Road bike vs Cyclecross vs Touring bike

[vickster]

Thanks for your responses.
Bicycle fit and purpose of design - is a great tip. So I looked up Sportive/Endurance Bike and to me they look like Road/Cyclecross bikes. In fact the Giant Defy was under the Sportive/Endurance bike section when I thought it was a road bike. Now I'm confused.
1) What is the difference between a Sportive/Endurance bike, a Cyclecross bike, and a Road bike?
2) Is there another bike type in that category or would the next bike up be a hybrid (to me the hybrid moves over the mtb style)?

A sportive endurance is a roadbike with a more relaxed geometry, normally longer head tube so sat more upright. A cyclocross bike usually has fatter knobblier tyres, a higher bottom bracket, lower gearing, but drop bars, clearance for mudguards which a road bike may or may not have. It's more designed to go off road

What do you want to do with it? Where are you riding it? All weathers, fair weather, roads, paths, rougher?

 

[dac]

It would be to road ride (8 miles on flat tarmac, 2 miles on bobbley/cobblestone roads, 2 miles stopping and starting around town). 12 miles each way daily.
A road bike seems less nimble and not so comfortable.
A Cyclecross seem to be designed for rough terrain where I would be on tarmac.
The Sportive/Endurance/Adventure bike seem to be the same and what I require.
A touring bike can be flat bar but I'm expecting a drop-down to be more quicker.

That's my thoughts.

 

[vickster]

A sportive bike is a road bike, running on 23 or 25mm tyres, drop handlebars, marketed as more comfortable for long distances, especially riders not used to longer distances. More upright than a race-oriented roadbike but still a roadbike. Designed for full days in the saddle I guess, not a 12 mile, 45 minute commute. Mudguards and a pannier rack will make that more comfortable

If the rough bits really are rough and potentially mucky a cx bike with a high bottom bracket and fatter tyres will help, more so if it's made from steel like a croix de fer

You could also get a rigid flat bat hybrid from any one of a myriad brands

Over those distances, especially in traffic, drop bars will make a negligible difference in speed. Make sure you are confident braking in traffic on the brifters, or could add cross lever brakes

 

[jim55]

Adventure/ gravel bikes are basically road bikes with bigger tyres , don't b sucked in by marketing hype / catageorys , doesn't matter what cat it falls into the biggest differences are tyres/ clearance for a bigger tyre , and gearing (50 or 46 or something on big ring ) , get a robust bike with the ability to take cx tyres and gearing that let's u get a good whack on road ( in fact moats bikes will b good for over 25mph so take ur pick - in saying that cx bikes are geared lower for getting up hills and stuff

Having thought about it go for a cx bike u like look of

 

[FastFlyer]

How would a cyclocross with a 50/34 work? Would that give me good road speeds (25mph+ With slick tyres) and still battle moderate hills off-road (with CX tyres).

Sorry, noob here.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

How would a cyclocross with a 50/34 work? Would that give me good road speeds (25mph+ With slick tyres) and still battle moderate hills off-road (with CX tyres).

Sorry, noob here.

46/36 (although I run 46/34 )works well ime. The 10 tooth difference is much nicer than the whopping great 16 tooth drop on a 50/34.

46x 11 or 46 x12 takes some spinning out - well past 25mph.

 

[MikeW-71]

CX's are great all-rounders, but they have developed their own offshoot of "Adventure" bikes. A little more relaxed geometry than a race CX bike, but can still fit bigger tyres.

I have one, the Giant Revolt (though they don't refer to it as an Adventure bike, just a CX). I put on some 28mm slicks and a rack. I use it for commuting and light touring and it has been brilliant.

48/34 chainset with 11-34 cassette (!) has got me up plenty of steep stuff, take the rack bag off and it's as quick as my alloy Defy road bike. Not quite as sharp on the steering, but still very nimble. Unless you're really strong, I doubt you'd be spinning out the 48-11 on the flat (would be around 30mph) anyway. The only time I've been in that gear is downhill

 

[outlash]

46/36 (although I run 46/34 )works well ime. The 10 tooth difference is much nicer than the whopping great 16 tooth drop on a 50/34.

46x 11 or 46 x12 takes some spinning out - well past 25mph.

I think I can get up about 30 on my crosser before I'm spinning out. Quick enough for me .

 

[dac]

Is this a good deal for the asking price?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111661198...g=I111661198409.N26.S1.M2875&autorefresh=true
It will be used for road commuting, 12 miles each way.

 

[vickster]

Looks nice, older tiagra as its been 10 speed for a number of years now. Go have a look, and a ride, see what you think. Personally I like a carbon fork to reduce road buzz, but you'd be lucky to find on a £200 bike

 

[dac]

It's a bit of a way to travel to have a test ride. How old do you think the bike is? Will the new wheelset make improve it's performance?
What do you mean by road buzz?

I could get a Defy 3 for £400 but it's 58cm and i'm a 35" inside leg (89.6cm x 0.66cm = 59.1cm).

 

[vickster]

I used to have that wheel set, perfectly ok, but heavy, would have been about £70 new, so pretty entry level, about the same as a stock set on a new bike I'd say

Road buzz, buzz transmitted through the bike to the handlebars, carbon forks dampen this, less fatiguing in my view...carbon forks usually lighter too

Have you looked at decathlon?

 

[buggi]

I've got a cross bike and it would handle that terrain with ease. I've put Schwalbe marathon commuting tyres on which are better on tarmac.

 

[dac]

Ah, when I ride my moutain bike on tarmac my hands, in particular thumbs, ache like made. They get tender. I guess that is road buzz. I need carbon folks me thinks.

 

[vickster]

It's a bit of a way to travel to have a test ride. How old do you think the bike is? Will the new wheelset make improve it's performance?
What do you mean by road buzz?

I could get a Defy 3 for £400 but it's 58cm and i'm a 35" inside leg (89.6cm x 0.66cm = 59.1cm).

An xl defy, is 58.5cm on their measurement. It has a 59.5cm TT, you could always add a longer stem if needed, geometry tab here

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.defy.1.black.red/11833/66132/#geometry

Is the defy new? If it's the one at Rutland, they are out of stock