Can a road bike be converted to cyclocross?

[John the Monkey]

To add to the chorus of "You can probably do it on a road bike", I've done some interesting stuff on my SCR2, although it can take 25mm tyres and guards. (That said, the Krylion Carbons and GP4000s I've had on it recently are 23s - ime, Michelin tend to ride quite plush).

I've ridden lumpy stuff, and muddy roads on it - I'd not feel too comfortable on deep mud, or loose gravel.

I've ridden this, wet and dry on the SCR2;

A Weekly Report, #30Daysofbiking by John the Monkey, on Flickr
and this;

Some Words on #30DaysOfBiking by John the Monkey, on Flickr

 

[PK99]

There seems to be some sort of urban myth that road bikes are made of fairy wings and tissue paper, they are plenty robust enough for a bit of a punishing road surface. k.

i have Maraton 32's on my Tricross and on CTC midweek wayfarers rides which sometimes head off down woodland tracks or unmade tracks, I am very noticeably faster and more stable than guys on road bikes even with fatter tyres. The tricross comes alive on such tracks the road bikes are twitchy.

 

[potsy]

I have recently fitted 28's to my Caad8, certainly wouldn't take anything wider.
Slightly more comfortable and I suppose would be better in the conditions as described by the op, only trouble is it's my 'nice' bike so doesn't go out in the wet

 

[DCLane]

Yes to your 2nd question; I did the C2C from Workington-Sunerland on my Secteur using the standard road wheels and 25mm Spesh tyres. That's on the MTB route in a cold/wet/icy April. The only bit I had to carry it on was at Whinlatter where I'd not have ridden any bike down.