I used a CX bike for road riding for years. Last winter I bought a "true" road bike (a 2000 LeMond Nevada City). I did notice a difference in handling -- the LeMond will hug a turn in ways that the CX bikes don't. The braking is also much less of a headache, in that it just works without a lot of adjustments. On the other hand, it's no faster and the handling is more a matter of feel than actual limitations on the CX bike. I imagine that in a road race I'd come across times when I needed that extra precision in handling, but for general riding I don't.