# So i tried a road bike for the first time...



## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I don't see what all the hype is. I have a nice vintage Dean frame that i have been waiting to build up for a few years now. Finally finished, i used decent parts- Mavic Heliums, Old dura ace 7400 components, grafton cranks, etc. 

I took it for a ride last night. Mind you i have been doing long-ish road rides for a while now on a steel hardtail. For a while i was using knobbies, then i switched to 2.2" ritchey speedmax beta semi slicks, then to michelin wildrun'r 1.1" as i got more into road riding, at the same time playing around with saddle, stem and handlebar adjustments

So first time on road bike vs mountain bike- i was all hyped up thinking i would be significantly faster. Not only was the difference negligible, but it hurt my back/neck. I need a shorter stem. All in all that shouldn't slow me down TOO much, just make me uncomfortable, right?

I use strava to keep track of my rides (yeah i know...i suck) and rode a few segments that i normally ride on my mtb and this is what i found after analyzing a couple

Segment 1 - Slight descent, .3 miles

Top speed on road bike with 700x23 tires and 53/12 gearing - 35.4

On MTB with 26x1.1 slicks, 48/11 gearing - same segment - 33.9

Average on both bikes is 30.5mph, 39 seconds

Never did this one on off road tires

Segment 2 - Fairly flat straightaway, minor ups and downs, 3.6 miles

Top speed on road bike, specs as above - 24.8 average 21.0

MTB , specs as above - 25.8 average 21.4

HERE IS THE KICKER -

MTB, on ritchey speedmax beta 2.2's, 44t/11t - 24.8 max and 22.2 average
so i had a slower top speed but was consistently faster over the 3.6 mile sprint

On average rides on MTB with the speedmax's and 44/11 top gear i will be between 17.8ish mph and 18.5mph over a 40-60 mile ride

Same bike on the slicks was about equal until i geared up to a 48t chainring, after that 
18.1-20.1 average on rides of the same distance

So on the road bike i was disappointed at my 19.2mph average, granted i stopped to scare a cat out of the path of traffic and get gatorade at 7-11. However i ofter make stops on my other rides too so i don't think this would be enough to make or break things

On top on that, its just so uncomfortable and hard to hammer up hills cause its so narrow

Everyone made it sound like this bike would be so much better and i was excited to get it ready for my first century this sunday. Is it just that i'm not used to it? at this point i am about to just use the MTB. no point looking like a roadie to not be any faster

So my conclusion so far- 

Road bikes are not that much faster than mtb with tall gearing and slicks

MTB's are better because even with slicks you don't have to dodge so many obstacles 

Road bike brakes suck, even compared to V brakes

Road bikes can corner a lot harder, which is nice

Road bikes accelerate better in a sprint but are not as stable standing out of the seat going uphill

Unless you are seriously trying to milk every last .1mph, good slicks on a decent MTB, a bigger chainring, with a 0 degree or negative rise stem and flat bars/bar ends is very quick. I run a 2x8 setup with 36/48t up front and 11-28 in back. I only use the big ring but the derailleur helps keep the chain from falling off. 

So with that being said i am going to hang up the road bike i think. one ride was enough

Next "road" bike will be another steel hardtail, 1x9'er with with a 48t mtb chainring up front or some road craks with a 53t for races and a wide range cassette, Negative rise stem, Flatbars & clip on Aero bars and maybe bar ends TOO and some 1-1.5" slicks


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## curly1 (Aug 23, 2012)

I've never ridden one, this thread was informative. You might have just saved me a bunch of money.


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## A1an (Jun 3, 2007)

Each to his/her own. I would much rather ride my road bike on longer road rides.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I seriously wanted to like it, i literally never even sat on a road bike before and spent 2 years buying all the parts. I just wanted to see some kind of night and day improvement. i didn't. one bike does some things on the road better, one bike does other things on the road better, i don't find that the pros outweigh the cons so far.


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## Tyler21 (Sep 16, 2012)

I like this thread, thanks for it. I've never been on a road bike either but a do a lot of distance road riding, so I've always been curious. I'm glad to know I'm not missing out on anything with my do-it-all hardtail.


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## [email protected] (Jul 20, 2012)

I too use strava in a very hilly section of my town during my to/from work commute. I brought my average commute time down by almost halfway, and jumped up 8mph in my average speed. 

motobecane 700c 48x16 fixed gear
kona unit stock gearing, stock tires. 

I had a night and day difference and I noticed it the moment I came back over to the dirt side.  Enjoy the roadbike, they're wonderful machines!


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## cskyle (Sep 9, 2012)

A1an said:


> Each to his/her own. I would much rather ride my road bike on longer road rides.


I agree. There are more options for hand positions which can make a difference on longer rides. The aerodynamics show a huge difference which is important for a guy like me living in the prairies. For me it is mountain bike for the trails and bombing around the neighborhood but the road bike for long road rides.


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

I might suggest the reason for the speed discrepancy is due to the following:

1. Comfort is everything. I can't ride a bike not set up for me more than 5 miles before I start feeling fatigued (or start hurting in unusual places).

2. Road bike completely changes your riding posture. Thus, you are then forced to use different hand, arm, shoulder and back muscles which certainly contribute to fatigue and the discomfort you felt.

I could be wrong, but I thought I'd share a few quick thoughts that came to mind. I don't own a road bike but have spent a little time on friends and I must admit it felt strange.


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## Phiu-x (Mar 23, 2010)

What you didn't measure is the power.


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## abegold (Jan 30, 2004)

Every road bike I ever rode was similar in acceleration except 1, a $5000 Italian racing Oshner a decade ago. Tour ready this bike accelerated faster and handled great. Unfortunately it was just a bit large for me. With the newer carbon frames even lighter and faster is possible. You gotta spend some cash to have a FAST road bike, just like mountain bikes, you spend $8000 and you do get a great bike.


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## alshead (Oct 2, 2007)

Fwiw, you're also on a "vintage" bike- likely with a pretty aggressive geometry, bars way lower than seat, long top tube, etc. those things will kill you back and not tap into some of the same muscles you use on your MTb. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

I do both and I did spend a LOT of money on my roadie. 

Whenever I ride my mtb on the road I just get angry because the roadie feels like a rocket by comparison. 
The fit and set up on a road bike are much more important than on a an mtb. If it's off just a bit your going to be in misery.


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## xjbaylor (Sep 22, 2006)

manbeer said:


> one ride was enough


This seems silly. Of course it wasn't life changing. You had a new position, new gearing options, new shifters, new geometry, etc. You have trained your body to make power in the position of your mountain bike, not the new-to-you road bike.

If you had ridden thousands of miles on a road bikes, and then built and rode your mountain bike how do you think that would have gone?

Coming from someone that rides road and mountain bikes, there is a significant difference, especially as you encounter high winds, high speeds and high miles.


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## Whacked (Sep 29, 2008)

6bobby9 said:


> I might suggest the reason for the speed discrepancy is due to the following:
> 
> 1. Comfort is everything. I can't ride a bike not set up for me more than 5 miles before I start feeling fatigued (or start hurting in unusual places).
> 
> ...


+1
Setup is everything. get your roadie set up to you then take it for a spin.
Ride it a few times, one ride isnt enough to write off road bikes entirely.
clip in and use that upstroke.
use the drops.
make use of the aerodynamics of a roadie, when you hit a nasty headwind you'll be glad for it.
like #2 above, you will hurt a bit until those muscles strengthen up

The fastest I have ever been on a bicycle is just over 63mph, on my roadie.
same hill, same timeframe on a mtb and slicks,... 48mph (I wonder if a 29er will make a difference? oh well, i'm older, fatter and slower  )


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## scorchedearth (Aug 30, 2011)

I recently bought a road bike after having ridden MTBs and other flat bar bikes for many years. It was the first bike I'd ever ridden with drop bars. Initially, it was a little strange being in a slightly different position and on what is a very different machine. It was a bit uncomfortable but after a couple of weeks of solid riding, it felt normal.

The road bike is faster accelerating but overall, I am not sure if it is that much faster than my MTB. 

I can tell you this, I would rather be on the road bike on long road rides than on my MTB. Multiple hand positions, better cornering, and the feeling of speed (even if it isn't that different) all keep me coming back to it for such efforts.

I love my road bike but to each their own.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

My experience could not be any more different. When I went from a hard tail with slicks to a true road bike, it was a big difference I could definitely go faster and longer comfortably.

Ditch the 23's. I will not run anything less than 28s from now on. They won't make you faster or slower, but they handle crappy roads a lot better and are way more comfy.

Your neck hurting was just due to poor setup/fit.

Riding around town, not such a big deal. My commuter is a 26" mtb with slicks. It's a lot of fun. However, once I hit ~10 miles on pavement, the road bike setup is far more comfortable for the long haul. Do 50 miles on pavement with a mtb with slicks and then on a properly fit road bike, and you will know the difference.

Honestly, you just spent one day on the bike that might have been fitted all wrong for you and you have had no time to adjust to how to ride it. Sprinting out of the saddle with road bar is quite different than with a mountain bar. Different technique.

In any event, I would not take this bike which is completely different than what you are used to on a century.


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## breckenridge (Jul 14, 2012)

After riding and racing XC MTBs for many years in the late 90s, I spent the majority of the '00s living in the city and riding road bikes (aluminum/carbon Bianchi, Shimano 105 upgraded to Dura Ace), thinking it would be the best bike for the environment. I got very used to them, and anytime I would ride a friends MTB with knobbies in town, it felt like a pig on the pavement.

Fast forward to this year when I missed MTBs too much and got back into it, and I think I have some good perspective between the two for use on-road. A MTB is actually much better in the city, the upright riding position allows for better visibility, wide flat bars and strong brakes inspire much more confidence. Obviously a lot more fun with the offroad factor.

All that being said, a nicely fitting decent spec road bike will be a rocket and not matchable on long, smooth, sweeping rides like country roads, rail bike paths, etc, but are a compromise in mixed use. Its like buying an F1 car to drive everyday.


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## marino454 (Jul 26, 2012)

can't get right said:


> I do both and I did spend a LOT of money on my roadie.
> 
> Whenever I ride my mtb on the road I just get angry because the roadie feels like a rocket by comparison.


Same here and you nailed it. I can't even ride my mtb on the road becasue it feels so sluggish in comparison....


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

manbeer said:


> So my conclusion so far-
> 
> Road bikes are not that much faster than mtb with tall gearing and slicks
> 
> ...


You're doing it wrong.


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

I routinely ride a FS mountain bike with knobbies, a ridged MTB with slicks and aero bars that I use for commuting, a cross bike with tires that are good for on and off road and 2 road bikes.

