I've been splitting my time on the road and the trails and switching to semi-slicks for road work. This is mainly because I can only make the trails on the weekend and have two nice paved trails near my office and house. My question is should I spring for a road bike to do the pavement, or keep on rolling (with resistance) on my 24-lb. MTB?
Get a Road Bike or Stick it Out on My MTB?
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
road bike
did wonders for me... i love mtn biking -- a blast, but usually means a full morning after you include 20-40minute drives to the trail, etc.
since i got my road bike i ride 2-3x/week vs 1-2 and my riding/fitness has improved just as much. don't need a fancy $2000-3000 rig... got my used cannondale triple rx100 (lowest end) for $400 on ebay and it literally rides itself uphill compared to riding the mtn bike... lighter, skinnier tires = fast!
john
did wonders for me... i love mtn biking -- a blast, but usually means a full morning after you include 20-40minute drives to the trail, etc.
since i got my road bike i ride 2-3x/week vs 1-2 and my riding/fitness has improved just as much. don't need a fancy $2000-3000 rig... got my used cannondale triple rx100 (lowest end) for $400 on ebay and it literally rides itself uphill compared to riding the mtn bike... lighter, skinnier tires = fast!
john
Joined
·
79 Posts
Go with a roadie
I got an Allez Triple, "cheap yo" when my office moved just 4 mi from my house. Now I ride everyday I can get up early enough, (uh about once a week). It's all I'm riding lately until Marin decides to warranty my MTB frame so now I'm really glad I got it. Caureful though, I am finding that road riding is getting quite addictive. I would also suggest buying at a shop or at least pay to have a proper fitting there. It DOES make a difference.
I got an Allez Triple, "cheap yo" when my office moved just 4 mi from my house. Now I ride everyday I can get up early enough, (uh about once a week). It's all I'm riding lately until Marin decides to warranty my MTB frame so now I'm really glad I got it. Caureful though, I am finding that road riding is getting quite addictive. I would also suggest buying at a shop or at least pay to have a proper fitting there. It DOES make a difference.
Joined
·
1,001 Posts
Magic of 700C
Road bikes are magic and nothing you do to your mountain bike can make it feel so sweet as a mediocre road bike.
A road bike makes you feel like an olympic champ, a mountain bike makes you feel like a limping chump.
Road bikes are magic and nothing you do to your mountain bike can make it feel so sweet as a mediocre road bike.
A road bike makes you feel like an olympic champ, a mountain bike makes you feel like a limping chump.
Joined
·
4,691 Posts
Agree get a roadie over a cyclocross bike. One thing that I lust for now that I have a road and a mountain bike is a Cyclcross bike. I just like the idea of heading out on the road, hitting some dirt and then getting back on the road.Nat said:
Joined
·
18,607 Posts
Same here (almost)
I have two mountain bikes and one road bike, but what I want now is a steel 29"er with drop bars and a lockout suspension fork. I picture riding up the highway 20 miles into the mountains at 80psi, airing down to 40psi and heading up the jeep road another 10, then singletrack back down to town. It'd be a total niche bike, but what the hell. I think the 29"er would be almost as nice as the cross bike on pavement, but better on dirt.Trevor! said:
Joined
·
970 Posts
people argue that if you just want a roadie for training you may aswell use the mtb as riding a heavier/slower bike will be better than training. it couldn't be further from the truth, when you get a roadie you'll reallise that no matter how you ride it it still hurts, there is no rest position on a roadie. as a bonus to them being better for training you go faster and so it's not as boring. just get one, you won't regret it.
Joined
·
1,475 Posts
If you love riding get a road bike. My original plan was to get a road bike to help with my Mtn. bike endurance and to increase speed. I was getting sick of riding my mtn bike on the road to get to the trail and then only be able to spend an hour or less in the woods. I went and purchased a bianchi giro, for $1200 full 105 build, decent mavic wheels, carbon fiber seat stays on an easton ultralite frame and I couldn't be happier. I've been riding the road bike 4 days a week after work and the mtn bike on the weekend and wednesday and my endurance has improved 10 fold. Plus the road bike is a totally different type of riding. Its hard to get up to 45+ mph on a mountain bike in the woods but on a roadie its pure joy.
Joined
·
323 Posts
reconsider the cyclocross
I have an mtb (Custom Fisher Supercal 29'er), Single Speed mtb (Salsa Juan Solo), Roadie (Bianchi EV3 w/ Dura-Ace), and a Single Speed cyclecross bike (LeMond Poprad with an ENO hub). I probably ride the LeMond more than all the other bikes combined... It's fast, simple and can go anywhere...it's great on the road, and can dig a trial if I need too. it's great for commuting or a nice ride with my wife or friends. By far the best "all around" bike I've ever riden. IMHO.
