Hi as above really

I have really got onto road riding this year and coincidentally my commuter is about to die and work have just launched ride to work

My choice is something like the Ribble winter bike versus a modest CX bike from the usual suspects

I will run full guards and it will be used to commute and also for regular winter rides to keep my Focus looking lovely

The Ribble will I imagine be quicker but the CX opens up more options for hooning around
My questions really are has anyone ridden both and will a CX be much of a handicap over a road bike when out with the lads or occasional club ride?

Cheers

I used to do a 25 mile commute on either a CX with slicks or a road bike – the CX was about 10 mins slower over the distance but it did give me the option of canal towpath routes etc.

Personally I'd go for a CX and either 2 sets of wheels or just be prepared to do a fair bit of tyre swapping! Great bikes, SO versatile. I did the Fred Whitton Challenge on mine (with slicks) and it was fine, kept up in the bunch but the lower gearing allowed me to ride Hardknott and Wrynose Pass. 🙂
It's survived the Three Peaks CX as well.

Forces you to relearn technique as well – sliding round in the winter mud on 1.2" tyres at 90psi is a great laugh.

for winter roadying with the chain gang or road club the gears on a crosser wont hold you back but if you intend to do some late spring/summer sessions with them as the race season comes in you will feel restricted on a crosser.

My crosser with crosstown tires , full guards and a rack – the guards are well away from tire at the rear to allow full adjustment of the wheel in the drop outs ….

My opinion. I've been there with crossers and yes it does open up new avenues i.e mixed on/off road. The problem lies here, they are a bit 'billy no mates' in as much as they are fine if you are alone or with someone else on a crosser. If you are with roadies or MTBers then you'll notice the downside of a cross bike (unless of course it's crosser friendly)
I'd sugest a winterised road bike bung on some quality tyres and mudguards wear the right clothing and winter road riding can be a very plesant experience. If you want to go off road use a mountainbike.
All that said I'd love another cross bike, but I have a nice road bike and hack bike as well as a couple of MTBs.

i just used the main road bike in al weathers, if you already wet whats the downer on having a moderately more wet bum?

Thought about keeping it looking good, but its not like a bit of salt spray is doing any major harm and even at half price a new bike is a lot more than a new set of rims or winter wheelset.

depends on your road bike thisisnotaspoon … i have customers who ride there good bikes all year – a record groupset replacement and a delaminated carbon frame isnt really all the economical against a 500 quid bike is it ?

also if you do any sort of decent winter milage you would appreciate full length guards.

to be honest commuting in wet weather demands mudguards, putting on wet cycling kit at the end of the day isn't much fun. Most of the water seems to come up off the road not from the rain itself.

i used to have a cx i used to use in winter but as an out and out cx race bike it was too limiting no guards no bottle mounts . I now run a surly cross check for the winter. Very versatile runs full guards rear rack bottles. Handles big or small tyres good on and off road and its fitted with compact chainset so decent gears for both on and off road fun. Great bike 🙂

The only thing that bugs me is the brakes on roadbike especially in the wet winter etc.

You've got your roadbike, now get a CX with discs or decent V's and with some carry bosses and you can ride all year safely.

(Personally I ride all year through but for shopping and commutes under ten miles one way I've rebuilt my old HT with Discs and skinny 1.3s with lots of luggage options.)

just buy real road brakes then and bin the tektro pieces of shit most road bikes come with … Sora and above dual pivot brakes are outstanding what ever the weather – i certainly feel the need for better tires so i dont slide about under braking than i do the need for more powerful brakes.

If this is not the case then i suggest looking into how you set the brakes up

i had a CX with discs, and i don't really reccomend it. They weigh a ton, and making the fork strong enough to take discs means its incredibly uncomfortable with 25mm slicks on.

CX bikes also seem much less well equipped for the same money especially compared to a winter ribble bike.

I've just got a Kaffenback (its my only roadie bike) and it gets the thumbs up from me. £700 with lots of Ultegra and a bit of 105, steel frame and all the braze-ons. Whats not to like?

I cant believe you used the 'W' word already dude, its already scaring me depressed, just as I was enjoying my summer evening blasts out.

heres the surly in road mode (tho i still have chunky tyres on)