Originally Posted by
chas58
Well, there are two types of cyclocross bikes: race only bikes, and bikes that are more all around sporty race like bikes. One thing that stands out on the sporty bikes is rack mounts – a real race design will never have these.
I'm specifically disputing this part. Kona's Jake the Snake is a real race design by any reasonable measure. It has rack mounts. Cannondale's CAADX Disc Ultegra is a very nice race bike. It has rack mounts. To be sure, both companies have more expensive carbon-framed CX race bikes that don't have rack mounts, but I don't think it's in any way reasonable to claim that these aluminum models are not real race bikes.
Cannondale's web site says "CAADX IS: Race on Sunday, commute on Monday. Race performance meets functional versatility." Kona makes similar claims about the JtS. I don't think this means they are "
all around sporty race like bikes."
With Specialized Tri-Cross is clearly not a race bike while the Crux is. With Trek the Crossrip is clearly not a race bike while the Crockett and Boone are. Not all companies have such clear distinctions.