


Mountain Bike:

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Cyclocross Bike:

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  • @tehnyit thanks for the feedback. figure labels added. – David LeBauer Aug 29 '11 at 13:28
  • I'm turning 40 soon, and have the same questions on my mind. Please do tell us what do do and how you find it. I'm worried about the bottom gears on a cyclocross bike being not as torquey as my mountainbike, for going up steep hills. Personally I see a CX bike as being a more-robust road bike more than a fast mountainbike. – Criggie Aug 21 '15 at 3:37

11 Answers 11





Standover height








Other uses


  • Just for completeness: By now (2019), disc brakes seem to be the norm on CX bikes. – anderas Mar 18 at 16:22





Fatter tires: can handle more varied terrain.










I hope this helps!






If you have other bike options then:

The bigger decisions are:









Hope this helps.


  • 3









There are a lot of factors to consider, many of which are touched on above.

I have both a 29" MTB and a CX, and I it's usually pretty clear which one I should be using given terrain, distance etc.

For me, it would mostly come down to this factor—what sort of surfaces you're expecting to ride most of?

You noted:

I am not particularly interested in technical riding–although I would like to be able to ride through most things, even if I have to do so slowly.

What is rideable on a CX isn't just about how "technical" it is—the tires are much smaller in volume and surface area, so this changes what surfaces you can (comfortably) ride. For example, there are a number of what many people would consider "non-technical" trails around where I live (e.g. firetrails) that are too rocky to realistically consider the CX.

So, I interpret your comment as that are looking at some light gravel, dirt and grass surfaces, and not singletrack (where tree roots, rocks etc. are a significant factor).

Some things to consider:

  • Tires: As has been noted by others, MTB tires will tend to be larger volume. There are also a lot more "tubless ready" options which can improve traction and performance in off road use for MTB (very few options are available for CX based on my experience). The larger tires, with lower pressures, will "smooth out" rough surfaces significantly, even if you went with a non-suspension front fork, making rides more comfortable on rougher terrain. You will also hold traction longer on an MTB when climbing on loose surfaces.
  • Riding surface: If you're riding significant sections of rocky roads/off-road sections (i.e. not small gravel/stones, but rocks > 5cm in size and/or significant drop-offs etc.) the MTB would be the best option. Also, CX bikes are not as "forgiving" on the body if you have a lot of bumps and irregular surfaces over the duration of your ride. To my understanding, CX races/bikes are typically used for shorter stints in the saddle (e.g. races around 1hr in length) and you will fatigue (i.e. in the arms etc.) more quickly on a CX when not on relatively smooth surfaces. I've also noticed that my elbows get jarred on some surfaces on the CX, that I wouldn't even notice on the MTB (even when in the "attack" position, with elbows held loosely).
  • Braking on downhill: I've found that braking on a rough/off-road down hill is harder/less comfortable on the CX than it is on the MTB. This is in part due to the location of the brakes on the bar but also the position you need to hold on the bike (which has been noted by someone earlier). As I'm used to a flat bar setup (even my old road bike was a flat bar) I'm still getting used to when and how to use drops—so this may be a rider experience thing. But the MTB is definitely easier to handle in this regard.
  • Weight: the CX is likely to be lighter (sometimes significantly) than an MTB due to tires, suspension, dropper posts etc. If you do a lot of climbing, or have to carry the bike any distance, this may be a factor.
  • $$: The distance between a CX and a hardtail in terms of cost is not a lot, but you are paying more for suspension and other ruggedised componentry on an MTB. The gap widens if you are considering a dual-suspension bike (which I assume you're not given your description).
  • Gearing: My experience is that CX bikes tend to be geared more towards performance/speed, whereas MTB is more forgiving on climbs (unless you're looking at a 1x11 setup, which I don't suspect you are). I run 2x10 on both bikes, but the MTB has a lower "granny" gear than the CX. It doesn't sound like you have a lot of off-road climbing (otherwise you probably would have mentioned it in your description), so this probably isn't an issue for you.
  • % of Road vs. Off-road: The MTB can ride anything the CX can, but if a majority of the ride is on tarmac (sealed surface road), the MTB is definitely not the right choice. While the CX is a bit more limited in the surfaces it can cope with, it is way better on the road in my experience. The amount of road riding you do will also influence tire choice—a lot of tarmac you'll want to consider a file tread pattern, a lot of off-road more "knobby" style patterns. In my experience there are more "road friendly" CX tire options than in the MTB world (I was looking to convert a hardtail to a hybrid at one point).

