# Road riding on a MTB ?



## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

Here's why I ask:

I don't have time to do full blown trail rides during the week ( I save'm for the weekend ) but I could squeeze in some short road rides out my front door in the evening ( or morning ). This would keep my legs working during the week.

I would rather not invest in a road bike ( for this ), as I just purchased a nice MTB ( 2012 Trek/Gary Fisher X-Caliber ). So I am thinking about making a go of it on the MTB and was interested in experiences ( or suggestions ) from those of you who do the same. 

If it's your opinion that a real road bike is necessary for this, feel free to chime in.


Thanks Dudes !


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## HelloMyNameIsSean (Sep 14, 2011)

I do it all the time. I just put hybrid tires on my hard tail and than ride. 

You're going to be on the bike your riding on the trails, you'll only get to know it better by riding it more. Just don't put spandex on, and I won't make fun of you. And remember that you'll wear your mountain tires out pretty fast on pavement.


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## Hutch3637 (Jul 1, 2011)

I do this when the trails are flooded with rain water and mud. Did 28 miles the other day. You could get some hybrid tires which would help with RR.


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## zardog (Apr 24, 2011)

I'm kind of in the same situation, and since I'm trying to drop some pounds along with just getting into better biking shape I decided to put some slicks on so that I can ride at night. I was going to get some big apples or fat franks since they have some tread to them but wound up getting some 2.1 hookworms on sale for really cheap. I figure I (unfortunately) don't get to the trails enough right now where I have to switch tires constantly, but if that becomes the case I've got a cheap set of rims that I can get a cassette and rotors for and just run the slicks on those.

The slick, higher pressure tires make a big enough improvement on pavement that I've changed my mind about getting a cheap road bike solely for exercise, at least for now. 
Like was previously mentioned I get to log more hours and get more comfortable on my main ride this way.


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## skipnay (May 8, 2012)

I'm doing this now. I only have about 10 miles on mine. I seem to run out of gear every now and then. That is my only down fall right now.


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## spartus625 (Mar 15, 2012)

I went a step further and purchased another wheelset and had some road tires thrown on there, Now all I have to do is QR the MTB tire and throw the roads on and go or vise versa.


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## Pisgah2000 (Nov 16, 2009)

Mountain bikes are fun on the road. I have a road bike for long road rides, but exploring around town for an hour or two is more fun when you can go wherever you want without worrying about terrain. Some semi-slicks might be a good investment, but not really necessary. 

I did take my Burner on a ~30 mile road ride when my road bike was down, and I will say that an MTB is a lot of fun on a sustained 35 mph asphalt downhill. You don't have to worry about potholes so much, plus you sound like an angry swarm of bees.


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## phirebug (Apr 20, 2012)

ditto. I just don't have the money to buy and maintain a whole stable of different bikes, so I use one bike for everything. I would highly recommend some kenda small block 8's or a similar tire. They roll and corner very well on pavement, but still offer great traction off-road. I like the idea of having two wheelsets, if I ever upgrade these wheels I'll probably do exactly that.

I've never liked road bikes (the skinny tires just feel weird under me) so I've always used a mountain bike for both road and trail. A hardtail with fast tires is a lot better for road cycling than a lot of people would probably imagine. If you're racing, there's no comparison to the efficiency and speed of a road bike, but if you're doing it for exercise, there's really no difference. either way, you're going to get out what you put in.


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## CycleAddict (Aug 8, 2009)

It all depends on your goals as a rider. If you really just want to put more time in on the bike then your X-Cal should be fine. Road tires will be a huge help. I rode a rigid 29er as my do everything bike for a while which mainly consisted of road riding. I generally rode to some very short trails, got some dirt time and rode home. 

