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I currently have a 120mm hardtail that I do xc/trail riding on, I have found that all too often it can be a bit frustrating to have a good long ride; in the sense that most rides involve a few sections of good (good being rocky, rooty and interesting) off road riding, with the rest of the ride being road, gravel tracks or just drowning in a muddy bog. I appreciate I need to plan my routes better but I really cba sometimes, I just want to ride my bike from my front door, explore and squeeze the most fun out of any trail. I want to keep my wheels on the ground and ride those battered tarmac roads and country tracks that I keep seeing from the train window too..
So I was thinking I need a CX bike I've been looking at the planet x XLS....
Or should I get a road bike?
Thanky mt
You need all 3.
Sounds perfect for the HT you have
Change the tyres on your hardtail.
No one needs a cx bike or enduro bike gravel sled hardtail etc etc 🙂
But yes you do 😉
Difficult to know, currently hankering after a short travel 29er for long days out.
where in the country are you?
I got my first CX bike about 6 years ago and now I ride my CX more than all my other bikes put together. 😯
I regret not getting one sooner 🙂
Always thought I was a mountain biker who hated roads, but now I realise I like mixing them in one ride when the roads and the offroad are of high quality.
I used to think the same as the OP, so bought a Boardman CX comp as I didn't want to spend so much on something as a N+ bike.
First few rides I thought it was great, but since it has been left alone and not used. It's good for mainly road with a dirt track or gravel section, but anything beyond is just a pain and much better on the hardtail.
Then all road rides are painful as it is a heavy unresponsive lump.
I think that if you have good road and/or mountain bikes you'll need to spend a fair bit on anything else to be familier.
As an example both my fs and ht weigh less than the CX and are much more fun to ride over any non road surface. If it was road only then the CX would be better but not as good as a proper road bike.
So as a jack of all trades bike, a cx makes a reasonable case for itself. But once spoiled by purpose built bikes for any one discipline they are a bit lost imho. (Unless you ride / race CX)
Occasionally I think I do. Then I just put knobblies on my tourer and ride that instead. I reckon that's a nice, flexible option.
From this afternoons ride
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I ride my cannondale 29er 40m+ no probs. Smart Sam up front with a nine line on the back. Not the fastest ride but a capable all rounder. If I wasn't planning on getting a Sportive bike next year I would probably consider a CX bike but the 29er isn't bad.
Agree 100% with Twonks. After the new bike shine wore off, I realised that I was trying to make it work too much off road to justify having it. I've since given up and use it as a tourer and winter road bike. For this it's brilliant. It's fine for the odd gravel track but no fun for proper off road.
My 29er with fast rolling tyres is a true all purpose bike.
Honestly, after watching the 3 peaks today, I'm no more convinced of the purpose of cx bikes than I ever was. If they were actually much good for anything, then surely there wouldn't have to be rules mandating them. The "cheeky" MTBer riding the same bit of path looked to be having a much better time.
I've got an XLS which has done a lot of road work with road tyres, and the occasional off-road. It goes just about anywhere my hardtail goes but is less fun.
If I could spend the money again I'd by a titanium hardtail frame with interchangeable dropouts and a cheap road bike.
Saying that I'm not sure I'd sell it and I quite fancy a Bish Bash Bosh...
I'm no more convinced of the purpose of cx bikes than I ever was.
Aside from being stipulated for use in CX races, the advantage of these bikes is that that as long as it's not especially rocky under wheel, they are so much faster than a mtb. Fire road, well worn walking trails, the inevitable tarmac linking everything up, they absolutely fly.
Where it gets too much for a CX bike I think you then go into a full susser being best.
A HT's strength is it's breadth. It's good for everything, but I don't think it's best at anything.
My cx bike is my most used bike, road work out to bridleways and longish rides out there. I'm not sure a hard tail would be as fast or pleasant on the road. The Boardman cx is not a particularly good cx bike quite heavy frame and wheels. The xls is a nice bike, got one had no issues with it
crimsondynamo - Member[i]
I'm no more convinced of the purpose of cx bikes than I ever was.[/i]
Aside from being stipulated for use in CX races, the advantage of these bikes is that that as long as it's not especially rocky under wheel, they are so much faster than a mtb. Fire road, well worn walking trails, the inevitable tarmac linking everything up, they absolutely fly.Where it gets too much for a CX bike I think you then go into a full susser being best.
