cross for commuters?

Not sure if the bike I commute with is a cross bike "Kona Dew Deluxe" but I got it for a steal at cove for like 399 about a year ago.

It came loaded with everything including hydro disc. The only thing I had to replace on this bike since I got it was the forks due to some messing around and folding them up.

So far this bike has about 12,000 km on it and still going strong at 60km per day.

Its a great bike and feels fast compared my cove mtb I was using before this one.

Good bike. The guy I sold one to a year ago bought cross tires. He tried a cross race on it.

Its a great bike and feels fast compared my cove mtb I was using before this one.

MTB's suck for commuting. Slow and inefficient.

I tried building up a lightweight commuter with an old MTB frame I had… spent a month hunting down parts. Hated it from the first ride, mainly cause I'd gotten used to a road bike.

I'd be really curious to try a 29er though. Not curious enough to purchase one though :)

I'd be really curious to try a 29er though. Not curious enough to purchase one though :)

I believe Lee Lau is trying one out right now.

I just commuted 24Km on dirt roads, city streets and bike path on my cross bike.
Next week it will be dirt roads, city streets, singletrack and bike paths for 35km.

Cross bike ideal? No.
I could do it faster on a road bike for real. But then i'd be on the road, and 23c tyres dont do gravelly washboard.

Cross bike jack of all trades, master of none? Yes.

Do it.

Never rode a cross bike but i like XC with slicks, hi rise bars and short stem. Very maneuverable and fun for wheelies, curbs, short cuts etc. Pretty quick too but its been a long time since i have been on a road bike to compare.

stock stem and bars in picture.

I have a Ridley Super cross, as my commuter/winter training bike/Cross race bike.

1) As a race bike it doesn't get much better, the high for cross BB is annoying when remounting during a race tho.

2) Winter training mode, the forks have fenders mounts on the dropouts and rubber coated clamps that I put on the frame make fenders a cinch. It handles like a truck on the road compared to my race bike, but I can still out handle, and corner faster than most of the people I train with. The slower response actually makes riding in a pack easier! Its not the bike that holds you back from bike handling skills, it about adapting to the bike.

3) Commuter I don't use panniers (I only have to bring my lunch to work) But if I was to have a do all bike, I'd just find a cross bike with Eyelets for fenders and mech disc brakes. (I roll on Ceramic Mavic open pro rims, soo far so good 2 plus years of racing/commuting, best thing I have ever bought for a bike)

I commute on my Kona Jake the Snake. I really enjoy riding it, its a lot faster than my old mtb set up for touring. That being said I don't have a road bike to compare it to. I have road tires for it, but the bigger cross tires create the ability to travel reasonably quick on any urban surface and make for a fun commute.

do you think the wider tires make teh cross bikes slower? Or something else? I was thinking of running a set of narrow tires in the dry months.

Jake the Snake cobbled together with 1x9, riser bar, v-brakes [HTML_REMOVED] 30c marathons is my commuter. Works great, esp for shorter rides.

do you think the wider tires make teh cross bikes slower? Or something else? I was thinking of running a set of narrow tires in the dry months.

A little bit. But unless you are Eric Tonkin it's nothing you really need to worry about. Worry about your fitness and skills.

I have been on group rides in Toronto with guy's who decided to show up hung over with knobbies on their cross bikes. And still crush everyone on the ride.

A little bit. But unless you are Eric Tonkin it's nothing you really need to worry about. Worry about your fitness and skills.

I have been on group rides in Toronto with guy's who decided to show up hung over with knobbies on their cross bikes. And still crush everyone on the ride.

good point. I just really enjoy the speed of a road bike, so freeing.

You snapped the stock Project 2 fork?

Yeah it was my fault though. I was riding the bike as if it was my old MTB and got carried away. I was lucky not to have them snap completely as I was burning down the back side of Lions Gate.

The guys at cove hooked me up with a wicked set of Surly Karate Monkey Fork 29"and the bike is now bomb proof.

You'll definitely notice a difference swapping out a typical CX tire (say 700x35c) for a narrow road tire (typically 700x23c). I did that last summer to climb Baker and it made a huge difference. If you are really serious about using your 'cross bike as a 3-in-1 multitool (cyclocross/commuting/road), budget for a dedicated road wheelset.

There is one important thing to consider about discs on a CX bike, if you expect to be swapping out wheels. The rea dropout spacing can be either 135mm or 130mm OLD. There are very few road spacing (130mm) disc hubs, so going mtb spacing (135mm) gives you a lot more options for wheel builds. Such as building on an XTR hub or one of the lightweight mtb disc hubs out there.

You'll definitely notice a difference swapping out a typical CX tire (say 700x35c) for a narrow road tire (typically 700x23c). I did that last summer to climb Baker and it made a huge difference. If you are really serious about using your 'cross bike as a 3-in-1 multitool (cyclocross/commuting/road), budget for a dedicated road wheelset.

There is one important thing to consider about discs on a CX bike, if you expect to be swapping out wheels. The rea dropout spacing can be either 135mm or 130mm OLD. There are very few road spacing (130mm) disc hubs, so going mtb spacing (135mm) gives you a lot more options for wheel builds. Such as building on an XTR hub or one of the lightweight mtb disc hubs out there.

Ok thanks. In the long run I would prefer to have a nice light-weight road set of wheels and the CX set that can take a bit of a beating.

good info on the hubs and disc situation.