toolazytoname

Likely I will need a dirt and gravel machine. That machine is really meant to feel like a road bike but withstand compacted dirt roads and gravel packed areas. (it will be seen on pavement and aims to be upbeat with a roadbike though the rider must work harder with the tyre size)

If I have a cross frame that has enough wheel clearance (for fatty tyres). Apart from the comfort of 0 shocks. What am I missing out on when avoiding MTB bikes? Again distances and like road but more functional for gravel is my aim.

If I am to get shock absorbing feature (apart from a carbon frame), what would be the best option? Again front fork and down tube shocks sound too heavy and not my cup of tea. Are there frame technologies I should consider or seek out quality steel options?

Net price on the order of 1kusd to 4kusd.

vlicon

The cross bike will shine on gravel roads and depending on the tires you have, work very well on pavement. As for mountain bike trails; your milage may vary. How well it works will depend on your own bike handling ability, and what the trails are like in your area. If the trails are rocky or have regular drop offs you might not want to venture on them. If they are smoother and have fewer major obstacles the cross bike will be fine, and very fun. The 700 tires will roll over many rocks, but without shocks you just can't go blasting over them without being more careful choosing your line. With the lighter rims on a cross bike you will probably find them going out of true more often if you have a habit of slamming into rocks.

I just got a cross bike about a month ago. I have been mountain biking close to 40 years and am at an age where catching air and going of large drops is something I have no desire to do anymore. The cross bike will be great fun and can be helpful for improving your bike handling abilities. It is suiting my needs just fine.

Since i'm new to cross bikes I can't say much about frame technology. I bought mine from Craig's List. It has an aluminum frame with a carbon fork and seat post. That might be a nice option to help cushion a harsh ride.

TimothyH

The cross bike will be better than the mountain bike. The mountain bike is heavy by comparison and a suspension isn't needed for gravel and packed dirt roads.

If you are going to ride gravel then consider a true gravel bike. Many have an endurance road geometry and ride very nice on pavement. My Niner RLT 9 RDO is a joy to ride on paved roads.


-Tim-

Doug64

Some cross bikes can do many things well.



My wife is on a very versatile touring bike, and the guy who took the picture is on the bike in the above photo.

Lazyass

The new Diverge has the Future Shock setup and takes up to a 42c tire.

https://www.chainreaction.co.nz/coll...alized-diverge

PanoramicPixel

I haven't had my cross bike a whole month yet but am loving it. I like running lower psi in the tires. More traction and softer ride cause I do a lot of gravel trail riding. If I am doing a lot more road riding I just raise the psi. But I do plan on putting larger tires on it when these run through. Currently it has 32mm and I'd like 35s but some frames allow for 40mm or even larger. I have a Trek crossrip. Suites my riding since I do most of my riding on trail, but use it as my car so it's good in the city. Many models also have mounts for fendors and racks too making them versatile. I would only use a mountain bike if I'm going over some extreme terrain. MTB shines on really rough dirt/large rocks/roots. On regular dirt and gravel it hold nothing special compared to a cross bike imo.

fietsbob

Cross you jump off the bike pick it up step over an obstacle , jump back on and ride away..

if you do it faster than the others you might win.

mstateglfr 

You are missing nothing by avoiding an MTB.
A cross bike may have enough clearance for what you want to ride, but it may not. If a bike can only fit 37mm tires and you find the gravel you ride needs wider, well then thats a wasted purchase.
Actual gravel adventure bikes that can easily fit 40mm tires and fit up to 50mm are both available and come in comfortable geometry for extended riding(compared to race CX geometry).



Suspension for dirt roads and gravel is overkill, at least it would be for me. Carbon frame or steel frame has a good bit of shock absorption.
Or look at thick bar tape and a different seatpost.

cyccommute 

Your assumption is too broad. Some gravel roads are smooth enough for "gravel" bikes but I can put you on thousands of miles of what we call "gravel" here in Colorado that would have you wishing for that mountain bike in no time flat. This, for example, is a "gravel" road



but uphill from this watertank, the road is washboarded and has lots of exposed rock. It can be done on a rigid bike...I've done it many times...but a bike with suspension does it better and is easier on the rider.