A HT's strength is it's breadth. It's good for everything, but I don't think it's best at anything.
I was thinking about this recently as I have a full suss and noticed 80% of my riding could be done on a CX bike, much faster.. but a CX would definitely block me out of the most challenging 5% that I enjoy the most.
I suppose unless you are racing it is about picking which parts of your ride you enjoy the most and then selecting the best bike to enjoy those bits. In my case I am thinking that a stiff framed single suspension XC bike with thinner tyres would be the best compromise for most of my rides.
How are CX bikes on seriously rutted and stony/bumpy/broken fire tracks, and where do the usage limits kick in in your experience?
Dibbs - Member
I got my first CX bike about 6 years ago and now I ride my CX more than all my other bikes put together
same here - started with a fugly from spares and 2nd hand stuff then built up a kinesis pro6 as wanted disks, sold my road bike as never used it, if doing an event or out with someone who won't venture off road have a 2nd set of lighter wheels with 25mm slicks
plenty of choice out there now and i wouldn't go down the strict cx route unless plan on racing - do feel a bit beaten up after all day on the pro6
go for it
How are CX bikes on seriously rutted and stony/bumpy/broken fire tracks, and where do the usage limits kick in in your experience?
Uncomfortable! I have switched between CX, Rigid MTB and track bike (on 25c tyres) over the last 15 years riding same locations. All run singlespeed or fixed.
On smoothish fireroads and singletrack they are all comfortable enough for me with my track bike being quickest but as soon as it gets rooty, rutted, rocky the CX and track bikes are horrible and I have to lower speed compared to a 2.4 tyred MTB.
I still ride the routes but the rough bits are endured rather than enjoyed but they make up a very small portion of ride. 95% of the time I am just going faster than I would on MTB.
How are CX bikes on seriously rutted and stony/bumpy/broken fire tracks, and where do the usage limits kick in in your experience?
rutted ok and dry roots ok but loose stony i find difficult and painful
Buy a bike for for the riding you do, not the riding you think you might do. If you are riding not-so-technical stuff and roads, and want to go faster, or you fancy a race around a sloppy field, then buy one. But there are better bikes for different riding conditions.
Just built one up as a winter road bike. Has road groupset and gearing, but has has the option of different gears, wheels and I may also take it racing with knobblies. I don't think it's red run material to be honest.
There is a lot of fun to be had in attempting challenging terrain on a bike that isn't ideal for it. I'm not just suggesting that modern MTBs make riding too "easy" but there's definitely an element of that.
If you have one bike then it's understandable you might have something suitable for the most severe terrain but for most folk, on most trails, most of the time a CX-alike makes a lot of sense, especially in their more modern grrrrravel guise.
It's extremely dependent on the rider and their definition of a limit. For some people its "when i break stuff". For others its "when it's a bit bumpy".and where do the usage limits kick in in your experience?
You'll have to find your own limits.
Personally I'd stick with your hardtail unless you plan on doing rides that are only on country roads. I had a CX bike and used it a bit in the winter and for commuting, but found that I was avoiding the best parts of rides.
I sold it and go a hard tail instead, but I did consider a rigid plus bike as a alternative.
How are CX bikes on seriously rutted and stony/bumpy/broken fire tracks, and where do the usage limits kick in in your experience?
Uncomfortable but rideable - I've been over Cut Gate on mine without dying once. I use mine lots for mixing up easy bridleway, back lanes, road, easy bridleway, hard bridleway etc.
I guess it all depends on what you want it to be and what you expect. It's never going to be as capable as a hardtail off road on anything technical, but it'll be a lot faster on smooth stuff. And with quick tyres, a light cross bike isn't a slouch on the road either.
I always think you can either say that they're not as good as a mountain bike off road and not as good as road bike on tarmac or, alternatively, that they're better than a mountain bike on the road and infinitely better than a road bike off road. It depends where your balance point is.
Horrid on rubble though...
that they're better than a mountain bike on the road and infinitely better than a road bike off road
Agree they are better on the road but didn't find them much better than a road bike off road. The key difference being the tyre width and the difference between a 25c on a road bike and a 35c on a CX bike didn't make it infinitely better for me.
By the sounds of it - No