# Knockabout do-all...29er or 'cross??



## Armchair Spaceman (Jun 21, 2003)

G'day,
Not sure if this is quite the right forum but here goes - I do 60km daily commute (round trip) that I do by fixie or rigid MTB. The MTB is built on a nasty alu frame and I'm sick of it shaking the teeth out of my head, so I'm thinking of replacing the frame with a steel 29er or a cross frame (at the 'budget' end of the market, either soma juice vs double cross vs surly karate monkey vs cross check). I'd want it for commuting and would still like the bike to be able to handle a bit of fun on rail trails, fire roads & singletrack. I'm not likely to want to tour, 'cross racing doesn't exist in my part of the world and I'm at the clydesdale end of the scale at 6'2 and about 230. 
The running gear on the current ride is full XT in good order so I can part that out and with bits from the shed and some rims could go 29er or cross for roughly the same cost. Any views?


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## empty_set (Nov 1, 2006)

I ride both a Cross Check and a Double Cross. The Soma is my primary commuter and has done a great job and fits fat tires just fine. I just picked up the Surly a few weeks back and turned that into a fixed gear off road bike. Unless you're going to be riding lots of single track, I'd go with a 'cross bike. Both the Soma and Surly have plenty of braze-ons for racks, fenders, etc.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

*bars*

do you prefer an upright mtb position? If so I'd go Karate Monkey. The steel and bigger tires will smooth things out for sure but the weight may be a bit much for that distance.

I've commuted on my Cross Check and then ridden straight to dirt after work. Its fun but the adjustment to riding drops on singletrack is much more of a change than riding risers on the streets.

not hard, just different. And for your size I'd want something stout.


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## varoadie (Feb 4, 2005)

*Cross*

I'd get the Cross bike if it were me. More versatile and you also have the option to ride regular road tires if you ever have the desire.


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Another issue to consider - wheels. How many spokes do your MTB wheels have? MTB wheels are generally considered stronger because of their small diameter and thus better lateral rigidity due to better spoke triangulation. So if you tend to *really* hit the singletrack, those (32 or 36 spoke?) wheels may be best and thus an MTB.

That said, this forum is surely 700c leaning and if you built up a pair of hoops with 36 butted spokes and a durable rim (such as Velocity Dyad) or off-center rear rim, then perhaps those would stand up to the abuse. I only mention it because when Maurice (Editor of Dirt Rag magazine and a Clydesdale) reviewed the KM, he mentioned taco'ing a wheel and concerns he had about 700c on dirt:

http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=592&category=stuff_reviews

We still have that Dirt Rag print issue (circa 2003) in the reading stack on top of the toilet at home...


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

*How much dirt do you want to ride?*

Here is a ride report of my On-One 29er in all kinds of conditions. 
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=100784

I think it is the perfect bike for varied conditions. It does need some rolling fast tires for street.
I chose the On-One over the KM and am pleased with the result. Have a read of the 29er forum on MTBR. I am a clyde @ 240lbs. I've got Hope hubs and Salsa rims, never a problem with 1500 miles on them.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

depends...
more mtn than road = 29er
more road than mtn = cross

also, prob easier to get fenders on a 29er than on a race cx frame, although do-alls like the cross check will fit them fine (along having with rack mounts)... one thing with a 29er is it prob means disc brakes (or at least the option) and that might sway your opinion...


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

The Surly Cross check has tons of tire/fender clearance. Kind of the best of both worlds.


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## LetsGoOutside (Dec 2, 2005)

As an owner of both 29er and several cross bikes my vote is for a cross-check. It can fit huge tires and be more than off-road capable as well as handle a weekend of touring, a group road-ride, cross-racing and of course the almighty commuting with plenty of fenders and racks. Plus it can be set up singlespeed or fixed or geared.

My stable gives me the option to commute on pretty much whatever I want (26 or 29" mtb, road, and several crossers) and I choose my cross bikes everyday no matter what. I went for years with only a cross bike and a mt. race bike so I might be a bit biased on the greatness of cross bikes but I really do belive they are hands down the best handling, prettiest, most utilitarian bikes out there.


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## Doggity (Mar 10, 2006)

I posted similar query over at Mountain Bike forum, and it was pretty equally divided between the Cross Check and the Karate Monkey. Hard to go wrong with either, as you've got so much flexibility as to how you can set them up.


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## DirtPilot (Aug 6, 2005)

*Chiming in...*

...if I may. Sounds like you will do a decent amount of commuting per day (cpd) on this bike - 60km, right? This being the case, I strongly recommend a cross bike. While I have not ridden the Soma Double Cross, I do own a Surly Cross Check. If I could only have one bike, it would be the Cross Check because of its versatility. The type of riding you describe (commuting, rail trails, fire roads, and single track) is exactly what the Cross Check is made for. I commute on my Cross Check and would rather ride my Cross Check with drop bars on singletrack than my MTB...it's that fun. 

So, my humble advice is to go with a cross bike, hands down.

P.S. - biggest tire you can fit on a Cross Check is a 1.8-20 (depending on brand), or somewhere in the neighborhood of a 700x45.

Good luck!


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## TrekJeff (Mar 14, 2007)

I love questions like this because it just confirms the decision I made a month or so ago to buy a cross check. I recived it about 3 weeks ago and have put over 300 road miles on it as well as10-15 trail miles. It's my commuter. The braze ons are everything you'd want and the skinner speed max tires are great for road riding and have enough bite to run the trails. I've been saying "If I only knew about a cross bike 12 years ago I wouldn't have a garage full of mtb and road bikes.:idea: :thumbsup:


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## Armchair Spaceman (Jun 21, 2003)

*Thanks*



DirtPilot said:


> ...if I may. Sounds like you will do a decent amount of commuting per day (cpd) on this bike - 60km, right? This being the case, I strongly recommend a cross bike. While I have not ridden the Soma Double Cross, I do own a Surly Cross Check. If I could only have one bike, it would be the Cross Check because of its versatility. The type of riding you describe (commuting, rail trails, fire roads, and single track) is exactly what the Cross Check is made for. I commute on my Cross Check and would rather ride my Cross Check with drop bars on singletrack than my MTB...it's that fun.
> 
> So, my humble advice is to go with a cross bike, hands down.
> 
> ...


Given that the greater proportion of riding will be on roads (sealed and unsealed, of varying quality) I think I'll take the 'cross route. Thanks all for your input.


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## Potential Roadkill (Jan 27, 2005)

*It'd take riding position into account*

I like commuting on a upright mountain bike type ride for urban communiting. I find that the upright position gives me a little bit better ability to see and be seen. With a 60km ride though I'd have to think about going with something with drops. I've got both the Soma Juice and a Kona Sutra. The Sutra is a drop bar tourer with avid road discs. A handy thing to have on a fully loaded touring bike.


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