will dehne

This forum helped me to select a fine Cyclocross bike. I am using this bike as a touring bike for fast long distance biking. The same features which make that bike a good racing machine make it ideal for 100 mile / day trips on bumpy roads or trails.

I stumbled on this article from the WSJ:

"Another example of state and local government distress
by CalculatedRisk on 7/17/2010 11:48:00 AM
From Lauren Etter at the WSJ: Roads to Ruin: Towns Rip Up the Pavement

Paved roads ... are being torn up across rural America and replaced with gravel or other rough surfaces as counties struggle with tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue. State money for local roads was cut in many places amid budget shortfalls.
Back to the stone age ..."

I own a fine road bike. That bike allows 25 mm tires maximum and that is no good with this going on.

meanwhile

Potholes in tarmac are even worse than gravel. If they're in shadow and the angle of the sun is wrong, or if you're having to respond to some other threat, they can be invisible. There's a big difference to how a 25 and 35mm tyre behaves at this time.

knobster

Eventually even a cross bike won't cut it. One day, we'll be talking about switching to a mountain bike.

pretzelface

I love riding my road bike on dirt roads, but I'm kind of an idiot like that.

My cyclocross bike doesn't see much recreational riding; I use it for commuting and then slap the knobbies on for racing. My road bike is fine for everything else.