Cyclo-cross vs XC/Trails riding

LordBanks
LordBanks Posts: 358
edited March 2011 in MTB general
Apart from the bikes, whats the difference between Cyclo-Cross and XC/Trails riding.?

Always wondered.

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The same really. But you have to be extrememly talented to get the best out of a CX bike on more taxing terrain. Combination of narrow tyres that have to be inflated hard, narrow bars, brakes on the drop bars, minimal standover height, usually silly gearing for climbs and so suspension makes them hard work for the average rider.
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  • littleandy0410
    littleandy0410 Posts: 631
    Don't forget, Cyclocross is for gays! :wink:
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    And there is that lol!
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  • LordBanks
    LordBanks Posts: 358
    littleandy0410 wrote:
    Don't forget, Cyclocross is for gays! :wink:


    hahhaha :lol:
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    edited December 2008
    Very similar in many regards but cyclocross puts a fair emphasis on time out of the saddle. Skill in getting off the pedals and bike, running/jumping/climbing over obstacles and then getting back on the bike and up to speed quickly is very much feature in cyclocross.

    Cyclocross courses are designed to force the rider off the bike.
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  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Cyclocross always reminds me a little bit of what we used to just call "mountain biking" back when mountain bikes were all s**t, before they invented suspension that worked and tyres that grip :lol: These days it's you and your bike vs the terrain, for cx it's you vs the terrain AND your bike.
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    It seems to me a lot of people buy CX bikes as a fashion statement, makes them look 'ard, and they don't want to be seen with a nice light jey HT which is far better suited.
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  • LordBanks
    LordBanks Posts: 358
    I always thought that CX was just old school XC, then along came XC specific bikes and it died, but i've been seeing a few race reports on this site about CX.

    So, i was wondering, would you be allowed to enter a CX race on a XC bike?? I don't want to, i was just wondering.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Not sure, depends on local rules. You can however enter XC races under UCI rules with a CX bike. Nobody does though, wonder why...
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  • shin0r
    shin0r Posts: 555
    I've never understood it; cyclocross just seems incredibly lame. It seems to be like the "Olympic style" XC stuff but even more gay. Each to their own though.
  • littleandy0410
    littleandy0410 Posts: 631
    As you can see from my signature, I own a road bike for use ON ROAD, and a mountain bike, for use OFF ROAD. Ok, so I take the mountain bike on road to get to trails etc, but can't see why I'd ever take my road bike off road. Which is pretty much what CX is about.
    Slightly better brakes (not hard!) and thicker tyres, but that's about it.

    Why?
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  • Slow1972
    Slow1972 Posts: 362
    shin0r wrote:
    I've never understood it; cyclocross just seems incredibly lame. It seems to be like the "Olympic style" XC stuff but even more gay. Each to their own though.

    You should try entering a cross race on your XC bike and see how lame it is then. Most people try (or at least watch) something themselves before deciding how lame it is. If you rode cross races during the autumn season I suspect you'd be a lot fitter on your mountain bike than you usually are come January.

    Cross bikes are designed for racing on cross courses, not downhilling or epic xc riding. Cross courses are off road but they don't have boulder fields, big drop offs etc. because of this Cross bikes don't need the weight penalty of suspension or need the fatter slower tyres that XC bikes have.

    A cyclo-cross bike (in the right hands) will be quicker on a cross course than an XC bike (and not surprisingly an XC bike should be faster on a XC course).

    I rode my first cross race at the weekend on an old rigid Kona Lava Dome with skinnier cross tyres on. One of the hardest races I've ever done and I've ridden road and XC races before.
  • shin0r
    shin0r Posts: 555
    Slow1972 wrote:
    shin0r wrote:
    I've never understood it; cyclocross just seems incredibly lame. It seems to be like the "Olympic style" XC stuff but even more gay. Each to their own though.

    You should try entering a cross race on your XC bike and see how lame it is then. Most people try (or at least watch) something themselves before deciding how lame it is. If you rode cross races during the autumn season I suspect you'd be a lot fitter on your mountain bike than you usually are come January.

    Cross bikes are designed for racing on cross courses, not downhilling or epic xc riding. Cross courses are off road but they don't have boulder fields, big drop offs etc. because of this Cross bikes don't need the weight penalty of suspension or need the fatter slower tyres that XC bikes have.

