Mountain bikes are unnecessary?

[C'DaleRider]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: tallest1
Does this guy think roadbikes are made of titanium or something? A single curb could probably turn one into a pretzel

Mine is - it is one of these, and its frame is just as tough as my hardtail titanium MTB - one of these.

I think this editorial exaggerates the pros off road bikes and the cons of MTBs, but the fact of the matter is that, ridden skillfully, and with proper tire selection, a road bike is a surprisingly capable off-road machine. God knows cyclocross bikes (basically road bikes with greater tire clearance and cantilever brakes) have been around, and been ridden off-road, for decades longer than MTBs. Much like SUVs, most MTBs are seldom if ever used off-road, and are generally not well-suited to riding on the road. Even on narrow slicks, an MTB is a poor, SLOW substitute for a decent road bike.

Very true.......cyclocorss has been around forever.......but I think it's mroe than just tire selection. Wheel rim chice would have to be considered, too. Heaven forbid anyone try to cyclocross with a set of Campy Hyperons on the bike.....LOL!

I have no doubts road frames are every bit as strong, in most instances, as the typical mtn. frames, until you get into the custom-built race frames the "real" pros use. Witness Lance's crash last TdF when he caught the "bag" (I forge the French name for the feed bag...my bad..) and the flip broke his chainstay.... but that was a single-focus bike with a limited lifespan.

I've seen road bikes jump many the curb......bunny hop it's called. My old boss routinely bunny-hopped his road bike over anything and everything......and on a set of the "exploding" Rev-X Spinergy road wheels......of course, they never "explosded", but reading some of the websites devoted to those wheels, you'd think the moment they touched pavement, they'd pop.

A well setup cyclocross bike is probably the best all-around bike out there. Too bad the "cool" factor isn't with it. We couldn't sell them a bit......
WIth the college students, it was a mtn. bike or nothing in almost every instance. There is so much peer pressure.........

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I got an old Specialized Stumpjumper that I roadized. It was given to me w/bent wheels.
The rear wheel was "taco-ed"! For my 220# I had to replace the elastomers in the forks.
Its a hard tale, so to add some comfort for this old man, I use a Thud Buster seat post
For wheels I laced in a good set of Mavics.

Go with a hard tail because a lot of energy is lost in the bounce of pedaling and at your price point any rear suspension will be junk.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
I don't know how stock road rims would work for me, but when I was on the off road trails, I rode a hybrid and at 250 lbs, I didnt break it. It was also MUCH faster than a mountain bike. I found it to be the best all arounder

What's the difference between a hybrid and a mountain bike?

Hybrids as the name implies are a cross between mountain bikes and road bikes.

Mountain bikes are sturdy and slow

Road bikes are not as strong, but are faster.


Hybrids are much faster than mountain bikes off the trail, and less likely to have wheels that bend than road bikes.

The disadvantages are they are not as durable on the worst trails, and not as fast on the road as a decent roadbike.

IMO, they are suitable for 90 percent of what most riders would encounter, and would best for me for hilly road tours.

 

[screw3d]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
I don't know how stock road rims would work for me, but when I was on the off road trails, I rode a hybrid and at 250 lbs, I didnt break it. It was also MUCH faster than a mountain bike. I found it to be the best all arounder

What's the difference between a hybrid and a mountain bike?

I think a hybrid is one with a frame like a MTB but with road rims. At least that's how it looks like to me.

 

[RedRooster]

I'll bet this guy straps his bike to the roof of his SUV when he goes on long road trips.

 

[Xionide]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
I found this article.

http://www.adventurecorps.com/way/whoneedsatb.html

Excerpt:
I routinely dust every mountain biker I encounter on the trail. And I ride a road bike.

Furthermore, I think, no, I know, the mountain bike is the most over-rated, most improperly used, most over-built, and most greedily promoted piece of hardware to hit the sport and fitness industry in modern history. Ninety-nine percent of the miles ridden by 99% of the mountain bikes could, and should, be ridden on the first and only real all terrain bike, the 'road bike.' More bluntly, a road bike is equal to or better than a mountain bike if ridden with skill like I have.
...
And before you write in that I'm just some elitist roadie with a penchant for ATB-bashing, let me offer my credentials for having a credo worth splashing across this page: I've raced the Alaskan Iditabike three times and have set solo and tandem 24 Hour off-road cycling records. Off-dirt I've raced the Race Across America twice (9th in '87), two Ironmans, and broken numerous distance records, including San Francisco to Los Angeles. Importantly, I practice what I preach.

This is so obviously a joke its not even...
well actually its fvckin hilarious. Can you imagine some fvck tard mobbin down a dirt trail on a road bike than eating dirt hard core after they hit a pebble. LMAO

-Xionide

 

[tnitsuj]

I've been run off the road a couple of times by aholes while road biking and the guy who wrote that is an idiot. No road bike is going to survive trail riding.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I have a Trek mountain bike and if I had bought a road bike I'm sure that many times I'd worry about the bike and how it's being treated when I'm out with friends. Want to ride down a big hill? Go through mud? Go through sand? The road bike is great for the ROAD, not for off the road. Me? There is a park nearby with trails, sand, mud, and huge hills. There are also within 4 or 5 miles, a Ritter's ice cream, target, pizza place, subway, block buster, haircut, etc. It can be fun biking there with 3 or 4 friends and biking back. On the way, let's say we want to ride down a hill, you can't with a road bike.

