I'm going to have the option to commute to work shortly, maybe only 10 miles each way, possibly 2-3 time a week
I don't really enjoy road riding, much more of an off roader at heart.
Should I buy a CX bike to use on the road with a view to possibly using it mailnly on my commute, maybe a few CX races etc in the winter
Or should I just get a full on road bike for the commute.
I already have two mountain bikes so I'm not short of off road machines.
Basically is a CX bike suitable for commuting a few times a week on the road, would I want to put road tyres on it?
Or should I leave the muddy rides to the MTB's and go full on roadie ?
If there's some off road possibilities on your commute, like canal side then cx. Otherwise a road bike, or maybe a fully rigid mtb. Road riding is nice though, just choose the right roads.
Get the CX.
I mainly ride road, but also mountain bike. I just got a CX in January that I use for my commute every day, but with a view to doing something competitive on it eventually. Anyway, it's BRILLIANT! I love it, and if I had to (God forbid!) ever cut down to one bike, would choose it.
It really is like having your cake AND eating it.
Both
Not really a question anyone can answer for you...
Yes, the CX will be fine doing a 10 mile commute. They can be pretty quick and nimble, and whilst you'd notice the difference when compared side to side, the reality is that total journey time would be similar on road or CX bike over 10 miles. There have been days I've taken my CX bike out on nobbly tyres and beaten PRs on mile long climbs that I set on my road bike.
However, it's still a compromise. And you might just find you want to go full road... Road bike will be quicker. More than anything, you will feel quicker. And it's that satisfaction of whirring along with maximum efficiency.
Hybrid...
coming to the realisation I hate drop bars and want to change mine to flats as just much prefer them and means I can have decent brakes.
lightweight carbon CX bike so you are able to do offroad on it or road as you please
for 10 miles I doubt you would save much time on the road v CX bike
Makes little difference to me on an 18 mile commute - few minutes- but its mainly shared use paths so not that fast I suspect a much bigger difference 10 mins??? were it all tarmac. Road bike is also about 4kg lighter
get a sporty hybrid with a gates belt drive and alfine hub gear.
i had a scott sub 10 til i moved to the country and sold it to a mate.
it absolutely flies, comes with great mudguards too.
stick schwalbe marathons on it and you'll never worry about anything: no dirty trousers, no mech to get messed up, tires are tough as hell but roll great and reflect. thanks to the gates/alfine its also silent.
this is a much more exciting proposition than it may sound,
especially if you're used to flat bars.
I raced road bikes and i loved the thing, for me drops in casual clothes just doesn't work.
if you're getting all lycra'd up for your commute it might change things.
Get the cx if you don't fancy full on road stuff.
I'm in the same boat, off road is my thang too.
If I'm restricted to roads by commuting time or mud constraints, I just pump the tyres up. 🙂
Road bike is also about 4kg lighter
Weight is a factor with CX. Defo have to spend more for the same weight savings. But not really an issue unless you have mega climbs. And even then the differences will be mostly be marginal.
Also with the road tyres on a CX.... Yes entirely possible. But there's geometry too. With additional clearance on fork, and larger headtube, the bars on my CX sit about 4 inches higher than they do on my (audax - not race) road bike. That's with the same amount of spacers, and actually a lower rise on the stem.
I got a cx bike with hydro discs and its so much easier and more comfortable to ride on rough roads. Also has rack mounts and such. Racked up 2000km in a year my fancy carbon road bike has done 30km in that time. The ability to pop down a bridle path the canal or through the woods on a whim to make the comute more fun is worth alot.
Come to think of it, get the CX and just buy and extra set of tyres for your commute.
[url= http://conti-tyres.co.uk/commuting-touring/sport-contact-ii ]Continental SportContact II[/url] should do the job perfectly.
CX for me if you are planning on using it year round. Over the year its just the more versatile option. Full on road bike seems like a great idea in the summer, but not so much fun come a cold winter. You will always be riding when traffic is heaviest and drivers least patient. There's times when it just feels safer to hop onto a cycle path than duke it out with the traffic.
I commute on a CX. Mostly roads and towpaths, but opens up a load of other route options depending on mood, time and weather.
A mate only has a CX bike now. One set of wheels with 40mm CX tyres, another pair of wheels with 30mm road tyres. He can still whip my ass on any surface, certainly doesn't hinder him
CX is way more versatile. Quick enough for most road riding but with the option of doing canal towpath, gravel roads etc if they're available on your commute?
