UnsafeAlpine

I used to ride a lot of technical single track with my mtb but as I've been getting older, my mtb has become less comfortable and I've been riding off road a lot less. I need to sell it and get a different one but... I've started noticing cross bikes a lot more. My LBS is trying to talk me into selling not only the mtb but also my road bike. I like the idea of paring down the stable a bit and cross bikes seem like a great combination of on road off road.

My question is this. What off road performance can I expect from a cross bike? Is it capable of doing minor technical areas or are they mainly a smooth trail kinda bike?

Thanks

SpongeDad

In terms of road performance, if you put 23 mm tires on it, the only difference are 1) slightly less aero brakes (I can't tell the difference) and 2) probably slower or more stable handing depending on how you look at it due to longer trail. I actually like the increased stability for descents, but I'm a bit of a chicken.

As far as techical stuff, we race in muddy and rutted conditions. Last week I was plowing through thumb sized gravel, albeit wishing for fatter tires than the 30mm Mud2s I had on it. I wouldn't recommend bouncing a lot of bigger rocks though - without a front shock, you'd risk a lot of pinch flats.

bdcheung

i've done semi-technical singletrack - root gardens mostly - on my 'cross bike. it's not fun, but it's doable. definitely not comfortable.

jfmckenna

I've been on some nasty trails where I had to walk a lot. It's not going to be anywhere near the MTB performance where as it will perform almost the same as a road bike. So it's not really an in between MTB/Road bike, it's more of a road bike.

flargle

Look at the Surly Cross-Check and Vassago Fisticuff. These are CX-style bikes that have significantly bigger tire clearance, so they're more versatile. They are jacknife-style frames, jack of many trades, master of none.

meanwhile

If you want a cross bike for singletrack then you should fit wider than racing legal tyres - say 40mm, shorten the stem and widen the brake a little more,and lower the gearing. I'd also consider getting a bike with discs and a strongly sloping top tube. (The worst thing about non-disc crossers is brake tuning, brake squeal, and brake induced fork shudder). If you all these things I think you'll get a bike that's about what you'd expect - lighter than most hardtails and a bit faster on light singletrack, a bit trickier, faster on the road, and needing more careful steering.

AndrewP

Consider a cross bike with several sets of wheels mounted with tires suitable for the ride (25 or 28 mm, unpaved trail 32-35 mm, real off-road 38-42 mm). Triple chainrings.

IAMTB

I've ridden my cross bike on buff twisty single track. It's a load of fun. You can certainly feel the trail more than with fat tires. It's no replacement for a mountain bike, but it will get you on the mountain bike trails having fun.

UBUvelo

i haven't touched my MTB in 2 months.....sure, i go where cross bikes probably not dare, but i don't bomb it...i go slow and enjoy the ballet of it....but i often wonder if my wrists are turning to powder...

but i really enjoy ripping through rocky paths, horsetrails, dairy farms...a cx bike loves it

good suggestions from the above

TimJ

What the other dudes said. I've ridden singletrack on my cx bike but replacing a mtb with a cx bike only makes sense if you're not really into mountainbiking but rather just want to be able to go on trails.

On my mountainbike I bomb down hills and take singletrack as fast as I can safely do it because it's a blast. Riding the same thing on my cx bike wouldn't be the same experience. I'd still get from a- b if it's not too rough or technical, and it would still be enjoyable, but it's not nearly the same experience.

DinoShepherd

Pretty much covered already.

I see it pretty simply.

A CX bike with the right wheels can be an excellent road/racing bike.

But a CX bike can never be an excellent mountain bike.

My answer is to have all three, but YMMV...

-Z

Cue

"Mountain bike" with fat tires, otherwise known as monster cross, swap the wheels and you got a road bike.

More monster cross here.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/2880994...57606306503239

Elisdad

Monstercross is where it's at. They are jack-of-all-trades bikes. Seriously consider the Vassago Fisticuff & Surly Crosscheck that were suggested above they'd be very fine choice. The disc brake option on the Vassago is pretty nice.

Here's a thread over at MTBR with plenty of monstercross bikes to look at: LINK

Also, here's my singlespeed CX bike bike done up in monstercross style. It sees a lot of singletrack use as well as multiuse trails and some road too.

meanwhile

A lot of good points about 29ers - although a 29er with a rigid fork is second rate as an MTB, and one with a suspension fork is second rate as a road bike. But a crosser might fit the OP more - crossers are a lot of fun on lighter trails. If he wants to get away from trails that need bunnyhops and drops to be rewarding and get the most out of light trails, then a crosser is just right.

UnsafeAlpine

So is a monstercross a 29er with drop bars? It's a very intriguing idea...

flargle

A monstercross can have any kind of bars. It just has to be more monstrous than a cross bike and more cross than a 29er. If I were building a monstercross I'd use Nitto moustache bars with bar-end shifters, but that's just me.

UBUvelo

this has been a fun thread to watch for some time....

https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=355649

here's all forms of MX!

i prefer to call some of my creations mutantcross...