Do Cyclocross Bikes Have Gears? Let’s Reveal The Fact Today

As we know that the Cyclocross bike is perfect for mountain climbing, mud riding, and cruising, the technical capability should be similar to other MTB or racing bikes. But a common query comes to mind, do cyclocross bikes have gears? Here we will know the fact about CX and eliminate any confusion.

Generally, Cyclocross bikes have 1x gear, but they have a double chain ring in a few cases. So, instead of several types of equipment like a racing bike, CX bikes have good cruising capacity and give more competition to other bikes. Also, the balancing and control while speeding are comfortable for riders.

We will have a detailed discussion today and give you a more precise understanding of the facts before getting your own CX bike.

Tracklocross Bike: A New Face Of Offroad Racing

A Tracklocross bike is a track frame bike with fixed gear. Moreover, you can attach the widest tire to it for better performance while climbing and in different terrain.

These bikes are great for all-around riding without thinking about bike performance. You can use them on-road or off-road, and they are suitable for all types of terrain. It comes with high-quality parts and components that are made for Racing.

Additionally, the frame of the Tracklocross bike has the traditional frame shape, and the frame has been designed to be both lightweight and durable. It means that the frame is easy to carry around when you need to move the bike in any situation.

Why Do We Need A Cyclocross Bike For The Cyclocross Race?

To know more about the requirement and features of the CX bike, we need to have in-depth information about it. So, let’s shed some light on it.

Cyclocross Bike Geometry

The cyclocross bike’s geometric design is unique. Its geometry angles are very relaxed, ensuring a better riding position than a racing gesture. So any cyclist can manage better shock absorption off-road and give better control and balance. That means just enjoy your Racing, mountain climbing, and off-road commuting with this bike.

For example,

• if you are a racer and want to use this bike for Racing, you can change the angle of the head tube to the racing position.
• If you are a mountain biker, you can set the angle of the head tube to a more comfortable position.

And, these benefits come from the geometric revolution of this CX bike.

The Difference Between Cyclocross and Tracklocross Bike

General CX bike comes with all-terrain riding features, and you can enjoy racing to mountain climbing with your bike. Its riding position, gear, and extra attachments are all favorable for various types of riding. It has a comfortable seat, suspension fork, and disc brakes. Overall, this is the most popular model around us. So that a biker can enjoy his/her ride on any terrain with this beast.

On the other hand, the Tracklocross bike is another breed of CX bike, but for better climbing and all-terrain driving. And bikers can change the front wheel to a wider one for better performance. The problem with such a setup is that the weight distribution is quite different from a standard road bike. As well as the center of gravity is much higher than a standard road bike offering the rider better control. But it will not provide a smooth ride on a flat road.

Gravel Bike For Cyclocross Racing

A gravel bike can meet all the requirements for cyclocross racing. It will help you rule in a cyclocross race and reach your finish line. But for a regular tourer, the gravel bike is not perfect.

Gravel bikes are designed for riding on unpaved surfaces, and it rules there. These are usually heavier than road bikes. Their tyres are wider and rougher. They have suspension forks and disc brakes that are different from CX bikes.

Does Speed Matter In Cycrocorss Racing?

Cyclocross racing is entirely dependent on steady speed and proper handling. It is not like that; you can go faster than other bikes on a flat surface and get stuck in the mud!  So your bike should comply with the need of the cyclocross racing track.

Furthermore, you cannot win with faster, multi-gear, and thin tire bikes here. So considering the needs of the track, the Cyclocross bikes come with better control, steady speed, all-terrain riding capacity, dismantling features, etc.

Do Cyclocross Bikes Have Gears?

Generally, CX bikes come with a single gear feature, but there are standard double chainrings in some models. In this state, these bikes run perfectly on race tracks. As cyclocross races are not about cruising and faster ones, they do not require using multiple gears.

Now we will know more about the gear issues of these bikes with some essential web queries that come from you, Guys.

How Many Gears Does A Cyclocross Bike Have?

Cyclocross bikes have a single gear for better performance in the race. And it gives better control with it. There are many advantages of having single gear over double or triple.

The main advantage of single gear is that it gives better control in the different terrain races. If you want to go faster, you need to shift your bike more often. But in a cyclocross race, you need to have better control at a steady speed.

Although the single gear function is perfect for CX bikes. Because a dual or triple gear cycle is not ideal for all-terrain Racing. You can still control your CX bike even though you can’t shift gears like in regular Racing. It is a good thing because you need to focus on control here.

Are Cyclocross Bikes Fixed Gear?

Cyclocross bikes are fixed gear and come with better chains and sometimes double chains for more power. Because CX bikes do not need faster speed but require more power to drive in any terrain and mountain climbing. So, based on the requirement of the race, this bike comes with a fixed gear that gives the rider to apply power on movement and balancing.

And in the next few sections,  I will clear some confusion raising on this gearing system of cyclocross bicycles.

Can You Change The Gearing On Your Cyclocross Bike?

No, CX bikes are not designed to use multiple gears. So, we cannot upgrade it frequently from single gear to multiple gears; it will hamper the rider’s movement and riding performance.

So, if you want to upgrade it to multiple gears, you can change the gear portion of your bike, but it is strictly not suggested as it will impact the bike performance. Because a multiyear bike will not be able to handle any terrain ride and climb mountains.

Is The Multiple Gear Bikes Better Than Single Gear Bikes?

Yes, multi-gear bikes are better than single gear CX bikes in terms of Racing and high-speed experience. But, when we need to ride this bike in mud, rough surface, stones, and climb a mountain, it must be a steady single gear bike. The only reason is steady speed and better handling for Cyclocross racing. So we cannot use a multi-gear bike if we want in the CX race or that kind of racing track.

How Do You Choose A Gear For Your Cyclocross Bike?

Choosing the correct type of gear for a cyclocross bike is very crucial. Here always keep in mind that it needs a single gear solution. So, a multi-gear solution will not fit the structure.

Also, it will give the rider a more uncomfortable experience. On CX bikes, multi-gear does not work very well, as when the bike is going through rough terrain, there is a lot of shaking and moving. And which causes the chain to come out of the chain ring.

But for better performance, a biker can use a single gear with a double chainring. It will give a more powerful thrust on the bike and perform better while climbing mountains. So, you should be careful while looking for the right gear for the CX bike.

Cyclocross VS Road Bike VS Gravel Bike Speed

Depending on the bike type, the speed and handling features are not the same. If we look at different scenarios, Road bikes are faster than both CX and Gravel bikes. But on different types of terrain, the road bikes are not comparable to other bikes. Let’s see the chart below to get a clear idea.

So, based on the above chart, we can say that a Road bike is only perfect for flat road racing. But for uneven terrain and gravel trails, we need Cyclocross and Gravel bikes.

Final Sayings

For clearing the idea of cyclocross bike’s gearing system, I have shared with you a brief discussion such as Tracklocross bike, Geometry of CX cycle, the differences of Road, Gravel, and CX bike, and some more effective pieces of information related to the main topic.

After all these discussions above, we can come to a final answer that CX bikes are single gear. And they do not need multi-gear functionality. Also, there will be no solid improvement of this bike with customized or new gear. A cyclocross bike is perfect with its single gear to rule the cyclocross races.