Is admitting that a cross bike is now my “go to bike of choice” heresy? Having bought myself an early Christmas Present (a Whyte Saxon Cross) I’m now a convert. For my local riding/commuting which is a mix of bridleways, landrover tracks, tow paths and country lanes with grass growing up the middle) it’s perfect.

Made me realise how much of a chuff it is riding a mountain bike on this sort of stuff and how limiting a road bike is.
Anyone else a CX convert?

Not really, just enjoying smashing the steep and dusty on the big bouncer and fighting cars on the roadie

Will you feel the same in a few days when you’ve bought yourself a New Year’s present? 😉

Cross bike has been my go to bike now for many years.

My tripster is certainly great for making the local rides more entertaining.

nice this time of the year for getting in miles and avoiding the worst of the mud but wont be the go to bike in the summer

Junkyard – lazarus
nice this time of the year for getting in miles and avoiding the worst of the mud but wont be the go to bike in the summer

+1 . My primary reason for buying one

My hardtail puts up with anything… road bike in the summer 🙂

I enjoyed mine for a good few years but the ‘do it all’ nature became the ‘not as good as X’. Racing also lost its appeal*, saw it as a day wasted plugging in the mud in a park when I could have been out in the hills. It’s now got some big road tyres and mudguards and is a commuter cum winter road bike.

*this is in no small part to being rubbish as well though I did enjoy the three peaks.

I enjoy cruising along the roads then diving up interesting looking tracks.

I’ve literally just finished knocking together a singlespeed cx this morning using various mtb and cross bits. So now I have two cx bikes – Hooray!

Not sure I am a CX ‘convert’ in the proper sense, did a couple of local races on mine and enjoyed them but probably won’t do any more till next winter now… What I probably am, like you OP, is more of a “Gravelcore-Bridalslayer” convert for the same reasons; hop on the bike, comfortable trundle on the road to some offroad spots, fun and perhaps more challenging to ride on a 35mm tyred, rigid drop-bared bike, then comfortable/efficient enough to ride home again on mixed roads/trails…

Also now my “go to” bike, and I have just had a couple of mates “convert” each from road and MTB backgrounds respectively, it’s a strange sort of middle ground that people seem to get whichever tribe they come from…

Another new “New golf”?

mine is my cheapest but possibly most used bike, especially in winter! A lot of the local better draining trails are pretty tame and theres a very blurred line between what constitutes on and off road on my local devon lanes at the moment given the recent weather.

It’s fun although it doesnt beat a proper dryish hoon down a big hill on the MTB!

Yes, I’ve been riding mine since 1996. It’s just been updated to 2006 with 10spd Chorus, and new cantis.
I did buy a tiFargo in June though which I also ride a lot.

Got one, it’s great for this time of year – just jump on and go on a mix of road and mild off road.

I just like bikes though, any type is good.

Been riding mine as my road bike, club bike training bike etc lately.

Half tempted to commit to putting a road chainset on it.

Nice road bike is for racing only.

Yep, very rare for me to ride anything else nowdays. I don’t race though (other than once). Just built me a new one…

hairylegs – Member
Anyone else a CX convert?

POSTED 3 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Nah, not really 😆

I do love me, it’s the ability to ride straight from the door, and enjoy the local trails.

If I had to chose Highlander style it would be my CX bike

@oldgit

I use a compact tiagra set up on mine 50/34 and 11-30. Works good off road too

Definitely. I use my MTB for Afan/Brechfa and the local Clyne trails but the CX for everything else. It’s like returning to my MTB roots.

Think they are great in certain places used mine on Holiday in the Purbecks in September was great loads of tracks bits of road few cheeky coastal paths brilliant.Just turned my Trek crossrip into a road bike now waiting to see the new colours of the Boone.Wiltshire is another good place to ride them loads of Byways.

Hardly a convert, I’ve been racing cross since the early 80s. Maybe 10 years before i got my first MTB.

Can’t see as how a cross bike would be a go to bike either. Head down, arse up, pretty harsh to ride, no bottle bosses. Brakes that need adjusting after every muddy ride.

I’ve got a training bike as a go to bike. Well, a couple of training bikes.

Another Saxon Cross owner here, I’ve done over 7000 miles on mine now (4000 this year). The MTB’s and road bike have been gathering dust most of the year.
I find riding the CX bike offroad here on the Quantocks very satisfying/challenging.

I converted to a CX bike 5 years ago but moved back to a MTB at start of this year.

Just find the MTB more fun for jumping around, manualling etc,.

Both were SS and rigid so not much difference really other than bars.

I have just picked up a 2016 Genesis CDF20 to replace my tourer and commuter cross bike. It is becoming my go too bike these days it is so capable and fun, it will be on it’s first bike packing session in the new years eve.
I have already upped the tires to 40c and wheels will follow soon.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/CjMSQs]PC206435[/url] by Simon Kirk, on Flickr