Thinking of trying a cyclocross bike, what sort of off road can they handle, before it becomes ridiculous, I was thinking for the Cheviots my local spot, lots of grassy trails. with a little singletrack.

I too find myself contemplating a CX bike for a bit of general hacking about on bits of offroad that aren’t worth taking a mountain bike on, as well as occasionally joining the road lot for a spin. I really need to keep my ‘not bought a new bike for a while’ urges in check…

Pen Y Gent.

I bought one last year and it is great fun. I have also entered a couple of cx events on it, they are worth giving a bash. Normally on a short circuit and they last for one hour. Lots of overtaking and lots of fun.

There is a summer series local to me that I will be riding. I have road, mtb and cx bike and the cx is probably my favourite.

They’re great. Get one. You won’t regret it…

They’ll handle most trails – it’s really big drops or hitting rocks hard that’ll cause problems (usually pinch flats)

With the state of North Somerset’s roads, road cycling.

Absolutely nothing,
huh say it again!

Great for rolling singletrack, gravelly bridleways, sustrans routes, moorland trails and generally stuff thats not too rocky.

Rocky technical stuff has be taken slowly, and fast rocky stuff soon gets tiring.

Its the bike I do the most mileage on – makes boring trails more interesting, and road sections bearable.

what sort of off road can they handle

On a hill far away..
I know what you’re thinking. “Did he jump six water bars or only five?” Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as that was a CX bike, the most powerful handgun tourer in the world, and could send you clean off the trail, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk

🙂

A CX bike will be great fun in the Cheviots. The limiting factor is usually the rider. Don’t expect it to be as forgiving as a mountain bike though, you’ve definitely got to have your wits about you and pay attention when riding a CX. Give me a shout if you get one. Also local ish to the Cheviots. .

One of the memories of riding my CX bike that always makes me smile is when I was riding with a few mates, most of whom were on mtbs. One guy was interested in getting a CX bike and was asking how different it was to an mtb.

I was telling him that ‘they’re amazingly capable but there’s a lot less margin for error’ and chose that moment to demonstrate my point by hitting a rock and going straight OTB…

As already said – nothing silly steep and dont expect to be able to hammer the rocky trails as easy as a mtb .. not unless you want to pringle the wheel asap.

That said. They are fantastic.
Since getting mine last year – its the prefered choice before the mtb.

jekkyl

That was exactly what I thought when I saw the thread title 😀

Absolutely nothing,
huh say it again!

damnit toooo slooowww

there is a refreshing liberation about feeling ‘under-biked’ and still getting on fine almost everywhere.

and then ending up in a hedge…

they’re amazingly capable but there’s a lot lessabsolutely **** all margin for error

good for getting places quickly on not very technical trails. I’ve seen a CXer (might have been crazy-legs) riding rocky rubbly peaks stuff on a pootle and managed fine, but on my daily commute, flat muddy gravelly paths, my CX has nearly killed me several times.

and caused umpteen punctures

If you’re buying a new CX bike I would definitely recommend disc brakes and running tubeless. These features plus a 32t cassette have made my CX bike far more capable off road.

if you like exploring new places they’re great, if the terrains too much for a bike ‘whip it on your shoulder’ and go have a wander!

dip your toe into racing at a local cx race

go mad and enter the 3 peaks

commuting mixing both road and trails up.

most versatile bike I have and if I had to only have one bike it would be the cx’er!

benman – Member
If you’re buying a new CX bike I would definitely recommend disc brakes and running tubeless. These features plus a 32t cassette have made my CX bike far more capable off road.

I’d agree with that having done it all except for having a 28t (with 34T small front ring) which seems to do me fine.

My usual comment but I have a Colnago World Cup CX (with a slight difference), totally new and unridden for sale. Cable disc brakes rather than rim

if for trail use get v-brakes or discs (canti’s suck anywhere other than in a race)

gearing 34/46 11-28 or 11-34 (medium mech)

I’ve ridden Iron keld, Kentmere and Garburn pass on mine, interesting and fun to ride but wheels can suffer a bit on that kind of trail

get some tough mavic openpro’s with some landcruser tires pumped right up

heres about how far you can take one [video]http://vimeo.com/15351300[/video]

makes boring trails more interesting, and road sections bearable

+1
Bumps and roots that would never normally be considered on the mtb
require concentration.
I have a 28 tooth cassette on mine and when it gets steep for extended periods ,I struggle.

i have two mountain bikes but have found that my CX is my pride and joy.
Can be a road bike for sportives aswell as an “old school” MTB that can do bridleways etc.
Superb for my commuting on the derwent walk.

i also remember nodrog2 on his planet X Cx going around chopwell woods in the dark just as quick as everyone else on mountain bikes.

is great for seeing the face of guys on 5″ FS bikes & armor when your on the same trails! you’ll feel dead hard 8)

Thanks guys a great insight in to the wiered and wonderful ways of the cyclocross rider, definatley going to give it a bash, a sort of halfway house between fully be coming a roadie and a mtbing, I think it will be idealy suited to the Cheviots.

Sefton the three peaks is really tempting in a perverse kind of a way, got to get me some of that, I think I would really enjoy all that S&M :lol:, looks great.

My Surly Karate Monkey is about to get the CX treatment. Already got an Alfine just adding drop bars, special shifters/brake levers, longer stem, skinnier tyres with less grip. Can’t wait to get home this weekend as all the bits are there, just I’m not. Not sure how much uglier it can get after that treatment though.

Its not going to be a racing CX bike though, certainly not with me on it anyway.

I’ve said this before, cyclocross bikes are for those times when rigid mountain bikes just aren’t rubbish enough. Some people mistake this for criticism 😉

Yeah but factor in my local..t’Cheviots.. hilly tarmac, country roads, land rover tracks and smooth grassy trails, wth a good dollop of sticky bog. I feel overbiked on a hard tail, what to do become a roadie?

GaryLake – Member
With the state of North Somerset’s roads, road cycling[\i]
That’s what I thought until I moved to the fens. The North Somerset roads are billiard tables in comparison.
Back to the op CX bikes are good for everything just not best at any one thing.

cheers drive nailed it – great all rounder but only a best for cx racing.