I've also had more than a couple road bikes, and use one now primarily for commuting. They are great for their intended purpose, but not necessary if you just want to get some extra saddle time. Roadie culture kind of sucks, but spandex is wonderful.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

and, you dont have to just grind out cardio miles. you can find a park or school or vacant lot that has techy stuff that is challenging to ride up or down. near me i have a sandy road, a gravelly trail, some grassy steep ditches, and some boulders that are interesting to ride through/over.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

I like actual slicks on my hardtail if I am going to ride it primarily on the road. You don't know just what you are missing with tight cornering until you lose the tread/shoulders. The traction you gain on the road is great, like you are stuck to the pavement.


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## abegold (Jan 30, 2004)

spartus625 said:


> I went a step further and purchased another wheelset and had some road tires thrown on there, Now all I have to do is QR the MTB tire and throw the roads on and go or vise versa.


Me too, my Turner handles great but it is slower cause it's heavier than a road bike but more stable.
Some day I will buy another road bike, probably used.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

Slicks are good on the road but then you have to change tires all the time. Not a big deal, of course, except when you are scrambling to maximize ride time.

If you're not out to compete with the roadies leave your regular tires on and just ride.


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## kevrider (Jul 18, 2010)

spartus625 said:


> I went a step further and purchased another wheelset and had some road tires thrown on there, Now all I have to do is QR the MTB tire and throw the roads on and go or vise versa.


it would be ideal to have a road bike for the road, but if not, then this ^^^ is the play. it's a lot easier and quicker to swap wheels than it is to fumble around with changing tires, therefore more likely to happen on a regular basis. you can get a wheelset, like Vuelta or something, for a low price and some inexpensive slicks, and you're in business.


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

A flat-bar hybrid bike bought for cheap, with 700cc wheels, is all one really needs. 

Honest to goodness, they can be bought on Craigslist for peanuts!


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

no need at all to get a road or hybrid bike. i do the same. i don't have singletrack within 30 miles of my house so i ride on the road and bike paths most of the time during the week. enjoy!


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Eric Z said:


> no need at all to get a road or hybrid bike. i do the same. i don't have singletrack within 30 miles of my house so i ride on the road and bike paths most of the time during the week. enjoy!


I know one can do it with a mountain bike, but you'll be _so much more comfy_ on a bike at least somewhat made for road riding. It's truly like night and day.


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## Eric Z (Sep 28, 2008)

dirt farmer said:


> I know one can do it with a mountain bike, but you'll be _so much more comfy_ on a bike at least somewhat made for road riding. It's truly like night and day.


i know what you mean. i've thought about it too but i would rather have another mtb to have more options for singletrack  however, it doesn't sound like the op is trying to get somewhere faster. my mtb is pretty darn comfortable though.

i'm sure if i road a road bike or something similar on the road instead of my mtb, i'd be easily convinced.


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## Centurion_ (Aug 13, 2011)

There was a guy who showed up at the Thursday night practice crits in Santa Maria 15-20 years ago. I was pretty fit back then, but I never was able to beat him on my very expensive road bike. Ride what you got, all you can.


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## Bleedin' Bill (Oct 19, 2006)

Mountain biking is a blast. So is road riding. Just in a different way. I don't use my road bike in the woods and I don't use my mountain bike on the road. Unless your situation is going to change some time soon, I would invest in a cheap, used road bike. Take my word for it, your riding experience will be greatly enhanced.


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## edebolt (Feb 22, 2008)

It's a good way to go because you can get away from the road traffic more often. Less chance of being flattened by a car. can switch back and forth to sidewalks, frontage roads, minor trails as the conditions change. When you have to be on the road then can go pretty fast. It definitely demoralizes roadies when you blast by them.


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## BenThruTrails (Feb 25, 2011)

I am just in the process of buying a Trek X-Cal as well. And in a similar situation of just wanting, or being able to afford, one bike for all my purposes (mainly the trails). The tires that come on it are certainly nice for the trails but leave a lot to be desired on the road. I have a set of Schwalbe Smart Sam 29 x 2.1 tires on the way to my house, while I have yet to actually ride them (or see how well they work with my rims, eek!) I hear good things. Seem like relatively minimal rolling resistance yet good grip when you do get on the dirt. Sort of a jack-of-all-trades tire but master of none is what I was going for, a similar tire to that may be something that suits your needs. Best of luck.


