Cyclocross: Mud, Sweat and Gears - NYTimes article

[gz_]

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/travel/escapes/30cyclo.html?8dpc

[M_S]

That's the second one I've seen them do. I guess 'cross riding is the new fixie freestyling. Damn. Though I'm clearly a part of the trend since I just started this year. Oh well.

[gz_]

I really don't understand cross cycling myself. They just seem like hybrids with drops and I really can't stand hybrids since they're slower than road bikes and not as tough as mountain bikes. But oh well, the races look like more fun than mountain biking or road races so I can dig it.

[Ronsonic]

97% of the bike riding in this world is slower than a race bike and over terrain that doesn't require a mountain bike. Following your logic the only cars would be Humvees and Ferraris.

And yes, the races are a hell of a lot more fun than either road or MTB.

Ron

[bc sparks]

My Ridley, with road tires, is faster than any of the road racers I have owner, I'll be riding a full road race season on it next year, then a full cross season. No reason to have 2 bikes when one will do it all.

[flargle]

I really don't understand cross cycling myself. They just seem like hybrids with drops and I really can't stand hybrids since they're slower than road bikes and not as tough as mountain bikes.It's pretty simple, horses for courses. If you've never sped along fire trails, grass, and smooth singletrack on a cross bike, I don't think you would quite understand.

Road bikes are, in fact, hybrids. They are slower than pursuit bikes and not as tough as cross bikes, and are designed to work over a variety of terrain.