Sportive Bike or Cyclo Cross

[mjf1017]

After 3 years using my Boardman Hybrid Comp for commuting and the odd sportive, I'm looking to take the next step up and buy aroad bike. I'm definitely not looking for an out and out race bike, as I'll be using the bike for sportives and pleasure rides, so was looking for a good, comfortable sportive bike.

However, after reading a blog rant about road bikes (being principally set up for racing and not comfort), I was wondering if i'd be better off with a cyclo cross bike. One of the things I love about my hybrid is the disc brakes and I've yet to read anything positive about road bike brakes...

Any thoughts...?

 

[DirtyWorks]

IMHO, you've got exactly the right idea going with a cyclocross bike. I've got one road bike, a cyclocross bike and two sets of wheels. One set is lighter with 25c road tires, the other set up for 'monster cross.' I can run 28c road tires for **supreme** comfort without missing a beat.


Some things to watch out for when buying the bike.

Some OEM's are using road geometry/jigs, changing some tubing and adding different brake mounts, and calling it a cyclocross bike. So, whatever bike brands you are looking at, check the geometry. Those chainstays need to be longer and seat tube a bit more relaxed. IMHO, a good design is the old Redline branded bike. http://www.redlinebicycles.com/archives/2011-conquest-pro

Fender mounts are nice. Some don't have them because they aren't "race worthy." Whatever. Fenders are really great when you get stuck in a rain shower.

I'm not a disc brake fan for 'cross bikes. I know it's something people are excited about them, but they don't do much for me. The standards are going to change anyway as purpose built discs get made, so it's a bit early. FWIW, I run linear pull cantilevers and won't go back to old-fashioned cantilevers.

 

[winkybiker]

There are more road bikes than ever that now have a "comfortable" design. These designed specifically for sportives, fondos etc and long non-racing rides. In the mainstream, Trek's Domane series, BMC's GF01 and Specialized's Roubaix series come to mind.

You won't really go wrong with a cross bike, but personally I just hate cantilever brakes - especially in the wet. Shuddering, grabbing, surging, squealing ineffective pieces of junk IMO.

 

[avanti]

I built up a Fuji CX bike to replace my MTB - I ride fairly good trails with crushed gravel or with bare dirt (and also for comutting). The CX bike did not work for me because:
* Because of the higher BB I needed a smaller frame and the bars were too low for me (even using a high rise stem).
* I found I needed a better view (more upright position) of the trail ahead because of other riders and walkers
* The bike was too responsive for me on the trails (I used Conti Speed 32 mm CX tires).

The cantilever brakes worked great for me dry or wet - but with no aduster releasing the brakes to replace a wheel was a pain.

I ended up with a flat bar bike with 28 mm tires (a Cannondale Quick) that is working great for me.

[Most of my riding is on a road bike]

 

[DirtyWorks]

There are more road bikes than ever that now have a "comfortable" design. These designed specifically for sportives, fondos etc and long non-racing rides. In the mainstream, Trek's Domane series, BMC's GF01 and Specialized's Roubaix series come to mind.

This is one of my pet peeves about the industry. They aren't dramatically different.

I'm using 54cm size frame specs. Madone is "race"
#############Domane4.0#######Madone 5.2
Seat tube angle.....73.7 °......................73.7
Effective top tube...54.2 cm.................54.3
Head tube angle.....71.3 °....................73.0 °
Wheel base...........101.0 cm...............97.8

The redline linked geometry goes (sensibly) more relaxed.

2 degrees of head angle and a tiiinnnnyyyy bit of wheelbase is useful, but, that's NOT a radically different design and doesn't mean much. Wait, don't tell me. I don't understand the advances made with carbon. Uh huh. Been there. Sold that.

That's practically the same bike.

Avanti, it sounds like maybe your 'cross bike was set up like a road bike. Which, is why it didn't work. Also, you needed to run a fatter tire to really roll in the dirt. Set it up like a easy-riding mountain bike.

 

[elapid]

I bought a 'cross bike (Stevens Team Ultegra) and have to say it is the most versatile and fun bike I own. I have used it as my wet weather bike, for commuting, for short touring (3-4 days), for riding the local MTB trails, and for 'cross racing. While I now would prefer disc brakes to cantilever brakes, there is nothing else I would change in the setup.

 

[winkybiker]

This is one of my pet peeves about the industry. They aren't dramatically different.

I'm using 54cm size frame specs. Madone is "race"
#############Domane4.0#######Madone 5.2
Seat tube angle.....73.7 °......................73.7
Effective top tube...54.2 cm.................54.3
Head tube angle.....71.3 °....................73.0 °
Wheel base...........101.0 cm...............97.8

The redline linked geometry goes (sensibly) more relaxed.

2 degrees of head angle and a tiiinnnnyyyy bit of wheelbase is useful, but, that's NOT a radically different design and doesn't mean much. Wait, don't tell me. I don't understand the advances made with carbon. Uh huh. Been there. Sold that.

That's practically the same bike.

Avanti, it sounds like maybe your 'cross bike was set up like a road bike. Which, is why it didn't work. Also, you needed to run a fatter tire to really roll in the dirt. Set it up like a easy-riding mountain bike.

It isn't just about ride comfort, but also about the rider positioning. The length of the headtube will vary between a "race" geometry and a "comfort" bike. Look at the upright position that guys on Spesh Roubaixs can get.

But in terms of ride comfort, I thought the biggest thing with the Domane was the decoupling of the seatube from the tob tube and seatstays (Volagi also do this with clever seatstays, rather than a linkage), effectively softening the truss and allowing much more "suspension" in the saddle. Look also at the curvy seatstays on a Roubaix (the "Zertz" do nothing, of course) that let them flex quite a bit. BMC use some other tricks, but it is all about taking the sting out of the bumps.

Me, I don't care. I find race bikes as comfortable as anything else.