[MENTION=3026]alcjphil[/MENTION] is spot on as to the advantages of a little wider tire so I don't need to add much to this. You can always run skinny tires on a cross bike if that is your preference but you will be severely limited in running fatter tires on the immortal ice bike.

If you're not racing, in my mind, that's a negative. The cross bikes are pretty darn light and many have rear rack braze ons which are very useful if you do a multi day trip and want to use a rear bag of some sort.

Frankly for doing long distance rides there is a lot to be said for a little fatter tire run at a little lower pressure. The bike you are looking at is very limited in this regard.