Another question... sorry...

Minotaur

New Member
Do some of you, a lot of you, any of you do much road riding? If so do you switch to a roadie or do you take the mtb on the road? So far the longest I've ridden the mtb on-road in this riding incarnation is 15 miles. I can maintain an average speed of about 10-12 mph. In my last incarnation my physical limit was about 28-30 miles @ about 12-15 mph avg. mtb on-road. I was able to do more on the roadie.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
A lot of guys have road bikes here, myself included. I spend as much time as I can on the mountain bike but that usually leaves me on the road bike 2-4 days a week.
 

Minotaur

New Member
Yeah, road riding a couple of days a week would be perfectly fine for me. Now I could kick myself for having given away my first road bike. Now I'm wanting to get another one.
 
D

DANSPANK

Guest
I picked up a road bike so that i could ride during the week. Even in summer it's pretty tough for me to be able to make it to the trails before dark - so I took to the road. Conveniently the additional mileage on the road has help my endurance considerably.

If you're using offroad tyres on the road then you will certainly feel a lot of drag from the knobbies. A few people have road tyres/wheels to put on their mtb so that the road ride is more enjoyable, and it costs less than forking out for a road bike.

But, as is said a lot, just putting one's arse in one's saddle is better than on one's sofa.
 

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i ride a rigid mtb w/ slicks on the road and over a 20ish mile ride am usually in the 17mph range (not as of late, but usually).

i would love to have a road bike but fundage is low and quite frankly, its not my passion. i love riding in the woods and for me the road is a necessary evil. plus if an mtb w/ slicks is good enough for maurice, it's more than fine for me right now. someday i may think otherwise but for now...
 

Mike679

Active Member
I never did any kind of road miles prior to this year, but back in the spring I threw a set of slicks on my old hardtail and gave it a shot as a means of getting some quick rides in after work instead of riding the indoor trainer.

Can't say I'm terribly efficient w/ the weight of a Marzocchi 4" fork, disc brakes, and a Thudbuster seat post (plus the bike creaks like a bastard), but I have grown rather fond of and actually look forward to riding the road and will likely invest in a proper road bike when finances allow. Damn kids and their survival needs.

Anyway - throw a cheap pair of slicks on your mtb so you don't have to listen to the rythmic buzzing of knobbies on pavement.

Mike
 

Minotaur

New Member
Good ideas, guys. Thanks. :)

I've thought about putting slicks on the mtb, but then to ride off road I'd have to change back to knobbies? I'm kind of lazy in that regard, especially doing a couple of different rides each week. But if slicks are OK for trail and off road, that's a great compromise. But on the other hand, I deserve a new toy, right? :D
 

Nimrod

New Member
I picked up a road bike so that i could ride during the week. Even in summer it's pretty tough for me to be able to make it to the trails before dark - so I took to the road. Conveniently the additional mileage on the road has help my endurance considerably.

I have ridden my MTB once in the last month:mad2:

Been pounding out miles in my "Emergency VT 50 Training Plan" Averaging 200-300 miles a week for the last month.

Prior to that.... Lets just say it was 4-6 hours a week of riding a week (maybe.. welcome to married with children) = Sure way to get embarressed at Vermont.

Anyhow, last Sunday busted on the MTB for a "easy 2 hour ride". I kept looking down "Damn thats a big gear combo, I'm pushing":) while riding easy. I'm still dead at the VT 50:(
 
J

Jeff

Guest
I have a 40 pound downhill bike that I ride on all terrains, mostly road, still with DH tires. Maybe it comes from the recently suppressed street BMXer in me, but I love having a heavy thing to ride around that really makes me push it and sweat it all out (Upon re-reading my post, I see this comment to be very suggestive. Get your mind out of the gutter!- and I'm proud to say that I have not yet once walked the bike up a hill yet (on road).

I don't have a gps device, but from simple time/distance calculations I seem to average between 10-15mph depending on the route/day. Distance-wise, I usually aim for 20-25 miles on weekdays and 35-45 on sats & suns. Going to actually attempt PA and back after work on friday! If you don't hear from me on Saturday... well, just assume I'm dead.

All in all, I love being able to choose between dirt, rock, or road at will. Though I spend more time on the road simply because I ride it to and from the trails, the convenience of having a mountain-monster at my finger tips outweighs the inconvenience of full suspension and knobby tires sucking up all of my torque!
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
I'm much more of a roadie than a MTBer. I'm just lost and can't find my way back to the Roadie's forum. :hmmm:
 

anrothar

entirely thrilled
I have a 40 pound downhill bike that I ride on all terrains, mostly road, still with DH tires. Maybe it comes from the recently suppressed street BMXer in me, but I love having a heavy thing to ride around that really makes me push it and sweat it all out (Upon re-reading my post, I see this comment to be very suggestive. Get your mind out of the gutter!- and I'm proud to say that I have not yet once walked the bike up a hill yet (on road).

I don't have a gps device, but from simple time/distance calculations I seem to average between 10-15mph depending on the route/day. Distance-wise, I usually aim for 20-25 miles on weekdays and 35-45 on sats & suns. Going to actually attempt PA and back after work on friday! If you don't hear from me on Saturday... well, just assume I'm dead.

All in all, I love being able to choose between dirt, rock, or road at will. Though I spend more time on the road simply because I ride it to and from the trails, the convenience of having a mountain-monster at my finger tips outweighs the inconvenience of full suspension and knobby tires sucking up all of my torque!

jeff, if you get this before you leavefor the ride, you can do it on dirt if you want, and it's more level than the road. just take sparta(/stanhope) road from stanhope. cut into the woods on any of the trails to the left. follow them in, making your way across the powerlines(you might have to zig zag a bit), and you'll be on the lackawanna cutoff. just ride it all the way across the delaware. it's a currently abandoned railroad. the trails is to the side of the tracks where they are still present. there will be one tunnel for you to ride through that will require lights, and you'll have to watch out for mountain lions.....
 

Spylab

New Member
I have a fixed gear Surly road bike I use to get to and from work and ride around on the streets. The rolling resistance on any of my mountain bikes (the Giant especially) is horrific, the gearing is all wrong, and the soft compound Maxxis tires are not meant to hold up to tarmac. With my brother cranking in 3-8 gear on his mountain bike on the road, I can blow by him with no effort on the Surly.

Mountain bikes are meant for dirt. Road bikes are meant for road. I try to keep it that way if at all possible.
 
J

Jeff

Guest
jeff, if you get this before you leavefor the ride, you can do it on dirt if you want, and it's more level than the road. just take sparta(/stanhope) road from stanhope. cut into the woods on any of the trails to the left. follow them in, making your way across the powerlines(you might have to zig zag a bit), and you'll be on the lackawanna cutoff. just ride it all the way across the delaware. it's a currently abandoned railroad. the trails is to the side of the tracks where they are still present. there will be one tunnel for you to ride through that will require lights, and you'll have to watch out for mountain lions.....


Thanks for the advice- almost forgot about that! Used to ride those tracks like it was my job when I was all gung ho about riding the dirtbikes. That ice tunnel was THE cool place to be riding =P Anyhow, I'll check that out tomorrow- I've actually been trying to find somebody to ride to PA and back with me, but have been planning it via 46. The tracks should be shorter and safer, which will maybe help persuade some of my lazier cohorts into doing this!
 
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