[noonievut]

I recently put some slicks on my mountain bike so I can try road riding (reasons: was watching tour de france and got the itch, don't have to worry about wet trails after a rain, can go from my house without loading the bike in the car, etc.). I'm not commuting on the roads, but using the mountain bike the way people use their road bikes. And, I find I'm riding my bike more!

I actually like it. Not as much as singletrack mind you, but I enjoy the continuously fast speeds, good climbs and decents, etc. I ride in the north Brampton Caledon/Inglewood area, really nice for road rides.

Anyone else do this? If yes, any good routes between 10-50 km?

 

[SuperNewb]

I take mine out along the road sometimes and dont bother changing the tire ( too damn lazy ) Usually just through the city or along the goodman trail from one end to the other and back. I did have another bike with slicks on it but it got stolen recently and I would use that for road rides too since it had a 46t chainring. Thats about much road riding I do.

 

[ddakin]

Bought a roadie.

I did that last year and definitely found I was riding more because i didn't have to wait for the trails to dry.

Over the winter though, I bought a 2004 Giant OCR2 road bike for $1,200. I know it seems like a lot, but now I ride about 5x as much as before and my endurance on the trails is way up. Plus, with a road bike, you can go so much faster on the road than with a mountain bike/slicks. The skinny tires and aerodynamic design makes for some super-fun rides.

I'd highly recommend buying a new or used road bike.

Cheers!
Dan

 

[langford]

I ride mine to either Kelso or Hilton Falls from work, it's about 10 - 15 km, the Kenda Klimax tires are pretty good on asphalt.
For real road riding, I have a couple of old 12 speed road bikes, one cost me $17, the other I paid $200 for. You don't have to pay big bucks to have a road bike around, there's plenty of good used ones available.

 

[12XU]

road.

i bought a kona jake the snake this year and threw some 23c tires on it - holy sh*t, so much faster than my mountain bike. i've been commuting to work on it (about 70km total) and having a blast. i find i'm riding nearly every day either mountain or road and using the car a lot less.

 

[rbart4506]

I did that last year and definitely found I was riding more because i didn't have to wait for the trails to dry.

Over the winter though, I bought a 2004 Giant OCR2 road bike for $1,200. I know it seems like a lot, but now I ride about 5x as much as before and my endurance on the trails is way up. Plus, with a road bike, you can go so much faster on the road than with a mountain bike/slicks. The skinny tires and aerodynamic design makes for some super-fun rides.

I'd highly recommend buying a new or used road bike.

Cheers!
Dan

That's the plan for Shell and I....We are looking at a pair of Specialized Allez Sports...

We've been doing the mountain bike with slicks thing for a few years now and think it's about time to move up to the real thing and get some road bikes...

Rich

 

[smiley]

cant remember...

I ride mine to either Kelso or Hilton Falls from work, it's about 10 - 15 km, the Kenda Klimax tires are pretty good on asphalt.
For real road riding, I have a couple of old 12 speed road bikes, one cost me $17, the other I paid $200 for. You don't have to pay big bucks to have a road bike around, there's plenty of good used ones available.

...but did you say you have a line on some 'rescued' bikes....

cheers

 

[smiley]

Police auction

Halton Regional Police is having an auction soon with (by their count) over 250 bikes...

Anyone been to one of these before? No punn intended...but any 'good steals'

cheers

 

[langford]

Halton Regional Police is having an auction soon with (by their count) over 250 bikes...

Anyone been to one of these before? No punn intended...but any 'good steals'

cheers

I've been to quite a few police auctions, sometimes there are great bikes for great deals, sometimes not. Depends on time of year (usually spring auctions have big crowds, so prices are higher). There are always lots of older road bikes, I bought a Bianchi 12 speed last year at the Halton one for $3, only needed bar tape and a new seatpost. There are very few high quality newer road bikes at these, but the odd one sneaks in. You have to be at the right place at the right time. Get there early so you can have a good look before the auction starts.

We have accumulated some interesting road bikes with the bike rescue project I'm involved in. Mostly 12 speeds, we have some half decent Peugeots, a Bianchi or 2, some Raleighs, Send me an email at [email protected] with what you're looking for (frame size, your height) and I'll let you know what we have. Most go for a $20 - $50 charitable donation.

