"I saw this deal, and thought someone might like it" thread.

[DismalScientist]

@Subby 60462 wrote:

What’s the difference? Tire width/tread?

Beats me. I’m trying to figure out the difference between a touring bike, cyclocross bike, and a hardtail 29er.

I can understand how tire type can change the functionality of a bike, but not its classification. It is not as if swapping tires is particularly difficult. (Wheel builds can be different as well, but swapping wheels is similarly easy.)

[Greenbelt]

@Subby 60462 wrote:

What’s the difference? Tire width/tread?

Best I can tell, a “gravel” bike is like a cyclocross bike in most respects except that it doesn’t have a formed top tube with cables along the top for easy carrying. So it’s got all the advantages of a CX bike except that you can’t actually use it for CX racing!

More seriously, I think the idea is just that it’s like a road bike with lots of tire clearance, or a CX bike with a little more stable handling and possibly with more climbing gears and mounts for gear for longer expeditions.

A Bianchi Volpe or a Kona Rove might better be suited for extended (non-technical) dirt/gravel tours than a CX racing bike, even though they are sometimes marketed in the CX category as opposed to road or touring.

Talk about splitting hairs to try to create a new genre!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Subby 60462 wrote:

What’s the difference? Tire width/tread?

A gravel bike is laterally stiff and vertically compliant, whereas a CX bike is vertically compliant and laterally stiff.

[mstone]

@Subby 60462 wrote:

What’s the difference? Tire width/tread?

Note, BSNYC is a humorist…

[mstone]

@DismalScientist 60465 wrote:

Beats me. I’m trying to figure out the difference between a touring bike, cyclocross bike, and a hardtail 29er.[/quote]

Rule number one: shop for features, not labels.

[ quote]I can understand how tire type can change the functionality of a bike, but not its classification. It is not as if swapping tires is particularly difficult. (Wheel builds can be different as well, but swapping wheels is similarly easy.)

Swapping tires is immensely difficult if there’s insufficient clearance. It’s also pointless to design for more clearance than intended (usually implying more sturdy construction/weight, and making the bike less aero if you care about that).

The geometry, bars, clearances, brakes, braze-ons, and strength will generally differ between touring, cyclocross, and 29er bikes, but you’d have to compare specific examples to see what trade offs the designer made.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Bianchi Trofeo, 53cm, $300

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3992885407.html

[ShawnoftheDread]

You too can be Bilsko:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bik/3993033174.html

[americancyclo]

Chrome Pista for $200. If I was 5’9″ like the seller, or shawnofthedread I’d pick this up real quick.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3997785477.html

[ShawnoftheDread]

@americancyclo 60751 wrote:

Chrome Pista for $200. If I was 5’9″ like the seller, or shawnofthedread I’d pick this up real quick.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3997785477.html

And if my wife were out of town I might be doing the same.

[cyclingfool]

@americancyclo 60751 wrote:

Chrome Pista for $200. If I was 5’9″ like the seller, or shawnofthedread I’d pick this up real quick.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3997785477.html

He apparently doesn’t want the Bianchi Vigorelli to sell since the subject of the ad post is “4 Mountain bikes and 1 Fixed-gear” when it’s clearly 3 MTB, one road bike, one fixie for sale… :confused:

[vvill]

@Subby 60462 wrote:

What’s the difference? Tire width/tread?

I’ve gotten the impression that the choice of tires/tread varies wildly between riders – many have their own preferences on which to run at what pressure based on the terrain and weather.

A “true” CX bike is made for racing CX which can be a very specific kind of riding. It will handle aggressively/sharply, have a BB high enough to avoid hitting roots, etc., have good enough clearance for CX tires with some mud, and yet ideally be light for carrying (with strong enough wheels, etc. to hit berms and catch some air). The gearing is also limited to a narrower range, even with 20 speeds (often a 46/36 chainring setup) because the speeds in CX tend to fall in a narrower range than touring, gravel or road riding. The brakes and pedals should to be able to accommodate muddy conditions too.

Since CX tires are typically no wider than 35mm, the frames tend to stick around there in terms of tire clearance. (I think some elite races are actually limited to 33mm?) Also, higher end CX bikes will also have no mounts whatsoever even for bottle cages because CX racers (apparently) don’t need hydration other than beer hand-ups! And then there’s the top tube which is sometimes curved/flattened on the underside for shouldering, and any cables are always run above. Some CX bikes also have top-pull FDs to avoid getting as much muck in the front shifter cables as possible. Full length housing can be used for the same reason. Many CX racers are serious road racers who’ve just finished their road season so they’re serious about having a very specific CX bike for their CX season too.

Of course since people (both consumers and bike companies) noticed CX bikes make pretty good all round bikes, many lower level CX bikes are not that light, come with triples, commuter tires and fender mounts, and are marketed more as all-round bikes. And since CX bikes are race bikes (just not road race bikes) they also have the racier and more aggressive graphics/look that many bike companies/shops find they can sell more easily than a heavier, plainer looking steel touring bike.

From what I can tell, the new gravel bike genre is made specifically for gravel races/events like the DK200, which are much more endurance events and also require much more self-sufficiency. These bikes need to be comfortable enough for long, but well-paced rides on gravel and dirt whilst having plenty of water bottle mounts, and good options for wider tire clearance. Gearing would probably be wider than CX I guess. I’d also imagine a slightly longer wheelbase/stabler handling, maybe lower BB, taller head tube, and less emphasis on “stiffness” and low weight and more on reliability (but still lighter and higher geared than a touring bike since racks aren’t used).

What I don’t get is why CX racers have to use drop bars. Speeds aren’t really high enough for much aero advantage, and any descent isn’t long enough. The hoods position is nice to have but the drops seem mostly an extra annoyance while shouldering your bike, and braking from the hoods isn’t easy when you’re going downhill fast on a rough surface. I guess it’s a carryover from road racing. Bullhorns might make more sense but they’re not legal.

Anyway, tl;dr a CX bike is a road bike with knobbies. A gravel bike is a light touring bike without racks!

Back to the deals…

@americancyclo 60751 wrote:

Chrome Pista for $200.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3997785477.html

I’m 5’9″. Dang.

[DaveK]

@vvill 60845 wrote:

I’m 5’9″. Dang.

Yes, I too am having problems with this one. I don’t need it at all (and have a fixed-gear theoretically waiting for me to fix it) but…. chrome frame.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@DaveK 60868 wrote:

Yes, I too am having problems with this one. I don’t need it at all (and have a fixed-gear theoretically waiting for me to fix it) but…. chrome frame.

Yep.

[americancyclo]

Bianchi 10 Speed Vigorelli – Sold

[vvill]

Ad has changed. 2 bikes gone but the Pista is still there…

[Author]

Posts