Cyclocross?

Pickled Pig
Pickled Pig Posts: 233
edited February 2012 in MTB buying advice
Can anyone advise on the limits of a cyclocross bike for off road use? Would it be feasible to ride Llandegla Forest (Black) or the Marin Trail, for example, if you missed out the jumps and took things easy? I know they're not ideal for this but it would only be a couple of times a year at most. Can you ride them down steps without damaging them? Most of my off-roading is on tracks and paths nowadays and I'm thinking of changing my mtb for something which will double as a winter road-bike.

Comments

  • omegas
    omegas Posts: 970
    If you are a competent and confident rider, 95% of Llandegla black is fine on a cyclecross bike, the first section of red up at the top might be a bit bone shaking. :lol:
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    Can you ride them down steps without damaging them?

    I hope so, or I've been riding round on a damaged bike for a looooong time . . .
    You can do surprising things even with bikes that aren't made specifically for rough stuff - and a cyclocross bike is made for some fairly rough stuff. I've ridden a largely stock 2007 Tricross Sport up and down steps plenty of times, and it hasn't complained yet.
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • There's a video fo a dude doing trials riding on a carbon road bike. You'll be fine.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Thought the point of cyclocross was anything tricky you just got off and carried the thing, so it can go anywhere your legs can go really ;)
  • A good rider could take a cross bike anywhere your average mountain biker could go. A lot of top uk mountain bikes had their background in cross way before they threw their leg over a mountain bike. You may get a few funny looks though and a lot of stick! I used to ride the same trails as mountain bikes around Plymouth and the moors of Bodmin and Dartmoor. Also I rode most of the red routes at Dalby on a cross bike. Just watch out for the downhills cos canti brakes and 700c wheels don't stop like discs!
    Cheers,

    Phil

    Sintesi 707
  • Thanks - sounds like it's the way to go.
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    Just watch out for the downhills cos canti brakes and 700c wheels don't stop like discs!

    He tellin' it like it is. Mine is "largely stock" but it has Kool-stop brake blocks - huge improvement. Take a bit of time to get the brakes perfect with nicely non-abrasive blocks, leave yourself a bit of space to stop and you'll be fine

    A Brooks saddle is the other thing, but that's just a personal preference.
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Boardman CX has disc brakes :wink:

    I took mine off road for the first time at the weekend, after commuting on it. It was a lot more fun than it should have been. :oops:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    I've got a genesis croix de fer for commuting (cx bike with discs). I ride up and down steps on it as part of my route and it's still going strong. I'm using road (shwalbe marathon) tyres so they tend to slip a lot on some of the off road climbs so you'd also probably want some decent cx tyres if you're going to do much off road. They can be fast and a lot of fun on the more sedate off road trails.
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    Strava
  • bails87 wrote:
    Boardman CX has disc brakes :wink:

    I took mine off road for the first time at the weekend, after commuting on it. It was a lot more fun than it should have been. :oops:

    Yeah but proper cross bikes don't have disc brakes :P Keep it old skool! lol
    Cheers,

    Phil

    Sintesi 707