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## CHRIS172CUP (Aug 1, 2010)

I use my Stumpjumper for commuting to work, got some semi slicks on and it's great.


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## IndecentExposure (Sep 25, 2006)

Mt bikes aren't fast on the road, but they sure do get you in shape quicker than a road bike will!


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## DTP (Feb 6, 2012)

I hit the trails on weekend and on weekdays i ride my niner on the road. i usually do 25 miles per day, endurance and skills have greatly improved. 

it will all boil down to saddle time! no matter what you ride if you put time on the saddle its time well spent in the name of fitness and health.


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## EMrider (Sep 9, 2007)

I ride the MTB on the road all the time. 

No problem and a good way to get in some mileage when time is tight.

Road tires would be nice, but switching wheels is too much of a hassle so I just go with the knobbies.
R


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

Ted_R said:


> Here's why I ask:
> 
> I don't have time to do full blown trail rides during the week ( I save'm for the weekend ) but I could squeeze in some short road rides out my front door in the evening ( or morning ). This would keep my legs working during the week.
> 
> ...


Buy some hybrid tires or slicks and give it a try.

I would hold off on the second wheelset idea until you know you like this arrangement. Personally, I find that having a dedicated road bike is such on improvement over a MTB with slicks that I would not bother with the investment of the 2nd wheelset. For not that much more $ you can get a used road or commuter bike that will work better. I tried using a 2nd wheelset, but the Brakes and RD always needed a little tweaking between wheelsets, so that it was only slightly easier than just swapping tires. Using the same hubs would likely solve much of that problem.

The differences between a road bike and mtb are not just the tires. Cockpit setup is very different for me as well. 15-20 years ago, (13 years ago in my case) most people set up their mtb's not too different from their road bikes. Nowadays, with wider bars, higher bars, and shorter stems, typical mtb setup has drifted away from optimum road setup. To me, THIS is the most important difference between a bike that is good on pavement vs on the trail.

For a short road ride, the difference is not a big deal, and yes, the mtb can be a lot more fun in an urban environment. But for a longer ride where you are sitting in the same position and munching away the miles, it makes a very big difference to me.


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## roblee (Sep 26, 2011)

I ride mine more on the road than the trail.They are great go everywhere bikes.
I usually do 2-3 hours a day.


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## beagledadi (Jul 18, 2004)

I'm fortunate enough to have two sets of UST mtb wheels. I keep an old pair of Hutchinson Pythons (45'ish PSI) on the old set for CX and road/dirt adventures and the newer set is for mtb only. I also do a lot of road biking. Just saying.

Matt


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## 29ernb (Mar 20, 2012)

IndecentExposure said:


> Mt bikes aren't fast on the road, but they sure do get you in shape quicker than a road bike will!


with my 29er with nashbar streetwise tires i can keep up with the road bikes.


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## pez222 (Mar 4, 2010)

I used to ride my mtb on the road all the time for > 5 mile rides. Esp in town where we had group bar hop rides all the time. Then I bought a good roadie 2 months ago and have never looked back. Its a lot more efficient, nimble, lighter and will climb hills better than the mtb. I enjoyed road riding so much that I barely go back to the trails now. To each his own but for me, you can go much faster and burn more calories in a shorter amount of time on a roadie.


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## masterofnone (Jun 21, 2009)

29ernb said:


> with my 29er with nashbar streetwise tires i can keep up with the road bikes.


