[Closed] Pure cross bike doesn't work as a winter roadie!

Correct

Don't agree with that statement at all. Certainly not for the Kinesis which is not that aggressive in its angles.

I use my crossbike as a winter trainer and have logged plenty of miles on it without changing the set up.

The only annoying element is that is doesn't have bottle cage or mudguard mounts.

It stands to reason that to race a bike efficiently you need to fit it, therefore why would you want to change position just because you're not racing?

you can buy bottle mounts that wrap around the tubes, and you can always get mudguard if the tyre clearance is available - hey presto , winter trainer.

Pretty much. I have a Van Nicholas Amazon with discs and mudguards as a tourer and "winter road bike". I occasionally fit cx tyres and take it for a blast off road. That doesn't make it a cyclocross bike though and I've still a hankering for something more specific.

My 5 mile ride to the shops has about 3 terrain changes on the way so I just chain a few bikes to lampposts at various point so my bike/tyres matches the terrain perfectly,if it didn't I think I would just break down and sit down and cry by the side of the road.

I use my cross bike (Ridley X-Fire) as a winter road bike. It is great. I fit some 32mm smooth tyres (Panaracer Paesla for me) and this makes it a very comfortable and quick winter bike.

I would recommend anyone looking at buying a bike specifically for winter riding goes for a CX style bike. Most have room and fittings for mudguards (if needed), bottle cage mounts, and can be easily adapted for on or off road use.

you can buy bottle mounts that wrap around the tubes, and you can always get mudguard if the tyre clearance is available

Yes you can, and they work OK, although they are often shorter then fitted guards and as such leave you open to friendly abuse on the club run 🙂

Bottles can be stuffed in back pockets.

agree with some of the sentiments above, rode my race CX as a road bike for a winter with no problems, the higher bottom-bracket made it feel a bit tippy in some corners, but that's about it

if both people are never comfortable on it that's down to it being a poor fit for both of them rather than it being the wrong style bike, a bike needs to fit you whether you're riding it for an hour round a field or five round the roads

There's some truth there. However, fitting full wrap guards to my pro6 last winter was a doddle. I do prefer a nice light steel winter hack.

I have been using CX race frames as winter commuters/tourers for a few years.Never found it a problem with higher mileages once they are set up.
The mudguard thing just takes a bit more imagination and fettling.All my frames had a bottle mount,not having one would be a bit of a pita .

Did the same with my CX race bike last year but didn't bother with guards. Bottle in jersey pocket and an ass saver wedged in the seat.

There are Cross Bikes and then there are Cross Breed Bikes.

There's the difference...

My Giant Adv will hack all day, every day on road or trial or race course.

Depends on what you want from it/out of it.

Your friend did the right thing and got shot and bought something more comfy and suitable for him.

Disagree with the opening statement Ive ridden my focus cross bikes through summer and winter as a commuter and raced summer series and winter series races most weekends too

Id suggest its more of a poor fit ofthe bike tbh..

So a bike, custom fit to the user, fitted better?

That's crazy talk.

It's not really on, blaming the bike...........

[img] [/img]

Around the world tour bike

I disagree with the idea that a CX can't be a good winter road bike. I've used a CX bike as my winter road bike for about 6 years now and while I love riding my 'proper' road bike in summer, I find the CX bike works really well. I just fit raceblades and have found that they work 90% as well as full ones.

I've ridden sportives and many long road rides on them with no issues.

It sounds more to me like the bike in the OP's post just doesn't fit the people riding it. Or they're not used to road riding.

[img] [/img]

Let's make some assumptions about a 'pure bred crosser'

* High BB
* Straight top tube for shouldering clearance
* Very stiff
* No bottle or guard bosses
* Aggressive geometry
* Top tube cabe routing

Now, only one of those things is ideal for winter bikes IMHO, and that is TT cable routing to keep cables out of muck and grime. But this it somewhat negated nowadays by hydraulic discs and sealed cables.

High BB and straight TT combine to give less standover.

Now, the whole package of sizing and geo also depends on the rider. Someone with short legs and log torso will probably find a long and low bike reasonably relaxed, whereas a long-legged bugger like me who can get a flat back on a chopper would probably find 5 hours in the rain in a criterium position on a super-stiff bike quite draining.

The other annoying thing is if guards are difficult to fit, and require zip ties and adapters, then taking them on and off if you're racing on Sunday is a PITA.

So yes, a pure cross bike probably isn't the ideal winter road bike. But for some people it may be OK.

Kinesis Pro6 is not a 'pure' crosser...

Don't agree with that statement at all. Certainly not for the Kinesis which is not that aggressive in its angles.

