CX bike capability

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XzEn54321

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stric

MTB offers more versatility in a senses that you can tackle much more difficult terrain. Yet it tends to be heavier (if this matters to you), and a bit slower (I still think that it's not the bike that makes one slow though). CX, however, is faster, you usually have a better feedback from the bike (it feels more like a road bike) and I think it looks better because of its road-bike roots. CX bike is better for commuting, although one can argue about this. I've seen some very well equiped commuting bikes based on a MTB platform. Overall, it's important to observe that CX originates from road bikes. MTB on the other hand is quite a separate category of its own. Both can be ridden off-road and the degree to which thy are usefull on road and off-road often depends on the course itself.

jfmckenna

Surferbruce

the middle road would be a 700c mtn bike. i'll still take a nice cross bike though for a do everything ride.

stric

Doesn't Gary Fisher make some MTBs with 29" wheels? This could be a fair compromise.

noisebeam

I have a rigid mtb and an old touring bike set up as CX. The smaller wheels on the mtb give you better control on tight turns and rocky terrain. You cannot go to the same places on a CX bike that you can on the mtb but the CX bike is far superior to CX racing and as a commuter imo. CX is more versatile.

My 26" wheel mtb with ~2" tires has only a 1/4" larger radius than my 700x32c CX bike. I can't see the wheel difference being that large a factor.

Al

noisebeam

Rigid MTB Vs. an CX bike...
What can you do, what cant you do?
Downhill control?
Climb better/worse?
Harder on body?
Sum it up all for me please!

I’m riding mostly fireroads and singletrack, no drops or other crazy stuff.
I've seen other people on my trails on CX rigs so I'm guessing it cant be that bad.
Thanks, X-Zen
When you mean rigid MTB I assume you mean front and rear are rigid?

With standard CX gearing (double in front) climbing will be more of a challenge.
For fireroads and low to mid technical singletrack CX is fine, in fact great. I ride CX on moderately rought single track and tend to go a lot faster than 95% of mtber out there. But of course the top or expert mtbers are on trails a CX bike couldn't handle.
Depends what you mean by harder on body - you may train some muscles starting out that you use for sock absorbtion, but after your over that hump I'd say you are not more beat up than after the same trail on mtb. But I do avoid the trails with endless embedded rocks that poke 3-4" out of ground. It just isn't that fun on CX bike. But short sections are and you learn how to float over them nicely &pick a good line.
The narrower tires on a CX bike can be a problem for deep sandy conditions. Even the 37c tire I have on the front gets a little squirelly in deep sand.
Al

XzEn54321

Ok, I guss I'm getting a CX bike.

climbo

CX bike = skinny tyres and less standover clearance. Also usually bigger gearing. Singletrack on a CX bike can be fun but it is also a challenge and beats you up quite a bit. Road bars are narrower than a MTB bar so you have a little less control over the rough stuff, rocks and roots etc.

I ride a rigid MTB and I wouldn't trade it for a CX bike in many of the places I ride, the MTB is still perfect for the singletrack. If you don't ride anything all that technical, then a CX bike can work very well.

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