which 'cross bike to get?

[xonecrazybikerx]

i am a mountain biker who is wanting something that i can mabye race in cyclocross events, and that if i want i can ride it for long distances on the road and the occasional off road...
i am looking to spend $900 or less and have elimintated it to 3 bikes--the Kona Jake, the Surly Cross-Check Complete and the Redline Conquest. I was wondering which bike is the best bang for the buck and is also the best for cyclocross racing/offroad riding and road riding.

thanks!

[ZenNMotion]

They're all nice bikes, but quite different geometry. For racing, I'd go with the Redline- the geometry is all about power, but not the most comfortable on the road, and personally I'm not a big fan of Aluminum. The Crosscheck is an all-rounder, a bit heavy and laid back for racing but great on the road, commuting, whatever. So it depends on which direction you want to go in, because racing, offroad, and road riding are all going to emphasize different needs, always a compromise. If you are not used to handling a road bike, the crosscheck might feel most familiar to you. If you are keeping your MTB, then use that for your off-road adventures and maybe get more of a road bike or race-optimized design. I've never ridden a Kona, so I have no comment there, but I'm familiar with the other 2. How did you arrive at these 3? There may be others in the price range that you could consider, but first you need to think more about how you really want to use the bike most of the time.

[markhr]

the kona's a nice quick feeling ride - it's also suprisingly comfortable on tarmac(unlike my current ride which is a little STIFF)

Unless you're a clydesdale like me I'd go for the the best frame and slowly upgrade as the components wear out. If you're a clydesdale then go for a disc brake bike and, at least with the kona, I recommend rebuilding the wheels asap.