+1

I had a Kinesis Crosslight 4T some years ago as a winter bike, I did 80+ mile rides on it regularly, and it was perfectly comfy. Two sets of bottle bosses too.

Interesting stuff. Both riders are comparatively unfit and overweight so they both need comfort bikes.

I have a cx bike and whilst it could be used on the road I wouldn't want to.

CX and Road bikes have different geometry for a reason.

did they both want a bike that could tackle shitty roads and fit mudguards and travel long distances like a touring bike but bought a 'cross bike instead because they're trendier and look racey, but found it a bit harsh and a handful and realised that they needed a comfy touring bike after all, which they finally bought and found to be perfect for the job in hand?

My cross bike which is a full carbon frame and forks is perfectly comfortable on 100+ mile rides, and racing off road and general riding on and off road. I've taken it to the Alps for a weeks riding, to Spain for a weeks riding, ridden Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and club runs on it. I've maybe commuted on it twice, but then its a cross bike, not a commuter - I've got other bikes for that which are much better suited.

Let's make some assumptions about a 'pure bred crosser'

* High BB

That's changing, a lot of more modern race cross bikes go for a lower bb for better handling.
It does make me chuckle when people say they want a cross bike when what they really want is a commuter/tourer/hybrid. But none of those is as sexy as a proper cyclocross bike.

mikey3 - Member
My 5 mile ride to the shops has about 3 terrain changes on the way so I just chain a few bikes to lampposts at various point so my bike/tyres matches the terrain perfectly,if it didn't I think I would just break down and sit down and cry by the side of the road.

Tradespeople do deliver. Check out tri' forums for out of work city exec's - excellent bike valets, can deliver a bike and run back and do your tax return and ironing.

Kinesis pro6 and find does beat me up a bit on longer road rides and corrugated gravel roads but love the versatility - see a nice bit of singletrack and it handles its, see a gravel track and yes please
takes full mudguards and bottle cages so not a race cx bike but the geometry is that way inclined - if your mate doesn't like it needs to try something else - some bikes work some don't - custom fitting probably helps - buying a bike off a mate rarely helps

Do we have any info on the size of the Pro6 with stem etc relative to Van Nich that was custom fitted? Curious, 'tis all.

CX and Road bikes have different geometry for a reason.

...or it could be so [i]they[/i] can sell you 2 bikes.

*pops on tinfoil hat at a [s]racey[/s] conspiratorial angle*

If he specifically wanted Mudguards and bottle mounts, he was sold tbe wrong cross bike. If its uncomfortable to ride, it should have been set up properly for him by the bike shop. My Arkrose was an excellent winter bike, did a 100 mile audax on it with no problems.

Problem lies somewhere between a punter with more money than knowledge, and a bike shop with more sales skills than service skills?

Crosslight pro6?
Like the one I have setup with full guards (sks p50s, doddle to do) which has comfortably done 100mile xc route and not quite so comfortably done mary townley loop.

TBH I'm not sure the bike is the issue - possibly a bike fit issue. Frame may not be the most forgiving xc but probably on par with other ali frames, but forks feel comfy.

Admittedly I haven't tried it with 23c tires on road rides but I'm doubtful it'll be any more uncomfy than 35c offroad - unless your mate was riding pave.

I've got an old skool Kinesis CL5t with canti's; full muds not a problem and two - yes two bottle cage mounts. Have ridden it more than any other bike, on and off road, since I got it 4 years ago - up to 60 miles in a day sometimes. I am still alive.

did they both want a bike that could tackle shitty roads and fit mudguards and travel long distances like a touring bike but bought a 'cross bike instead because they're trendier and look racey, but found it a bit harsh and a handful and realised that they needed a comfy touring bike after all, which they finally bought and found to be perfect for the job in hand?

it's disc brakes at the nub of it IMO...

A CX bike just doesn't make as good a winter Road mile muncher as a disc (or for that matter rim) braked Road, tourer or "Sportive" geo type bike would, hence we're seeing more of those hit the market now at C2W voucher friendly price points...

There's been a bit of an industry lag here really, partly manufacturers waiting for SRAM/Shimano to get their kit lined up and partly expectations over the UCI's next move on discs for road competition, either way nobody wanted to take too much of a leap of faith early on, now the bigger boys Giant/Trek/Spesh are all over the idea of Road bikes with disc brakes, I'd expect to see "CX commuters" thinning out..

I know a Fair few have bought Disc CX bikes over the last couple of years to use more as commuters and winter Road bikes, with guards, these bikes haven't been raced, most seldom see anything but tarmac TBH.

So I'm looking forward to maybe picking up a cheap cross bike next summer as reality sets in and Disc braked Road bike sales ramp up...

