Mountain bike, how much more efficient are road wheels?

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

That's the reason why i did not get a road bike. I got on one and I felt to uncomfy on it. i was gonna get a hybrid, but i really did not like the upright position and the hyrbrids with the straight bars cost around $600 (I only wanted to spend around 350). My question now is what does it mean when you are biking and one of your knees starts hurting? I have had knee problems in the past, but i am not sure if that attributes to it. I asked around at the shop I bought my bike and they siad that I am putting to much pressure on my knees. how do i fix that?

Have your knees check out by a doctor for discrepancy (bones length) between legs, get your legs & bike tape out for measurement and purchase a custom frame or get one that fit. Also, have the crank arms, seat post & stem length check.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

Commanding ride? WTF is that load of horse sh!t? There is no more of a commanding ride on a mtb than there is on a road bike. If you want a "commanding ride" then I suggest you move from the drops to the hoods. You'll have the same "commanding ride" as a mtb but with the added benefit of being faster. :laugh:MFAO

 

[Dessert Tears]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Any recommendations on tires to get? Or maybe I should just get a road bike. I ride on the streets & parks in New York, so I go over a lot of potholes, and bumps and curbs.

The roads in NYC are pretty bad - I prefer my mountain bike with slicks to my road bike.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

That's the reason why i did not get a road bike. I got on one and I felt to uncomfy on it. i was gonna get a hybrid, but i really did not like the upright position and the hyrbrids with the straight bars cost around $600 (I only wanted to spend around 350). My question now is what does it mean when you are biking and one of your knees starts hurting? I have had knee problems in the past, but i am not sure if that attributes to it. I asked around at the shop I bought my bike and they siad that I am putting to much pressure on my knees. how do i fix that?

Have your knees check out by a doctor for discrepancy (bones length) between legs, get your legs & bike tape out for measurement and purchase a custom frame or get one that fit. Also, have the crank arms, seat post & stem length check.

hmmm...i have had my knees checked before when i was young and they never mentioned anything like that. The people told me to bring the bike in, but i am afriad that may go all over me and tell me that I need to buy all this stuff like a new frame or a new seat......

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: Gibson486

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

That's the reason why i did not get a road bike. I got on one and I felt to uncomfy on it. i was gonna get a hybrid, but i really did not like the upright position and the hyrbrids with the straight bars cost around $600 (I only wanted to spend around 350). My question now is what does it mean when you are biking and one of your knees starts hurting? I have had knee problems in the past, but i am not sure if that attributes to it. I asked around at the shop I bought my bike and they siad that I am putting to much pressure on my knees. how do i fix that?

Have your knees check out by a doctor for discrepancy (bones length) between legs, get your legs & bike tape out for measurement and purchase a custom frame or get one that fit. Also, have the crank arms, seat post & stem length check.

hmmm...i have had my knees checked before when i was young and they never mentioned anything like that. The people told me to bring the bike in, but i am afriad that may go all over me and tell me that I need to buy all this stuff like a new frame or a new seat......

Road bikes take some getting used to. Still, you should not have knee pain or anything other than minor aches and pains initially assuming a good bike fit. It's not difficult to fit a bike yourself either. It just takes some trial and error and overall it might be worthwhile to pay someone to help you fit your bike. Once you find what works for you it won't be difficult to adapt pretty much any frame in your general size to feel comfortable. Small changes can make a big differnce to over all comfort though.

Honeslty, I don't think I was ever anymore comfortable on any of the mtbs I owned. It just comes down to time in the saddle and getting the fit right.

You will be faster on a road bike than on a mtb, there is no question about this.

Edit-I've been commuting 20 miles a day 2-3 days a week on a road bike for almost 2 years now. I've ridden mtb and tried commuting on one but found the road bike to be much more efficient.

 

[kalrith]

Through tomorrow www.performancebike.com is offering free ground shipping. I have two wheelsets for my mtn bike, with slicks on one set and knobbies on the other. Here are the slicks I run. They're not 100% slick, but these are.

 

[mercanucaribe]

I have a MTB and a road bike, and for every day riding I greatly prefer the MT bike... much more comfortable,

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: MrBond
Sounds like you'd be better off with a hybrid bike. Trek makes a bunch of them:

http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/subcategory.php?c=4&s=18

That's what I ride and it's a great all-around bike.

Riding a hybrid makes you look old.

