Cross Bike or 29er?
Discussion
Having a bit of a bike dilemma.
I need a winter commuter bike as my road bike is now too spangly to be riding through the winter months. I'm a little torn between a CAADx 105 cross bike and a 29er of some description (most likely a Cannondale).
It will be the default bike for the winter. I currently have an MTB (Scott Genius MC50) which will be sold to part fund the replacement.
I'm a little uneasy about not having a mountain bike which is why i keep looking at 29ers. But i like road bikes and quite fancy a cross bike as it fulfils my requirements. I've not really been proper MTBing for a while and what i have done i think a cross bike would have been suitable. I also fancy a go at racing a cross bike. Possibly even using the experience to make the jump to crit racing in the spring.
But i also like doing jumps and stuff.
Any suggestions on what to do? Or any good deals out there? Or any cross racing stories?
I need a winter commuter bike as my road bike is now too spangly to be riding through the winter months. I'm a little torn between a CAADx 105 cross bike and a 29er of some description (most likely a Cannondale).
It will be the default bike for the winter. I currently have an MTB (Scott Genius MC50) which will be sold to part fund the replacement.
I'm a little uneasy about not having a mountain bike which is why i keep looking at 29ers. But i like road bikes and quite fancy a cross bike as it fulfils my requirements. I've not really been proper MTBing for a while and what i have done i think a cross bike would have been suitable. I also fancy a go at racing a cross bike. Possibly even using the experience to make the jump to crit racing in the spring.
But i also like doing jumps and stuff.
Any suggestions on what to do? Or any good deals out there? Or any cross racing stories?
There's no problem doing CX on a mountain bike as long as you dont intend to do National events. Loads of folks in Central and Wessex CXL use MTBs and some are rather good.
I'm not a massive fan of my CX bike (planet X XLS). It just isn't all that good on the filthy stuff and its a twitchy little b#gger, I would never take it down a MTB trail. My 29er full suss MTB (Spec Camber Evo) is a bit too grrr to want to take it to CXL. I might take it when the weather is really awful as a spare bike and put it in the pits though. On sunday at Newbury there was a 40cm drop off which all the crossers were rolling off slowly, all I could think about was just sending it flat chat on a MTB!
If I had to do both then I think I'd end up on a Cannondale Trail SL29 (coz I could get it on my C2W scheme too, my mates just orderring one so look forward to giving it a go). In terms of cross, it would be nigh on the same geo and mass and you could fit CX 33mm tyres to it no problem (if you really wanted to) and then on the road I'd fit something like a Schwalbe Hurricane but again, I bet if you put it on Maxxis Crossmark or Racing Ralphs then you could even do both duties without any issue. I commuted 30 miles twice a week on 26" Racing Ralphs for 3 years before I bought a road bike.
Hmm, just finished paying for my C2W bike, maybe time for a bit of N+1...
I'm not a massive fan of my CX bike (planet X XLS). It just isn't all that good on the filthy stuff and its a twitchy little b#gger, I would never take it down a MTB trail. My 29er full suss MTB (Spec Camber Evo) is a bit too grrr to want to take it to CXL. I might take it when the weather is really awful as a spare bike and put it in the pits though. On sunday at Newbury there was a 40cm drop off which all the crossers were rolling off slowly, all I could think about was just sending it flat chat on a MTB!
If I had to do both then I think I'd end up on a Cannondale Trail SL29 (coz I could get it on my C2W scheme too, my mates just orderring one so look forward to giving it a go). In terms of cross, it would be nigh on the same geo and mass and you could fit CX 33mm tyres to it no problem (if you really wanted to) and then on the road I'd fit something like a Schwalbe Hurricane but again, I bet if you put it on Maxxis Crossmark or Racing Ralphs then you could even do both duties without any issue. I commuted 30 miles twice a week on 26" Racing Ralphs for 3 years before I bought a road bike.
Hmm, just finished paying for my C2W bike, maybe time for a bit of N+1...
Haha! Have thought of buying both.
I think the issue comes from me being a mountain biker at heart. That and theres a REALLY good deal on an F29 2 Flash here:
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?show=520...
I think the issue comes from me being a mountain biker at heart. That and theres a REALLY good deal on an F29 2 Flash here:
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?show=520...
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