What is it like to ride a CX bike off road compared to a full sus MTB off road? My MTB is slow and heavy compared to my road bike and is obviously not as suited to long distances as I tire quicker. I am also getting sick of cars and other nutters I often come across on the road and I wonder what these "off road - road bikes" are like? How much of a bump can they take? I wouldnt fancy the idea of riding up/down curbs on my road bike but think nothing of it on the MTB. I imagine they are nearly as light as road bikes of similar budget.
CX bike VS MTB
- Thread starter User16625
- Start date
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dan_bo
How much does it cost to Oldham?
It's a skinny rigid 29er with too much stem!
DRHysted
Guru
- Location
- New Forest
Gravel fine, deep sand get off and walk or (as I did the other morning) expect to keep laying on your side as the front tyre just kept tucking under, which I suspect is due to the weight distribution.
I find my Cross bike good on & off the road, here's a Strava route from the other day a mixture of road & single track & canal towpath, I wouldn't have got them crowns with the MTB.
http://app.strava.com/activities/74104719
http://app.strava.com/activities/74104719
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Anything other than a straightish light gravel trails and the mountain bike will be quicker.
Looking at all my strava segments where I've done off road sections both on the CX and the 29er and my 29er is more than 30% quicker than the CX bike.
I just find the CX bike average on the road, and average off the road. And it's great if you're doing a mix off both (as long as the off road is very light) but why bother, might as well as be a bit slower on the road with the MTB but be fast as can be on the off road.
I had someone suggest on one of my videos that you could take a cross bike on a red run I did. HAHA yeah, if you want to go 2mph all the time and lift your self over everything.
Looking at all my strava segments where I've done off road sections both on the CX and the 29er and my 29er is more than 30% quicker than the CX bike.
I just find the CX bike average on the road, and average off the road. And it's great if you're doing a mix off both (as long as the off road is very light) but why bother, might as well as be a bit slower on the road with the MTB but be fast as can be on the off road.
I had someone suggest on one of my videos that you could take a cross bike on a red run I did. HAHA yeah, if you want to go 2mph all the time and lift your self over everything.
I commute on a Cannondale Quick CX4 which looks more like a MTB with happy medium tyres with small knobbly bits, it's quick very quick, before I bought my 29'er i rode it a few times on trails and it did pretty well in the mud and dry on singletracks and open trails, on roads for commutes, i average between 13-15mph somtimes quicker, it's fine for light off road fun, but I now have a seperate 29'er so i can really enjoy crashing into things ;-)
mustang1
Guru
- Location
- London, UK
I use the CX mainly on road so 35mm Schwalbe Marathon Supreme are my tires of choice. But I also like some off road stuff and the CX+35mm are great for light trails.
I then ventured off the trails and... got quite bogged down. I think more due to tires and lack of skill from the rider (tho rider skill would be less noticeable if tires were more suitable).
I then ventured off the trails and... got quite bogged down. I think more due to tires and lack of skill from the rider (tho rider skill would be less noticeable if tires were more suitable).
Howard
Senior Member
Great fun. But: you need to know your stuff. You need good tyres and know how to set them up. You have to pick your lines well. You have to be 'on it' 100% of the time. These are the main differences. Technical trails, on an AM bike - especially a full susser - you can just muddle through. On a CX bike - and to some extent a short travel XC bike - you can ride them very hard, but you'd better be good.
I suspect elite XC riders would not be much slower on CX bikes compared to their XC rigs on technical trails.
mustang1
Guru
- Location
- London, UK
Earlier I wrote
"...CX+35mm are great for light trails", what i should have written was:they are *ok* for light trails as IDK what they are like in wet trail conditions (only used them on dry trails).
(Ps: i wonder how you can edit posts).
"...CX+35mm are great for light trails", what i should have written was:they are *ok* for light trails as IDK what they are like in wet trail conditions (only used them on dry trails).
(Ps: i wonder how you can edit posts).
Iirc the "edit" option is next to the "reply" and "like" options. Only appears for a short amount of time. Cant edit old posts.
Edit: Its on the left hand side immediately below your sig.
jdtate101
Ex-Fatman
- Location
- Boring Birmingham
I've done two CX sportive's where both MTB and CX bikes take part. What I noticed is that offroad firetrails and dry/loose pack, the CX bike is quicker. Downhill technical offroad the MTB is very clearly superior. On the road and especially uphill on road the CX crushes the MTB.
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
I might try CX this winter. Presumably I would be better off on my hardtail than my Audax (if I was to remove mudguards and put 28mm tyres with some tread, on it)?
Yes. On some courses HT is faster than focused CX bikes. The Audax would just cry in fear.
