What do you use your CX bike for?

[Owlie]

Besides CX, that is. Backup roadie? Commuter? Gravel? Inquiring minds want to know. (Also trying to persuade a certain someone that a CX bike--even a steel one with disc brakes--isn't a waste of money.)

[Blueberry]

Everything but cross (I don't ride cross, and don't have any current plans to start). Road rides, night rides, commuting, grocery hauling, trainer bike, etc., etc.

[Eden]

Snow! I put studs on mine last year and used it as a snow/ice commuter

[tealtreak]

Some of my fav trails are accessed by gravel fire roads.....so tell him "good for fire roads!" Also, a friend of mine bike commutes on hers in heavy traffic because she feels safer than on her road bike knowing she can pop over the curb or hop out of the way if needed......

[Becky]

Commuting and gravel grinders. No actual cyclocross yet.

[zoom-zoom]

CX, gravel roads, backup bike, casual family rides. If I could only have one bike, my CX bike would be it. I would like disc brakes, though. My cantilevers are not all that great when it's dry. Add water and they're even more ineffective. Add sub-freezing temps and it's scary. I did ONE Winter ride last year and loved the way it handled icy roads with studded tires, but the inability to stop was a deal-breaker. I just really didn't feel comfortable with that.

[jdubble]

CX, gravel roads, backup bike, casual family rides. If I could only have one bike, my CX bike would be it. I would like disc brakes, though. My cantilevers are not all that great when it's dry. Add water and they're even more ineffective. Add sub-freezing temps and it's scary. I did ONE Winter ride last year and loved the way it handled icy roads with studded tires, but the inability to stop was a deal-breaker. I just really didn't feel comfortable with that.

zoom, i felt the same way about my canti brakes! i had hoped to use my cx bike as more of a winter bike after cx season, but never felt like i could stop on wet roads well enough to feel safe. but i just had mini-v brakes put on at the beginning of the season and WOW! they stop me! and the fork chatter is gone! i haven't had one "omg will i be able to stop at the bottom of this" thought since i got them. they were well worth the investment (and cheaper than replacing the bike with one with disc brakes!)

[zoom-zoom]

zoom, i felt the same way about my canti brakes! i had hoped to use my cx bike as more of a winter bike after cx season, but never felt like i could stop on wet roads well enough to feel safe. but i just had mini-v brakes put on at the beginning of the season and WOW! they stop me! and the fork chatter is gone! i haven't had one "omg will i be able to stop at the bottom of this" thought since i got them. they were well worth the investment (and cheaper than replacing the bike with one with disc brakes!)

That's exactly the upgrade I'd like to try.

[jdubble]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.ph...1040&catid=185

[Trek-chick]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.ph...1040&catid=185

Oooooooohhh I like those and they come in RED Need to add to my Xmas list

I plan to do some CX races and use mine for everything!!! We have terrible roads here and I commute on old gravel RR bed. Even though my CX bike has an aluminum fork, it is still more comfy than my raod bike was w/ CF forks. I am getting a new wheel set soon so, will have one with road tires mounted and one with CX tires. Best of both worlds IMO.

[zoom-zoom]

These are the brakes I had put on. You might find them a bit cheaper online somewhere, but I just rolled them into my pre-season overhaul and emptied my wallet on the counter. *sigh*

http://www.trpbrakes.com/category.ph...1040&catid=185

Ooh, they come in blue that would match my CX bike, too!!!

[warneral]

I had a soma double cross set up with VO fenders, rack for panniers and 32 tires. I do my round the town errands (grocery, Library). I also pull dd with a tag along when needed. I've used it for rails trail rides (WI is full of them). I've also gone on 30-50mi hikes solo. It's a great all-around bike. When I get back on my Indy fab race bike, it is much faster, but I'm enjoying this cross bike as a utilitarian bike

[SheFly]

Like others, my CX bike is my go to bike in all inclement weather, especially now that I have discs . I race CX on mine, and in the spring, throw on a set of slicks to use it as my winter training bike. The SSCX bike gets A LOT of use as well - recovery rides, training, etc.

The TRP mini-Vs are awesome! Put those on last year and couldn't believe the difference they made. Now that I have discs, though, there is no going back. I think our cantis are out of here, and there will be a major conversion to discs for our pit bikes and SSCX bikes as well as the racing bikes we already converted (yes, that's a total of THREE cross bikes EACH) .

SheFly

[Owlie]

Thanks! This is the bike in question: http://chargebikes.com/products/filter-apex/

I want something as a winter bike (disc brakes, clearance for wider tires, etc). This looks like it might be the solution. Part of the boyfriend's issue with it, I think, is that he lives somewhere without a real winter, so road cycling is possible year-round. ("Why would you need that rather than just getting a new road bike?!")

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, that is excellent! Steel, disc brakes, comes in a size that would fit me...too bad our LBS doesn't carry those.