Seeing as there's no real standard for a cross bike:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=428988 Do you think my Waterford RSE-11 would be a good non-competitive crosser? Right now it's set up more as utility bike. It's got a Campy mix that just never performed as well as I wanted it to. I have a complete Deore XT 7/8 sp group less wheels that I wanted to put on it. Being thoroughly old school I want a steel frame with barcons. I have a set of Shimano 7 sp barcons but don't care if the bike has 7,8 or 9 sp.
The frame is using 700 X 32C Specialized Nimbus tires now with room to spare. According to Waterford, I could go up to 37C width. The rear brake cable is top mounted, actually side mounted.