One thing I'd suggest is that riding style on a CX is more like MTB than road riding in terms of stance and general riding technique. So if you're coming from a road bike, this may take a bit of getting used to.

One last thing: I'd suggest an addendum to an earlier commenter's note about 29" wheels only being suitable for taller riders. Frame size is a much bigger factor than wheel size AFAICT, but I've noted some manufacturers will offer a 27.5" in their small frame. So I would regard this comment only if you are considering small frame sizes.

That said, if you are considering 26" MTB, I would recommend considering 27.5" instead. Manufacturers seem to be standardising on 27.5" or 29" configurations.

  • I am currently running a Trek Superfly 5, with some cheapy 700cX43mm hybrid tires at about 80 psi. It has a lock out front fork with
    100mm of travel and disk brakes for handling. It is running a 3 by 10 gear set that is a little slow for road biking but will climb over
    anything (especially with some low pressure knobbies). The bars are a little wide for road use but other than that is seems to make a great commuter vehicle. It rolls well over any terrain I will encounter.
  • This is a versatile machine: lock the front for the road; unlock
    the fork for grass fields,sidewalks,and nasty roads. All I need to do to make this a super fun trail bike is a simple tire switch.
  • The most important deciding factor is the tires. What I am essentially riding is a hybrid with high end components and this
    is because of a simple tire change. Anything from your CX to a
    hybrid to a XC 29er will likely do what you want. The question is how road or trail specialized you want to go in the geometries.
    The speed on road or trail is mostly just a matter of tire
    choices. (The XC29er has the most wheel choices though.)
  • My vote goes to the 29er.

This is 2015 though so things in the MTB world has come a long way.

  • Welcome to Bicycles @Johnny. The OP asks What are the differences (and their practical implications) between a 29" mountain bike and a cyclocross bicycle? I don't see how you answer that. Can you make it clear in your post? – andy256 Aug 19 '15 at 3:00

Many answers but none seem to focus on practical implications

First consider what a CX is designed for. It is design for maximum speed on what is basically light trails. CX is also designed to be shouldered. Most CX courses will have a run up that requires the bike to be shouldered.

A mountain bike is designed for wide range of trail conditions.

A 700 and 29" is the same diameter (ISO 622). The mtn bike will have larger diameter tires. Most CX will go up to 38mm but some pure race only 35mm.

You definitely give up stand over with a CX. Since the CX needs to be carried they make the triangle big - more room to shoulder and less distance to the shoulder. On a slight fall the extra clearance can sometimes be VERY valuable.

On a light trail speed advantage goes to CX. That is what CX is designed for. You don't need a shock and a shock absorbs pedal energy and adds weight. Smaller tires are more efficient. Larger triangle is more rigid / weight. Drop bars are more efficient. At speed you have better aerodynamics with drop bars.

Clearly on rough (rocks or roots) the mountain bike has an advantage. Bigger tires and a shock.

On a climb the geometry of the mtn is more efficient. Don't ask me why but I can tell you from experience it is.

Drop off. This is the big difference. On moderate to steep decent the mtn is way better. You can get you weight (butt) back and still be on the brakes.

On the road CX has a huge advantage.

There is a CX course near my house and I train on my rigid fork mountain more than my CX. The reason is the downhill is just so much more comfortable on the mtn and I am just training. My times vary by less than one minutes on a total of 50. So about 2%. The mtn is faster up and down the hills. And the CX is faster on the flats. You see a few mtn bikes in the lower classes of CX and for people that don't have decent technique a mtn is better (easier descents).

There are some trails by my house and there are only few sections I can ride on my mtn but not on my CX. There are some drop offs I ride on the CX but much more comfortable on the mtn.

For people that say apples and oranges I don't agree. My CX has about the same feel and balance as my mtn. My road has different feel and balance.

For light trails definitely CX. But a mountain is not wrong. With a mountain you have the option of more technical stuff if you decide to in the future.

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