I’m considering a new bike and am torn between going for a cyclocross bike or a MTB 29er.

I would like a bike for training on my local XC tracks which are not very technical but have enough up and down elevation for a good aerobic workout. I have test ridden a Singular Swift in rigid SS guise on both tracks and quite liked it. I have also always fancied a cyclocross bike with disc brakes for use as a winter training bike on the road as well so am torn between the two types of bike.

I have a feeling that the 29er would probably be better off-road but not as good as the Winter training bike for on-road duties. I already have two road bikes – one Van Nicholas titanium for everyday training rides and a Scott CR1 Pro for ‘best’ i.e. sportives etc. I also have a Orange 5, an On One hardtail geared and a Genesis iO rigid SS for off-road duties (I only use the last two for the local XC tracks).

I have never ridden a cyclocross bike so not really sure if I would like the drop bars off-road or whether I would maybe get fed up with it after a while. I suppose I could always fit straight bars if I really didn’t like the drops but then that would affect its use on the road somewhat.

I would appreciate any feedback to help my decision as I usually find that other people come up with opinions and ideas that I hadn’t considered which are often very useful.

Has anyone else made a similar choice in recent times or could offer an opinion to aid my decision?

Changing to flat bars will cost a few quid unless your spares box is well stocked

Doesn’t sound like you need another bike. Sound like you want another bike.

Buy the one you want the most.

Or both.

Singular gryphon .

I find the that the want for a new bike is inversely proportional to the amount of riding I do, week to week.

e.g. Slack week = me looking at new bikes constantly

Definitely worth getting out there and test ride some CX bikes. They do make a lot of sense if your local off road isn’t that tricky and you do lots of road/fireroad to link stuff up. Test rode a Spesh Crux carbon jobbie a few weeks ago and it was bloody brilliant…. very tempted!

I find the that the want for a new bike is inversely proportional to the amount of riding I do, week to week.

e.g. Slack week = me looking at new bikes constantly

This… my wife should let me out to ride more

I find my rigid 29er more fun (off-road), since I got it I’ve not ridden the CX. You don’t need to worry about dual-use for winter road training either, you have the VN for that. The only reason I’d advise someone to get a CX (that wasn’t going to race) would be if you need a winter road bike as well as some off-road capability and can’t afford two new bikes otherwise it’s just too much of a compromise IME

if you want another mountainbike buy a 29er, if you want a bike that spices up boring off-road and with a tyre swap can be used on road quite effectively as a winter bike then get a ‘cross bike

they may share the same wheel size (ish) but they’re very different beasts

if you want another mountainbike buy a 29er, if you want a bike that spices up boring off-road and with a tyre swap can be used on road quite effectively as a winter bike then get a ‘cross bike

This really is the crux of my problem, I don’t really want another mountain bike. On top of that the Van Nicholas isn’t really a good Winter bike as it has no clearance for mudguards or mounting eyes. I also fancy the disc brakes on a CX bike to stop the grinding of wheel rims in the Winter filth.

I guess I’m leaning towards the CX bike but I’m just not sure if I will enjoy the off-road experience long-term. Having said that I can just keep it as the Winter road bike and go back to using the On One and/or the Genesis off-road.

I guess I’m leaning towards the CX bike but I’m just not sure if I will enjoy the off-road experience long-term. Having said that I can just keep it as the Winter road bike and go back to using the On One and/or the Genesis off-road.

Well I got a CX bike (Genesis Vapour Disc) to use as a do-it-all ride earlier in the year and since buying it I’ve barely ridden anything else. I’ve done about 1000 miles on it so far on everything from big fireroad/bridleway loops to hilly club runs and techy arse twitching mountain bike territory. Whilst it’s not as good on the road as my road bike or as good as my mountain bike off the roads it’s a hell of a lot of fun on all of the above.

Basically, buy it!

Singular Gryphon.

29r, drop bar’d, ugly as sin at first glance but rather good fun, IMO.

CX bike and sell the Van N and the O-O hardtail.

Another factor to consider: do you live in a rocky/slate-based area? I’ve recently acquired a CX bike and find I’m getting a lot of flat tyres (and one ripped tyre wall). Drops are fun off-road and spice things up a little.

CX bikes are rubbish. Superbly rubbish, but IME enjoying riding one does entirely depend on embracing their fundamental shitness. If you can do that, then smiles await.

