contango 

I wasn't sure where to post this and figured this was probably the best place.

At present I ride a 2009 Specialized Rockhopper Comp and positively love it. Most of my riding is on the road these days although I still want the freedom to go down gravel hills and through mud holes. I've done a few long rides (75+ miles) that took in a combination of roads and canalside towpaths and am very conscious that the Rockhopper isn't the best option for speed on the road, even though it comes into its own on the towpaths.

I've been looking at something like a Tricross for a while and trying to figure out how it would compare to the Rockhopper. Before I go hunting for a place that will let me take one out for a decent test ride can anyone give me any comments on it and how it would compare to the Rockhopper?

I don't do the kind of thing that would probably class as extreme mountain biking - fast technical descents and the like. I'm also concerned about the weight rating of it - I weigh a little over 250 and obviously by the time I add things like water bottles and any form of storage the weight obviously goes up from there.

NYCJohn170

I have one and I love it. Won't replace the Rockhopper though. I put my knobbies on it and will ride like 10 or so miles to the trail and take it off road. But woodland trails and old roads. Not fast technical downhill stuff. Got another bike for that.

It has zero suspension. So you've got a decision to make. Let a lot of air out and hit roots etc or walk it over obstacles. In any event, be ready for flats.

It's not a cheap bike. I use mine as a commuter on weekdays. You can pick up spare wheels easy on eBay because a lot of people upgrade from the Paves.

contango 

I'm not really into the fast technical downhill stuff anyway to be honest. Downhill gravel paths etc, steep-ish downhill sections but without tricky switchbacks and the like.

I recently rode with a friend along a canal towpath that had loads of roots and stuff - I was on the Rockhopper and he was on a Ridgeback touring bike (drop handlebars, no suspension), and seemed to cope almost as well as I did, which surprised me. That could just be because he's a lot fitter, or perhaps because neither of us are used to dealing with such lumps and bumps in the trail.

Not cheap, but if it's the right bike to have then the price isn't a problem (at least for the lower two in the range). I'd probably be someone upgrading the wheels, being a bit on the heavy side.

It certainly sounds like it's worth a closer look, I just need to figure out where to keep an extra bike. Thanks for your thoughts!