 

[lot8con8]

Roadie Bike

I ride my moutain bike on the road all the time; I even enjoy the occassional race with roadies and their road bikes on the odd occassion. And have even got to know some new people on the road versus the trails. I try to pick more scenic routes when I ride the roads.

JG

 

[rkj__]

I get bored, but...

I find that if i ride on the road for too long, i get bored I use my bike as transportation to places within about 15km, and thats fine. Also many of my rides mix road with trail, and that is cool too. But i find that if i try to do more than 20km on road, i get the itch for dirt. Usually anyways...

 

[Legbacon]

Yes

I ride my Kona Explosif on the road lots especially in the early spring. I commute on it and take it on longer road rides for training and something different. My buddy here in Winnipeg is in a roady club and says they have a member who rides a single speed MTB with road slicks who keeps up just fine on some long training rides.

 

[SSteve F]

I have two training loops I do depending on the weather/trail conditions. If the trails are dry, I have 25K ride around eastern Oakville, that is mostly singletrack. If too wet, I ride the roads (30k) north of Dundas. I don't bother changing tires. Both rides take around 1 ¼ hours, and are a great workout between my trips to Kelso/Hilton Falls. If I don’t have time to drive to and from Kelso, I have a longer 45k trip that is still mostly singletrack, but does connect a couple of different trails via town roads.

I find that in the fall/winter/spring, it is easier to ride mostly the road loop, and save time cleaning my bike. 1 1/2 hours riding followed by 2 hrs cleaning becomes a pain. I switch to an old set of semi-slicks, and notice they are a lot faster (and sketchy in the wet) I work on my spinning skills, and the overall workout has also really helped with my endurance.

I was considering picking-up a road bike. I think I will swing by the Police auction, and see if a can pick up "beater". When is it?

STEVE

 

[witcomb]

I PM'd you on routes for Caledon area.

 

[finchy]

i live at DVP and york mills and i ride to work everyday and i work at shepard and leslies Canadian tire...

 

[smiley]

Hello again

I've been to quite a few police auctions, sometimes there are great bikes for great deals, sometimes not. Depends on time of year (usually spring auctions have big crowds, so prices are higher). There are always lots of older road bikes, I bought a Bianchi 12 speed last year at the Halton one for $3, only needed bar tape and a new seatpost. There are very few high quality newer road bikes at these, but the odd one sneaks in. You have to be at the right place at the right time. Get there early so you can have a good look before the auction starts.

We have accumulated some interesting road bikes with the bike rescue project I'm involved in. Mostly 12 speeds, we have some half decent Peugeots, a Bianchi or 2, some Raleighs, Send me an email at [email protected] with what you're looking for (frame size, your height) and I'll let you know what we have. Most go for a $20 - $50 charitable donation.

Smiley here again,
You around today?...accidently deleted last email with address on it, wanted to look at the bikes today if possible...just after 5pm

Cheers

 

[langford]

Halton Police Auction info:

Halton regional Police Auction 1151 Bronte Rd, Oakville Saturday, August 21(Indoors) Viewing & Registration 8:30am-9:30am Auction starts 9:30 am Refreshments Available Terms of Payment: Cash or Cheque with ID PST will be added to the price

I'll be riding the MS Bike Tour Brampton - Guelph, can't make the auction (I have too many bikes now, anyways!)

 

[Gripshift]

mtb on road rides

I have a nice road ride that I do on my Jekyll 800. I don't own a road bike, sometimes don't have the time to drive an hour to a good trail, so I'll do a road ride.

 

[lot8con8]

Boredom

Yes that sometimes happens to me as well......so I have to vary the route, trip, times, etc. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't.

JG

 

[superlightracer]

I got a set of el cheapo wheels from my shop (deore hubs laced to zac 19s) and I threw on some Specialized Nimbus 1.5s on. With this set up I do up to 80kms on the road, and I average about 4km/h faster than on my mountain setup, (Bonty Racelite Tubeless w. Michelin Comp S 2.0)