Please, don't argue they're unnecessary.

 

[Spencer278]

I just can't see a road bike getting any traction on a trial made up of wet muddy lose rocks. He might be able to ride on like real trials, like paved or like a dirt road but I would like to see him on old snowmoblie or dirtbike trials.

 

[Rapidskies]

He is correct in a road bike is better on pavement, but the narrow wheels are useless on dirt and rough terrain. I ride my bike to work in the summer (mountain bike), and have to stay on sidewalks and paved trails because riding on the road is asking to be hit around here, but a road bike wouldn't last too long on the jacked up sidewalks I encounter. So in summary if you have a nice even surface a road bike will be faster and easier to pedal, but if you plan to ride on rough surfaces, even sidewalks, get a hybrid or a mountain bike.

I also recommend hybrid tires for your mountain bike, if you find yourself on pavement more than dirt like me. Much easier to pedal.

 

[vegetation]

He's probably talking more about mtb's being ridden mostly on pavement, with an occasional shortcut through someone's lawn. In these cases a road bike will in fact hold up just fine, especially if you mount non-slick all terrain tires to your road bike (yes, they are available, though won't come near the width of a mtb tire due to frame issues). For this guy, "trail" probably means hardpack graded roads -- those are fine on a road bike too.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Hmm I would get a hybrid bike, since I doubt I will be in hardcore trails, but I think it's safe to say that it's near impossible to find a used hybrid for sale.


Are Specialized and Mongoose bikes good? I'm looking at ads in the paper. Of course I will figure out what size I am before buying a bike. But that site says I have to have someone else measure me .

Specialized Rockhopper Mt Bike; rear rack, w/Novara top & saddle bags, many extras. $250. Blanco, TX. - 262-391-4740

SCHWINN FULL suspension Mountain bike. 100mm Roc- shox, Disc front brake, medium frame. Exc. cond. $250. 322-9587

Mongoose Maneuver All-Terrain Mountain Bike For Sale. Like new...hardly any miles on it. GelSof saddle & Avenir rock rods. $225 or Best Offer.

two Bridgestone mnt bikes, good condition, recently tuned up. Together $150.


There are quite a few on ebay. How much does shipping a bike cost?

 

[Stark]

I'd love to take that guy out for a night ride with me and my mtn bike buddies some time.

 

[Xionide]

Originally posted by: Stark
I'd love to take that guy out for a night ride with me and my mtn bike buddies some time.

video it for me please!

 

[oboeguy]

Records or not, the guy is nuts. In fact, it sounds like most of his experience has nothing to do with off-road riding. Putz.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Xionide


This is so obviously a joke its not even...
well actually its fvckin hilarious. Can you imagine some fvck tard mobbin down a dirt trail on a road bike than eating dirt hard core after they hit a pebble. LMAO

-Xionide

It's not a joke, and it's not wrong. A skilled rider on a road bike with appropriately wide tires will smoke most MTB riders on most trails. Obviously vertical, highly technical trails favor wider tires, but you would be surprised what can be ridden safely on a road bike.

Hell, there are high-level road races ridden in conditions more technically challenging than a typical fire road, like the infamous Paris-Roubaix.

Here is a photographic example of a high-level cyclocross race - these bikes are a lot closer to road bikes than MTBs. Here is another.

 

[cyclistca]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Is this a good MtB helmet? Why doesn't everyone use full face helmets?

Because a regular cycling helmet has much better ventilation. I were a full face when I freeride but take the thing off if I'm doing any climbing.

 

[cyclistca]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Look at this cool helmet I found.. Giro Bad Lieutenant Helmet

You do realize that it's a snow board helmet.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: WhiteKnight
I was watching last year's Tour de France and at one point Lance was forced off of the road because he narrowly avoided a crashed rider in front of him. He rode for about 100 yds offroad before he made it back onto the course and while he never looked out of control he sure was bouncing around. I doubt that most people would be as lucky on a road bike.

Actually, I think any reasonably experienced cyclist could have done the same thing. He was riding through a bare field, not a technical surface. He was lucky, IMO, only in the sense that he did not puncture - God knows what he might have ridden over in the tall grass.

He also does some cyclocross in the winter...I'm sure that didn't hurt.

 

[Fausto]

This article illustrates one of the truths of cycling. No matter how retro and minimalist you think you are, someone will always try to outdo you.

I'm feeling especially hardcore today after doing a three-hour ride on my fixed gear (39 X 16) in 35 degree weather. All those guys with gears are PUSSIES.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: cyclistca

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Look at this cool helmet I found.. Giro Bad Lieutenant Helmet

You do realize that it's a snow board helmet.

Does that mean it won't work if you fall and hit your head on a rock?

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Fausto
This article illustrates one of the truths of cycling. No matter how retro and minimalist you think you are, someone will always try to outdo you.

I'm feeling especially hardcore today after doing a three-hour ride on my fixed gear (39 X 16) in 35 degree weather. All those guys with gears are PUSSIES.

muahahahaha.

Koing

(was wondering when you would chime in with you 0.02c in this thread actually..)