    A cyclo-cross bike (in the right hands) will be quicker on a cross course than an XC bike (and not surprisingly an XC bike should be faster on a XC course).

    I rode my first cross race at the weekend on an old rigid Kona Lava Dome with skinnier cross tyres on. One of the hardest races I've ever done and I've ridden road and XC races before.


    I've seen it in action, and it's totally gay.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    supersonic wrote:
    It seems to me a lot of people buy CX bikes as a fashion statement, makes them look 'ard, and they don't want to be seen with a nice light jey HT which is far better suited.

    I'd want a CX bike, It's a good type of bike for all round riding, not sluggish on the road like a MTB, and good handling on bumpier stuff. I'd get one that could take 'guards, with bottle mounts for use as an winter bike/commuter.


    littleandy0410 wrote:
    Don't forget, Cyclocross is for gays! :wink:

    And MTBing is for lazy fat slobs who need a car to do any riding?
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  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    redddraggon wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    It seems to me a lot of people buy CX bikes as a fashion statement, makes them look 'ard, and they don't want to be seen with a nice light jey HT which is far better suited.

    I'd want a CX bike, It's a good type of bike for all round riding, not sluggish on the road like a MTB, and good handling on bumpier stuff. I'd get one that could take 'guards, with bottle mounts for use as an winter bike/commuter.


    littleandy0410 wrote:
    Don't forget, Cyclocross is for gays! :wink:

    And MTBing is for lazy fat slobs who need a car to do any riding?

    Yep, and if I get my way I even get someone else to drive me to the top of the hill.

    CX is for roadies who've finally clicked that riding on an artificial, purpose built surface is gay, and fear the fallout from their ladyshave owning mates if they straighten up and take up proper off-road riding.


    :wink:
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    redddraggon wrote:
    supersonic wrote:
    It seems to me a lot of people buy CX bikes as a fashion statement, makes them look 'ard, and they don't want to be seen with a nice light jey HT which is far better suited.

    I'd want a CX bike, It's a good type of bike for all round riding, not sluggish on the road like a MTB, and good handling on bumpier stuff. I'd get one that could take 'guards, with bottle mounts for use as an winter bike/commuter.

    Depends how far you want to ride to the local trails and how taxing they are, each to their own. I ride on the road to the trails on the Zaskar, let the tyres down when get there, and enjoy the off road. With a rigid fork it weighs 20.5lbs, and will handle far far better than any CX bike would on the terrain. OK, lose 30 seconds on the road, but gain so much more when get there.
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  • mozami
    mozami Posts: 25
    Resurrecting an old thread but CX bikes rock! In an all condition race the CX bike would trump all other forms
  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    Bizarre thread to ressurect, but yar! Awesome fun :)

    Lots of random sweeping statements above, wonder how many of those people would still claim.
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  • Chinley Churner
    Chinley Churner Posts: 313
    littleandy0410 wrote:
    Don't forget, Cyclocross is for gays! :wink:

    Put your money where your ill informed mouth is, MTFU and line up for the year Three Peaks Cyclocross... we'll soon see who's gay.
  • cat_with_no_tail
    cat_with_no_tail Posts: 12,981
    GOOD GOD! This thread died over 2 years ago. Leave it be ffs.

    CX bikes were gash 2 and a half years ago, they're gash now, and I suspect they'll be gash 2 and a half years from now.

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  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Chinley Churner wrote:
    Put your money where your ill informed mouth is, MTFU and line up for the year Three Peaks Cyclocross... we'll soon see who's gay.

    I'm thinking of entering the Tweedlove Crosslove event on my rigid mountain bike, in full knowledge that I'm going to get torn a new one, but it should be funny at least.
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  • Johnny Napalm
    Johnny Napalm Posts: 1,458
    It never ceases to amaze me how much arguing there is in cycling. My discipline is better than yours etc.

    Mind you, there are a lot of wind-up merchants kicking around. :wink:
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  • slartibartf
    slartibartf Posts: 7
    Wow, coming across this in 2022 is mainly a reminder of how thoughtless use of "gay" as some kind of pejorative was somehow ok.
  • steve_sordy
    steve_sordy Posts: 2,453
    As usual I failed to check the start date of this thread (even posted a few "likes"), but I did raise an eyebrow at the gay word. Yes indeed, times have changed.

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