I have an mtb (Custom Fisher Supercal 29'er), Single Speed mtb (Salsa Juan Solo), Roadie (Bianchi EV3 w/ Dura-Ace), and a Single Speed cyclecross bike (LeMond Poprad with an ENO hub). I probably ride the LeMond more than all the other bikes combined... It's fast, simple and can go anywhere...it's great on the road, and can dig a trial if I need too. it's great for commuting or a nice ride with my wife or friends. By far the best "all around" bike I've ever riden. IMHO.
Joined
·
1,001 Posts
Cyclocross are good too.
A road bike is about the same in speed, weight and effieciency as a cyclocross bike with 23c tires. Close anyway. The small difference in weight is very hard to actually notice on the road, and even if you do notice it, its not going to slow you down. And the longer chainstays may make the rear end feel a little more flexy, but this probably won't have too much impact on real world speed and efficiency. Just ask yourself if you may someday want that added versatility (are you likely to want to ride the bike off-road or mount fenders and panniers?).
The trade off is that cyclocross bikes (and their slack-angled cousins touring bikes) have a slightly slower handling and less snappy feel than a road racing bike. They go just as fast, but you may want to avoid racing in criteriums on a touring bike.
A road bike is about the same in speed, weight and effieciency as a cyclocross bike with 23c tires. Close anyway. The small difference in weight is very hard to actually notice on the road, and even if you do notice it, its not going to slow you down. And the longer chainstays may make the rear end feel a little more flexy, but this probably won't have too much impact on real world speed and efficiency. Just ask yourself if you may someday want that added versatility (are you likely to want to ride the bike off-road or mount fenders and panniers?).
The trade off is that cyclocross bikes (and their slack-angled cousins touring bikes) have a slightly slower handling and less snappy feel than a road racing bike. They go just as fast, but you may want to avoid racing in criteriums on a touring bike.
Joined
·
162 Posts
UhOh! Gutter bunny!rickreyn said:
Hmmm...
I've been toying with the same idea. I ride an original Heckler with Hutchinson Air Lights at 50 psi as a communter/training bike. It's fun passing the roadies in Central Park, but it seems like I'm working much harder they are. Maybe I'm just in crappier shape. Plus my gearing just doesn't go high enough. I end up using the biggest chainring and smallest cassette all the time and spinning near the limit of my cadence.
How much should my average speed increase on a road bike? 1-2mph?? Or more?
jt
I've been toying with the same idea. I ride an original Heckler with Hutchinson Air Lights at 50 psi as a communter/training bike. It's fun passing the roadies in Central Park, but it seems like I'm working much harder they are. Maybe I'm just in crappier shape. Plus my gearing just doesn't go high enough. I end up using the biggest chainring and smallest cassette all the time and spinning near the limit of my cadence.
How much should my average speed increase on a road bike? 1-2mph?? Or more?
jt
Joined
·
2,305 Posts
spring for a road bike, join a roadie club
that's what i did...
and have been riding solo and on fun and fast groups rides.
i really dig the full-on road bike experience. (no worries, mates, i'm still a mtb nut)
whew! road bikes really fly down twisty mountain roads, leaning over at 30+ mph on some turns, what a blast!
and all that hill climbing on 53/39 x 12-25 road race gearing: ouch, but it's good training.
the road training's good 'cause i'm pedaling much longer sprints than on my mtbs.
now i have a sub 20# (with time atac pedals) Campagnolo 2003 Chorus/Centaur Bike Kit 20 speed (double ring crankset) Viner frame made with Dedacciai EOM 16.5 steel, www.viner.it
Viner road frames weights 2.8~3.4#s and its Dedacciai EOM 16.5 steel are among the lightest and stiffest tubing. I paid less than $2k from
http://www.gvhbikes.com/.
My Viner looks great, rides super and the racy geometry makes quick leans and turns.
i did consider a Trek 1500, 2100 and the Trek 5200 (all are terrific, but i wanted steel and Camy gruppo since my steel Kona mtb has Shimano gruppo).
