What level of 'off'road' can a cross bike realistically deal with? assuming a moderate 35c tyre?

Looking to add a ss CX bike to the stable but wondering if a 29er would be best.

I bought a cross bike a while back and was at first disappointed that it wasn't a road-esque bike which rode like a mountain bike. Once you get the hang of the fact that it's a cross bike and not a mountain bike and therefore does slightly different things and behaves in a different way, it's fine!

These days…I love my cross bike.

the only limitation is the rider – ive taken my cross bike places some mtbers wont like – i find riding my cross bike when the missus is on her mtb puts us on a level field when it comes to tech ability !

3 peaks

I think this was posted on here a while back http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o1GIXuIaTI

roadie_in_denial – Member
Once you get the hang of the fact that it's a cross bike and not a mountain bike and therefore does slightly different things and behaves in a different way, it's fine!

Exactly – they ride in a different way to a MTB. You need to ride to preserve the (narrow) tyres and make sure that you don't kill the wheels on large drops or jumps for instance, and also be aware that your position on the bike is different from on a MTB. I can ride pretty much anything on my cross bike that I can on my MTB, just with a little more care and at a completely different speed. Steep drops are approached with much more trepidation than on my mtb.

The only comparison with a 29er is the size of the wheel – a 29er will ride more like a MTB than a cross bike will (0bviously really).

If you were to buy a cross bike and try to make it ride like a MTB then you'd sort of be missing the point.

You can do loads on it, only real limitation is when it gets properly rocky IME. Even then you can pick your way down, but it's not much fun. I go round Glentress on mine once in a while, usually up the black and down the red.

The main limitation for me is more the rigid frame rather than the cross geometry – I'm not used to riding rigid bikes. If you're happy on rigid MTBs then you can take the crosser anywhere within reason. There's no getting round the fact that good descents are usually much more fun on the MTB, though.

A ss cx bike makes no sense if you're thinking about taking it on serious trails IMHO. They do look nice, and are ok on more rolling hill type stuff – but the bigger gear sucks bad on even moderate off-road climbs that ss mtbs can handle.

ETA – you'd think you'd pick up loads of punctures on the rocks with the narrow tyres, but I've found it OK. Might just be on a lucky streak.

What's a "steep drop"?

It's mainly going to be used for flat but off-road commutes but I didn't want to invest in a bike that had serious limitations should I decide to do something different.

I ride like a girl anyway so will probably be ok.

A 'steep drop'?? Those Cinelli Ram bars are seriously overpriced!

I ride like a girl anyway so will probably be ok.

You might find you ride like a little girl on a cross bike… 😉

I've seen people ride their CX's down steps, jump out of bombholes and, in one instance, do a steep chute that a lot of people, me included, wouldn't do on MTB's.

It's mostly down to the rider but as a general rule they'll do any normal XC. Sometimes a bit faster, sometimes a bit slower. I ride my CX in the Peaks and Lakes quite regularly. Had a few interesting comments when I rode it round Grizedale North Face Trail in the snow and ice, mostly from people who couldn't believe that the boardwalks were ride-able on it.

I'm amused that 35c is seen as being a moderate cross tyre – I've just got some 34s that seem huge…
I ride pretty much everything on the surrey hills that I do on my mtb, just at a different speed.

Used a road bike off-road on 18/20C tyres before mountain bikes Basically the secret is ground reading and always use the largest cog at the rear with the middle or standard chainring at the front usually at walking speed The Maxxis Cultivator from cyclelife.com would be a good tyre choice along with the Raleigh puncture Resitant tubes or try the Halo Courier [29C] from billys.co.uk A coil sprung saddle helps to save the rear wheel from damage too though that might be considered dorky so if you have the room try a suspension seat post, the rear will get battered with the hard frame 😡

Ok, I'm convinced about the potential ability of the bike. Can anybody tell me what the actual max tyre size is on a 135 spaced pompino? on-one website says 32c but is this really the case?

Like MTB tyres, you'll find that some 32s are larger than others. I haven't got a pomp, but would be asking about specific tyres rather than a nominal size if that makes sense.

