What do you reckon, if any would be the dis-advantage performance wise of a good carbon hardtail 29er (with locked out front sus forks)with 1.5 tyres against a good carbon cross bike?

Toying with buying a carbon 29er and racing it in the forth coming cross season as I dont want to buy a cross bike but can use the 29er in not so technical MTB races as well.

Depends what level really.Near the back,not much.Near the front,quite a lot.

Good question, top ten regional.

Depends what level really.Near the back,not much.Near the front,quite a lot.

Good answer.

God knows then….I can’t see that far forward from the cheap seats.
Single biggest advantage in cx is having 2 bikes (and someone to wash them) and tubs.

I will say I’ve utilized the drops in a few races. Headwinds, long straights chases etc.

Not much I’d say.

Not like you can’t tuck on flats.

not much for this guy

Geometry? 29er a bit stronger and heavier than a CX bike? Higher COG on a 29er due to room for suspension travel?

Dan Whitehead has won at cyclocross on a 29er hasn’t he?

but can use the 29er in not so technical MTB races as well.

What about the technical ones?

If you’ve got the legs then you’ll still be up there, but you’ll be making it harder for yourself. A cross bike is lighter, faster, and easier to carry.
And as said above, it’s having two bikes that makes quite a difference when its muddy. Even regional races have quality in depth now so handicapping yourself in any way won’t help.

I’ve been in races where the winner has rinsed us on an MTB but he’d have been even further ahead on a cross bike….

Most of the top 10 in the nw league are either cat1 road,elite mtb or national trophy cx’ers! (including the current champion!!). I’d rather get a top 10 in cx than podium in a cat 2 road race!!

yea.. in bristol we regularly get simon richardson (in the tour of britain) and oli beckingsale turn up to races

I know they are, I’ve won NW races before 😆
I certainly wouldn’t have managed it on an MTB!

A guy from our club raced cx last year on a mtb at Hemel and I finished a good few places ahead of him.

He then got a cx bike for the next race and whooped by butt.

Make of that what you will.