Cyclocross - Gary Fisher Gritty - think its crossable?

Just got this virtual brand new bike for a crazy price. Think its crossable? Ive been wanting a SS so I can do double races. Had a touring bike I was going to try but this fell in my lap so I'm thinking this could do the business with a tire/stem bar change. Could even just leave the flat bar with a slight riser stem.
http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/gritty
http://fisherbikes.com/images/fisherbikes/bikes/2010/1600x1200/GrittyCity.jpg

Bottom cable routing is a pain but I rarely shoulder and could put a small pad/wrap around the braze on.
I'll air up the tires and ride it around with my son today. It's got gobs of tire clearance. If it feels good I'll probably use it as my commuter.

I don't race, so I can't give a worthwhile answer to your question.

But that's a great looking bike! *Love* that read-brown-black paint! I'd be very tempted to put dirt drops on it - wood chippers, for example. That way you could lean into the on-the-drops position for power just like using MTB bar extensions - but with the brakes to hand. Plus the bike would look even better (although this is shallow, of course.)

Rode it a bit at the park, just whipped around the concrete with my boy and then did some out and back grass rides. The steering feels very quick and I feel higher up when leaning through turns. Of course I've been riding road every day so I've got to get used to a different bike again. I'm so used to road drops that the flat bars feel strange and my wrists complained so that's a part of it too. I definitely think dirt drops would be cool and I do need to be more stretched out as that BMX stem is merely cosmetic crap. The cranks are 175 so that also made it feel strange as 170 is my correct range and I ride 172.5 on my cross.

I'll do some more test rides

OK, after commuting on it several days now I feel confident in my decision now to just flip it.
The bike rides well as a commuter and I could certainly "make it work" for SSCX. The thing that gets me is the 74 deg headtube angle and the weak brakes. With no other way to add different brakes (cantis/vbrakes) I'd be stuck with long reaches which I cant see feeling well downhil in the wet when they feel weak on a dry straight.

Get new Coolstop pads and race the damn thing! I spent my whole first year crossing an old 1986 Raleigh road bike frame with cross tires as the only change. It wasn't the best, but it was enough to get me hooked for life. Besides, you said you wanted to ride SS this season and this will be a good way to see if you like it without much cash outlay. Go ahead. It'll be a fun learning experience as long as you don't expect too much more than just riding the hell out of it and having a blast in the meantime.

I feel you. I have a blast on my Redline and will be looking for something SS in the meantime. If this doesn't make me free money to buy something then I'll be letting you know how it does.

OK, after commuting on it several days now I feel confident in my decision now to just flip it.
The bike rides well as a commuter and I could certainly "make it work" for SSCX. The thing that gets me is the 74 deg headtube angle and the weak brakes. With no other way to add different brakes (cantis/vbrakes) I'd be stuck with long reaches which I cant see feeling well downhil in the wet when they feel weak on a dry straight.

Have you asked about tweaking or replacing the brakes on the BMX forum?

not yet. I did think of kool stops as a way to get better stopping power

If it doesnt make me a lot of money selling it i'll keep it and do the parts swaps.

I test rode a Trek Gritty and the brakes were pitiful. the were something you would find on a cheap huffy or something. You could buy some cheap Nashbar dual pivot brakes and improve the braking a ton for mot much cash. Thats not why I didn't buy the bike, it was a good deal, but I wanted it to have dropbars and I really didn't need it, but I loved that raw frame. Just some thoughts from someone who was considering buying one but knows nothing about cross racing.

I have made a living on CL buying hybrids and crossing them. Most recently was a 1x8 Felt X:City D, which now rocks drops, a 9 speed cassette and a Suntour friction shifter. Removed the single 42t ring and replaced with a spare, almost identical crankset, but with 44-32-22. Trouble is finding a FD with a weird diameter.

I considered doing what you are wanting to do with a BD 29er. As long as the dropouts are correct, the expense then becomes a new wheelset, but it sounds like you want to keep it SS.

I rode it some more and have decided against it. There are just too many things I'll need to change and while I have parts the expense is still greater than its really worth.
I ended up selling it and am still on the lookout for something I'll really have fun with in SS.

I have made a living on CL buying hybrids and crossing them. Most recently was a 1x8 Felt X:City D, which now rocks drops, a 9 speed cassette and a Suntour friction shifter. Removed the single 42t ring and replaced with a spare, almost identical crankset, but with 44-32-22. Trouble is finding a FD with a weird diameter.

I considered doing what you are wanting to do with a BD 29er. As long as the dropouts are correct, the expense then becomes a new wheelset, but it sounds like you want to keep it SS.

I have kicked around the idea of crossing up some hybrids. I just wasn't sure it was worth it because I don't know the market for them here. I haven't had to think about it much lately the used hybrid market on CL has kinda dried up which sucks because I have a couple friends that want a hybrid. I am going to get some bar end shifters and basically put together a cross bike for myself and I hope I like how it rides. If I don't like it I might find out what the market is like for something like that.