Originally Posted by
Moonnerd
Why aren't there more steel options? It seems like many CX bikes are used for general purpose (with dirt, gravel, etc) and not just racing. Wouldn't a steel frame be a better ride than aluminum in situations like that?
There's actually a fairly clear, if not explicitly stated, difference between CX bikes designed for general purposes and CX bikes designed for racing. I would say that a lot, if not most, of the ones designed for general purposes are steel. The Surly Cross Check, All City Macho Man, Soma Double Cross, Trek/Gary Fisher Lane, Redline Metro Classic, Raleigh Roper and Jamis Bossanova come to mind. Note that a few of these aren't listed as CX bikes on the manufacturers web sites even though they blatantly are, which I think will be a growing trend as the general utility of CX bikes becomes more broadly recognized.
That said, I have a Cross Check (4130) and a Kona Jake (7005 aluminum) and I think the Jake rides a bit better than the Cross Check, though it's close enough that it probably comes down to fit.