I also consider's a cyclocross, but my light mtb could handle croos, if needed. and also i want to try road races and road crits, all really to enjoy myself more as a xc mtb racer
that's what i did...
and have been riding solo and on fun and fast groups rides.
i really dig the full-on road bike experience. (no worries, mates, i'm still a mtb nut)
whew! road bikes really fly down twisty mountain roads, leaning over at 30+ mph on some turns, what a blast!
and all that hill climbing on 53/39 x 12-25 road race gearing: ouch, but it's good training.
the road training's good 'cause i'm pedaling much longer sprints than on my mtbs.
now i have a sub 20# (with time atac pedals) Campagnolo 2003 Chorus/Centaur Bike Kit 20 speed (double ring crankset) Viner frame made with Dedacciai EOM 16.5 steel, www.viner.it
Viner road frames weights 2.8~3.4#s and its Dedacciai EOM 16.5 steel are among the lightest and stiffest tubing. I paid less than $2k from
http://www.gvhbikes.com/.
My Viner looks great, rides super and the racy geometry makes quick leans and turns.
i did consider a Trek 1500, 2100 and the Trek 5200 (all are terrific, but i wanted steel and Camy gruppo since my steel Kona mtb has Shimano gruppo).
I also consider's a cyclocross, but my light mtb could handle croos, if needed. and also i want to try road races and road crits, all really to enjoy myself more as a xc mtb racer
Joined
·
1,475 Posts
tingj said:I've been toying with the same idea. I ride an original Heckler with Hutchinson Air Lights at 50 psi as a communter/training bike. It's fun passing the roadies in Central Park, but it seems like I'm working much harder they are. Maybe I'm just in crappier shape. Plus my gearing just doesn't go high enough. I end up using the biggest chainring and smallest cassette all the time and spinning near the limit of my cadence.
How much should my average speed increase on a road bike? 1-2mph?? Or more?
Going from my Superlight with small knobbies at 19mph to my roadie at 25mph on the flats is a huge difference.
Get a road bike, its such a different ride, plus its an excuse to get another bike
25mph? Is that your average or peak speed? Either way, you've convinced me that a road bike is much faster. But,:
1) Is the road riding position uncomfortable? I'm used to riser bars with an upright riding position. Sometimes my hands get numb after a long downhill stretch. I worry that it will be extremely uncomfortable for my hands on a road bike. Any recommendation re: steel vs aluminum vs titanium or carbon fiber? I want the plushest, most-vibration-filtering ride.
2) Isn't road riding a little boring (no offense meant to anyone)? I like the rush of technical MTBing.
jt
1) Is the road riding position uncomfortable? I'm used to riser bars with an upright riding position. Sometimes my hands get numb after a long downhill stretch. I worry that it will be extremely uncomfortable for my hands on a road bike. Any recommendation re: steel vs aluminum vs titanium or carbon fiber? I want the plushest, most-vibration-filtering ride.
2) Isn't road riding a little boring (no offense meant to anyone)? I like the rush of technical MTBing.
jt
Capt_phun said:tingj said:I've been toying with the same idea. I ride an original Heckler with Hutchinson Air Lights at 50 psi as a communter/training bike. It's fun passing the roadies in Central Park, but it seems like I'm working much harder they are. Maybe I'm just in crappier shape. Plus my gearing just doesn't go high enough. I end up using the biggest chainring and smallest cassette all the time and spinning near the limit of my cadence.
How much should my average speed increase on a road bike? 1-2mph?? Or more?
Going from my Superlight with small knobbies at 19mph to my roadie at 25mph on the flats is a huge difference.
Get a road bike, its such a different ride, plus its an excuse to get another bike
Joined
·
1,475 Posts
25mps is hammering it out with a group on a couple mile stretch of flat. Depending on how hilly it is your average for the hour will vary.
You can change stem/seat adjustments to fit what is comfortable for you, but I find road more comfortable due to the lack of rock, roots, and other nasties beating up your body along the trail.
Road biking is far from boring. I thought the same. You have to find what you enjoy about the road ride. For me its going over 45mph on a downhill with nice curves and also being able to ride 75 miles and go places I haven't driven to in years.
My main reason for roading was to help boost my mtn bike endurance, and that has definetly happened, but I also have found another way to ride. Mtn bike, road bike, its still a BIKE.
You can change stem/seat adjustments to fit what is comfortable for you, but I find road more comfortable due to the lack of rock, roots, and other nasties beating up your body along the trail.
Road biking is far from boring. I thought the same. You have to find what you enjoy about the road ride. For me its going over 45mph on a downhill with nice curves and also being able to ride 75 miles and go places I haven't driven to in years.
My main reason for roading was to help boost my mtn bike endurance, and that has definetly happened, but I also have found another way to ride. Mtn bike, road bike, its still a BIKE.
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
Join the discussion