 Even on my road bike I can't keep up with the real roadies when they put the pedal to the metal, I guess I'm just slow. There's nothing wrong with mtb on the road lots of peeps do it. A real road bike is faster and you can really rack up the miles, but if that's not a priority ride whatever you want, no need to ask what others think. I have an older mtb setup with pavement tires and 1x9, it's perfect for rainy or winter road riding without trashing the road bike, and would be a good commuter if I didn't live next to work.


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## 53119 (Nov 7, 2008)

road riding on mtb? the uci calls it xc eliminator just in case you wanna take it to that next level.


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## PapaBlunt (Apr 9, 2012)

Just ride! It's too easy to get all technical about rolling resistance, aerodynamics, weight...


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## EABiker (Jun 24, 2004)

I just put on some cheap $15 cruiser tires from Walmart and ride in style!


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## Blueliner (Apr 5, 2010)

If you add up my miles most is on the road, with my "trail" bikes. I have a trek hardtail which is my family / kids neighborhood bike for quick rides, I changed it to a single speed, and it has semi slicks, and flats pedals...it is really quick and fun to ride. My other bike is a conventional XC full susp. bike, with knobbies. 

I ride on trails with a group as often as I can for real single track rides (6-7 times per month), but more often than not I am commuting or going for a quick burn, In my urban setting for solo rides I have to string together several sections of trail and connect them with pavement to get 15km. I am probably typical of those of us who live "in town". I am not really interested in getting a road bike at this time, but would consider migrating from my trek hardail to a 29er hardtail with skinny tires.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Fat slicks are not too bad on firm and dry trail surfaces either.










Skinny slicks are better on paved roads but not too great on trails.


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## blockphi (Mar 26, 2012)

I've ridden thousands of road miles on my MTB. I'm a one-bike guy and have weighed the possiblity of getting a road or hybrid as 90% of my riding is my daily commute. However, I stick with the MTB for the following reasons: 
1) I'm a big guy who likes to hop curbs and I already have a tendency to break things on the MTB. I'd taco a road wheel right-quick given my riding style

2) I have a great set of single track on my route to and from work. I like having the option of putting in dirt miles without first needing to go swap bikes

3) I've gotten my MTB dialed in - it is as comfortable as can be. 

4) I've built an intimate relationship with this bike. I know exactly how it will handle in nearly any situation. I don't want to try to build that with another type of bike. 

5) I never know what type of "mood" I'll be in. Will I want to ride down the stairs to the underpass or go around to the ramp? Will I want to get muddy or stay clean? Do I want to climb paved or unpaved hills? Do I want to go an a mult-mile gravel grinder tour? I generally wait until I am on the bike and rolling to determine how and where I want to ride. Again, a road bike seems to have a limiting factor in that way. 

I agree that a road bike might make some of my rides a bit more comfortable and I might be able to eek out a bit more speed, but, for me, the trade-offs are too great. Besides, I look silly in spandex and my baggy MTB kit might look a touch silly next to the roadies...

I generally run a single set of tires for all my riding, once I find ones I like, anyway. I generally go for the cheap stuff, when possible.I'd picked up some older Specialized Hard Rok'r for next to nothing a while back and ran those for three seasons of mixed use (Winters I run studs). I was amazed at how well those stood up to the miles - I only retired them as the beads were starting to pull away from the casing. I'm now rolling '10 Continental Moutain King 2.2's and have been quite happy with them, though they do buzz and vibrate a bit over 18mph. 

The big thing, I think, is to find the bike that fits your riding styles and abilities and that you are happy with. If that's a different bike for different uses, so be it. If it is a single, do all, great. Just get out there and enjoy the world on two wheels.


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## masterofnone (Jun 21, 2009)

blockphi said:


> I look silly in spandex and my baggy MTB kit might look a touch silly next to the roadies...


 Nothing will make a roadie snicker more, except a big fat oversize camelback.


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## twd953 (Aug 21, 2008)

..to the OP, a road bike isn't "necessary" at all. 

When I was a poor college student, living in a very snowy climate, I used to log tons of miles on my MTB on the road before the trails were snow free. 

