Cyclocross bike

[Anonymous]

I take the W&OD trail to work (9 miles). Thinking about getting a new cyclocross bike for the rides. Anyone have a cyclocross and how does it compare to a road bike/mountain bike?

Kona Jake the Snake bike is what I am looking at specifically.

[Anonymous]

Cyclocross rolls much better than a mountain bike. Nice to have though if you want to drop onto a gravel path now and then. Still, for the W&OD, you'd be fine, and use a tiny bit less energy, on a decent road bike. The mountain bike though has a more upright sitting position. Some like/need that, at least initially.

[Anonymous]

I'm like OP, but 14 miles on the same trail. I switched to cyclocross bc my ride has a .5 mile shortcut through the woods.

[Anonymous]

I commuted on the Capital Crescent, and was glad to have my cyclocross for the Bethesda to Silver Spring section. I haven't actually gotten a nice road bike yet, so can't compare, but road my cyclocross for a 100 miler this fall just fine, and I know my husband who does have a nice road bike still preferentially uses his cyclocross for commuting purposes.

[Anonymous]

A cyclocross bike is essentially a road bike with more clearance for fatter tires. Put road bike tires (23c slicks) on it and it's a road bike. A mountain bike is a completely different beast.

[Anonymous]

Unless your route includes gravel or other unpaved section, a cyclocross bike adds nothing over a road bike. Now if you want to take the same bike all gravelly on the weekends, that's a different story. A mountain bike though, with slicks on it and a front shock, that does have some advantages over the potholes and curbs you may encounter in the city. Perhaps though with the continued efforts to create proper in the street bike commuting routes, there will be less and less need to deal with curbs and sidewalks on in town sections. But for now, commuting down Mass. Ave., for one example, works best if you do the Wisc. to Dupont Circle section mostly on the sidewalk - well, unless you ride 30+ mph on the long downhill in the road and fit with traffic there.

[Anonymous]

cyclocross is much better for commuting. more upright, bigger tires harder to get flats, and the bigger tread allows you to ride on more varied surfaces.

[Anonymous]

I ride a cyclocross bike 3 miles on roads and about 9 on the W&OD to work. I also have a triathlon bike and a mountain bike.

The reason I ride the cross bike to commute is that it is a little better suited to the extra weight that I have to carry while commuting and is a little less prone to punctures on curbs, debris, etc. than the triathlon bike (plus, the race bike doesn't have the ability to attach panniers). It is a little heavier than the race bike, but now that cyclocross season is actually over, I will replace the cross tires with slicks and I think the difference will be less pronounced. A sturdy road bike would be pretty similar to the cyclocross bike, though, if you are on pavement.

I would not want to ride my mountain bike for commuting. Replacing the tires with slicks would help, but it is probably 8 pounds heavier than the cross bike and the suspension makes the power transfer less efficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:cyclocross is much better for commuting. more upright, bigger tires harder to get flats, and the bigger tread allows you to ride on more varied surfaces.

i think you may be confusing "cyclocross" with "comfort" bike. A cyclocross bike has drop bars just like a "road" bike.