can I turn my road bike into a cross bike?
09-10-09, 07:04 PM
#1
Road, XC and Cross
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 312
Bikes: Motobecane Outcast 29er, Motobecane Fantom Comp, Motobecane Fantom CX and Fuji 2.0 acr
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
can I turn my road bike into a cross bike?
I really want to do cyclocross this year but im not sure how i will like it so i dont wanna spend 400-800 on a cross bike if i dont like it so can i put cyclocross tires on my fuji newest 3.0 and race it like that? i could use a mtb but that wouldnt feel like a cross bike so i would not know if i liked the feel. i heard road bikes feel more like cross bikes than mtb's.
09-10-09, 07:05 PM
#2
Senior Member
If you can fit a tire as tall as a cross tire on your Fuji then I say give it a go. I kinda doubt you will enough clearance though.
__________________
BMC Roadmachine
Kona Jake the Snake
BMC Roadmachine
Kona Jake the Snake
09-10-09, 09:24 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: ABQ, NM
Posts: 1,152
Bikes: Neuvation F100, Surly Cross Check, Van Dessel Holeshot
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
you might be able to get a not very knobby 28, but you wont know till you try
09-11-09, 09:49 AM
#4
Full Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: San Francisco East Bay
Posts: 247
Bikes: 2016 Tom Kellogg steel Spectrum all-road, '89 Eisentraut Rainbow Traut, '81 Marinoni Special, 2018 Ritchey Road Logic, 2006 Ritchey Breakaway Cross, 2009 custom Joe Wells alu Tsunami CX, '71 Favorit (Czech Rep) Special, 2012 Co-Motion Tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Just use your MTB, with some narrowish light tires. Lots of people start with MTBs, the main disadvantage is the weight while carrying the bike. Lock out the suspension in your fork if you can for quicker handling, and the best tire choices are going to be narrow, light and low-tread (compared with most MTB tires). You won't be allowed to race with bar end extensions so take those off and just go have fun, and think about a "real" cross bike later for your future addiction. And you will get addicted to cross- 4 out of 5 cross newbies do, and the other ones don't count as they all have died a righteous death in their first race. Look up at the clouds or (down in the mud) and you can see them still smiling from heaven (or hell) every time it rains, cause it was really worth the trip.
09-16-09, 07:19 PM
#5
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 15,402
Mentioned: 151 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1099 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times
in
30 Posts
Hmm, I have a Surly Pacer that fits 32's - would like to [race] cx but don't have room for anything other bikes.
I figured my road brakes would just get gunked up and generally not work. Any thoughts on that?
I figured my road brakes would just get gunked up and generally not work. Any thoughts on that?
Last edited by mattm; 09-16-09 at 08:58 PM.
09-17-09, 07:45 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 1,744
Bikes: Miele Azsora, Kuwahara Cascade
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
^ride it fixed and brakeless.
you might die, but the crowd will love you.
you might die, but the crowd will love you.
09-17-09, 08:18 AM
#7
daily commuter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Posts: 28
Bikes: Rocky Mountain Blizzard (Steel is Real!)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Not a very good idea to convert a race bike into a crossbike, the frame's geometry is very different, crossbikes are longer , have a higher bracket ,slacker angles and longer chainstays.
This makes them much more stable riding through dirt , uphill and downhill.
I personally would transform the Mtb into something racy and light , with slimmer tyres , say 26x1.4" at the most and try it like this.
You have to adapt your chainrings too, 34 and 46 in the front and 12 to 25 8-speed in the rear.This will make your riding faster, harder and less complicated.
You will fall less often than riding the racebike on dirt and have a great time !
This makes them much more stable riding through dirt , uphill and downhill.
I personally would transform the Mtb into something racy and light , with slimmer tyres , say 26x1.4" at the most and try it like this.
You have to adapt your chainrings too, 34 and 46 in the front and 12 to 25 8-speed in the rear.This will make your riding faster, harder and less complicated.
You will fall less often than riding the racebike on dirt and have a great time !
