It essentially is a road bike, but with slightly different geometry, a higher wheelbase, lower gearing, and wider wheels (generally with knobbies or other heavily treaded tires) and heavy-duty brakes (either cantilevers or disc). Before it became a distinct niche in the new bike market, 'cross bikes were just steel road frames with special wheels and gearing that crazy Dutch and Belgian people would ride around muddy courses in front of noisy inebriated crowds during the winter road racing offseason.
Why do they call this a cyclocross bike? It looks like a road bike to me. I guess I just don't understand the category.
