Old 02-02-09 | 05:29 PM
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Bacciagalupe
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For what it's worth, I am of the opinion that a bike that's really good / optimized for cross racing isn't going to be ideal for touring, and vice versa. However, a bike optimized for racing would be perfectly fine for short tours, as in 1-2 weeks with relatively light loads. AFAIK neither of the stock versions of those bikes are really made to race.

Part of the problem is that for cross racing, you will likely want a lighter bike and narrower gearing than most general-use cross bikes (i.e. aluminum frame, standard double). The geometry might be a little different as well. 32 spoke wheels might be sufficient for both purposes if you aren't a heavy rider toting a heavy gear load.

You might want to check into something like a Kona Jake or, if you can still find one, a Lemond Poprad before pulling the trigger on a bike.
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