Originally Posted by
AlTheKiller
The minuteness of differences in handling and speed between your average steel cyclocross bike and road bike are more about personal preference than actual speed. Throw good road tires on the bike and I'm sure your individual times, if you too each out for a long ride, would be separated by very little.
I lean more towards cyclocross, just because I hate the whole "every bike needs to be a specific racing bike" I don't race. I want to go on a long road ride, and then decide to explore a gravel trail, or take a dirt path shortcut on my commute. And the versatility of larger tires alone on a road bike make them tremendous machines.
There's no reason a cyclocross bike can't climb like a road bike, once again this is much more about the rider than the bike. Cyclocross gearing isn't particularly suited for long climbs (though I love it for commuting), but many so called cyclocross bikes come equipped with compact chainrings, which are great.
My only advice on what to pick would be something from a local shop with good support.
Group rides are one place where an otherwise insignificant difference in speed can make all the difference. Like you've said, it's mostly about how strong a rider you are. However, if you're riding with a group that really has you pushing your limits, having a little extra bit of acceleration in order to catch on to the rider in front of you, or being able to hang on with a little bit less effort might be the difference in being able to stay in the pack or getting left behind.
It's surprising how quickly a group riding 1/2 mph faster than you can leave you in the dust.