I have a Surly Cross Check (which is a steel cross bike) as well as a Cannondale R6 road bike. I find that I ride the same loop at the same speed regardless of which bike I am on - even the hilly ones. My road bike is a little more comfortable for long distances because of the geometry, but when I break down and get a shorter stem for my Surly I'll be fine. I still have the knobbies on my Surly and good road tires on my road bike.