For me the road bike is hands down faster by a good 2-3 mph

Road brakes vary just as much as MTB brakes. My road bikes stop better than my commuter. Hydraulic disks stop better than anything. If your brakes only have one ride in on them maybe they just aren't broken in.

I wouldn't want to ride my either of my mountain bikes on a century ride but I will. (see signature)

Riding a mountain bike on a road is like driving a jeep on the road. It's still fun, it still does some things better, you can still get it up to 100 but it isn't a sports car. On the other hand, there is no way you can take the sports car on the trails.

Anyway, I hope you decide to give it a few more tries since you spent all that time building it. Road bikes can be fun. Mountain bikes are more versatile.


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## jamesbernatchez (May 17, 2010)

A1an said:


> Each to his/her own. I would much rather ride my road bike on longer road rides.


This x100. The last thing I would want to ride over a 40 mile ride is my mountain bike. In the hills it would be a plus as the gearing is better, but other than that it can't touch a road bike.

Acceleration, aerodynamics and weight make a big difference.



can't get right said:


> I do both and I did spend a LOT of money on my roadie.
> 
> Whenever I ride my mtb on the road I just get angry because the roadie feels like a rocket by comparison.
> The fit and set up on a road bike are much more important than on a an mtb. If it's off just a bit your going to be in misery.


I've been riding road again for a few months. These past few weeks I did the following rides:

14 miles
32 miles
5 miles
42 miles
43 miles

After picking up my mountain bike this past Monday it feels totally sluggish on the road compared to the roady.

I did a charity ride last weekend and it was pretty interesting to see the difference in bikes everyone had. Hell some guys were passing me uphill on mountain bikes while I was struggling. Clearly the rider makes up a big part of it.


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## .HaVoK. (Sep 13, 2012)

TylerK10 said:


> I like this thread, thanks for it. I've never been on a road bike either but a do a lot of distance road riding, so I've always been curious. I'm glad to know I'm not missing out on anything with my do-it-all hardtail.


Exactly my thoughts:thumbsup:


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## Bumer (Dec 8, 2011)

You really can't make a conclusion based on just one ride.
Plus, different bikes serve different purposes. ;-)

Somehow I doubt you would be willing / able to do long distance riding (40+ miles) on your mountain bike. Don't get me wrong, it's doable, but I'm sure more people would prefer to do it on road bike.

Check out group rides at your LBS, and see how fast groups A and B are going. They don't have any mountain bikes in the pack. Mountain bikers, may be, but on road bikes.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Ok after reading everyones suggestions-

I will play around with a few different stems and saddle positioning to try get a better fitment. I originally spec'd it like i would a MTB cockpit not realizing that the drop bars make it apples to oranges

I have been riding frames of the same exact geometry for 17 years now so i know the fit like the back of my hand and anything else never feels quite right

After my century i will devote two weeks to JUST the road bike. I will then do the same ride on the road bike and log both to compare and post the results


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

*.02*

If you ever show up to a fairly fast club road ride with anything but a road bike, good luck.

I have seen a few guys pull this off, but most fail miserably.

If you are looking for speed, then in my opinion no mtb setup will work like a properly dialed in road bike.

There is a bit of a learning curve. I have been riding road and mtb for over 20 years and I still feel weird going back to my road bike if only riding mtb for a few months sorta thing.

If it matters, stick with it. Get a pro-fit or something equivalent. Log the miles and hours and allow your body to adjust to the slightly different geometry.

You will change your mind. I promise.

If you are looking for pure comfort, stick with your mtb. Just pedal damn it!

Now...dealing with terrible crazy drivers who don't understand why you have chosen a bike over a car.....that is a whole new battle:eekster:


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

Wind resistance and weight are the two biggest differences between road bikes and mountain bikes. If you want to maximize the comparison, ride up a hill into a stiff headwind. Use the drops (which may be very uncomfortable and inefficient for a few weeks until your body adapts).

As far a leverage while climbing, you need to learn how to ride your road bike before declaring that it sucks. It always takes me a bit to adjust when moving from one bike to the other--and it can be pretty awkward at first!


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

I've done 3 centuries, 2 on my road bike, and the other was with my wife on our tandem mtb with slicks. The last one was just this past weekend. No way in h3ll would I choose a mtb over a road bike for one. 

I've also ridden about seven 50+ mile mtb rides/races that were primarily on singletrack -so I know what if feels like to be in either saddle for a long time. 

If you have time, you may want to get your road bike dialed in a bit better and take a few more rides on it before deciding to take the mtb on the century.


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## TwoHeadsBrewing (Aug 28, 2009)

One ride with some headwind and you'll be loving the road bike. And like others have said, if your back and neck are hurting your bike doesn't fit right, or you just need time to adjust. It took me 3-4 50+ mile rides on the road to adjust my stem height, seat fore/aft position, and build the strength up in my lower back. Just like anything new it takes time to adjust, but once you get there it's a big efficiency improvement over a long distance.

The whole point of a road bike is to be tuned, geared, and positioned for speed. Aerodynamic advantage is huge after 18mph on a road bike vs. an upright mountain bike. Gearing is also crucial, where on your MTB you will soon spin out your 44/11 on a downhill at 30mph. On a road bike your big ring will take you to 45mph, if you can keep pushing it. Weight is also an issue, but perhaps not with an older road bike that might weigh the same as your MTB.


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

Road bikes are for training. There's no substitute for fast rides with experienced riders in a pace line. Not to mention long hill climbs, steep hill climbs, and long and steep hill climbs. I ride alone mostly these days, alternating with mtb. If it is windy or cold, I'm definitely in the woods where wind is not a factor and it's easier to stay warm. Road rides into a headwind sucks. 

Of course road requires dealing with cars and trucks. I live in an area where most of the country roads have a solid stripes on the shoulders and most of the shoulders are clean for bikes. Staying in the bike lane helps keep the cars cool, except for the worst ******** who hate healthy people in general, whether riding or running. They'll honk, buzz you, play chicken or throw **** at you for sport. Better to ride in a group.

A mtb'er who trains on the road is a strong rider 

My motto: A roadie who doesn't ride off road has no soul; a mtb'er who doesn't ride on the road has no legs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dieonthishill (Dec 15, 2011)

Road bikes are not that much faster than mtb with tall gearing and slicks
_ False, they are way faster. There is no way I could maintain a 22 mile an hour average around a course I do in my area on a bike with an upright riding position._

MTB's are better because even with slicks you don't have to dodge so many obstacles
_ True. To some extent, if you are riding where there are that many obsticles, you probably should be mountain biking with knobbies._

Road bike brakes suck, even compared to V brakes
_ False. With good caliper brakes, you can blow V brakes out of the water no question. Disc brakes will not be beaten by anything, that is why they are starting to put them on road bikes now._

Road bikes can corner a lot harder, which is nice
_ True._

Road bikes accelerate better in a sprint but are not as stable standing out of the seat going uphill.

_ False. Incredibly False. If you have your hands on the hoods, a road bike is very stable standing up. In fact, they are designed for you to stand up and pedal. It is much more unnatural to stand up with a flat/riser bar_


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Road biking is all about _where_ you ride; not _how_ you ride or _what_ you ride.

You must ride bucolic, rural areas; preferably out in the scenic west. Riding in cities and 'burbs sucks major anus.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

This is a funny thread, kinda like some of the debates I've heard about clipless vs. flats, this vs. that or the other thing type discussions that can compete with politics and religion as a means to rile some folks up. Well I'll tell you what's what-

Road bikes are freaking great, there is nothing like riding a good one!

Mountain bikes are awesome, it might be the very last possession I would sell if I found myself down and out.

Road bikes rule on (most) roads, that's why they call them *road* bikes! They are _way_ faster on the road, that's why they use them in *road races*! You think they don't handle as well on pavement? Ever see any videos of NYC bike messengers? Ever watch a crit???

Mountain bikes are way, *way* faster on the dirt, which is why they dominate MTB races. They also handle way better on the dirt than a road bike, so I recommend them for trail riding.

Seems like it should be obvious, but riding a road bike *and* a mountain bike is not the same as being bi-sexual. Enjoy them both! :thumbsup:


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

dirt farmer said:


> Road biking is all about _where_ you ride; not _how_ you ride or _what_ you ride.
> 
> You must ride bucolic, rural areas; preferably out in the scenic west. Riding in cities and 'burbs sucks major anus.


I live a beautiful area for road riding (southwest VA), but riding in NYC is one of my greatest joys on a bike.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

kapusta said:


> I live a beautiful area for road riding (southwest VA), but riding in NYC is one of my greatest joys on a bike.


Just wait'll you hit the intermountain west, or beyond!!

Orgasmic.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

dirt farmer said:


> Just wait'll you hit the intermountain west, or beyond!!
> 
> Orgasmic.


I've ridden road a bunch in CO, UT, and lived in Tahoe for a few years.

Overall, this road riding here is just as good, just different.


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## SundayRiverRider (Oct 29, 2008)

dirt farmer said:


> Road biking is all about _where_ you ride; not _how_ you ride or _what_ you ride.
> 
> You must ride bucolic, rural areas; preferably out in the scenic west. Riding in cities and 'burbs sucks major anus.


Riding in the burbs and outlying city zones sucks balls. I live west of Boston and literally fear for my life every time I'm out on the road. Crazy muthas driving wicked fast!!

I spend a lot of time in Maine, and I love riding my road bike up there in and around the mountains. Fresh air, less traffic. Beautiful views.

Anyways, I'd almost always prefer to be riding dirt someplace vs road riding. But road riding helps build up the conditioning needed to enjoy the mountain biking more. I usually ride road in the spring when it is too muddy, and during the summer when it's just too hot and gross to go in the woods.

I would never waste my time riding my mountain bike on the road. It's slow, you feel like your riding in super slow mo, and the bike is designed to excel in the woods damn it!!


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

SundayRiverRider said:


> Riding in the burbs and outlying city zones sucks balls. I live west of Boston and literally fear for my life every time I'm out on the road. Crazy muthas driving wicked fast!!
> 
> I spend a lot of time in Maine, and I love riding my road bike up there in and around the mountains. Fresh air, less traffic. Beautiful views.


Shhhh!! Don't tell kapusta that.


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## scout (Jul 12, 2006)

Let me know when you sell that Dean


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## Whacked (Sep 29, 2008)

Check out this site

Fit Calculator

Awesome place to measure and check for proper fit of road and mtb.
Lots of good reading there too.


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## hadique (Oct 9, 2011)

Just built my first road bike after getting smoked by the roadies in my first triathlon. I was the fastest MTBer but a good ten minutes off the pace of the roadies over 1.5 hours. Granted I was riding a full suspension with knobby tires but it was still eye opening.

It took 100 miles for me to get comfortable on the road bike. And my wife and I did a lot of measuring and the above linked Fit Calculator twice. Personalized fit on a road bike is super important, I'm sure of that.