Bit more clearance to shove in mudguards as well.
A cx with slick tyres isn't far away from a roadie if you pick similar models. (e.g. don't compare steel cx with aluminium roadie)
The CX would be more versatile just through changing the tyres. Also easier to fit full mudguards generally as the clearances are better.
I occasionally do road rides on my CX. Unless you are really pushing yourself the differences aren't that great. Makes no odds when riding with the club or friends. I'd notice in a TT or hill climb.
I have a (bottom of the range and heavy) cx bike, wth tyres pumped up to around 45psi I can happily average 30kmh on road without busting a gut, then release a bunch of pressure when it gets fun. On the commute it's the traffic lights and dog walkers on the cycle path hat hold me up, not the bike.
Would love to get a proper road bike as increasingly enjoying tarmac for the no mess convenience but think I might just get a s/h set of wheels and some 28mm tyres. Only thing I find is I do spin out pretty often with cx gearing.
Sounds like a good justification for a gravel bike, sits somewhere in the middle of the two
Not sure if this is any help to you, but, Cycle Republic are doing a 15% trade in against a new cx bike if you take in any old bike for the part ex.
This was the Bristol store, don't know if they're all doing it though.
I got a carbon CX bike a few months ago and love it, hydro discs make a big difference to my ride enjoyment compared to a road bike. It's lighter than my ti road bike which cost 2x as much, and I enjoy the crosser a lot more. Much stiffer. I'd happily get rid of the road bike and ride with road tyres on the crosser
CX all the way, I've got a disc road bike and it's great, but I'd love the oppurtunity to fit fatter tyres if the need arose.
Which it does, often.
Having tried lots of different bike types on my 15-mile round commute, I'd recommend a gravel or CX frame with two sets of wheels - and fitted mudguards.
My commute takes in some cobbled streets and broken tarmac, but is mainly smooth. I find road bikes thrilling for acceleration, but really scary on wet cobbles and drain covers!
I alternate between 41c knobbies on slightly porky Hope 20Five wheels and 28c GP4Seasons on Kinesis Racelight Disc wheels. My frame is currently a Surly Straggler, chosen for the tyre clearance and proper fitting points for 'guards, pannier rack etc.
If you're thinking of doing it 2-3 times a week whatever the weather then something with mudguard mounts, rack mounts and big clearances. Full-on CX race bikes generally only have the last one.
CX bike will be perfect for your needs. Provided you don't accidentally buy a CX bike.
A CX bike won't have any sensible way of attaching mud guards or a rack.
What you want is something looks like a CX bike but actually isn't. Some might call it a gravel bike. That will be spot on for the commute and fine to try CX racing on
Damn pdw got there first
Cross bike plus xtra wheelset. I commuted on a 1x10 cross bike yesterday with a narrow rear block, and raced another cross bike (frame anyway) in an E123 circuit race today.
trek boone or suchlike.
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7713/26899323966_3501af91b3_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7713/26899323966_3501af91b3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GZ14RG ]Comfort zone broken[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/parkesiemtb/ ]chris[/url], on Flickr
Cx bike for comuting 🙂
I don't really enjoy road riding, much more of an off roader at heart.
Then buy a CX/gravel type bike.
Doesn't really read like you want or need a road bike TBH...
Just remember it's primary job is the commute, so set it up accordingly i.e. guards, maybe a pannier rack, plenty of lighting and some on/off-road semi-slick/bastard file type tyres, rather than full on knobbly mud-pluggers or 25C slicks.
Disc braked "CX" bikes are a popular year-round commuter choice for a reason...
If you can only have the one bike, and the road surfaces near you are 'questionable' then definitely go for a CX. Get some really decent 32mm road tyres on it, and it'll hardly be any slower than a road bike. I'm saying this from experience as having done long training rides on both type of bike and looking at the stats afterwards. And at least on the CX bike I don't have to worry about potholes so much, I have hydraulic disk brakes and I can put proper CX tyres on to go off-road or do a CX race.
I would now only consider buying a road bike if I was going to road race again, which is unlikely.
Get a gravel bike, full race CX is probably OTT unless you actually want to race
Unless you are riding on canal towpath then roadc tyres are a good choice. Definitely mudguards, if there are no mounts then get something else