Originally Posted by
modernjess
The both could, but I do know that the Cross Check has plenty of tire clearance room which might serve you well in the winter if you want to mount studded or a wide tires with aggressive tread.
I use 35mm studded tires on my CC for the Minnesota winters. I'm not sure if the 520 has that much clearance, I could be wrong but the pictures and specs on the Trek sight are inconclusive.
I have ridden a Trek 520 for many years and love it. Like other folks have mentioned though, I've found the front fork to have limited tire clearance. In order to fit my commuting 45mm tires, I had to grind away a bit of metal from the fork. (This is NOT recommended.) If you are considering fat tires for fire-trails and dirt roads, go for the Cross Check. If you don't plan on fat tires, the 520 is a great sturdy bike. (For my super bumpy dirt-road commute, I plan on eventually switching out my fork so I don't suffer the consequences of my grinding.)