Overall, the road bike is sweet. You can't drop 10lbs off a mountain bike the same way you can a road bike which is where the speed difference shows up over an hour plus ride.

And I now enjoy both and switch up depending on where I feel like going.


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## poff (Dec 23, 2003)

All bikes are great - MTB, road, and CX. Just different. Once you climb Stelvio, Galibier, Tourmalet, Mortirollo, and other famous roads (each more than 4000ft of elevation gain) you will start spending a lot more time on your road bike. Cheers.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comparisons, i am now determined to like this thing and try to play around more with fitment before writing it off.

I noticed the angle of the seat tube is much greater than my mtb so i swapped out the seatpost from one that was set back a bit to one that is completely straight and took to the road for a bit. Someone before had mentioned the difference in wind and tonight we had a good 20mph southeast breeze so i experienced my first bit of noticable difference. I wasnt necessarily much quicker but it took a lot less effort to keep a consistent pace on the flats. Im starting to lean towards thinking my mtb is just an abnormally good fit for me and that is part of why i didnt feel a worthwhile increase, plus i always ride smallish frames with long top tubes, the seat way up and long negative rise stems so on the mtb my bars are a good 8 inches below the seat already which probably put me in a somewhat aero position 

I really like the handling on the road bike. I still dont feel 100% safe going all out just cause it seems fragile and i was in a really bad crash in the woods a few years ago where my shirt (tied on handlebars-horrible idea) jammed in my fork crown and landed me on my neck at 20mph or so. It was mess, i couldnt move for 15mins, thought i was paralized, finally was able to get my phone out and call 911 but got no service, finally forced myself to crawl uphill until i did, almost got medivac'd...the typical story. So i have a hard time trusting high speed descents and carbon fork doesnt help my anxiety

I actually have another 700c dean frame in carbon thats a bit smaller i boughtike a month ago and was thinking if this doesnt work i may swap everything over to that one and give it a shot 

On another note i love the snappy shifting with the downtube shifters and tight cluster

Next up i think i am going to swap the stem out to something shorter. I wish i hadnt just wrapped the bars but hindsight is 20/20

Also, this bike weighs in at 18lbs but it would be easy to lose another couple cutting the seatpost , swapping the bb, using lightweight tubes and finding lighter bars i think. Possibly removing the 39t ring and associated parts as well as i dont use them


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

I take this post with the same grain of salt I would if I got MTB info from roadbikereview.com.


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

SSdirt29 said:


> I take this post with the same grain of salt I would if I got MTB info from roadbikereview.com.


I am assuming that you are referring to the entire thread? If so, why doubt that some folks have valid experience on both types of bike and are willing to share to help the OP?

There are a ton of MTBR members that frequent RBR also by the way... not sure what your point is exactly

Carry on.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

I ride my road bike on the pavement. I really like it. It works very well on the pavement

I ride my Mountain bike off the pavement. I really like it. It works very well off the pavement. 

Personally, I don't play favorites.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks, the idea was to give the perspective of someone who exclusively rode 26" for 17 years as i try to adapt. Granted as i spend more time in the saddle and tweak some issues i have then things will most likely change and i will update my first post with all the relevant information

One thing i was curious about as i look at all the fitment guides and calculators: is fit a subjective category rather than scientific/mathematical only? I ask because looking at pics of the way i ride my MTB, it doesn't look at all proper or comfortable, but it feels great for me and gives me damn fast speeds considering what i'm working with...im assuming cause its a raked stance

As far as hills, i live in probably one of the flattest areas ever - long island


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

manbeer said:


> Thanks, the idea was to give the perspective of someone who exclusively rode 26" for 17 years as i try to adapt. Granted as i spend more time in the saddle and tweak some issues i have then things will most likely change and i will update my first post with all the relevant information
> 
> One thing i was curious about as i look at all the fitment guides and calculators: is fit a subjective category rather than scientific/mathematical only?
> It is objective with a bit of subjective mixed in. You will notice tour racers typically have a very very aero stretched out cockpit. Attempting this day one will most likely lead to unnecessary injury and strain all over from wrists to legs to back. Start out with a fairly conservative drop (stem/bars) and as your body strengthens and adapts over time you can make more aggressive changes. Most likely though, you will never need or like a pro type geometry. As far as seat height goes, this is a tad more objective. Most pro fitters will analyze your seat postition and then adjust to nearly the same point. If you have existing injuries, then they may alter the position/height a bit until your injury subsides or disappears. An example would be adjusting the seat to lessen the IT band strain for awhile until the problem goes away. Then...back to where saddle "should" be sorta thing.
> ...


Put bike on car. Drive car out of Long Island


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

It's weird cause i always prefer the fit of a bike thats a bit small and high seat/low bars/long stem. This is normally how i keep things:










I would check out my local LBS but there seems to be a lot of snobbery there as they are in the "hamptons" so they are used to catering to wealthy clients that will plunk down 10 grand on a bike they use once a year. I'm curious to try a smaller frame to get a similar cockpit layout to what i have in the pic

EDIT: I forgot to say that i have shortish legs and i'm all torso


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

manbeer said:


> It's weird cause i always prefer the fit of a bike thats a bit small and high seat/low bars/long stem. This is normally how i keep things:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Dude..you are already in full Euro/pro geometry there!! Haha. If you have no issues with that set up comfort-wise, then I see no issues going aero on your road bike.

Cool mtb... I remember that bike from way back. Go V-brakes:thumbsup:


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks, i got my first barracuda when i was 12 back in like '95. It was a bit big for me then and as i grew i kept getting longer stems until i started using negative rise and never looked back. It's weird cause i feel like i'm too flat on the road bike and maybe i'm used to higher seat/ lower bars it's not aggressive enough. Although i guess that doesn't make sense it just seems that way


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

My first road bike was a Madone. LBS said it would be perfect and set me up. I spent the entire summer in agony. I had 2 fittings from two different shops, tried a couple of different saddles, and finally sold the bike earlier this spring. Now that I have more experience for riding, I've learned a couple of things.

Total newbies to any riding shouldn't spend 2000 on carbon bike not really knowing how to ride a bike. It was more bike than I knew how to handle and I didn't have any flexibility at the time. I was bent like a pretzel and while the bike "fit", I didn't know how to ride it. Because it was so light, semis would nearly send me flying off the road. Any movement from me would change how the bike rode..which of course it was supposed to do. The Madone was a disaster on rough county roads. It was meant for smooth roads where it could fly.

I ended up buying a Fargo which suits the needs of rural living perfectly. I can change out the tires to whatever I need and can go wherever I want. For the first time, I was comfortable bent over on drop bars and the bike just ate the road. The right bike and fit makes a HUGE difference on road bikes.

The only problem I have now is that I've become much more flexible and the bike seems to feel too small. 

I'd just wander into your LBS and take a look at what's there. Even if you are ignored or looked down on, enjoy looking.


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

The brakes on my road bike work awesome. Not as good as disc, but very sufficient.
My experience is- nothing compares to a road bike for road riding. I would never ride a MTB on a long road ride.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

In my experience, you don't need to set the road bike up like a race bike (i.e., like most roadies do) to be faster than an mtb. I run my hoods about level with my saddle, and I'm not all stretched out. Not quite as aerodynamic as a long and low setup, but I am a ton more comfortable on longer rides. 

Still a very different fit than on my mtb, though.

FWIW, I agree with you about road brakes. Even pretty good ones are not all that great compared to v's. 

Luckily, discs are becoming more common on road bikes, at least the kind I like to ride.


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## Feeling (Sep 21, 2012)

did not


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## dieonthishill (Dec 15, 2011)

Feeling said:


> did not


Don't post stupid comments no one understands just to get your post count up.


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## hadique (Oct 9, 2011)

> is fit a subjective category rather than scientific/mathematical only?


Both as already mentioned. I'll tell you what was interesting to me.... after all the fit calculators, going through my entire selection of stems (35, 60, 85, 90, 100, 120mm), moving the seat around, etc, etc, .... when I was finally comfortable, all the measurements on the road bike (saddle to handlebar, saddle to bb, relative stem height) were identical to the measurements I took from my mtb. So to me it seems once you're comfortable on one... copy the setup for the other.


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

kapusta said:


> In my experience, you don't need to set the road bike up like a race bike (i.e., like most roadies do) to be faster than an mtb. I run my hoods about level with my saddle, and I'm not all stretched out. Not quite as aerodynamic as a long and low setup, but I am a ton more comfortable on longer rides.
> 
> Still a very different fit than on my mtb, though.
> 
> ...


I agree that disc brakes will become fairly common on road bikes some day. Sure is gonna make the roadie pile-ups (group rides/races) a lot more messy with hot sharp discs slicing through peoples' arms, legs etc:eekster:

I recently severed a chunk off my finger just doing simple maintenance on my mtb hydro brakes. Not cool.


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## Sean K (Mar 25, 2012)

A1an said:


> Each to his/her own. I would much rather ride my road bike on longer road rides.


For riding in 'urban' environments, I FAR prefer a slick'd MTB. Can jump curbs, take a few potholes and MOST important, can STOP on a dime. I had road bikes, but only liked riding them out in the country for long miles. Now that I live in Denver area, slick'd MTB is the ONLY way to fly.

Cracks me up watching fixie riders struggle up hills and try to panic stop when cars jut out.


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## Sean K (Mar 25, 2012)

With that said, a flat-bar Cyclocross bike with disc brakes would work well too.


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

*Road for road, mtb for dirt*

I recently revived my old road bike. It's a custom frame with my older Austro Daimler components on it (after a beer fueled crash). It's a steel frame with good components weighing about 22 lbs.

I was thrilled by how much faster I rode the roads around here compared with my mtbs. The thin high pressure tires just go fast and easy. I'll only be using the mtbs on dirt, mostly.

Friday, I rode the Inverness Ridge trail on my Specialized FSR xc. Then, I had my wife drive the truck down the Limantour road back to Olema Valley while I rode.

The short, steeply angled mtb with full suspension is NOT the bike for really steep fast long hills on pavement. It feels much less stable than the road bike at speed and the knobbly tires "walk" sideways with hard cornering. How were the mtb brakes on this long, curvy, and steep road?

Hydraulic disk brakes rule on dirt or road. They were almost glowing red at the bottom. I could feel the heat radiating from them!

Places: Point Reyes National Seashore, northern California coast.


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## mk.ultra (Jul 17, 2012)

I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


I guess it is sorta like comparing Indy racing to baja off road racing. Both have potential to be extremely exhilarating.

