a mt bike, road, hybrid?

Sorry if the answer is known by most children!

Not much difference between the original unsprung mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes except that cyclocross bikes were modified street bikes and mountain bikes were modified kids cruisers.

In cyclocross the idea is to cross some rough terrain as rapidly (or efficiently) as possible. In mountain biking the idea is to cross rough terrain riding the bike.

Cyclocross bikes are better when you throw them over your shoulder and run up sections that are too steep and knarly to ride. Mountain bikes are better in moderately rough terrain where the fat tires can absorb a lot of the punishment.

Hybrid? What is a hybrid? That's just a marketing term for a fatter tired, heavier bike.

There are exceptions to every rule, but the differences between a cyclocross bike and a

mountain bike - Cyclocross bike will have 700c wheels and thinner tires with smoother tread. Usually no suspension, and drop handlebars.

road bike - Cyclocross bike has more frame clearance for fatter tires, and cantilever brakes for better stopping power and mud clearance. Smaller gears for off-road riding.

hybrid - difficult to generalize about hybrids these days, as there are so many different kinds.

A true, honest cyclocross bike is a pure race machine, designed for cyclocross racing for those who want to race cyclocross. In recent years, many manufacturers saw the versatility in cyclocross bikes and thier appeal to a wider market, and started to produce a newer style of cyclocross bike that included such things as rack mounts, waterbottle bosses, and triple chainring for those wanting to use these bikes for "sport touring", commuting, and plain 'ol fumbling around.

If you look at recent cyclocross bikes from guys like Bianchi (Axis) or Kona (Jake), you will see the afformentioned features, but if you look at a high-end pro race machine from guys like Ridley, De Rosa, or Author, you will not find them, but you will see a machine stripped to its race essentials. Basically, a race frame that resembles a road racing frame, but with adjusted geometry like a wider wheelbase and broader tire clearence, cantilever brakes for mud clearence, and maybe a front derailleur. It's made for racing pre-designed cyclocross courses, usually with dry or muddy fields, sand pits, steep inclines that can either be ridden or run with the bike portaged over the shoulder, and obstacles that demand the rider to dismount the bike, hurdle over the obstacle, and then remount the bike.

As far as differneces go, Cyclocross bikes look more like road bikes and some hybrids (without the flat bars) and are much different than MTBs. As always though, the main difference is in what kind of riding you do or plan to do, and matching a bike to it. It may call for a cyclocross bike, or it may not (but it's always fun when it does!).

Hmm. The newer rigid 29'ers are blurring the lines even more. Recently, I've seen many guys race with flat or riser bars on traditional CX bikes. That'd make it a 29'er, no?

"Hybrid? What is a hybrid? That's just a marketing term for a fatter tired, heavier bike."
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"tired"? I didn't realize a bike could display traits ( tire-d, happy, silly ) usually reserved for the biological among us? But that's cool too- lol

I guess there IS Metal fatigue though!

Thanx for your comments.

I am choosing between an 05 7500 fx Trek and a 2005 Giant Cypress that goes for around $500-SX or LX, i forgot.

The Trek is probably faster but it is rougher on the bumps.

The lbs says the Trek can be shod with heavier grippier tyres and do very modest mt stuff!! Hyperbole or??

Any takers?

Hybrid bikes are coming in all sorts these days. What seems to be happening is that more and more people are realizing that all of those cheap mtn bikes with suspension weigh a ton and take a lot of energy to ride with their fat wheels. Part of the reason people liked mtn bikes so much in the beginning is that they didn't have those very skinny tires that road bikes do and they have a more comfortable ride position (up position) than road bikes, that and they could shift on the bars and not have to reach down. What seems to be the new trend in hybrids are basically a frame simular to a basic cycloscross frame (lighter and with canti mounts) canti brakes, 700c tires with wide 700c tires, mtn bike style bars and shifters. These get the easiness to ride of a 700c bike with more of the comfortable position to ride of a mtn bike. Many of them have a suspension seat post and a suspension fork for comfort as well. As we all know most people who own a mtn bike never do any more offroading than on a dirt road or a canal bank thus they don't need the ruggedness of a mtn bike.

I personally think that this is going to be the wave of the future bike. If you want more detail on "hybrid" bikes I believe tha there is a forum for that here as well. I have even seen that many of them take off their flat bars and put on drops. I think hybrids are a good way for cycling to go. It allows someone to start out riding inexpensively without committing one way or another. They can see what they really like and then easily transition from there to road, cyclocross or even mtn biking.


Well that is my long narative on the whole hybrid subject. Now my only question is would you call my old mtn bike that I put 700c wheels, drops and my old road bike parts (including my ergoshifters) a hybrid or a cyclocross bike?

Anything that's not pure is a hybrid....