cyclocross for touring

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by foxyrider »

my Mares is running a 50/34 compact with (currently) an 11-32 cassette. I live in Sheffield and to get my shopping home is a 2 mile climb that in places gets close to 15% the shopping can easily see a load of 20kg making its way uphill. My full on camping gear is 12kg so I can't see any issue unless it gets to 20% or steeper (which doesn't mean I won't fit something different if I take it to the Alps) but for terrain up to and including the Peak District it offers gearing to spare for a reasonably fit rider.

A full on CX bike will generally run 46/36 with 11-28 or tighter cassette.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
jags
Posts: 636
Joined: 3 Oct 2007, 3:11pm

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by jags »

i had a look at the spa tourer ,the 48 is 600 wheels rather have 700 to be honest but the top tibe on the 51 seems very long to me 54.5 if im reading is correct .i suffer with back problems so i reckon i would be way over stretched on that bike
im 5.6inx inside leg 29ins am i loking at the wrong size frame .
i was hoping to get a frame obviously one thats fits perfect, but enough room to fit a thudbuster st seatpost .
going by my size and inside leg measurements what do u guys reckon i should go for..
my Terry Dolan is 48 but a sloping top tube.besides the the angles would be completly different to the SPA frame so couldnt really compair the too.

chers
jags.
TimP
Posts: 106
Joined: 25 May 2015, 6:15pm

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by TimP »

If it is a bike you are very comfortable using and fits you very well then by all means, use it. Consider tyres and maybe some tweaking on gear ratios and all should be good.
CX bikes are typically quite strong to survive the rough riding conditions they are normally ridden in. If you are going to be carrying very heavy loads then check wheel loads (how many spokes do your wheels have and how many cross is the lacing pattern?)
Almost any bike can be used for touring with some prep work but even a purpose built touring bike is useless for touring is you are not comfortable on the bike for hours at a time.
Touring is not about performance but an enjoyable riding experience.
hamster
Posts: 4131
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by hamster »

jags wrote:i had a look at the spa tourer ,the 48 is 600 wheels rather have 700 to be honest but the top tibe on the 51 seems very long to me 54.5 if im reading is correct .i suffer with back problems so i reckon i would be way over stretched on that bike
im 5.6inx inside leg 29ins am i loking at the wrong size frame .
i was hoping to get a frame obviously one thats fits perfect, but enough room to fit a thudbuster st seatpost .
going by my size and inside leg measurements what do u guys reckon i should go for..


You will struggle to get a frame that is small, short AND 700c simply because of the wheel diameter. That's why Spa do the smallest one with 26" wheels.
DaveGos
Posts: 275
Joined: 13 Nov 2009, 12:40pm

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by DaveGos »

Many stores like Halfords are marketing BIkes as cross bikes, don't think many people would buy them for cross . Its just you have to have an angle to make a cheap bike sound sexy , so they call them cross bikes, they are probably OK as cheap bikes go . Decathlon have some very cheap bikes marketed this way
dandru
Posts: 39
Joined: 3 Mar 2015, 1:27am

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by dandru »

This is the latest bike from Cannondale, not released yet, might be good for lightweight touring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev-iuSKRNk8

For those whose love for the road extends beyond just the road. For those whose thirst for fun and adventure cannot be quenched by mere road bikes or those dreary grinders of gravel. For all those who don't necessarily want to road-ride, but who just want to ride the roads, and the verges, the trails, and whatever strikes their fancy, we proudly offer a road bike unlike anything you've ever seen.
Bmblbzzz
Posts: 6259
Joined: 18 May 2012, 7:56pm
Location: From here to there.

Re: cyclocross for touring

Post by Bmblbzzz »

DaveGos wrote:Many stores like Halfords are marketing BIkes as cross bikes, don't think many people would buy them for cross . Its just you have to have an angle to make a cheap bike sound sexy , so they call them cross bikes, they are probably OK as cheap bikes go . Decathlon have some very cheap bikes marketed this way

Agree cyclocross (and now gravel racer) is, to an extent, used as another label for what was already there, but some of Decathlon's cheap bikes are actually rather decent. Apollo they're not!
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