Cross capable bike with road race geometry?

The spirit of Grav-lo-cross. No but seriously, cyclocross and gravel go here!

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GMF
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by GMF

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've looked at the suggestions and there are some cool bikes for sure. I'm pretty set against the slack head angle (briefly had a bike with a 71.5 HA) that was so not inspiring to ride I ended up giving it to my cousin as a commuter bike.

My current cross bike is definitely the old school euro high and tight geometry with like. 60mm bb drop. I can definitely feel the difference of that vs my argon with a substantial 75mm drop. My cross bike can also handle meaty rubber (like a 29x2.1 in front an a 40c plus in the back). I like this option, but when I spend the majority of the year on 23 or 25c slicks, it looks super goofy (vanity alert) which is a reason why I am looking for something that can just clear 35c cross tires).

Supposedly the 2017 Canyon Endurace is close to this, and I found a couple more obscure European brands that are interesting (koga, etc)... this must be a niche no one is intersted in.

Interesting thread - thanks for your ideas!

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kfreytag
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by kfreytag

FWIW, I have the Stigmata and it really does have a fantastic geo. I ran it with Vittoria 27mm Paves on ENVE M50s, and whereas it wasn't the Z-Zero, it was a really nice in-between bike. If I went to only one bike, it would be this, the Open, or a custom Eriksen Ti.


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Life's too short to ride clinchers.

Current:
Parlee Z-Zero ISP
Santa Cruz Stigmata CC

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Ridley X-Fire Disc

SuperDave
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by SuperDave

rothwem wrote:I think that the tightest you're going to get for chainstays on a cx bike is about 425, and that's due to the size of the tire.

Look at the CruX, the Major Jake and the Stigmata, they're all pretty snappy handling bikes. I haven't ridden the Niner BSB, but the geometry looks pretty good on that bike too.


Aforementioned EXPLORO is 415mm, the minimum length from Shimano and SRAM on a 142mm O.L.D. frame (new R9100 and 45mm Chainline cranksets notwithstanding)

-SD

RyanH
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by RyanH

@SuperDave, are you doing your road rides lately on that?

RyanH
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by RyanH

This is exactly what you're looking for (404mm chainstays and 35c clearance), unfortunately no one else even comes close to having something similar and wait time is... Uh a little long:

http://www.englishcycles.com/custombike ... ahbs-2016/

SuperDave
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by SuperDave

RyanH wrote:@SuperDave, are you doing your road rides lately on that?


Yes.

Road rides, group rides, mixed surface, gravel events, CX races, MTB XC races, a crit, and road races.
It's been a fun exercise in putting the "N-1 bike" rhetoric to the test.

I'd chosen a 1x set up on the bike and have a 44t chainring and a variety of cassettes and found in the Pro, 1, 2 races on the road I'm a bit undergeared in the sprints and for the longer climbs with mixed gradients I'd like to have an extra cog or two in the 15t-20t range.

It isn't perfect. OTOH I'd also ridden my previous road bike an AR FRD in the gravel and in events like the Belgian Waffle Ride and it is completely out of its element there with far too less tire clearance, nervous handling at speed on loose surfaces and uncomfortable over 4 hours.

I can't think of a reason why the average consumer buying a bike today wouldn't get a bike like the EXPLORO outside of budget. If you want a specific tool there are better choices but there isn't a better choice for a road-worthy bike capable on literally any road.

-SD

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