I do prefer mtb over road though


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## bamwa (Mar 15, 2010)

how vintage? lets see a pic. Not sure if yours is like this but, I personally would not like a road bike with the shifters located on the down tube. I think that would suck/ be scary to have to take my hands off the handlebars to shift. Maybe you could get a brifter setup or something. That helps my enjoy my cannondale six13. It's got shimano 105 group. It is like a rocketship but funner. The frame is too big but I got a real short stem on it now so no big deal.


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


Sooo boring. I'm so bored. I need constant in the face stimulation to not be bored. I've got five screens going at once. One has a Red Bull AM/FR porn vid of rad brahs huckin' cliffs, one is a gansta rapper vid with nekkid wimmin dancin', one is a movie with like totally constant explosions and car chases, one is rad brah snowboarders grindin' rails in the park and huckin huge lips and grabbin their boards, One is this screen which is pretty boring, but I go back and forth between this and the others and that keeps me from getting too bored.


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## dirtdan (Jun 27, 2011)

Road bike (dropped bars) allows for more hand positions and less fatigue on long rides. Get on a road bike that's properly fit and is a good bike designed for some endurance riding and taking a day and going 120 miles or more is rather satisfying and great training for your mountain legs.

Reading that a person was suggested to get a Madone by an LBS for a distance style bike is the wrong suggestion by the LBS. From Trek, the Domane is far more suited for long road rides where the Madone is designed to be fast and with an aggressive drop.

While strict road riding can get monotonous that is why MTBrs should get a nice steel cross bike (Surly Cross Check is my favorite because of the Salsa Bell Lap handlebars that have a slight flare outward) and do long rides on road and as much dirt as they can find. Doing long rides is great for the legs and for people who like to get out on their bikes everyday a road bike (or cross bike in my world) is a great device. Fast singletrack everyday can make a person manic.


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## vmaxx4 (Jul 13, 2010)

dwt said:


> Road bikes are for training. There's no substitute for fast rides with experienced riders in a pace line. Not to mention long hill climbs, steep hill climbs, and long and steep hill climbs. I ride alone mostly these days, alternating with mtb. If it is windy or cold, I'm definitely in the woods where wind is not a factor and it's easier to stay warm. Road rides into a headwind sucks.
> 
> Of course road requires dealing with cars and trucks. I live in an area where most of the country roads have a solid stripes on the shoulders and most of the shoulders are clean for bikes. Staying in the bike lane helps keep the cars cool, except for the worst ******** who hate healthy people in general, whether riding or running. They'll honk, buzz you, play chicken or throw **** at you for sport. Better to ride in a group.
> 
> ...


My thoughts exactly. 
I never realized how much better shape I could get myself in until I started to pound some miles on a road bike. Going out for a group ride and learning about all the different "tactics" that are played out in a road race environment can definitely make road riding more interesting. Riding a "boring" section of road definitely can be dull. Riding a nice tree covered twisty/rolling hill country road with a bunch of friends can be a lot of fun. A good, well set-up bike will make a huge difference as well. I just upgraded my road ride from an aluminum Giant Defy to a carbon Trek Domane 5.2, what a difference. I like riding both mountain and road. It's great to have options.


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## Adim_X (Mar 3, 2010)

Where I ride my road bike it is far from boring. There are potholes, dogs, cars, gravel, sand to dodge. There are also nice rolling country roads, curvy roads surrounded by trees, and some just straight hammer fest roads. To me when you combine these attributes, plus a couple other like minded riders, then a road ride can be fairly interesting.


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## wg (Dec 20, 2003)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


Change where you ride. My regular roadie loop is quite entertaining. A few seconds of inattention on the curves at my speeds and you may not find my body....except for the circling buzzards.

Been riding dirt for decades. Roadie for almost 2 years. Both are a lot of fun. Just different mind sets on what to expect on a particular ride.


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## jkirkpatri (Sep 16, 2008)

crewjones said:


> The brakes on my road bike work awesome. Not as good as disc, but very sufficient.
> My experience is- nothing compares to a road bike for road riding. I would never ride a MTB on a long road ride.


Ditto. My first ride on my road bike and I was amazed by the gripping power of the Shimano 105 brakes. I thought for sure that they'd be underpowered, but I was wrong. I think the long leverage of the brake levers have something to do with it.

45km on my mountain bike, even with semi slicks, pales in comparision to the same ride on my entry level road bike. The road bike is just much more effecient and almost effortless compared to my mountain bike when hitting the paved roads.

Bike fit is huge. I had to do some customizing on my road bike before it fit right, and it was a trial and error basis. Now that I've got the fit down, its uber comfortable for long rides and kills my mountain bike, as it should.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


That's why I look around while I do it.

I could post volumes of what I look at while riding my road bike, these are just a few. I left out the mountain vistas, I'm not good at photographing them with a cell camera.

Maybe this stuff is just boring to you. Hey, different strokes.....


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## AZspeeding (Nov 3, 2010)

Too strong brakes make for skidding tires...worthless. Why do you need to stop fast in any other than an emergency on a road bike? Skinny tires makes for less rotational weight and faster accelerations. Try a group ride and you'll see. Fit and flexibility is key. The bike you rode sucked. That's like saying that you rode a race mtn bike from 1985 and it didn't feel great.  Road riding is very social and so try a group ride or ride with a buddy. I think that you "just don't get it" somehow. Just know this, 99% of pro mtn bikers train on a road bike, so it must be you, or that 1%.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

zrm said:


> Sooo boring. I'm so bored. I need constant in the face stimulation to not be bored. I've got five screens going at once. One has a Red Bull AM/FR porn vid of rad brahs huckin' cliffs, one is a gansta rapper vid with nekkid wimmin dancin', one is a movie with like totally constant explosions and car chases, one is rad brah snowboarders grindin' rails in the park and huckin huge lips and grabbin their boards, One is this screen which is pretty boring, but I go back and forth between this and the others and that keeps me from getting too bored.


werd! :thumbsup:


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## hadique (Oct 9, 2011)

> Why do you need to stop fast in any other than an emergency on a road bike?


You answered your own question. Lol


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## can't get right (May 15, 2005)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


I remember when I used to have thoughts like this.

Now I look back and realize how naive and narrow minded I was.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

Truthfully, I can't see how someone could stand just to have a mountain bike. Different bikes are made for different purposes, just like tools. While I love my carbon fiber full suspension 29er mountain race-oriented bike, it's nothing like my road racing bike. It's almost 10 lbs heavier (26 versus 16), and slower, etc.
If I were to have only one bike it would be a mountain bike as it works on the road and off-road. However, if you have the chance to ride on the road on a bike that actually is modern and moves when you jump on it, and flies along and becomes one with you, you might see the light. Otherwise you remain one of those hard core folks with a one (singletrack) mind that think all roadies are ghey and that's all there is to it.
When you get old, and your body can no longer stand the pounding of training off road exclusively, you appreciate the fitness a road bike brings that allows you to still keep mountain biking faster 
Myself, I love almost anything with two wheels that requires a person to make it move. I just got a cyclocross bike, here we go...


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

AZspeeding said:


> Just know this, 99% of pro mtn bikers train on a road bike, so it must be you, or that 1%.


yup. very true. why? cuz it WORKS!

when i was training mtb racers/riders lots of base miles on the road was a requirement. it was really interesting to hear them complain about it until they got faster REAL quick! dirt skills are important, but if you don't have basic strenth and endurance you're at the end of the pack with your mad skills. even if you don't race you will find your mtbing will be much more enjoyable with the core strength that results from regular road miles.

geoff kabush was in town for a norba some years ago and went on a shop ride with us. the dude effortlessly averaged 23mph on a 45 mile road ride on a full suspension mtb with 26" knobbies while talking with us almost the whole time! it was an incredilble sight to behold to say the least.

keep in mind that at the time i was averaging 10k-12k serious (i.e. not slow) road miles a year and thought i was putting in a lot of miles. when talking with him about his training sked i found that he was doing that in a few months! you don't get to be a world champion on accident by any means.


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## kingbozo (Jan 31, 2004)

bamwa1 said:


> how vintage? lets see a pic. Not sure if yours is like this but, I personally would not like a road bike with the shifters located on the down tube. I think that would suck/ be scary to have to take my hands off the handlebars to shift. Maybe you could get a brifter setup or something. That helps my enjoy my cannondale six13. It's got shimano 105 group. It is like a rocketship but funner. The frame is too big but I got a real short stem on it now so no big deal.


I hear you about the downtube shifters. My road bike is a steel Trek from 85. Great Reynolds tubeset and super smooth ride, but I never felt all that comfortable riding it due to needing to take my hands off the bars to operate the friction shifters down by my knees.

This winter a friend sold me a Campy wheelset, rear D, brake/shifters, mavic brakes and other knick-knacks for $250. I already had a newer Campy record crankset and front D so I just needed to have the rear dropouts spread to accomodate modern hub spacing and I was good to go (Try that with aluminum!)

Now I LOVE riding this bike. I still prefer MTB, but my city has miles and miles and miles of paved bike trails. Getting a few friends together for road rides has been quite enjoyable and a nice change of pace.


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## cr45h (Jan 13, 2007)

i can't be the only one shaking my head at this post....


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## breckenridge (Jul 14, 2012)

_these_ road bike brakes suck. This is what I have on my fixed gear retro bike, and its a big compromise for looks. Any modern road bike caliper brakes however are very good, even the 105s I have on my Bianchi are awesome. All you people thinking anything that isnt discs is garbage haven't been around long enough


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## leoferus (Jul 22, 2011)

From a beginner's perspective I can say that the transition from mtb to road can vary from one person to another. There are many factors that contribute to how that transition will occur. Some are dependent upon your bike selection while others depend on flexibility and fitness level.

I stopped riding bikes as a teenager and resumed just three years ago at 29. My rode bikes a bit as a child but didn't resume until just three years ago as well. Interestingly, I adjusted to the mountain bike almost instantly. It took a few rides the first week to get the setup configured for comfort. Of course, all that started to change as I gained experience. The usual raising of the saddle, the removal of steerer tube spacers, etc. Jenny, however, took forever to become comfortable on the mountain bike. One week the saddle was too high, others it was too low. The stem was too short, then too long, etc. How did we fix it? She went from a Cannondale F7 to a Specialized Stumpjumper. My experience was that I was super comfortable on the Cannondale F5 I had but not as comfortable with the GT Zaskar I got after I broke the frame. The bike is great and I still ride it but no matter what I do I'm never 100% satisfied. There's always something about it. When I demoed the Cdale Flash, even with an eyeball fit, it was perfect. Sometimes the bikes are just right. Other times they are just wrong. 