This does NOT make me look old! There are a few hybrids out there that are more towards the roadie end of the specturm... like my lemond ... This bike is very fast, and very comfortable. I spend about 600 on it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I have a MTB and a road bike, and for every day riding I greatly prefer the MT bike... much more comfortable,

I would argue that you either aren't used to or you aren't fit properly to your road bike. I had the benefit of not having ridden for a few years and then started commuting to work once a week on a mtb and then on an old road bike (that did fit me). I chose the mtb first because I thought it would be more comfortable but I found the road bike far more suitable to the task, despite the fact that the road bike was over 8 years older than the mtb I owned at the time. I've purchased 3 different road bikes since then and I sold my mtb. Mountain bikes are totally inferior to road bikes for street riding IMO.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Commanding ride? WTF is that load of horse sh!t? There is no more of a commanding ride on a mtb than there is on a road bike. If you want a "commanding ride" then I suggest you move from the drops to the hoods. You'll have the same "commanding ride" as a mtb but with the added benefit of being faster. MFAO

You will be faster on a road bike than on a mtb, there is no question about this.

Edit-I've been commuting 20 miles a day 2-3 days a week on a road bike for almost 2 years now. I've ridden mtb and tried commuting on one but found the road bike to be much more efficient.

I still find hybrids have more up right seating position than a road bike due to shorter top tube length, and the handle bars on hybrids flexes a bit to absorbs road vibration.

Holding the tail end of the handle bar on a road take less beating on your forearms, but it still far less than hybrid/mtb bars, and the thumb muscles on your hands take a beating when ride on the hood. Reverse handle bar for a road bike offer the best upright position, but in that position the riding posture throw off your pedaling position, therefore you greatly reduce pedaling power.

Hood riding on a road bikes is commonly where I place my hand during my daily commutes for about 9-10 years at a total of a bout 50,000 Km. And, an additional 45,000 Km on hybrids/MTB (mostly on MTB) for about 5-6 years.

Tack on an additional 75,000-80,000 KM during my stint of racing give me somewhat a bias opinion on bikes and riding conditions.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Commanding ride? WTF is that load of horse sh!t? There is no more of a commanding ride on a mtb than there is on a road bike. If you want a "commanding ride" then I suggest you move from the drops to the hoods. You'll have the same "commanding ride" as a mtb but with the added benefit of being faster. MFAO

You will be faster on a road bike than on a mtb, there is no question about this.

Edit-I've been commuting 20 miles a day 2-3 days a week on a road bike for almost 2 years now. I've ridden mtb and tried commuting on one but found the road bike to be much more efficient.

I still find hybrids have more up right seating position than a road bike due to shorter top tube length, and the handle bars on hybrids flexes a bit to absorbs road vibration.

Holding the tail end of the handle bar on a road take less beating on your forearms, but it still far less than hybrid/mtb bars, and the thumb muscles on your hands take a beating when ride on the hood. Reverse handle bar for a road bike offer the best upright position, but in that position the riding posture throw off your pedaling position, therefore you greatly reduce pedaling power.

Hood riding on a road bikes is commonly where I place my hand during my daily commutes for about 9-10 years at a total of a bout 50,000 Km. And, an additional 45,000 Km on hybrids/MTB (mostly on MTB) for about 5-6 years.

Tack on an additional 75,000-80,000 KM during my stint of racing give me somewhat a bias opinion on bikes and riding conditions.

Well, I've been riding road bikes since the early 1980s. I don't know how many miles I've logged but I've gone through years of road riding, dabbled in mtb for a few years and then commuted on and off for a few years only to get seriously back into cycling a couple years ago and now I'm commuting by bike again. I agree with you that riding on the hoods is where I generally ride though.

I haven't ridden any of the latest hybrid bikes. They are probably excellent commuter bikes but I like to ride a fast responsive bike so I chose a road bike. I think a mtb with any kind of suspension is a poor choice for road riding.

I'm a roadie who has gone from road to mtb and now back to road. Personally, if you're riding primarily on the road I think a road bike is the best tool for the job. I've had no comfort issues with them and I've ridden a few centuries my current roadies. I may be a bit biased though.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Commanding ride? WTF is that load of horse sh!t? There is no more of a commanding ride on a mtb than there is on a road bike. If you want a "commanding ride" then I suggest you move from the drops to the hoods. You'll have the same "commanding ride" as a mtb but with the added benefit of being faster. MFAO

You will be faster on a road bike than on a mtb, there is no question about this.

