialized. 

Agreed about rocky, rooty, slick trails. Bring a nice full susp bike. But then I don't really like those kind of trails anyway. I like the fast smooth swoopers. Which a cx bike happens to be really fun on.

Each to his own. It's a big tent.


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## seanbcav (Jan 9, 2006)

I love riding my cross bike on NE trails and I ride it on some funky, border line crazy stuff. I feel it makes you a better bike handler riding a bike out of its and my comfort zone. I certainly do not ride the terrain as fast as on my 29er with 2.0 tires but I still pass a few mountain bikers on full suspension bikes here and there, I do enjoy the looks on their faces. 
All and all cross bikes can do nearly everything a mountainbike can do, just a bit differently. What is cool are all the new generation "monster cross bikes" that can handle a small 29er tire, the best of both worlds.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

PeanutButterBreath said:


> Define efficient. Nobody aked about lining up for an XC race with their CX bike. Unless I am racing, "efficient" riding comes down to maximizing my enjoyment. Since I enjoy a challenge, riding a CX bike is often the most efficient. Ironing out the trail with big tires and suspension is the least efficient way to enjoy trail riding, IMO.


There was an article a couple years ago in Dirt Rag- the gist of it seemed to be that rather than building new, highly technical trails that required more and more sophisticated equipment in order to find a challenge, Maybe we should ride the try riding the trails we have with less sophisticated equipment for a real challenge- the better you get, the less effective your bike should be.

The idea of riding singletrack on a mid 80's funny bike appeals...


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## tjanson (Nov 11, 2006)

The trails I ride in Mass suck on a cross bike. Central Mass trails have lots of rocks and roots, a cross bike is kinda ok on the uphills, but on the flats or descents....you just can't bomb over stuff. I ride a hardtail with a crappy elastomer shock, so I'm not "pampered" either.


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## mondo (Jun 2, 2002)

I have raced my crossbike on the road
Did a Time Trial on the road with it this year
Did a 6 hour solo mountainbike on it
Did the Single Speed State Champ race on it
And race it in cross races


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

colinr said:


> Feel free to bring a cross bike to an east coast mtb race and see how you fare on what we call "pretty technical singletrack." Just because you can ride faster than someone else doesn't mean your bike is the reason.
> 
> Riding rough, rooty/rocky trails at high speed with a rigid frame and 1.3 tires (at 50 psi or more so you don't flat) isn't very fun.
> 
> If what you call mountain biking doesn't involve lots of the above, then a cross bike will suit you just fine. But it's not what I call mountain biking.


Wow! East Coast trails... 

Did 2+ hours in the dark last night on East Coast trails on the crosser...worked out just fine...

It has nothing to do with the bike. It has to do with your ability. There's no real ability needed to bomb singletrack on a 5" full suspension bike. When you have to actually pick a line, you learn how to ride.


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