1150A

I currently have a cross check setup as a single speed which im racing my first season of cross with.

After cross season is over, i want to try criteriums. Running gears of course and maybe getting a lighter wheelset is my plan..

What do you guys think? Am i better off getting a dedicated roadbike?

Other than it being on the heavy side (is it really that bad?), are their other disadvantages?

Psimet2001 

Enjoy lugging that truck around the course.

Does it really make a difference? Ask yourself when you feel like your heart is going to explode as the pack slowly shells you.

sfcrossrider

The CC will be fine for your cross needs. I train on mine all the time, it works great for anything short of an expert category. Mine has been as light as 20 pounds (with a carbon fork, and Ultegra) without doing anything drastic. My current cross race bike comes in at a hair over 17 pounds, and has Chorus, and Record along with a very special custom steel frame.

I have done MANY fast group rides on my CC. The biggest disadvantage was the geometry. The bike handles more like a spirited touring bike than a racer. I'm A LOT faster on my steel road bike than on my CC, especially when climbing, and descending.

DanielS

I started out racing on my Surly Pacer. Its not much lighter than the crosscheck, probably about the same weight in fact. It was fine for crits, although I did notice a bit of a difference when I got a 3kg lighter racing bike - mainly in the handling department. With some lightish wheels and good tyres I don't think you'll be at a huge disadvantage.

That being said - if you can afford it, go for a separate racing bike. Won't you want to keep the CC setup for cross racing anyway?

Creakyknees

Ya know, when people ask a question like the OP, it might be useful if we state whether we have ever actually done what it is he's asking about.

So, Psimet, have you raced a Surly in a crit?

I haven't. I've only raced my lugged steel cx bike with cantilevers and Brooks B17, with light wheels and gears, in crits. I've won 1 this year, plus 6 top 10 placings and a whole lot of foolish attacks at the Tuesday nighter.

IMO, as long as you're comfy on the bike and can lay it over in a fast corner, race it.


Oh btw, since MTB season is ramping up here in TX, the last Tuesday nighter one of the regulars showed up on a dual susp MTB with slicks. No, he didn't win, but otoh he was responding to my attacks.

Psimet2001 

Surly? CC in a Crit?? Hell no. I've only raced a Surly CC around town.

I've ridden a similar tank in crits though. I'm done with that.

BTW - my point was that it won't make a huge difference, but when you find yourself slowly getting shelled...kind of like the gap is opening in slow-mo...ask yourself then if the wieght of the bike matters.

...the answer is "not really", but you won't feel that way then.

matkinstall

if you're comfortable on the surly then you don't really have much to lose, as it sounds like you haven't road raced much, if at all. then again, buying a new bike is pretty awesome if you can afford to. n+1, right?

just don't enter a couple of crits, get murdered by dudes fatter than you, and rush to cop that caad9 with the expectation that you'll beat them with on your new bike.

Pedaleur

Do you _need_ a better bike? Of course not.

A nicer bike might help a little. The geometry on the CC might not be the greatest for cornering. Etc., etc.

But for me, the deciding factor would be swapping out all of the components, especially if I were going to turn it back into a single speed next year. Might as well buy an aluminum racer and have your choice of bike any day you want.

1150A

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

The geometry was another thing I was worried about. Though, I've never really had a frame with aggressive geo, so I'm not exactly sure how I'd like it. Coming from a BMX background, my Surly with "dirt drops" already felt pretty aggressive to me.

My CC doesn't seem to heavy as it is, but then again, I'm running it SS, and I've honestly never really had a super light bike. I am running a Wound Up carbon fork though, so I should be saving a bit of weight there.