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A riddle.....

(11 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by allebong
  • Latest reply from crowriver

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  1. allebong
    Member

    ....Or, because there's not enough subcategories of cycling already.

    Imagine a road bike. Be it carbon, aluminium or even oldschool steel, we all know what one looks like.

    Now imagine beefing up the frame somewhat, slackening the head angle, lowering the gearing and generally making it resemble something like a rigid mountain bike with 700c wheels.

    Now add space for wider knobbly tyres, lots of mud clearance and maybe rack/mudguard eyes if not already present.

    To what category does this bike belong if it is not cyclocross?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Uberuce
    Member

    We are all yoked by the tyranny of the discontinuous mind.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. EddieD
    Member

    It's a bike.

    No matter what we buy it for, it ends up being a bike^w cycle.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. RJ
    Member

    Some tourers would fit that description

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. allebong
    Member

    Tourer is actually a very good attempt based on the description. Not quite what I was thinking of though.

    This is a type of bicycle that has come into existence in as best as I can tell the past year. It's not even that the particular configuration of this type of bike has never existed until then. In fact, if I showed you a picture of this type of bike, and then a cyclocross bike, you would swear they were the same thing. However, consider yourself in the point of view of a bike manufacturer. Instead of selling one measly CX bike to a customer, which they can use on pretty much any surface, you can boost your big fat profits the economy by selling the customer a second bike as well. The difficulty is in making this second bike distinct from a CX bike even though it is in fact a CX bike by all sane reasoning. It has been achieved however.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Gravel bike?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    What you have described is a hybrid. Except presumably with drop bars instead of straight/riser bars.

    CX bikes are very specific. Many bikes sold as 'cross' bikes are really commuter hybrids.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. allebong
    Member

    Gravel bike?

    Ding ding! Congratulations. Your prize is a moan from me.

    In the words of BikesnobNYC, the difference between a CX bike and a gravel bike is 'a skinsuit and buying another bike you don't need'.

    Now, lest you doubt me, I am not questioning the ironclad logic of n+1. I am noting that with gravel racing being on the rise (allegedly) we should all prepare for an onslaught of marketing designed to convince us we need a dedicated gravel racing bike. And of course a dedicated gravel non-racing bike, and a CX bike for CX. Any notion that all three of those bikes are so similar you only need one is of course foolish.

    Me, I remember long ago (ie the late 90s) when it was road bikes or mountain bikes only.

    Bonus assignment: Go onto any mtb related site, especially one focused on downhill, and make a thread promoting the benefits of the 650b wheel size. You may wish to borrow fireproof clothing.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    650s seem quite popular with US Randonneuring bikes aimed at women. I guess the literal translation would be "Audax bike" but actually they seem more like what used to be called a "Cafe Racer"

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. amir
    Member

    Cafe racer sounds good. First one to get the scones before they run out.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. crowriver
    Member

    generally making it resemble something like a rigid mountain bike with 700c wheels

    You mean a "29er"?

    Posted 11 years ago #

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