I have an older Pompino (2nd generation blue?), that takes Maxxis Locust 35s no probs (which is a good tyre for rocky stuff and pumps up hard). You can ride around places like the Marin, Llandegla, etc., if you've been there? 3 Peaks is a fairly harsh course and doesn't see that many broken bikes 🙂

vinnyeh – Member
I think this was posted on here a while back http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o1GIXuIaTI

God, what a legend 😉

As other people have said the only limitation is the rider. Yeh so a MTB maybe easier but I can ride 99% of the stuff I do on my MTB, on my CX SS bike.

Took it around CYB (the beast) was some of the best fun i've had in a while.

I admit I walked the two 10m STEEP sections of this as I was in shirt, slacks and slip on loafers (on SPD pedals) at the time.

Dyfi Enduro World Cup Descent scouting outing the day before the event:

Usual sort of stuff I ride, in this case the route to Hyddgen from Plynlumon

They're awesome, to the point that my ST4 hasn't seen any action since the Dyfi Enduro some 3 months ago. The crosser gets all the rides with slicks on for Crits, TTs, Chaingangs and Sunday club rides, and knobles for mixed/off road routes.

A ss cx bike makes no sense if you're thinking about taking it on serious trails IMHO. They do look nice, and are ok on more rolling hill type stuff – but the bigger gear sucks bad on even moderate off-road climbs that ss mtbs can handle.

ratios are not fixed. 🙂

I don't own a CX bike but have dragged my touring bike (with mudguards and a saddlebag) across the Ochils and through Glens Borland, Almond, Ample, Artney, Finglas, Little Glen Shee; and also across the Coulin Pass, to Craig Hostel and then Redpoint.

You can always get off and push

ratios are not fixed.

True mate – You can select different gears for different terrain. It can be quite time consuming to change chain lengths and cogs prior to going out on your ride – If only we had a mechanism whereby this gear selection process could be simplified such that a flick of a switch gave you a different ratio? Maybe even whilst the bicycle is actually moving? 🙂

They're great, limits are more the amount of punishment you can take rather than ability. I'd happily do Afan on one…

This is what I aspire to on a CX bike:

Smoooooth!

That is simply awesome!

I'm going out on the CX bike this afternoon!

My old CX frame snapped at the down-tube whilst riding along the banks of the River Mersey.

What was strange was that 3 days earlier I had been to Rivington and ridden the San Marino/Belmont descent and the Ice Cream Run with a certain amount of joi de vivre and it had been fine….

It is mostly down to the rider, but the life of the frame will be reduced substantially with rough use.

700cmx is the way to go

As other people have said the only limitation is the rider. Yeh so a MTB maybe easier but I can ride 99% of the stuff I do on my MTB, on my CX SS bike.

Yeah but that 1% you can't ride is the best bit! 🙂

The limitation is the rider? Wtf does that mean? It's easier to ride hard stuff on an mtb – fact. Anything else is waffle 🙂

As in, if your crap on a bike you wont really be able to ride much on a CX bike due to it being harder. Also, I dare say that the rider would give up before the bike.

I do totally agree that it is easier to ride hard stuff on a MTB, but still do-able on a CX bike.

I had great fun riding down there.

but then i was known to ride

as my XC bike as recently as 2004 when i raced still downhill

"It's easier to ride hard stuff on an mtb – fact"

or your perception of hard …..

i am of the opinion if i can get my XC bike down it i can get my cross bike down it – slower on some parts yes , but it can still be fun ….

if i want to go baws oot i take a hardhitting bike and hit it faster and harder — same shit though

I challenge anyone to follow me on a CX bike when I am on my XC bike.

Seriously 🙂

where you live ?

TR is that Loch Muick?

EDIT and what Molgrips said, I don't see the point of a cx for my rides.

yes it is loch muick

depends what your out to do al – no different to a rigid XC bike really

……..ok, ok, i'm convinced! over to the classifieds!

BUT – a 29er is also great – i have a GF rig also – it is like a dh bike because it floats over shit ! ask "whosthedaddy"

no different to a rigid XC bike really

Erm 35mm vs 2.3" I THINK NOT!

I regulary go out on our local Club rides on my CX, certainly ride all of the ups and all of the flat much faster than the other guys, the downs however are a different ball game, mainly due to lack of braking power that the CX has over the MTB's.
That said, I will still use my CX at most XC events (that allow) much quicker over the distance!!

A neutral location if you like, a trail centre, or somewhere you live if you like 🙂

your a great troll to have around al really.