Even on a road like this one



A mountain bike with at least front suspension would be more appropriate. The "gravel" is thick and deep. Front suspension and wide tires float over the surface better. A rigid bike...even with wide tires...tends to dig down into the gravel and throw the bike off-line which makes riding slow and difficult. Suspension keeps the wheel on top of the gravel and makes for faster riding.

To answer your question, what you are missing is control. Suspension does more than just provide comfort...it doesn't really provide much of that anyway. Obstacles like ruts and sand are much easier to handle if the fork is a suspension fork. Ruts especially are difficult to negotiate with a rigid fork. The wheel drops down into the rut and tends to stay there. You can't countersteer to ride up and out of the rut so you end up either stuck in the rut or crashed because the wheel can't steer and you can't balance.

A suspended fork allows the wheel to follow the terrain better and can grab the edges of the rut so that the wheel can climb out of the rut (most of the time). You crash less as well as getting some comfort out of the fork.

Yes, mountain bikes are a little heavier and a little slower on pavement. But they also open up more territory to riding than "gravel" bikes do. A hardtail mountain bike with a front suspension that can be locked out for the pavement bits will do everything a rigid "gravel" bike will do but a bit slower. On the other hand, it will also open up a whole lot of riding that gravel bikes can't do.

mstateglfr 

htfu.





...i kid.

corrado33

I'd have to agree with cyccommute here. There are plenty of gravel roads and jeep trails around here that would just be torture on a cross/gravel bike.

So the answer is: It depends on where you're riding and what your riding on. If the trail is anything but smooth, graded pea gravel with no rocks sticking out, you're going to want a mountain bike.

MikeOK

My dual suspension Yeti mountain bike with 2.1" tires weighs in at 23#, a good cross bike is about that. I used to have a cross bike and it doesn't compare to my yeti. It can take the worst of abuse on the trail and it would be good on dirt roads too. It isn't a Bullet and I wouldn't want to do big drops on it but it will do about any rough technical trail.

corrado33

Your carbon fiber yeti probably cost at least twice the amount of a typical cross bike.

No real comparison there....

MikeOK

Yes that is true, probably 3 times. I guess I didn't see that as a criteria.

Oh, and it's not fiber it's aluminum.

HTupolev

In a comparative buying thread, if weight is being emphasized, it's sort of implied. Someone who's looking at a 23lb full-suss MTB likely isn't looking at 23lb CX bikes as the alternative, and if they are, they likely care about that price difference.

mstateglfr 

As stated, i was kidding about saying cyco needs to just HTFU.
With that said...i ride a lot of gravel roads which are anything but smooth on 40mm tires and it works great.
I would actually dread what you call pea gravel...that stuff is terrible to ride on- its like riding on marbles. There is no traction because everything is uniform.

I dont pretend to ride the treacherous terrain that you and cyco ride and if i did ride that, i would probably use my MTB. But gravel roads- where you get jaggedy gravel, soupy deep gravel spots, washboarding, etc- a 40mm tire on a rigid steel fork has been plenty to keep a smile on my face.

Agree that it depends on where you are riding...but really- pea gravel is about the worst surface, next to ice, I could imagine riding on.

pickettt

Running tubeless wheels and tires does wonders to dampen the bumps on a 'cross bike. It allows you to run lower pressure without the risk of pinch flats.

MikeOK

Ive never tried tubeless but I bet that's true. I sometimes put slime in my tires and I know that works.

manapua_man

Which do you think you'll have more fun with? Have you tried CX and the various flavors of MTB before? I ended up selling most of my mountain bikes a while ago after I moved and realized that I have more fun beating myself up on a cross bike. Try renting or borrowing a few bikes if you can.

prj71

Agree with all of this. I have similar roads near my house.

This is also a good compromise in my opinion...

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