I joined molgrips on an epic journey from Cardiff to Ebbw Vale today, starting out at 9:30 this morning.

Because more often than not, I prefer to go out on the road bike, I thought a good compromise today would be using my CX (a Rapide RL Disc 2 with 32mm knobbly tyres) instead of my MTB (a Genesis Tarn 10 on 27.5 wheels with 3″ tyres).

So, how did I fare?

Well, there was little I couldn’t ride. Over the course of around 90 kms of mixed terrain, including some VERY rocky farm tracks, I had to dismount a couple of times, walking a total of about 50 metres. Otherwise, the bike was able to handle most things.

I LOVED it on the gentler fire roads, and it was also pretty good on the dirt tracks and grassy meadows. After rough descents, however…

There are simply no words sufficient to describe how raw my hands were under my gloves, and how much my quads and forearms seared. When you’re using your own body to act as a shock absorber on a long, rocky, rutted road, going about 45 km/h, you don’t have much left afterward.

In general, I love the bike, and I would definitely use it again for a long, off-road, or mixed adventure ride. But I would want to know something about the terrain beforehand.

Moral of the story? The CX is great, but on a mountain bike ride, an actual mountain bike is a lot more fun.

Now, where’s the ibuprofen?

I know it’s obvious but bigger tyres would help. I’m loving Nano 40s.

I also find that flared bars put your front suspension (arms) into a better position. I like Woodchippers though I appreciate they are a bit extreme for many.

Edit: I guess it’s really a grrravel/adventure bike after those changes 🙂

Here are some photos of the ride. They add little to the verdict, but they do reveal how gorgeous a day it was!

Erm.. you’ll get used to the CXer..

Honestly…

Or it’ll just hurt moar.

Well he told me it had 38s on it when we discussed if the bike would be ok… 🙂

It was rocky though. When you got the bike SaxonRider I seem to remember you posting up here asking for gravel suitable rides. Problem is that whilst we have loads of tracks most of them are like we saw today.

That bike needs biller tyres of course, but I would also try the Genesis with narrower wiggly bars, and SPDs of course 🙂

I think you might gain on the stony trails what you lose on road. Or as you say get 29er wheels for it. They go for cheap on the classifieds.

molgrips – Member
Well he told me it had 38s on it when we discussed if the bike would be ok…

I rest my case 🙂

Took my CX out for 8 hours down to the South Downs and back today – nearly 2000m of climbing. Loving the 40mm tubeless Schwalbe G-Ones, perfect for dry conditions. Passed a few MTBs on the Southdowns Way – over-biked given the conditions.

On One fleegles still a tenner.

Some beautiful scenery there. The pain is worth it for that alone. As Scotroutes said bigger tyres and dirt drops are your friends 🙂

Think this is where gravel bikes are preferable to CX bikes. Sticking a 700×40 or 650×50 in there would make quite a difference.

Probably a gravel bike would be better for most of my riding, but with a 10kg (Alu with nice bits hung off it) 29er in the stable already i can’t see it happening any time soon.

Another Rapide in the wild. I thought my RC4 was the only one on STW.

gel under the bar tape is a winner as well

Or you could just use a MTB, not be in bits by the end of it and thus enjoy it more. Maybe a couple of mph slower, but I’m sure you weren’t racing. Maybe you’d even make that time up on the rocky bits where you had to teeter along of walk…..

Ask Scotroutes who totally had the wrong equipment on a particular ride in Glentrool Forest…

Rode the lot & never even got a flat. 😆

Maybe I’m unlucky but every time I go for a ride with the CX instead of the MTB I end up with tyre issues, normally gashed side walls

every time I go for a ride with the CX instead of the MTB I end up with tyre issues, normally gashed side walls

No issues at all for me in that regard. I had started out this morning running them at 50 psi, but molgrips suggested I inflate them more, so probably ran them at about 65-ish. And believe me: there were PLENTY of opportunities to puncture!

so probably ran them at about 65-ish.

Ouch! No wonder you found it hard on the descents.

i bought myself a santa cruz stigmata a couple of years back thinking that it would be a faster version of my old xc bike but i just couldn’t get on with it at all. i found it bone jarring. i think my expectations where far too high. glad to be on an mtb again.

Tubeless Nanos and 29er wheels on my Jake relegated my Mtb to trail centre use only. Gower to Cardiff on as few roads as possible is my next adventure.

It’s surprising how much is rideable on a cx/gravel bike (though not necessarily enjoyable at the time!).
Double wrapped bar tape, and tubeless tyres help a lot.