Then came time for us to get road bikes. We wanted to try this discipline of cycling so we went to our trusted LBS and were given many options. Jenny was interested in short rides 25-75 miles while I was looking for longer ones. We ended up with very different bikes. And we couldn't be happier with our choices. I love my Secteur but I am now ready for a CAAD 10 or Super Six. However, to get to the point where I like my fit and I like my bike took over four months of riding, fitting, tweaking, etc. I'm lucky that our local shop mechanics are super patient. I finished a 153 mile ride on the Secteur with very few and short stops with almost no pain anywhere. But, when I first started riding it, I had achy shoulders, elbows, knees, you name it and it hurt. Jenny, on the other hand, was comfortable from day one. I think we might have replaced the stem and worked with the bar angle a bit but she was good to go. 

Road riding is not for everyone but if you're serious about trying it be patient. If you're anything like me, your body has to get used to the new positions. One of the mechanics told me that I have to try to remember to periodically force myself to relax on the bike. The biggest problem on the road bike for beginners after fitting is being tense. Death gripping the bar/hoods, locking the wrists/elbows/shoulders/everything. Just relax. AND DODGE THAT TRUCK!


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I actually DO enjoy riding on the road but so far the MTB has been my weapon of choice. I find that road riding is more fun when you choose a destination as far as you are comfortable going and try taking alternate routes so you're not just sucking up exhaust fumes. I've done the lap thing when in a pinch and its not nearly as enjoyable

I was going to ride a century today but woke up late and had to open up the store plus I decided I prefer wearing headphones which is frowned upon on most group rides. 

So instead I hopped on the trusty MTB and headed out on a 100 mile ride to montauk and back. I did the ride in just under 5:30, which was about 17.5 mph, battling crosswinds and an extra 20 lbs of fat I shouldn't have, wearing baggy shorts and a backpack. All in all I was happy with that but I always hear the road guys saying 5 hours is a good time so I know that there's definitely something to be gained on the road bike. Even something as small as an extra mph would make me happy at this point

On another note, my heavy bell sweep with my headlamp is killing my neck. Even if you are riding MTB on the road its probably a wprthwhile investment to pick up a nice road helmet without a visor. I can't begin to tell you how annoying it is looking through the vents half the time cause my visor blocks my view


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

breckenridge said:


> This is what I have on my fixed gear retro bike, and its a big compromise for looks.


a paul racer would look mighty fine on your vintage rig and stop 400% better!


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

bamwa1 said:


> how vintage? lets see a pic. Not sure if yours is like this but, I personally would not like a road bike with the shifters located on the down tube. I think that would suck/ be scary to have to take my hands off the handlebars to shift. Maybe you could get a brifter setup or something. That helps my enjoy my cannondale six13. It's got shimano 105 group. It is like a rocketship but funner. The frame is too big but I got a real short stem on it now so no big deal.


I ride both a vintage (1984) Univega Viva Sport with downtube shifters and a carbon Scott CR1 Comp. The Scott accelerates better and climbs better but my overall average between the old steel beast and the new light race bike is only a few tenths of a mph different. The brifters are nicer but I use the downtube shifters like it's second nature. I tend to ride the vintage bike more because it has a better ride.


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

road bike for road rides
mtb for off road rides

quite simple actually. Different bikes for different purpose! You wouldn't ride a road bike on the mtb trails, why on earth would you ride a mtb on the road?


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## Whacked (Sep 29, 2008)

breckenridge said:


> _these_ road bike brakes suck. This is what I have on my fixed gear retro bike, and its a big compromise for looks. Any modern road bike caliper brakes however are very good, even the 105s I have on my Bianchi are awesome. All you people thinking anything that isnt discs is garbage haven't been around long enough


Oh man, Dia Comp brakes SUCK!
I finally bought a pair of Sora calipers from Jensen and old 105 levers off fleabay and couldn't be happier. Those dia comps, well they will slow you down, if you are headed uphill... cant believe how much I trusted them years ago.


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

breckenridge said:


> _these_ road bike brakes suck. This is what I have on my fixed gear retro bike, and its a big compromise for looks.


The hipsters in NYC don't use brakes on their fixies. Nor do track riders. Leg muscle only. Then again, they aren't dealing with mtns. like Breckenridge, where a front brake might save your knees from shattering.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

manbeer said:


> I actually DO enjoy riding on the road but so far the MTB has been my weapon of choice. I find that road riding is more fun when you choose a destination as far as you are comfortable going and try taking alternate routes so you're not just sucking up exhaust fumes. I've done the lap thing when in a pinch and its not nearly as enjoyable
> 
> I was going to ride a century today but woke up late and had to open up the store plus I decided I prefer wearing headphones which is frowned upon on most group rides.
> 
> ...


Actually, a 100 mile ride in 5:30 is just over 18mph if you never stopped. Your saying you did this solo (no drafting?)

That cross wind must have been a tail wind :skep:

Well, whatever your time was, it would have been shorter on a road bike.


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

kapusta said:


> Actually, a 100 mile ride in 5:30 is just over 18mph if you never stopped. Your saying you did this solo (no drafting)


On a mtb and you claim to be heavy? You're either a genetic freak or it was downhill with a tailwind both ways. I twice did 100 mi in 4:45 but with 20 Cat 4. Club riders trading pulls - and of course all on good to epic road bikes.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

kapusta said:


> Actually, a 100 mile ride in 5:30 is just over 18mph if you never stopped. Your saying you did this solo (no drafting?)
> 
> That cross wind must have been a tail wind :skep:
> 
> Well, whatever your time was, it would have been shorter on a road bike.


Oops, I meant 5:40. My battery died around 80 miles, I just managed to upload before it conked out completely. Strava said I did 17.6 and based upon the time my phone died to home plus moving time on Strava I came up with 17.5ish

No drafting as there was really nothing on the road, plus I stopped a few times to pee, once to help someone with a flat, and to get a sandwich . As far as the wind, my route was 50.xx each way and conditions didn't seem favorable either direction. Weatherbug said 10-12mph NNE and my ride was pretty much west - east and then east - west


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

manbeer said:


> Oops, I meant 5:40. My battery died around 80 miles, I just managed to upload before it conked out completely. Strava said I did 17.6 and based upon the time my phone died to home plus moving time on Strava I came up with 17.5ish
> 
> No drafting as there was really nothing on the road, plus I stopped a few times to pee, once to help someone with a flat, and to get a sandwich . As far as the wind, my route was 50.xx each way and conditions didn't seem favorable either direction. Weatherbug said 10-12mph NNE and my ride was pretty much west - east and then east - west


Well then it must have been downhill both ways.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

manbeer said:


> So instead I hopped on the trusty MTB and headed out on a 100 mile ride to montauk and back. I did the ride in just under 5:30, which was about 17.5 mph, battling crosswinds and an extra 20 lbs of fat I shouldn't have, wearing baggy shorts and a backpack. ...plus I stopped a few times to pee, once to help someone with a flat, and to get a sandwich . As far as the wind, my route was 50.xx each way and conditions didn't seem favorable either direction. Weatherbug said 10-12mph NNE and my ride was pretty much west - east and then east - west


i call b.s.

5:40 for EACH 50 mile segment as you described is far more plausable (and most likely probable) for a self described overweight and out of shape rider on a mtb wearing baggies that stops to pee multiple times, stops and helps a stranger fix a flat, then stops to get a sandwich all the while riding both legs of the trip while battling a crosswind.

nope... not buyin it for a second.



manbeer said:


> Oops, I meant 5:40. My battery died around 80 miles, I just managed to upload before it conked out completely.


so you did the remaining 20 miles in 10 minutes??? :skep:

hmmmmm..... gonna have to call b.s. on that one too.


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## dieonthishill (Dec 15, 2011)

manbeer said:


> Oops, I meant 5:40. My battery died around 80 miles, I just managed to upload before it conked out completely. Strava said I did 17.6 and based upon the time my phone died to home plus moving time on Strava I came up with 17.5ish
> 
> No drafting as there was really nothing on the road, plus I stopped a few times to pee, once to help someone with a flat, and to get a sandwich . As far as the wind, my route was 50.xx each way and conditions didn't seem favorable either direction. Weatherbug said 10-12mph NNE and my ride was pretty much west - east and then east - west


Duh, he was riding this:


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

manbeer said:


> I actually DO enjoy riding on the road but so far the MTB has been my weapon of choice. I find that road riding is more fun when you choose a destination as far as you are comfortable going and try taking alternate routes so you're not just sucking up exhaust fumes. I've done the lap thing when in a pinch and its not nearly as enjoyable
> 
> I was going to ride a century today but woke up late and had to open up the store plus I decided I prefer wearing headphones which is frowned upon on most group rides.
> 
> ...


So in a nut shell if I wanted advice on the merits of riding a MTB on the road you would be the one to ask but If I wanted to know the benefits and the fun of a road bike I would ask someone with a lot of experience with a road bike. For the record, I ride both.

P.S. I never quite understood the purpose of a visor. I wear sunglasses. But then again since I don't wear a helmet with a visor I guess I should defer judgement to someone that uses one.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Wish it was downhill both ways, it wasn't incredibly hilly though


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

SSdirt29 said:


> So in a nut shell if I wanted advice on the merits of riding a MTB on the road you would be the one to ask but If I wanted to know the benefits and the fun of a road bike I would ask someone with a lot of experience with a road bike. For the record, I ride both.
> 
> P.S. I never quite understood the purpose of a visor. I wear sunglasses. But then again since I don't wear a helmet with a visor I guess I should defer judgement to someone that uses one.


Never understood the visor either but it came on the helmet and I'm too lazy to bother messing with things


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

manbeer said:


> Never understood the visor either but it came on the helmet and I'm too lazy to bother messing with things


Hey, If it does the job , Function over form rules the day.


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

Sunglasses only go so far. A visor is a must if your in the desert southwest. The sun is intense above 7500' and brutal above 10,000'. Nothing like burning your retina in the high desert.


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

When I used to do a lot of MTB racing I did a lot of group rides for training. On days when I wanted to go hard I would ride the MTB for a beast workout. On base mile days I would ride the roadie. As I got stronger the motivation was to take the road bike and do a lot of pulls at the front. It's pretty exhilarating pulling a pack along at 27-28 MPH for as long as your legs hold.

Most people don't take to road bikes right off the bat. It's a progression that can turn to obsession every bit as much as Mountain Biking.


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

6bobby9 said:


> Sunglasses only go so far. A visor is a must if your in the desert southwest. The sun is intense above 7500' and brutal above 10,000'. Nothing like burning your retina in the high desert.


I live in the Desert Southwest. I guess I don't miss what I never had.


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

SSdirt29 said:


> I live in the Desert Southwest. I guess I don't miss what I never had.


My eyes will start to hurt after a few hours, especially above 10,000'. I wont buy a helmet without a visor.


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## drizzoh (Jul 18, 2012)

I rode a road bike for the first time yesterday and had the opposite reaction as the OP. I thought it was incredibly fast and agile. Definitely going to look into one as a future purchase.


