is a CX bike right for me ???, or 29'er mtb ??

hubba · August 2011

I have both a road bike (compact setup) and a hardtail and full suspension mtb.

my question is would it make sense to use for general MTB rides which are XC based to ride a cyclocross bike with disc brakes ?..

i like both types of riding but wondered what the advantages are or disadvantages are etc.. can a cyclocross bike handle rough terrain and rooty sections of trails, cen it handle bunny hop style jumps, just wondered all of these types of things and if it was worth giving it a go, i think on another note if i did get one it's somthing i could use during the winter when the roads are not so nice for the lovely race style road bike.

my second option was thinking of getting a 29" both fron and rear wheel mtb hardtail as i've heard these are a lot better for rolling nicer (which got me into teh idea of cx bike because of the same wheel size 700c / 29"..

anyway all advice greatly apreciated.
Hubba.

MountainMonster · August 2011

If you really only want to ride XC, make your hardtail lighter, depending on how much travel it has. If your forks are over 100, maybe just get a light carbon hardtail and sell off the other hardtail. CX bike wouldn't work well for your purposes i'd think.

Simonhi · August 2011

Get a rigid 29er singlespeed and mash those pedals !!!

Seriously though, like you I have a 29er, very light with Leftty fork for long days out with friends. I have a steel rigid singlespeed, also quite light (20lbs), which is mostly used for my mid-week run.

I have also just bought a road bike frame that i wil be building up over the coming weeks and that willbe all the bikes i need.

Loving the singlespeed at the moment, it's just like a big BMX, it's got dropped bars and a Brooks saddle and goes like the clappers !!!

Monty Dog · August 2011

A lot depends on both the terrain and your favoured style of riding.
I sold my MTB a few years ago since I got into 'cross bikes - most of my riding is on sandy, rocky, rooty trails with short, steep climbs and the CX bike gives me the opportunity to sharpen my handling skills in the loose.
I can easily keep up with MTBs on the flat, drop them on hills and only struggle on really technical descents. It does mean you have to spend a lot of effort out the saddle due to higher gearing - you get a better workout though.
A recent development is monster cross - which is 29-er with rigid forks and drop bars - often run as a singlespeed - Planet-X are doing an offer on the Inbred at the moment which might fit your bill?
My CX singlespeed is a custom ti frame, drop bars, Avid BB7 discs - I rode the Southdowns Way earlier this year on this rig - tough enough to take all manner of abuse, 38mm tyres give good grip and take the sting out of big hits.

hubba · August 2011

ok terrain wise it is mistly like Swinley forrest that i run on xc riding, could be compared with a mile Afan trail (like the orange coloured run at the old car park not the new site).

bike wise i have a genesis io id (the single speed bike but with the alfine 8 speed rear hub), i used to have the io (single speed) but found it to hard when climbing long climbs.

my full suspension is purely for afan trails really.

my question is really then is it worth throwing money at a 29" mtb hardtail (geared / single speed), does it have that much of a better feel to it than the 26" hardtail.

the other thing i was thinking of was to get this cx bike if it can handle the terrain for xc rides and i can use this with the 29" feel but also with the ability to climb a little faster.

the last thing i wanted to do was to purchase a cx bike and find a. it cannot handle the terrain and b. it's not much cop fo road use either (i could use it for a winter bike), but i would like the hydro brakes rather than canti lever just preference.

not sure if i could handle the drop bars in the off road xc riding , i get along fine with the road drop bars. ... hummm?

is a CX bike right for me ???, or 29'er mtb ??

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