CX Bike ??

[WobblyBob]

So......I got into cycling last July when i decided i needed to lose weight & change my lifestyle so i went out not knowing anything at all about it & bought a Spesh Crosstrail Comp thinking this is a great do it all type of bike which will be perfect for me, which it is really as i've done probably 1500 happy miles on it since then with no problems at all.
But then as we tend to do i decided i NEEDED a road bike aswell as i was doing most of my riding on the road as i got a bit more experienced so about 2 months ago went out & bought my Trek which i absolutely love !

Since buying the Trek i find that i much prefer the position/style & just the whole look alot more than i do with the Spesh which i'm very suprised about !....BUT i also like the fact that the Spesh is a bit more rugged, a bit more practical for commuting/light trails etc .....so it got me thinking about CX bikes which i know nothing about really, so i suppose my point is, is the main difference between Road & CX bikes just the more rugged tyres & slightly more wheel clearance ? Can they wear road tyres if needed ?

Basically i would like to keep my Trek for 'Good' as in Sportives, Summer (do you remember those?) days etc & have a second bike for Commuting, Crap weather training, trails etc.........so, do i sell the Crosstrail & look for a CX....or even just a second 'cheaper' road bike with more robust tyres & stick some mudguards on ???

God this cycling thing get's under your skin does'nt it, this time last year i owned 2 cars, a motorbike & certainly no bicycles & had'nt for nearly 30 years !!!

Any thoughts or opinions gratefully listened to, Cheers.

 

[Pale Rider]

Bob,

I think your understanding of CX bikes is correct, they also tend to have a more relaxed riding position with the bars set a bit higher than a road bike.

Edinburgh Bicycles near you in Byker are well into this market, not least because it's a growth area for retailers.

They might be a better bet for this type of bike than Steels.

Here's a suggestion, you might also find the general description in the link helpful:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/pro...sport-13?bct=browse/bicycles/cyclocross-bikes

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Get a nice CX - they are truly lovely bikes.

The main difference for me is the fact that you can fit chubby shock absorbing tyres - I have 32mm Marathon Supremes on mine which smooth out the rough lanes we have here in Cumbria.

There are two other little side benefits that I really like. The 46/36 chainset which gives you two sets of more closely related ratios to play with - I find that this works really well for me and you don't end up with too many little shifts at the back when you go up and down the chainset. And the little extra brake levers on the handlebars - I find these great when riding more upright eg in town (I can see what is happening better that way).

I tried about half a dozen road bikes before settling on my CX and could not get on with the skinny tyred ride.

Each to their own of course but for my purposes (casual keep fit cyclist who likes the odd bit of rough) a CX is perfect for me.

 

[lejogger]

I use my CX as a winter bike, commuter, and tourer. So as Mort points out, the main reason I use this over a standard road bike for that type of riding is that it can fit a proper rack, full guards and is very sturdy.

It also has disc brakes which is a bonus for bad weather.

I've chosen not to stick with the original chunky tyres. The rims cope with 23mm rubber fine, which means I zip across the Tarmac a little more efficiently.

My gearing is also a little more road oriented. Compact 50/34 on the front but a wide range 11-32T cassette on the back which means I have a really big and really tiny gear if required.

I'll happily admit to using 34/32 when laden and touring the Irish hills, and even on particularly tough climbs on winter club rides.

It won't be for everyone, but it's my perfect solution for a 'second bike' and it sounds like it might be right up your street too

 

[WobblyBob]

Thanks for the replies & the very usefull link Pale Rider, the more i look into it the more i think this will suit me too.

I'm actually doing the C2C over 2 days with a couple of friends in June who have done it before, 1 of which swears by his Crosstrail (same as mine) & the other that swears by his Spech Tricross, i think both are probably ideal to cope with varying road/track surfaces but again i just think i'd prefer doing it on a more 'road bike' geomatery........just need to find a bike i can afford & harder still justify to the wife after my recent large (for me) outlay on my Trek Domane

Wish me luck ha ha .........(anyone wanna buy a spesh Crosstrail Comp ???)

 

[Mo1959]

Thanks for the replies & the very usefull link Pale Rider, the more i look into it the more i think this will suit me too.

I'm actually doing the C2C over 2 days with a couple of friends in June who have done it before, 1 of which swears by his Crosstrail (same as mine) & the other that swears by his Spech Tricross, i think both are probably ideal to cope with varying road/track surfaces but again i just think i'd prefer doing it on a more 'road bike' geomatery........just need to find a bike i can afford & harder still justify to the wife after my recent large (for me) outlay on my Trek Domane

Wish me luck ha ha .........(anyone wanna buy a spesh Crosstrail Comp ???)

It's a tough decision. Swithered about a cx myself as a winter/bad weather bike but ended up going for my Forme Longcliffe 3.0. I am pretty pleased with it. Slightly more relaxed geometry and takes full mudguards. Fitted Durano Plus tyres for a bit of puncture resistance and they roll along not too badly.

 

[WobblyBob]

It's a tough decision. Swithered about a cx myself as a winter/bad weather bike but ended up going for my Forme Longcliffe 3.0. I am pretty pleased with it. Slightly more relaxed geometry and takes full mudguards. Fitted Durano Plus tyres for a bit of puncture resistance and they roll along not too badly.

Tis a lovely looking bike the 3.0 !! I I still would'nt rule out looking for a winter/bad weather road bike with full mudguards & slightly chunkier tyres if possible........Mmmmmmmmm decisions decisions ha ha