What am I even looking for?!?

[moderncyclista]

Researching on your own always helps. Then you are armed with knowledge that you can take with you while shopping. When I was shopping for a touring bike, my bike shop tried to re-direct me too. Saying "Steel is sluggish, you'll hate it," and so on. They tried to sell me on a Specialized Ruby Expert, which was very nice - but not what I wanted.

Finally I just told them to order the 520 and quit showing me other bikes. Before I even went in to my LBS - I did my own measurements to make sure I'd fit. (inseam, top-tube, etc.) It is sad but sometimes, bike shops make the mistake of forcing their preference on you - or like my bike shop - work on commision - based on if they sell a model they have "in-stock" (they don't make a commision on one they have to order.) So, arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible. Being prepared is the best advice I have to give.

[lauraelmore1033]

Run the other way from a shop that tells you that a cyclocross bike is just a road bike with big tires! My Specialized Tricross sport has mountain bike "guts"(gearing) and brakes in addition to slightly wider tires. Sounds like they couldn't be all that knowledgeable...

[ACiveE]

Run the other way from a shop that tells you that a cyclocross bike is just a road bike with big tires! My Specialized Tricross sport has mountain bike "guts"(gearing) and brakes in addition to slightly wider tires. Sounds like they couldn't be all that knowledgeable...

I don't think this is *quite* all what they were saying--they simply insinuated something along thoes lines in regards to ride quality. What is your opinion on this? How is the ride quality? Harsher than a mountain bike?

[lauraelmore1033]

Bumpy desents are definitely more comfortable for hands wrists and shoulders on the mountain bike, but the sittin' bits don't feel much different either way.

[ACiveE]

I stopped at another shop over my lunch and am begining to think that a cyclocross may be my best choice. I saw the Trek XOs and the Specialized Tricross and quite a few Cannondale 29ers. Seems like everyone wants to sell me a mountain bike...

Now... the kicker: I did a quick search on used bikes and I found a nearly new Tricross that *may* be in my size for an incredible deal (ie about 1/3 of original cost)--but about two hours away. I pulled my road bike geometry and the geometry is quite similar. I have called around to local (ie less than two hours) shops to see if anyone has one in stock, and NO ONE does. :-/ I don't know what to do. At the price, I might just snatch it up, ride it a little, and then resell if it really doesn't fit.

I'm going to start a new thread about the fit thing because I'm veering a little off course from the original purpose of this thread.

Thanks!!

[aicabsolut]

How often are you going to be hitting these trails? Are you going to ride them when they're muddy?

Assuming that's pretty packed down dirt and gravel, you can ride it just fine on your road bike. Just use a heavier gear for stability.

If you're going to be riding on softer stuff, mud, or hitting very large gravel or just don't want to chip up your pretty road bike paint, then I'd go with a cross bike. The brakes have more clearance for when your rims get all gunked up, and you can use wider tires with cross wheels. Depending on the kind of brake and frame clearance you have right now with the road bike, you could get a tough set of wheels and put some slightly wider, slightly treaded cross tires on them and use your road bike.

I ride gravel and dirt from time to time on my road bike and am ok with it. I prefer using the one with the wider wheel base, but both do just fine. Going down a twisty mountain descent on large gravel was terrifying, and going up steep hills sucks if you don't get your pedal stroke smooth (and your saddle slips to be pointing nearly straight up! ). I think I'd still have problems with those things on a cross bike.

I don't do that kind of riding enough to warrant getting another bike, but if I did, I'd go with a cross bike. I agree with the others that it or a touring bike are a good choice for you since you like your road bike so much. I'd probably pick cross, because it would tend to be lighter than a touring bike.

[TrekTheKaty]

I was just going to say that, aicabsolut. I guess it's because my husband used to ride a mountain bike and I started with a hybrid. It's a little embarrassing where we take our expensive/fancy road bikes. Serious riders scrunch their nose at us, but 20% of our riding is on the Missouri Katy Trail. It's pea gravel with occasional bigger and loose gravel. Both my husband and I ride our road bikes on the trail. I currently have 700x23 tires on my bike, but I believe I had 28's before that and they were perfect. My sister has a hybrid and just went down to the 28's and is still comfortable on the gravel. It's the perfect compromise for us. My husband even bought a second set of rims to put "gravel" tires on--but found it wasn't worth the trouble. DH has had a couple blowouts, but he's a big boy on a carbon fiber bike with skinny tires (always carry tubes and a pump--we zip tie a spare tire to the frame on long gravel rides or centuries).

In fact, funny story. We did our first century 2 years ago. We rode as much of the anticipated route in segments as we could beforehand. (St Louis Ride the Rivers). The route includes many local trails and paths. During the ride, when we thought we should have been jumping up on the gravel top levee, everyone turned off onto a road. We were so confused. It took us half the ride the figure out that the "roadies" would rather ride in traffic than a perfectly good trail! I certainly felt like I graduated to a road rider, but still couldn't resist gazing at the perfectly good (no cars) trail just over there