What is faster off road - MTB or CX?

[grellboy]

Don't need stats, anecdotes will do. No deep motivation for needing to know, just interested. Is the greater weight and smaller gearing of a mtb offset by the advantages offered by its suspension?

 

[simon.r]

Surely it depends on the terrain?

MTB faster on rougher terrain, CX on less extreme ground.

 

[simon.r]

Surely it depends on the terrain?

MTB faster on rougher terrain, CX on less extreme ground.

And thinking about it, not all MTB's have suspension, bar that afforded by the tyres. There are more differences between the 2 than weight, gearing and suspension.

 

[Venod]

Surely it depends on the terrain?

MTB faster on rougher terrain, CX on less extreme ground.

Spot on, end of thread.

 

[S-Express]

Surely it depends on the terrain?

This, obviously.

 

[simon.r]

And where do 'gravel bikes' come into the equation?

 

[grellboy]

Sorry for lack of detail in OP, I was in the dark so wanted to minimize typing! So if terrain is most important factor - what sort of terrain favours each particular type of bike, would you say?
Or - to rephrase it - if you wanted to ride home as quickly as possible from a few miles away and your route home was all off road - through a mixture of gravel paths, with some mud and sand and lots of small rocks and roots sticking out etc, which bike would you pick because you thought it would be faster?

 

[S-Express]

So if terrain is most important factor - what sort of terrain favours each particular type of bike, would you say?

Let's see now...

Mountainous terrain = MTBs
Cyclocross terrain = CX bikes
Gravel roads = gravel bikes

 

[simon.r]

Sorry for lack of detail in OP, I was in the dark so wanted to minimize typing! So if terrain is most important factor - what sort of terrain favours each particular type of bike, would you say?

The more extreme (rockier / bumpier / steeper...) the terrain the more able a MTB is. As a competent amateur (from a bike handling perspective) I can think of sections of off road trails I've ridden on a MTB that I'd have walked a CX through.

 

[grellboy]

The more extreme (rockier / bumpier / steeper...) the terrain the more able a MTB is. As a competent amateur (from a bike handling perspective) I can think of sections of off road trails I've ridden on a MTB that I'd have walked a CX through.

Thank you for your sensible and informed reply. Don't understand why some people choose to give a reply which is neither helpful nor amusing. daffodils.

 

[Globalti]

I took my quite heavy Tricross on a mountain bike club ride. Climbing on tarmac and gravel, it left the even heavier mountain bikes standing. On tyre-width single track it kept up OK. On anything rougher than tarmac or gravel downhill and especially on a cemented random stone bridleway it was hopeless, I was off and walking and promptly turned an ankle over in the dark.

 

[Cycleops]

You might find this interesting:

View: https://youtu.be/juNU7yKOc4k

 

[BurningLegs]

I wouldn't much like to ride a rooty trail on a cyclocross bike - my mountain bike (hard tail) just gobbles up roots at quite some speed. I think it would be horrid on a cyclocross bike!

Then again, I think I could ride almost any blue level trail faster on a CX - I think it'd be so much faster on the climbs that the losses downhill would be insignificant.

 

[pjd57]

I've just bought a c.cross and have done a good few miles on it along the local canal paths.
It's quicker than the hybrid I had been using.
Going by Strava segments ( which I normally ignore ) I am going a couple of mph faster on the flat.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Depends on the type of MTB - XC, Trail, AM, Enduro, DH or Dirt jump

As XC would be the closest to an CX in usage then here's another interesting GCN vid

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvO74sZxVs4