Didn't have a road bike back then, but I rode a lot of long road rides (including multiple solo centuries) on my mountain bike, even on knobbies a couple of times. 

First time I got some skinny slicks for the MTB, I thought, man, I'm never going to do a long road ride on knobbies again. I can go faster, farther, smoother and not wear out my knobbies.

Then my roommate loaned me his 20 year old beater road bike. First time I rode that, game over, never wanted to ride my MTB on the road again. My eyes were opened. 

That said, having owned, ridden and raced road bikes for over 15 years, I would never go back. I can hardly stand riding my MTB on pavement to the trailhead now, and I'm lucky enough to live a mile from the trailhead.

So no, a road bike isn't at all "necessary", if you are just looking to log some miles when you can't get to the trails. I have great memories doing long road rides on my MTB for that very reason. It was all I knew and it was great.

Just don't go out and test ride or borrow a road bike unless you intend to buy one .


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks for all the Super Responses everyone ! 

Lots of food for thought here. I will be pondering all the info for a few days I imagine, hehe.

It's really interesting to see how different folks have approached this, many wonderful ideas here.


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## Mr Cup (May 31, 2011)

$$ is definitely a big factor and the cheapest way to improve the road ride on the mtb is definitely some slicks or semi-slicks.

Used roadbikes are fairly cheap though.... I'd say borrow or try one out and see where you want to spend your money after trying a few options. I ride my mtb from my house and a few trips around 20 miles or so but any longer than that on the road I'd like to be on something else.

I'm strange though, I don't like and never felt good on a road bike. A tri bike has always been much more comfortable for me for road riding. Even longer rides.


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

Wut ? Using a road biek 

Man up and take your _real_ bike to the F1 race track and show hem roadies how it's done :thumbsup:


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## kgraham11 (Jan 29, 2005)

I have a road bike for dedicated road rides, but I take my Niner on the road all the time. Either riding 5-15 miles to a trail for a lap or two and back or out in the county for some long gravel grinder rides. I'm running a Maxxis Crossmark/Aspen F/R setup that gives me good traction for trail and low rolling resistance for road.


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## Jacknife417 (Nov 10, 2011)

IndecentExposure said:


> Mt bikes aren't fast on the road, but they sure do get you in shape quicker than a road bike will!


I averaged 17 mph on my commute threw town the other night on my heavy FS giant. I had a nice trek roadie for a while, but the versatility of my mtb is what makes riding town/trail FUN for me.


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## JoePAz (May 7, 2012)

When I first got my mountain bike I would ride every day after work. I did not have any good trails close so I rode on the street around the neighborhood. 13.65 miles or 3 laps of my course. Time was 38-45 mintues depending on wind and conditioning and avg arounf 18 mph. I never changed tires and just use my trail tires. Sure it was more drag than a road bike, but I did not care as I was training mostly. If you are training then what counts is not the distance covered, but effort. I always ran 95% of my capacity for the duration. Great traning for the long climbs on the trail to ramp up heart rate and build lung capacity and hold it ther for 40-45 mintues at a time. Sure the tires wore down, but I used cheaper harder tires rather than really think soft XC racing tires you could get.

I also perfer just 1 bike asn it made me confortalbe riding that bike really hard in all conditions. Now if I were looking to actually road ride some place and really cover distance sure you need proper roadbike, but just to get traning between trail riding why bother spending extra money. 

BTW... the fastest I could pedal on level ground on my MTB was 19.5 mph for short bursts. I am sure I could be faster on road bike, but why? Right now instead of training on my MTB I train at gym. Again 45 mintues at time, but this is easier than dragging bike out to ride. Being married witha 6 year old at home as soon as I come in the door I am stuck. "Daddy Daddy!" So it just does not work out to change and hit bike any more. I can however hit the gym on the way home from work get my training done before I even walk in the door. We all have to do what makes sense for us and what works for me may not work for you.