CX bike, i built up an X for the winter and i really enjoyed it.
Didn’t go mad with the spend, BB7 disc’s, xt cassette RM, tiarga compact.
i live in a rural area so i tend to ride to the local trails on the MTB. over winter i just went exploring on the X. 15miles on the road no worries, find a trail- Braidleway whatever and go and explore.
This summer i’ve built up a 29er loving that for it being differant.

I don’t ride my CX at all since getting my 29er (rigid El Mariachi). YMMV

I think you need to think more about which riding you want to do more of, is it more road with a little XC through it ( if so the CX bike is for you ) or are you looking to get more out of the XC trails?

I have a CX bike which was fun enough on trails, but there was always a limit to their strength which made me hold back sometimes on trails. as A-Mc above, since getting a 29er, those same trails have become considerably more fun, and I’ve ventured further on trails and tried routes that I would never have tried on the CX bike.

The 29er has overall been more enjoyable for me.

just to confuse the issue, i use my CX bike almost exclusively, mixing up bits of road and off-road as i see fit, i live on the South Downs though which is all very CX-able, the overall speed and using bits of tarmac that would be boring on the MTB to link off-road bits mean i go exploring and cover more ground on the CX than the MTB

i think all the opinions go to show that the only person who knows the real answer to this question is you 🙂

I had this exact dilemma at the start of this year. After much research, testing and talking to people I went for the 29er and for me it was the best decision.

I have a road bike for road riding and a 29er for off road.

The thing that sealed it for me was the personal preference of having the right tool for the job. For me I’m either riding on the road or I’m MTB riding and I don’t really think mixing the two works for me. That’s personal. I think CX bikes are kind of of a compromise I’m not prepared to make when i dont really have the money. However I know plenty of people who like mixing it up and exploring for which a CX bike is perfect. It’s all down to personal preference.

Now if i could afford it my next bike would be a CX bike, but it would be for winter riding and CX racing.

29er. It’ll be more fun and useful more of the time. And then pick up a CX bike on eBay next year when they stop being the cool niche thing (I am aware that there is a thriving CX scene, but all the ‘cool kids’ have traded their fixes in round here).

I have a CX bike and a Singular Gryphon. I like the CX for its versitility though thinking of checking both in for a Peregrine at the moment.

I’ve got a CX, a 29’er HT and a 29’er FS. Oh yeah and a proper carbon road sled too.

They all do different things differently. If I had to go to 2 bikes, it’d be the CX and the FS. Heavens forbid that I could have only one, but then it would be the HT.

i got a cx because it can double as a road bike, if i had a road bike i may have got a 29r, can still use that for cx race. and maybe sell my 26

hmm

I can only justify one bike to do everything and although the bulk of my riding is on road training, I do an Xc race or two and a couple of enduros so chose a Scott Spark 29er. With the lock out engaged, its bloody fast (18mph average) on road and pretty awesome off it too.

On paper, a CX would suit me perfectly but I just can’t abandon my mountain biking roots.

Go for some On One or Singular 29er that you can acceptably stick drops on (by which I don’t mean that it’ll necessarily be any good, but nichemongers will approve)

I’ve got a Singular Swift and a Singular Kite… If I could only have one it would be the Swift.

Totally different bikes, though.

In the winter, I’ve taken to riding the Kite more because I can ride 15/20 miles to the off-road on it, only ride the trails that aren’t excessively boggy, ride home and have a good time. In the crap weather, that’s better than driving over and splashing around on the mtb for a few hours. But I wouldn’t be without the mtb because that’s the riding that actually brings the fun for me.

Since you already have a bunch of bikes, maybe a CX is the most different from what you have and therefore the best addition?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I’m leaning towards the Swift because I have ridden it and liked it. I could try using it as the Winter road bike as well with suitable tyres and see how I get on.

Thanks again.

I’d get a cross bike, I love mine it makes loops which are nothing on an MYB fun, plus the gearing etc will add a challenge, discs do make a huge difference.

***But a warning***

CX riding ESP in winter is a stupid idea, it’s cold wet and hard going. Inexplicably though you’ll find that you’re addicted 8)

If you get the cx bike I’d consider a tubeless-friendly wheel set. They puncture a fair bit on the rough stuff.

Garry Lager – I use Schwalbe Landcruisers and have not punctured in 1500 miles of CX riding over the past 4 months