You're better off. I bought and configured a Nashbar CycloCross Frameset for commuting and the biggest issue was the frame geometry. The sloping top tube, combined with short chainstays, made for an extremely light front end when loaded with gear in panniers. I even tried moving the paniers around a bit but ran into a heel-strike issue.. Speaking of foot-contact issues, there is a good bit of toe overlap on the smaller frames (I had a SM). Hope this helps.