Edit-I've been commuting 20 miles a day 2-3 days a week on a road bike for almost 2 years now. I've ridden mtb and tried commuting on one but found the road bike to be much more efficient.

I still find hybrids have more up right seating position than a road bike due to shorter top tube length, and the handle bars on hybrids flexes a bit to absorbs road vibration.

Holding the tail end of the handle bar on a road take less beating on your forearms, but it still far less than hybrid/mtb bars, and the thumb muscles on your hands take a beating when ride on the hood. Reverse handle bar for a road bike offer the best upright position, but in that position the riding posture throw off your pedaling position, therefore you greatly reduce pedaling power.

Hood riding on a road bikes is commonly where I place my hand during my daily commutes for about 9-10 years at a total of a bout 50,000 Km. And, an additional 45,000 Km on hybrids/MTB (mostly on MTB) for about 5-6 years.

Tack on an additional 75,000-80,000 KM during my stint of racing give me somewhat a bias opinion on bikes and riding conditions.

Well, I've been riding road bikes since the early 1980s. I don't know how many miles I've logged but I've gone through years of road riding, dabbled in mtb for a few years and then commuted on and off for a few years only to get seriously back into cycling a couple years ago and now I'm commuting by bike again. I agree with you that riding on the hoods is where I generally ride though.

I haven't ridden any of the latest hybrid bikes. They are probably excellent commuter bikes but I like to ride a fast responsive bike so I chose a road bike. I think a mtb with any kind of suspension is a poor choice for road riding.

I'm a roadie who has gone from road to mtb and now back to road. Personally, if you're riding primarily on the road I think a road bike is the best tool for the job. I may be a bit biased though.

:beer:

Same here, I was a roadie that went MTB, and then back to road.

In the early 80s I rode road bikes and started to race in summer of 85 (first road bike that I purchased with my money was 82). My first few bikes from 1980-1983 was BMXs.

 

[Brutuskend]

THIS would be a good choice IMO.

Or something similar...

 

[LongCoolMother]

I have an All mountain Jamis strictly for the mountains (no way I can ride on road on this. ~32 lbs with power sucking suspension and 2.4 inch tires) and a Soma Smoothie for the road. I used to ride an Aluminum road frame but have recently switched to the steel soma. It makes commuting far more comfortable.

 

[vailr]

2007 Dahon Espresso 26" Folding Bike
http://www.thefitnessstore.com/Qstore.c...511&PNAME=2007%20Dahon%20Espresso%2026
+
Maxxis Holy Roller MTB Tire
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23031&subcategory_ID=5430

 

[KingGheedora]

How do road bikes do when going over potholes and can you jump curbs, or ride over (w/o jumping) smaller curbs on them? I'm asking because the skinny tires on those bikes look really fragile.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
How do road bikes do when going over potholes and can you jump curbs, or ride over (w/o jumping) smaller curbs on them? I'm asking because the skinny tires on those bikes look really fragile.

Jump curbs & potholes isn't a problem with a road bike (wider rims/tires/heavily threaded tires is better at road handling & comfort, but sacrifice speed), however it will require more care & skill than an MTB/Hybrid with knobbies.

Thiner wall & smaller dimention 700C rims tend to flare out & warp more than MTB/Hybrid thicker wall rims. Off the shelf road bike then to have 32 or less spoke, while off the shelf MTB/Hybrid sport 32 or more spokes (heavier rider & jumps need more spokes for support).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
How do road bikes do when going over potholes and can you jump curbs, or ride over (w/o jumping) smaller curbs on them? I'm asking because the skinny tires on those bikes look really fragile.

They aren't all that fragile. Unless you are talking about thousand+ $ race wheels. Just keep your tires properly inflated and they should be capable of handling most things you encounter on a ride. Obviously, jumping off curbs isn't something you normally do on a road bike though and quite frankly I question the need to ever ask this of a bicycle ridden on the road.

Unless you weigh over 200 lbs I wouldn't worry about any decent road wheel failing you under normal riding conditions.

I have a road bike with 32 spoke clinchers and another with the latest Ksyrium ES wheels with CF hubs and I've ridden thousands of miles on both without ever having to true a single wheel. I run 700x23 clinchers on both bikes and I commute on them as well. Rarely do I get a flat even. Oh, and I've never jumped either bike off a curb.

I have hopped over small obstacles in the road but rarely do I encounter anything that I even feel the need to do that.

My commuter bike and weekend warrior.

My other roadie.