Bbmoozer

Hello...if I wanted to throw panniers on a cross bike...is that OK? I've read these bikes are great for just about everything..road, off road, and more speed than a touring (lighter) but I want a versatile bike with some speed (for long rides).

Richard D

Most of those I've seen don't have rack mounting eyelets but some do. Mounting a rack without eyelets is sometimes possible but it won't be as secure/able to carry as much weight.

Other than that cross bikes look a good all-rounder.

AlanK

Sounds like we're looking for the same thing: a good all around "do it all" bike. From what's I've gathered, cyclocross are good for just about everything. The only thing that's holding me back is there capability for loaded touring. From what I've been able to gather, cyclocross can only be used for light touring, not fully loaded. Other than that, they seem to be great all around bikes. The only disadvantage I can find is that most come with a double front chain ring. If you're going to be doing lots of city riding, a triple chain ring is really important for getting up hills. If course you can replace the double, but this will cost more $. Let me know whatever you decide and how it works out.

Bbmoozer

Hi Alan... the double chain ring turned me away. I need granny gears!
I wound up with an entry level road bike made of steel. I'll keep my hybred for rougher rides and hauling stuff.

RacerX

You can run a triple on the cross bike. No reason you can't.

AlanK

bhoomzer (sorry if that's spelled wrong),

I'm currently bidding on a cyclocross bike on ebay. It's a trek xo-1. It's a 2001 frame w/ 2002 components (including a triple chain ring!). It's the ONLY cyclocross bike I found that comes w/ the triple. Trek changed it this year in an attempt to attract a broader market (it seems to have worked, none of the shops around here have any).

I hope things work out with your new road bike. Some friends of mine have them and I've tried them. I'm a little leary. Granted, they are fast, but they just don't feel very secure to me. I'm not a speed demon, so I'll trade a little quickness for stability (and peace of mind). Either way, I hope it works out for you.

alan

Buddha Knuckle

It seems to me the only things that keep CX bikes from being great tourers are short chainstays, lack of a granny gear, lack of rack mounts, and a high BB.

Well you can get around the chainstay problem by buying a long rack (Jandd expedition for example) and mounting the panniers far back.

You can't get by without a granny for any kind of loaded touring (unless you plan on riding around entire mountain ranges).

Rack eyelets are swell, but I've seen them break, too. If a rack is attached skillfully, with or without eyelets, it will do the trick for moderate loaded touring (25-30lbs...if you have to carry more, I feel bad for you). Keep in mind that fork eyelets and rack eyelets are also handy for attaching fenders, which make touring much more pleasant.

High BB height is not an issue on my touring bike (a converted Nishiki mtb from 1988). Touring bikes usually boast low bottom brackets to enhance stability, but talk about your hand-waving...

BK

AlanK

Budha (sorry if I misspelled that),

I actually just got a Trek XO-1 (I won the bid). It's a 2001 frame, with 2002 components (including the triple front chain ring). Unfortunately, There's a slight problem with the pedal thread on the left crank, so I'm having it fixed (I got it for about $350 below retail, so I'm not too pissed). I decided to get a CX bike because it's more practical for me right now. I'm going to use it for year round commuting and some occasional light touring. I'd like to try some fully-loaded touring, but it doesn't look feasible for me in the near future (I probably won't be able to take more than a week or two off anytime soon).

I've read really positive things about the XO-1. It's supposedly one of the most versatile bikes out there. It can be set up for fast road riding, light touring, and light to moderate off-road use. Since my car died a couple months ago my bike is going to be my primary transporation (I'm trying to live without a car, we'll see how it goes). My ideal bike would be a Bruce Gordon BLT (or higher end), but right now I just can't justify spending that much. In a couple months I'll post my observations/impressions of the XO-1. Good riding to you.

Buddha Knuckle

Good riding to YOU, AlanK

There's no feeling like that New Bike feeling...probably explains why so many of us have more bikes than we can count on one hand.

And good luck getting by w/o a car...no mean feat, that.

BK