Originally Posted by
DougG
I rode the length of the C&O with a group this last June and felt that my CrossTrail was the perfect bike for it. That trail is pretty rough in spots and a couple of riders who were on more road-oriented, non-suspension bikes (Trek CrossRip and a road-going tandem) were pretty beat up at the end of the longer days, and were also sliding around a lot in the muddy sections. The CrossTrail with suspension and 700x38 Trigger tires went through it all with flying colors.
It also does well as a "gravel bike." We have 100s of miles of dirt & gravel miles in my area, but some of them get pretty washboarded and potholed between gradings, so again a bike with suspension is a big plus.
IMO, weight is not a big factor for me on a bike like this since I'm often toting stuff in a trunk bag and am not going for speed or style points.
Yep, hearing stories like this is what makes me want to just keep the CrossTrail for my gravel rides and get a road bike for some group rides I'd like to start doing this coming spring. I keep going back and forth though, starting to think that N+1 is better than N=N.2 (replacement). Guess I will test to see just how much my Wife cares for me if I have a 2nd bike in the garage.