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

monogod said:


> i call b.s.
> nope... not buyin it for a second


Manbeer is trying to BS some guys who have serious road experience, and it ain't working. It reminds me of Paul Ryan's sub 3 hour marathon

Man beer, FYI 100 miles in 5 hours- known as a "5 hour century" is the fall goal for cyclists who put in a MINIMUM if 1500 miles a season. Pros can average 20 mph for 100 miles half asleep as a warm down.

Your basic club rider even with high mileage as training can only possibly achieve this in a group mimicking a pro stage race peloton. You need a bunch of fit cyclists capable of doing 5 or more mile efforts at at least 20 mph on their own. And it goes without saying they are all on good road bikes. Let's say you have 20 riders. 5 or 6 will be in front of the others riding single file ( or double) taking turns pulling the entire group along at no less than 20 mph. The rest will be 4 abreast or so in a pack. If you are in the middle of this pack, you will get an ideabwhat being a "protected rider" in a pro race is all about. You can fly along being pulled by all those slipstreams with very little effort. As the worker bees in front tire out, they move to the rear and rested riders in the pack take their place. And so on .The worker bee who has peeled off will not stay at the caboose however. Even though it sounds good, it takes a lot more effort to ride there than in mid pack. So you work your way up to get your rest. If everything works out, everybody will finish in 5 hours. I have been in packs like this doing closer to 30 mph, which is tough for a club rider. A pack of clubbies going that fast will break up before 100 miles, leaving 4,5 or 6 Cat 4's to finish the century in less than 5 hours
The point is you cannot do it in alone or on a mtn bike. If you can, get yourself a road bike and hook up with the other Cat 1's

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

dwt said:


> Manbeer is trying to BS some guys who have serious road experience, and it ain't working. It reminds me of Paul Ryan's sub 3 hour marathon
> 
> Man beer, FYI 100 miles in 5 hours- known as a "5 hour century" is the fall goal for cyclists who put in a MINIMUM if 1500 miles a season. Pros can average 20 mph for 100 miles half asleep as a warm down.
> 
> ...


+1 on this :thumbsup:

A ride like tour de tucson , 109 miles , which isn't supposed to be a race, the pack will cruise along at approx 24-26 MPH or faster.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

dwt said:


> Manbeer is trying to BS some guys who have serious road experience, and it ain't working. It reminds me of Paul Ryan's sub 3 hour marathon
> 
> Man beer, FYI 100 miles in 5 hours- known as a "5 hour century" is the fall goal for cyclists who put in a MINIMUM if 1500 miles a season. Pros can average 20 mph for 100 miles half asleep as a warm down.
> 
> ...


I don't know how you are calling BS, i'm not gloating or saying this is a good time, i don't know much about pelotons or watts or any of that stuff. All i know is that this is normal speed for me, on a mountain bike with slicks. I never rode with another person on road so i don't know about pulls or drafting or anything. All i know is that my times on segments are consistently decent for people in my area. FWIW, i have done over 18mph avg on a 55 mile ride with 2.2" semi slicks too




























Thanks for calling BS on my times though, it makes me feel better cause i wasnt sure if they were good.

The funny thing is i never rode a century or with a group cause i was too self conscious and worried i would be embarrassingly slow


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

Sounds like you didn't like road bikes and you proved to yourself you don't like road bikes. Congrats


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

SSdirt29 said:


> Sounds like you didn't like road bikes and you proved to yourself you don't like road bikes. Congrats


On the contrary, i'm going to devote more time to the road bike now that i have accomplished my goal, which was a hundred mile ride. I just wanted to make it through that and it is frustrating when people are telling me i didn't make it at the speed that i did and talking about pelotons and cats and things that mean nothing to me. No doubt if i can pick up another MPH on the road bike i will be happy. Its now time i can play around with fit and swap stems


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

manbeer said:


> On the contrary, i'm going to devote more time to the road bike now that i have accomplished my goal, which was a hundred mile ride. I just wanted to make it through that and it is frustrating when people are telling me i didn't make it at the speed that i did and talking about pelotons and cats and things that mean nothing to me. No doubt if i can pick up another MPH on the road bike i will be happy. Its now time i can play around with fit and swap stems


Don't worry. It's all ball bearings these days..


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## SSdirt29 (Dec 30, 2011)

manbeer said:


> On the contrary, i'm going to devote more time to the road bike now that i have accomplished my goal, which was a hundred mile ride. I just wanted to make it through that and it is frustrating when people are telling me i didn't make it at the speed that i did and talking about pelotons and cats and things that mean nothing to me. No doubt if i can pick up another MPH on the road bike i will be happy. Its now time i can play around with fit and swap stems


A road bike has a more stretched out position that your body adapts to over time. As it does it also recruits different muscles that also develop over time. The stem that doesn't fit now may fit in a few months or visa versa. When you get this dialed in as well as learn how to climb so you're just as comfortable as your MTB , then you'll see improvements that will also carry over to the MTB.


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

SSdirt29 said:


> A ride like tour de tucson , 109 miles , which isn't supposed to be a race, the pack will cruise along at approx 24-26 MPH or faster.


Exactly. A pretty cool thing to do, a unique experience, not to mention the best training for your legs available.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dwt (Jul 19, 2009)

manbeer said:


> Thanks for calling BS on my times though, it makes me feel better cause i wasnt sure if they were good.
> 
> The funny thing is i never rode a century or with a group cause i was too self conscious and worried i would be embarrassingly slow


Just the opposite.

The only way I can think of that you could ride a mtb that fast on the road without training is that you are an XC racer and your bike is a 29'er.

Riding solo on an undergeared mtb @ 18 mph average for 55 miles is
impressive. Get yourself a real road bike and think about racing road and mtb

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

mk.ultra said:


> I just simply don't understand how someone could do road biking only.....seems so monotonous and boring to go in a straight line with no obstacles.


this is a quote from somebody that has never bombed a hill at 50mph on 25c tires


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

Yep, 18MPH average for a solo rider on a slick tire MTB is on the verge of elite level speed. That kind of average over that distance solo is pretty good for a top level racer on a road bike.

If the OP's info is all on the up and up, I'd suggest he start looking for sponsorship and/or a team.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

dwt said:


> Just the opposite.
> 
> The only way I can think of that you could ride a mtb that fast on the road without training is that you are an XC racer and your bike is a 29'er.
> 
> ...


Actually i DID gear up which made a huge difference and you are totally right. On the previous 44t chainring i was spinning like crazy, when i went to 48t it got much better and i gained about 1-1.2mph. On the road bike i feel like i haven't found the sweet spot, sometimes cruising in top gear feels a bit too tall but the next gear is too short. I purchased a wider range cluster (12-26) because i thought it was a good deal at the time but now i think i am starting to see the whole purpose behind the popcorn gearing as road riding seems to be more about fine tuning and cadence instead of just mashing the pedals like im used to


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## knl2stl (Jan 7, 2011)

Under 10,000 feet of gain in 800 miles? Just impressed by the lack of gain.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

knl2stl said:


> Under 10,000 feet of gain in 800 miles? Just impressed by the lack of gain.


I live on long island. This is the HILLY area, if i tried to avoid the hills i could probably halve that lol


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

knl2stl said:


> Under 10,000 feet of gain in 800 miles? Just impressed by the lack of gain.


+1

Someday I will have to try "mountain biking" in a state where there's no mountains. Here in New Mexico, where we actually have mountains, we climb over 3000' every ten miles regularly on our trails, topping out between 11,000 and 14,000' at the summit. Its the same for all the Rocky Mountain states..... No "hills" around here. We go straight up in one shot until you make it to the top. Then you turn around and bomb.


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## cutthroat (Mar 2, 2004)

freighttrain48 said:


> this is a quote from somebody that has never bombed a hill at 50mph on 25c tires


while competing for road space with an 18 wheeler that's trying to hit the runaway truck ramp - adrenaline baby!:thumbsup:


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

knl2stl said:


> Under 10,000 feet of gain in 800 miles? Just impressed by the lack of gain.


you nailed it Here in New Hampshire we have these things called hills that cause you to go slower.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

kapusta said:


> Actually, a 100 mile ride in 5:30 is just over 18mph if you never stopped. Your saying you did this solo (no drafting?)
> 
> That cross wind must have been a tail wind :skep:
> 
> Well, whatever your time was, it would have been shorter on a road bike.


I can do 18 mph on my mountain bike on the roads. Knobby tires and all. However that is on flat ground going 100% and I don't think I can sustain it for over 45 minutes. That does not even bring up a cross winds.

Not going to call BS because I know I am not a super cyclist, but if you are maintin 18 mph on mountain bike on the road you are some serious cyclist. You could probably jump on a road bike and compete well in Cat 1/2 races.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

SSdirt29 said:


> P.S. I never quite understood the purpose of a visor. I wear sunglasses. But then again since I don't wear a helmet with a visor I guess I should defer judgement to someone that uses one.


I love visors on helmets as if you ride early morning or late at evening you get low sun in the face. The visor is perfect to block the sun just like a sun visor on a car. Just tilt the head.

I have never ridden a road bike and the differnt position may lead you to not wanting visor.


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## leoferus (Jul 22, 2011)

Congrats on being in great shape! I can do 18mph avg on mostly flat for two hours. My best is 21avg rolling hills but that is an all out effort that lasts less than an hour. My longest ride was 153 miles and i averaged 16. All on my road bike. Put me on my mtb and they drops dramatically.

If what you say is true and your 100 mile ride wasn't all downhill, you are wasting talent.


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

^if one is sustaining 18 mph on a mtb with knobbies on the road I'm curious what speed same individual could sustain on a road bike! :eekster:


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## zrm (Oct 11, 2006)

6bobby9 said:


> +1
> 
> Someday I will have to try "mountain biking" in a state where there's no mountains. Here in New Mexico, where we actually have mountains, we climb over 3000' every ten miles regularly on our trails, topping out between 11,000 and 14,000' at the summit. Its the same for all the Rocky Mountain states..... No "hills" around here. We go straight up in one shot until you make it to the top. Then you turn around and bomb.


New Mexico has 14,000' peaks?


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## adrenalnjunky (Jul 28, 2007)

zrm said:


> New Mexico has 14,000' peaks?


nope - several 13k'ers though.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

6bobby9 said:


> +1
> 
> Someday I will have to try "mountain biking" in a state where there's no mountains. Here in New Mexico, where we actually have mountains, we climb over 3000' every ten miles regularly on our trails, topping out between 11,000 and 14,000' at the summit. Its the same for all the Rocky Mountain states..... No "hills" around here. We go straight up in one shot until you make it to the top. Then you turn around and bomb.


