I need/want a new offseason toy. I was originally thinking of buying a CX bike but I am concerned I wouldn’t use it that often. CX season is short and I don’t know how else I would use it. Or I could buy a MTB that might be used a bit more but for a very specific purpose.
Budget is likely $1500-2000. Any suggestions?
(already own a high end tri and road bike)
well, what is that specific purpose?
Get a mountain bike. Riding in the woods is fun!
My CX bike currently serves as a commuter, trail bike, baby-trailer tower, and speed equalizer with my wife’s road bike. It may someday even be used in a CX race. It’s like a hybrid for people who don’t ever want to ride hybrids. I love it.
My CX bike currently serves as a commuter, trail bike, baby-trailer tower, and speed equalizer with my wife’s road bike. It may someday even be used in a CX race. It’s like a hybrid for people who don’t ever want to ride hybrids. I love it.
x2
Also since I don’t have a road bike I just throw on my Tribike’s training wheels on my CX bike and presto its almost a road bike.
I also go trail riding on my CX wheels with my 8 y.o. son.
CX all the way. I have actually ridden some full on MTB trails with friends of mine who ride MTB. Makes for really good bike handling skills and its fun at the end of the trail when people say “You rode that with that? WOW”
Depends on whether or not you have sufficient MTB trails to ride your bike on. I have both a MTB and a CX bike and I have to admit I spend more time on the CX bike since getting it then I have on my MTB. I have taken it down dirt road that I never would take my road bike down and on trails where I ride my MTB. I really love my riding my MTB though but there are several good areas where I live to ride.
I just got my Ridley X fire 2 Months ago. I have a Cannondale Synapse Road Bike, a Trek Speed Concept 9.9 My butt is on the Ridley more then either of the other 2 since getting it. They are fun to ride quick, commuter, and cyclocross kicks my butt in training. Go with the CX you will not be disappointed.
I was originally thinking of buying a CX bike but I am concerned I wouldn’t use it that often. CX season is short and I don’t know how else I would use it. Or I could buy a MTB that might be used a bit more but for a very specific purpose.
Try one of these. Neither road, nor mountain, nor CX, but some of all of those. A very fun bike with 700C wheels and a full road drivetrain. Easy to build and it cost me under $1000 with ebay and closeout parts.
I went with a Disc Brake CX build with the only difference that it has a 29er MTB fork and extra wide rear triangle. I have a couple sets of wheels for it and can put in a 2.0 MTB tire for single track,and then a road tire for the road.
Oh, yea I also have a set of tubulr CX wheels for racing.
I have used it all summer more than either my existing road, or mtb bike combined, just by changing wheels.
CX bike for sure.
DB
If you think you’ll do a lot of actual mountain biking, then a mountain bike.
Otherwise, a cross bike is pretty versatile. The roads are so crappy where I live, I have 35C tires on my cross bike and use it for training, commuting, whatever.
Depends where you live and where you would ride.
I have cross bike that I ride on trails, crappy roads, with my kids/husband when they ride, in winter (have studded snow tires). I’d like to get a mountain bike as well. We have State trails near me that are very rocky that I can’t ride my cross bike on.
If you are going to race CX , I’d say CX. I ride a mountain bike with full gears and no suspension and I use it as an errand bike, carrying the baby soon hopefully, and I do climb the local ski “hill” and come back down all on a rigid mountain bike with regular V brakes.
I don’t race CX, and my mountain bike is very heavy., but may give it a shot at some point, with 26" CX tires.
for $2k if you search around, you could have both. They won’t be top of the line, but should be good enough to have fun on the weekends. If you are new to mountain biking, not having an expensive bike you are afraid of crashing is a plus.
I had a similar dilemma, and ended up getting an MTB. I have some decent trails in my area and realized that realistically I wouldn’t really do more than 3 or so CX races a year because of my schedule. The MTB has been a lot of fun, thinking of doing some off-road triathlons next year, and I’m still planning on doing a couple of CX races with my MTB (won’t be competitive, but I’m completely new so don’t really care).
Just built a CX bike and love it…that said I’m now wanting a MTB so I can do Xterra. I’d look around your area and see what’s available. If theres lots of CX racing in the winter may be a good option. Also CX bike as others have mentioned are great for rides with the kids, commuter, etc.
I have both. My CX handles some dirt so I can ride the roads to the off road.
29er hardtail. You can put CX tires or 28-32c road tires on and do whatever you want, but you have a bike that you can ride off-road more confidently, and can do an Xterra or offroad du if (when) it strikes your fancy. Here's a lot of bike for the money:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fly_TeamTI_29_xo_20.htm
Man…I am drooling over a cross bike.
29er? Frame?
That bike looks awesome