I'm disappointed that nobody has complained that it can't be a proper winter bike unless it has 531 tubing, down-tube shifters, 5 speed freewheel and ESGE mudguards 🙁

My Kinesis 5t was the best bike I've ever sold! It was that good I've just bought another. It did everything from a very hilly 100mile sportive, triathlons and commuting. It even did the 3 peaks and some road races in between.

Sounds like the bike didn't fit your friend or his mate very well.

My road bike is a cross bike.

Admittedly I don't know how 'full on' it is (Paul Milnes Team SL with a Kinesis disc fork), but I've been up Ventoux on it, done the Bealach, it takes mudguards, has bottle bolts. It's done me proud, no complaints.

cookeaa that's a better post than some "haha band wagon jumpers inadvisedly bought CX bikes" I've seen on other threads. I commute offroad on my cx, but it's mainly tame dirt/gravel with varying chunks of tarmac depending on season/mud. Plus occasional forays onto proper xc stuff - no racing yet but I wouldn't mind giving it a go.
Now that road and tourers are looking like fully embracing discs then I figure, as you say, there'll be less people slicking up CX bikes in order to get a disc braked drop barred commuter.

My question tho, would the new disc tourer frames offer anything to someone like me?

I'm not in a rush to change, quite happy with what I have for now (tho full carbon would be nice 🙂 ), just wondering.

<edit>FWIW I ended up on a cx coz my old road commuter was a pompino which was great but when I switched to an offroad commute the mud was causing me to get through brake pads in very short order - then with impeccable timing the genesis day one disc came out, seemingly a pompino with discs (even the same colour!). That was a nice bike, but when it was written off they were in short supply but my LBS has a pro6 frame which looked lovely, lighter, pimpier, it's a slightly stiffer frame but it seems ok to me.

I dont have a road bike, only a Boardman CX 2013.

I have ridden quite a few 50+ on road mile rides, and a couple of 100+ rides. I never once felt uncomfortable.

Serious question, if it didnt feel wrong on road, have I been duped and have actually not bought a proper CX bike? Ok there is a bit of tongue in cheek there, but still a serious question.

When I asked last summer if riding a CX bike on the road would be ok 99% of folk said I wouldnt really notice any difference.

As a winter bike I can see fitting mudguards may be an issue.

Many audaxers use cross bikes for 1000+km rides...

It's a bit princess and the pea. My road bike is one of a long line of them and definitely my favourite so far but it's really a very slight difference in handling compared to my CX bike with road tyres on, at least in terms of real world difference. The road bike feels a touch more racy but IMO it's more in feel than really being faster.

This rather reminds me of the bikeradar review of the Boardman carbon road bike where they said the handling was too slow for road racing. Boardman responded that it was silly as it was the same frame the Nicole Cooke had ridden to Olympic gold. My point being that people think you need a really fast handling bike to ride the road whereas for most it really isn't the case.

EDIT - found it

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-boardman-team-carbon-12-45675/

Lows: Handling is all about stability over sharpness, so it’s not ideal for bunch racing or crit style events

They've deleted the comments though 🙂

EDIT EDIT Found them!

chrisbl4
Posted Tue 6 Dec, 10:17 am GMT Flag as inappropriate
I don't normally comment but this was just a bit silly:

Someone should let Nicole Cooke and Rob Hayles know about the handling 'not being ideal for bunch racing' This frame design AND GEOMETRY won National, World and Olympic Gold.....so I'd say it's not too shabby.

Pro riders quite like comfort and 'stability' so they can cape up on descents, take a feed bag with confidence and ride smoothly over cobbles. We didn't just pull the geometry out of thin air......

Chris Boardman

I'm selling my Boardman team and sticking with my non-disc Crosslight. The boardmans a great bike but I don't ride fast enough to notice the difference, I’m now faster up the Cat and Fiddle on my Crosslight after losing some weight and getting fitter than I was on the Boardman (i’m sure I’d be faster still on the Boardman). The crosslight is much more flexible I’m going to keep it for a few years until the Road discs bikes have become established.

Didn't that Kinesis get a review from Birkradar that talked about harshness and twitchiness?

adsh - Member
Didn't that Kinesis get a review from Birkradar that talked about harshness and twitchiness?

depends which paragraph you read 😉

"Its low, aggressive position and fast handling certainly kept us on our toes"

"the Pro 6’s newly relaxed head angle and tapered carbon steerer tube were immensely stable"

"it felt faster-handling and twitchier than expected"

I have one and it's fine for me. However , after years of only riding Mtbs it took a quite a few months to get used to & to set it up for my comfort,i.e.- small changes in stem height ,length , bar type & width.
seat position...etc .For what I do it's perfect.
I now want a road only winter bike though...ha