I am not really sure I want to mountin bike on the flats. This summer I have gotten in a mere 327 miles and 28,500 ft elevation gain. That is 87 feet a mile. Which is pretty good, but I know not as good as many out there. Most of my rides have at least 1000-2400 feet elevation gain per ride. Sometimes it is all up and then down, but the most climbing I have completed in 1 ride was multiple shorter climbs. That climbing makes it fun.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

I still have never ridden anywhere but long island so i'm sure that those speeds will drop dramatically anywhere with serious hills. I think max elevation here is like 400' above sea level. Unfortunately what it lacks in elevation it tends to make up for in wind a lot of times. Summer was good, not windy at all but lately it seems like we haven't had a single day without wind. 

One thing i noticed is that i can't really sustain a much higher speed for shorter time, so for example, i can't do 21 mph for 45 mins or anything, i can just maintain a steady pace of 18ish indefinitely. Not sure what i need to do to work on sprints


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

zrm said:


> New Mexico has 14,000' peaks?


No. I said between 11 and 14. Not above 14. I think the highest in NM is 13,500-ish. Of course just 4 hours north there are the +14er's in Colorado.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Awesome post... to the OP, don't give up on the roadie at the first ride. As it has been mentioned, when I rode my current roadie for the first time, every muscle in the lower back and the upper torso was aching. Road riding puts you in a different position (and I made sure it was a comfortable one to start with!) and it takes time to adapt.

Yes, if the only brake you have touched in some years is a hydro disc brake, side pull brakes feel like crap, but you´ll soon notice that if you pull the lever hard enough, you will endo just like on any MTB.

As for the riding experience... well, that is up to the bike and rider. I knew I wanted a steel roadie and it turned out to be the right choice. Aluminum roadies batter me up and make the ride less enjoyable and not for that, more efficient.

Just like women, all bikes are beautiful and a real joy. :thumbsup:


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## Mr Cup (May 31, 2011)

My first few road bike rides were uncomfortable and honestly not fun. Once I found a road bike that fit right and was comfortable, I noticed a huge improvement in my average speed and really enjoyed it. The bike is a lot lighter than my mountain bikes which helps also. 

Fit is definitely a huge factor. When we upgraded my wife to a 29er she hated it. New bars, stem, and a little adjusting and she loves it and absolutely flys when she's on hard road. 

I like my road bike and still ride sometimes when I want to push myself solo. Usually stick with a mtb though because I can't help myself when I ride past a dirt road or trail I've never been down. To compare the two in speed though on the road it's no contest. Average 2-3 mph faster on the road bike with the same effort and pushing it that number is even higher. 

Good luck and enjoy.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

manbeer said:


> ~_vacuous drivel snipped~_


it was actually me who called BS not dwt. while i'll not engage in a lengthy debate with you i don't mind taking a few minutes to expound on why i made the call.

you provided us with the following information:


you're out of shape
you're 20 lbs overweight
you're wearing a backpack full of stuff
you stopped several times to take a pee
you stopped to help someone change a flat
you stopped to get a sammitch
you're basically a weekend warrior rather than a mile collector
you've never ridden 100 miles on a bike before
you're on a mtb with fat slicks
you were battling a strong crosswind both ways

yet despite all this you rode 100 miles in 5.5 hours averaging 18 mph?

hmmmmm.....

yeah, i'm still calling BS.

the feat itself is not the issue, but rather i'm saying that considering the given parameters it's highly improbable (read: virtually impossible) that it occurred.

then on top of it all you say you were no faster on a road bike and don't see what all the hype is about?

now that is pure, unadulterated, gen-u-ine, non-filtered bovine excrement -- cuz if you were pounding out times that like on a mtb with slicks you would flat out be smoking even on an old, vintage, hi-ten, 27" wheeled, 10 speed road bike with downtube shifters and dia-comp "no stop" brakes.

it is virtually impossible that someone who could rip out that kind of pace over that distance on a mtb would not be faster on a road bike.

thus, once the data is compiled there are a few readily clear conclusions:

you are either a liar, a troll seeking to stir up some stinky, or a world class cyclist diamond in the rough. period.

if you are the first, shame on you.

if you are the second, shame on you.

if you are the third, GET A SPONSOR. then, GET MORE SPONSORS cuz you have an exciting and lucrative career ahead of you as professional cyclist who will be traveling the world to race, break records, and collect yellow jerseys for your wall. :thumbsup:


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## hadique (Oct 9, 2011)

Not sure what to believe, certainly past my abilities and I did 900+ miles this year (and who keeps a spare 48/36/26T chainring set sitting around), but in the OPs defense, I've sailed the Long Island Sound extensively and I would call the crosswind non-existent. So I would eliminate wind as a serious obstacle here.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

monogod said:


> it was actually me who called BS not dwt. while i'll not engage in a lengthy debate with you i don't mind taking a few minutes to expound on why i made the call.
> 
> you provided us with the following information:
> 
> ...


While I understand your logic, there are a few things that I think you may not have noticed because of the amount of posts congesting the thread...

1) I was not on fat slicks for this ride but in fact 26x1.1" (200 gram) Michelin wildrun'r
2) I was geared up to 48t/11 so gearing was rather close to a road bike
3) I said I stopped to help someone change a flat, but nowhere did I say that I stayed throughout a tire change. I was in fact, only there for a couple minutes as the rider needed a whole tire due to a massive tear
4) getting a sandwich at 7-11 doesn't take long since they are already made

Now I know that you don't think that is a realistic time, but if you look, I have several 75-80mile rides at this speed logged, so unless my GPS data is grossly inaccurate it seems that the times would be correct


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

monogod said:


> yet despite all this you rode 100 miles in 5.5 hours averaging 18 mph?
> 
> hmmmmm.....
> 
> yeah, i'm still calling BS.


Not necessarily. I'd guess it's data from the cyclocoputer -- i.e. elapsed ride time is 5.5hr, while actual time eating sammiches and fixing flats could have been 10hr for all we know.

18mph/avg at sea level with no real climbing isn't really an inconceivable feat.


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## dieonthishill (Dec 15, 2011)

EPO??? :nono:


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

New pro racer discovered, or BSer exposed?
The gauntlets have been thrown, and the movie has begun.










Maybe we need to have a trial? Anyone want to accompany the subject on a ride? Credentials include being able to maintain at least a 20 MPH average (including breaks) over 100 miles, solo. Out-and-back, with a crosswind. Why 20 MPH? Well, need to be faster than the stated speeds just in case it turns into a race. No drafting. I'd love to volunteer, but Colorado is kind of far away.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

My first ever century was on a Trek 8000 with IRC Mythos XC 1.8 tires. I averaged 20.1 mph over 101 miles with only about 1,100 feet of elevation gain. I stopped once halfway for food, but the bike computer was on autopause. I was 28 at the time, in the best shape of my life and Cat 3 road racing. That was 1998, I weighed 180 at 6'0".
Nowadays I'd guesstimate a flat century on a mountain bike at around probably 17.5 mph given the same weather conditions and route, and I'm in pretty good shape for a 44 year old. 
I'd have to see Garmin data or similar from the OP to feel better about the post of his...
Not that it can't be done, but you need to be in pretty good shape and have some natural ability to do it.


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

nOOky said:


> My first ever century was on a Trek 8000 with IRC Mythos XC 1.8 tires. I averaged 20.1 mph over 101 miles with only about 1,100 feet of elevation gain. I stopped once halfway for food, but the bike computer was on autopause. I was 28 at the time, in the best shape of my life and Cat 3 road racing. That was 1998, I weighed 180 at 6'0".
> Nowadays I'd guesstimate a flat century on a mountain bike at around probably 17.5 mph given the same weather conditions and route, and I'm in pretty good shape for a 44 year old.
> I'd have to see Garmin data or similar from the OP to feel better about the post of his...
> Not that it can't be done, but you need to be in pretty good shape and have some natural ability to do it.


Did you do those 101 miles at 20.1 mph avg on a mountain bike solo?

The OP solo'd on his achievement. I am assuming you were drafting and in a group, as you mentioned you only had to stop ONE time in a 101 mile ride...sounds like an organized century to me. Maybe I am mistaken?

Also, why ride a mountain bike on your first century if you had been racing as a Cat3 roadie and owned a road bike?


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

It was solo, and there were very light winds. If I remember correctly I was between road bikes as it was spring, the middle of May. I think I had sold my Trek and was either building a new bike or hadn't replaced it yet.
I'm not bragging about the ride. I'm just saying that some things can be done that most people don't believe. I do think that it takes a lot of training and you have to be a decent rider to perform such a ride, but there are quite a few higher level amateur weekend warriors that can do it.
The first 50 mile road race I ever did was quite an eye opener. We averaged just over 25 mph for the race, riding solo I probably would have been at around 19.5 mph myself.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

A flat century at 17.5 was exactly what I did. I'm 28, not out of shape so to speak but overweight compared to what I should be. Im 5'9 and if I'm fit normally 150-155, currently 170. That doesn't really seem to affect me too much but I'm sure once I lose it i would feel better. I generally find the more caffeine I have to faster I am, seriously. I probably consume 600mg on an average day, when I go on longer runs I'll slam down 800-1000 though


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

nOOky said:


> I'm not bragging about the ride. I'm just saying that some things can be done that most people don't believe.


Yep - similar for me, except it was a wrong-sized road bike and I was a first year sport-class MTB racer. 100mi solo (I didn't know that roadies road in packs) at 20+mph, starting at 6500ft with 4K +/-. I was probably 15lb overweight, and was either still a smoker, or had just quit. Luckily it was mostly downhill after mile 80, or I don't think I would have made it home.

A couple years later I did it with a fast pack when I was in shape, and we broke 4hr.

I know a lot of people that are just fast, off the couch.
I've seen 16yr old kids blow the doors off of pro's.
I've been schooled by small children, old men, a number of ladies, and guys with 50 extra pounds on them.
Some people are fast. Just because "you" can't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

forkboy said:


> Not necessarily. I'd guess it's data from the cyclocoputer -- i.e. elapsed ride time is 5.5hr, while actual time eating sammiches and fixing flats could have been 10hr for all we know.


i clearly qualified my call with a statement you quoted: "_yet despite all this you rode 100 miles in 5.5 hours averaging 18 mph?_".

the obvious question is, "_despite WHAT_?". the obvious answer is, "_despite the data i listed_".

that data included sammitches and repairs because OP made it sound like his riding time _*included*_ all the stops when he corrected his time in this post.

speaking of that correction, he stated that his battery died at around 80 miles at which point his time was 5:30, so he then corrected his time to 5:40 for 100 miles -- meaning he did the last 20 miles in 10 minutes (i.e. 120mph).

i called BS on that too.



forkboy said:


> 18mph/avg at sea level with no real climbing isn't really an inconceivable feat.


agreed. it's very doable and i don't believe anyone here has argued otherwise. hence my statement, "_*the feat itself is not the issue*_".

i qualified my skepticism with, "_but rather i'm saying that *considering the given parameters* it's highly improbable (read: virtually impossible) that it occurred_". those parameters being the ones i listed in a previous post.

we have no data to go on other than that provided by the OP.

given those parameters i stand behind my call.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

forkboy said:


> Some people are fast. Just because "you" can't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.


red herring. perhaps i missed it, but i don't recall a single post in the entire thread where anyone has disputed the OP's claims on this basis.



forkboy said:


> I've been schooled by small children, old men, a number of ladies, and guys with 50 extra pounds on them.


so you pretty much get pwned by everyone...


