They got me

For as long as I can remember (at least as long as I can remember while being a bike guy), people have been saying, "We have to get you out there on a 'cross bike." Out where, exactly? Same thing with mountain bikes. Why the need to "get people out there?"

Anyway, a 'cross bike is something I've been thinking about for quite some time. The problem was the lack of really compelling choices. Sure, there are lots of bikes out there, but not a ton that are really appealing to me. Trek XO-1? Nice bike, but I'd have to swap wheels at the very least. XO-2? Kind of expensive for an aluminum Rival bike, though still pretty nice. Ibis? It's becoming the official bike of Omaha CX.

But then there's this:

I first saw the Cronus CX at Trek World last August, and I remember thinking, "Hey, cool bike." But then I moved on to something else and didn't think much about it — mostly because they simply weren't going to be available anytime soon. Besides, I had Madones on the brain, anyway.

Well, the Cronus CX is available now. And it's AWESOME. It is, essentially, a Madone with better tire clearance. With the exception of the bar, which is probably a little wide, it's dialed in and feels exactly like my road bike.

The stock build is pretty much what I would have put on it — SRAM Force and Avid Shorty Ultimate brakes. The Bontrager Race Lite wheels are, if nothing else, good enough. I have a few tricks up my sleeve, anyway.

And that leads into the next question: Am I going to race this thing?

Yeah, probably. A few times, at least. More than likely, I'll be a fair-weather, local-race-only 'cross guy. Considering the impending arrival of Kid No. 2 (aka Baby Jack, which is different than Medium-Sized Jack), I probably won't have a ton of time to commit to a 'cross schedule. But I want to check it out. And with a bike like this in the garage, it would be silly not to give it a crack.

Now I just need those new shoes to get here ...