General Cycling Discussion - Road bike or cyclocross?

Honestly, I haven't ridden a road bike, ever, or even touched one. Well, not until my friend showed up with a new Specialized Allez. I know it's a low end model and all, but when I picked it up...holy crap! The difference was in-credible. I've been going XC on my hardtail so far, and I thought that was really light, but compared to this, it was a lead weight.

Okay. I NEED ONE!!! Aaah! I don't care what brand, I need one of those ultra-lightweight beauties, I need to ride it, and I need it now! (Need = really, really want) So now I have a question: I've known about cyclocross for a while, and sounded kind of appealing, but I don't know if getting one will be a compromise. If I had one, it would be really great for me because then I could take it on light trails and such. But if the benefits of a cyclocross bike aren't too great, then I'd just rather get a road bike.

So...

Does anyone have a cyclocross bike? Is it as light as a road bike? Does it ride as smooth as a road bike on the road (if I put slicks on it)? Anyone know the specific differences between a cyclocross bike and a road bike?

I don't even know if I want to get another bike, but if I do, I guess I'd spend around $1,000. I know that's not a lot (in the roadie world), so would it be worth it to get a new, lower-end road bike, or an old used one? Any suggestions?

Will my road bike really break if I hit deep ruts or potholes on the road?

If I get a cyclocross bike, to what extent can I go off-road on it? How heavy are they? They seem to be kinda expensive...will $1K get me a decent one?

Am I wasting my time here and should just go test-ride them at an LBS?

Should I stop asking questions?

Thanks for your time, guys and gals.

I looked at the Kona Jake the Snake (http://www.konaworld.com/kw_index.cfm) before I bought my Fuji. Seems to be in your price range.

Honestly, I haven't ridden a road bike, ever, or even touched one. Well, not until my friend showed up with a new Specialized Allez. I know it's a low end model and all, but when I picked it up...holy crap! The difference was in-credible. I've been going XC on my hardtail so far, and I thought that was really light, but compared to this, it was a lead weight.

Okay. I NEED ONE!!! Aaah! I don't care what brand, I need one of those ultra-lightweight beauties, I need to ride it, and I need it now! (Need = really, really want) So now I have a question: I've known about cyclocross for a while, and sounded kind of appealing, but I don't know if getting one will be a compromise. If I had one, it would be really great for me because then I could take it on light trails and such. But if the benefits of a cyclocross bike aren't too great, then I'd just rather get a road bike.

So...

Does anyone have a cyclocross bike? Is it as light as a road bike? Does it ride as smooth as a road bike on the road (if I put slicks on it)? Anyone know the specific differences between a cyclocross bike and a road bike?

I don't even know if I want to get another bike, but if I do, I guess I'd spend around $1,000. I know that's not a lot (in the roadie world), so would it be worth it to get a new, lower-end road bike, or an old used one? Any suggestions?

Will my road bike really break if I hit deep ruts or potholes on the road?

If I get a cyclocross bike, to what extent can I go off-road on it? How heavy are they? They seem to be kinda expensive...will $1K get me a decent one?

Am I wasting my time here and should just go test-ride them at an LBS?

Should I stop asking questions?

Thanks for your time, guys and gals.Want a road bike,get a road bike.Go try some. Avoid potholes. Pretty simple.

I'm in the same dilemna. I will test ride the Cannondale Cyclocross tomorrow. I just rode the Cannondale R600, which is a great entry level road bike; it weighs about 19 lbs; the Cyclocross weighs 23. Both, according to LBS, have same frame, same wheels, and componenets. The only major difference, from what this newbie can tell, is in the gearing. Acceleration is great on the cyclocross, better on the road bike. Top speed is excellent on the roadster, not so much on the cross. Roadster has three rings; cross has two. Cross can take larger tires; roadster, 30s max. LBS says the roadster will give me a better workout than the cross. You can put smaller tires on the cross and make a smooth ride, but the gearing will remain the same. I will have to ride the cross in order to make my final decision. Good luck to you. I'll let you know.

Urbanmonk

...LBS says the roadster will give me a better workout than the cross....

Workout doesn't depend on what bike you're on but on what workout you want to give yourself. However, for the same amount of energy, the road bike will take you further (as long as the road is fairly smooth).

Another idea would be to get your road bike and install these levers, allowing you to ride on the top of the handlebars with the ease of braking MTB style. We retail them for about $40 CAD.

Thanks for the help, guys. I guess I'll just go down to a LBS and test-ride both kinds of bikes. I'm kinda leaning towards road bike now...

I did the same thing and bought the Cannondale Cyclocross; coming from a hyrid, it's a great transition. The gearing is a little different, and the geometry, but minimally. It's as fast as many road bikes I tried. I love it. Maybe next year, if I need more of a road workout, I will purchase a full roadster.

Urbanmonk