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## bedwards1000 (May 31, 2011)

Sooooo, I think you should give the road bike a second chance. That was the reason for this post as I recall from 6 pages ago. It's not like the guy is claiming he won the tour and Travis Tygart is trying to take it away from him.


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

this thread needs a little love here is some road love (note the bike on the right is a mountain bikers road bike, rocky mountain road bike)


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## Dougr (Jun 15, 2006)

Nice shot of Franconia Notch. Used to climb a bunch on Cannon back in the '80's


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

Dougr said:


> Nice shot of Franconia Notch. Used to climb a bunch on Cannon back in the '80's


my buddy did the whitney gilman route last monday I am not built to climb!


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## rydbyk (Oct 13, 2009)

freighttrain48 said:


> my buddy did the whitney gilman route last monday I am not built to climb!


Helmet man....helmet! Yes, you score style points with the old school cap, but.........


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

rydbyk said:


> Helmet man....helmet! Yes, you score style points with the old school cap, but.........


There is only one ride I do a year with no helmet. The person doing the Burt Reynolds pose is my buddy and he rides one on the trail and I give him tons of flak for not wereing one on the road( I feel the road is way more dangerous than the trail) I were my cap under my helmet. Part of road biking to me is to see who can possilby look the silliest


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

monogod said:


> so you pretty much get pwned by everyone...


Everybody but you.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

forkboy said:


> I've been schooled by small children, old men, a number of ladies, and guys with 50 extra pounds on them.
> 
> 
> monogod said:
> ...


only cuz we haven't ridden together. :thumbsup:


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## forkboy (Apr 20, 2004)

monogod said:


> only cuz we haven't ridden together. :thumbsup:


Probably.

<img src="https://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachments/general-chit-chat/415040d1232061117-jack-off-emoticon-jackoff.gif>


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

forkboy said:


> Probably.


at least you know your limitations.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

Went for a road ride today, I wasn't fast enough to equal my time of 20 years ago even riding a road bike, but I did get over 100 miles in. Despite the pain it was still fun.
It will make me faster when I ride the mountain bike again.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

Ive been sick as can be for the last few days but i forced myself out today and decided to jump on the road bike after making a few changes. I tilted the bars back slightly and moved the levers up a bit higher. I also changed the brake pads which made a big difference. The stock pads were a bit hard and i noticed that whoever had the bike before actually had the pads all on backwards which i didnt pick up on before

After not riding another bike for days, i felt MUCH more comfortable on the road bike than i ever have. Not sure if its cause i was riding other bikes back to back or the changes but i didnt hurt at all. It was raining out and i was coughing and sneezing the whole time but i managed to keep a good pace and it felt effortless! I decided im going to lay off strava while i get familiar with this bike cause i feel like comparing everything is limiting my enjoyment and keeping me from really familiarizing myself with the new layout. In a couple weeks i will give strava a try and see how im comparing instead of watching like a hawk and looking for instant gratification

I think going back to back from my mtb the road bike felt too tall and delicate but since i spent a few days resting i just hopped on and didnt give it a second thought and rode it like im used to. Much better


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

manbeer said:


> Ive been sick as can be for the last few days but i forced myself out today and decided to jump on the road bike after making a few changes. I tilted the bars back slightly and moved the levers up a bit higher. I also changed the brake pads which made a big difference. The stock pads were a bit hard and i noticed that whoever had the bike before actually had the pads all on backwards which i didnt pick up on before
> 
> After not riding another bike for days, i felt MUCH more comfortable on the road bike than i ever have. Not sure if its cause i was riding other bikes back to back or the changes but i didnt hurt at all. It was raining out and i was coughing and sneezing the whole time but i managed to keep a good pace and it felt effortless! I decided im going to lay off strava while i get familiar with this bike cause i feel like comparing everything is limiting my enjoyment and keeping me from really familiarizing myself with the new layout. In a couple weeks i will give strava a try and see how im comparing instead of watching like a hawk and looking for instant gratification
> 
> I think going back to back from my mtb the road bike felt too tall and delicate but since i spent a few days resting i just hopped on and didnt give it a second thought and rode it like im used to. Much better


I have found it to be much harder to find the best fit for my roadbike its a trial and error and give and take less comfort faster bike or more comfort slower bike. Its all about finding that point were you feel like the pedals are weightless and there is barely an effort to push them if you shift your gears around that feeling you will get your best times and ride longer


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

ps watch out for manhole coves and painted crosswalks and railroad crossings when wet!! they make wet wood bridges look like they are made of velcro


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## TJay74 (Sep 26, 2012)

I was riding MTB only up until this year. Went out on a ride with some friends and my wife. We had out MTB and my friends were on thier road bikes. All of the other riders were all female riders and relatively new to riding and they all kicked our asses on the road route.

Went out and bought new road bikes 2 weeks later. Picked up a Giant Avail for my wife and a Giant Defy 2 for me, put about 850 miles on the Defy in about 2 months and traded it in on a Giant TCR 1, put a set of Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels on it along with a 3T Ergo bar set and love it.

Finally drug the Trek Mamba out to get it ready for fall/winter riding and now getting the bug to either upgrade it or go with a FS bike after the new year.


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## ghost_03 (Apr 29, 2005)

Fit is important for MTB, but even more so for road. For MTB riding, one tends to move around and shift weight a lot, stop and start pedaling, etc. For road, it's more or less a long, constant grind, and so even a couple mm of fit will make a huge difference. Moreover, a good road position is going to be different from a good mountain position as the requirements are different. Heck, a "good" road position depends on the type of road riding too--positions are all different for Tour de France vs Paris-Roubaix vs Time Trial, etc.

As far as the difference in speed, I suppose it's a YMMV situation, but for me, even an entry level (~$600) road bike is faster than a high end (~$3000) XC bike on the road. Especially going up hill, XC bikes feel like i'm pulling a small parachute. To be fair, I haven't done benchmarks the way the OP has, but speedo's corroborate my feeling.



kapusta said:


> In any event, I would not take this bike which is completely different than what you are used to on a century.


Seriously! It's best to avoid changing anything about your setup before a century (even something small like a pair of gloves) or else you risk running into unknown issues--blisters, saddle sores, cramps, etc


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

I have a 23lbs hardtail mountain bike and just picked up a used Trek 5200 carbon road bike this weekend.

Well the pavement they are not even close. The road bike is so much faster and lighter. It accelerates so much better and flys up hills. I figure I am an easy 5mph faster on the road bike in every area. Well except dirt...


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## Bakudan (May 19, 2011)

I took a short ride on a new to me roadbike this morning. I don't think I was as fast as I am on my SS, MTB, or hybrid but have a feeling I could be later on. I had fun and found some muscles I don't use regularly. I'll be using it again this week.


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## freighttrainuphill (Feb 3, 2012)

I bought my road bike strictly for climbing, so I set it up with mtb gearing. I have a triple with a 24t granny and a Shimano MegaRange 11-34 cassette. I like to find the steepest, most grueling climbs around, and since I'm not a super strong climber I need the low gears for double digit grades.

A perfect example of the kind of climbs I enjoy using this bike for is in this ride report from last weekend's ride: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/co...-climb-date-mix-canyon-pics-video-291797.html. Here's the stats on that climb from another cyclist who seeks out steep climbs: Vacaville - The Diabolical Duo - Mix Canyon & Gates Canyon (Super Steep) Hill Climbing.

I have the fit pretty much the same as on my mtb, so both bikes are equally comfortable. BTW, those super-steep road climbs are excellent strength training for mtb climbs .


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## freighttrain48 (Apr 30, 2012)

freighttrainuphill said:


> I bought my road bike strictly for climbing, so I set it up with mtb gearing. I have a triple with a 24t granny and a Shimano MegaRange 11-34 cassette. I like to find the steepest, most grueling climbs around, and since I'm not a super strong climber I need the low gears for double digit grades.
> 
> A perfect example of the kind of climbs I enjoy using this bike for is in this ride report from last weekend's ride: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/co...-climb-date-mix-canyon-pics-video-291797.html. Here's the stats on that climb from another cyclist who seeks out steep climbs: Vacaville - The Diabolical Duo - Mix Canyon & Gates Canyon (Super Steep) Hill Climbing.
> 
> I have the fit pretty much the same as on my mtb, so both bikes are equally comfortable. BTW, those super-steep road climbs are excellent strength training for mtb climbs .


What kind of rear derailer are you using with that cassette? I would like to start doing some of the big climbs in the east, and with an 11-25 I find myself struggling in he those double digit grades. Here is our toughest road climb in my neck of the woods.

.Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

*Bookmarked!*



freighttrain48 said:


> .Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb


SWEET! thanks for sharing, i'm gonna get out there next year to do it on a fixed roadie.

looks a lot like a road i lived on in sonora, california called big hill road. i lived on the top of the mountain so i had to ride back up every time i went out for a spin.


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## freighttrainuphill (Feb 3, 2012)

freighttrain48 said:


> What kind of rear derailer are you using with that cassette? I would like to start doing some of the big climbs in the east, and with an 11-25 I find myself struggling in he those double digit grades. Here is our toughest road climb in my neck of the woods.
> 
> .Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb


I'm using a Shimano Deore long-cage mtb derailleur. The stock derailleur can't handle a 34t cog.

I recently had to replace the front derailleur after I replaced the stock 42t middle ring with a 39t. I was having chain rub that couldn't be adjusted out. It turned out that the stock derailleur was made for a 52-42-30 triple, so I had to get one for a triple with a 39t middle ring. After all my modifications, my gearing is now 52-39-24 front, 11-34 rear. I may be crawling at less than walking speed on the steepest climbs, but so far I've been able to ride this bike up all of them. No "walk of shame".

This gearing is lower than the stock gearing on my Trek Wahoo 29er, but so far I've been able to ride the Wahoo up all steep mtb trails that aren't overly technical.

I've heard of the Mt. Washington climb, and I've seen some good raw footage sufferfest videos from riders in that event. Good stuff!


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