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks for everyone's input on this, lots of great info here. :thumbsup:

I will most likely be ridin my MTB ( knobbies and all ) on some of the nice roads ( sidewalks ) we have around here. Their is a nice ride quite close to the house that has a long series of hills ( small ones ) that keeps things interesting. 

In fact I rode the above mentioned road ( sidewalk ) ride Saturday and Sunday because our trails are to soggy to be on right now. I had a nice time ( I was on my bike ! ) and I could feel the difference in the workout, it felt like more of an endurance regimen.

When it comes to sheer exhilaration, the joy and bliss of being out in nature, and intense focus and concentration ( living in the now, the moment ), Mountain Biking ( in my opinion ) is hard to beat. BUT I did enjoy my road ride Saturday and Sunday and if I wear my tires out a little quicker, well shucks, I'll just just consider that a cheap health insurance premium. 

So for now it looks like MTB Mania  Monday thru Friday is sidewalk day and Weekends are Most Excellent Trail Days. :thumbsup:


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## RCook (Jul 29, 2006)

Interesting topic. I had a hybrid bike and my MTB, Sette Razzo 29er. I have some tendonitis in my elbows so I got the MTB fitted at the LBS, what a difference that makes! Which leads up to this: I'm going to be doing 2 days of RAGBRAI this year with my wife and a friend, I could have got the hybrid fitted or I could sell the hybrid and buy luggage / road tires for the 29er...

I just purchased a Topeak MTX rack that uses a QR on the seatpost and one of their expandable bags so you can guess which way I went. Just did 25 miles today on paved trails and it was great, unlike my unfitted hybrid I had no numbness and the suspension was quite useful on some of the older pavement.

I'll pick up some road tires before RAGBRAI but eventually I'd like to get another wheelset just for road use.


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## Haligan78 (Jun 13, 2011)

I put way more road miles on my mtb than trail miles because I ride mine to work. Bout 12 miles a day commuting. My favorite time to ride is after sundown. I will start riding around town around 7-8 pm and be out till midnight sometimes. I would never even consider buying a road bike. I am way too hard on stuff for something so fragile. I am consantly hopping curbs, doing wheelies, traveling dirt roads, trails through ditches etc etc. I would be incredibly bored or consantly break stuff on a road bike.


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## HelloMyNameIsSean (Sep 14, 2011)

pez222 said:


> To each his own but for me, you can go much faster and burn more calories in a shorter amount of time on a roadie.


I'm just curious how you figure you would burn more calories? The bike is the variable, not the work output of your body. Assuming your heart rate was the same on X bike and Y bike for the same amount of time, the same amount of calories are burned, the distance traveled, or efficiency is greater on the road bike. Technically you would burn more on the mountain bike, seeing as it's less efficient and you're legs would be working harder than they would on a road bike, even if heart rate was kept the same.

I just like a good debate, we can save calorie counting for teenage girls.


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

I have a hybrid. I hate it. Worthless piece of crap. Apparently no one on CL wants it either..LOL. Just not a road bike fan unless I'm on my Fargo. Road bikes have their purposes, but they just aren't for me.

I have loved taking my Mukluk out on the road. You'd think it would be slow and cumbersome, but it's a blast. I took her out for a 20 mile ride last Wednesday and did jut fine in comfort and speed. You'll get a workout for sure on a mountain bike, but it's worth it.


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## alphajaguars (Jan 12, 2004)

I put slicks on my hardtail, and use a trailer to tow my kids around town. Great workout, and I can do it from my house.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

I do it, but I'm grabbing a cheap road bike soon. Figure it will be better for towing the little one in the trailer


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## tdcampbe (Mar 21, 2012)

I ride my trek 3700 everyday to campus and class. It's about a 3.5 mile trip one way. However, my BMC knows nothing but dirt :ihih:


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## jaycee74 (Jul 10, 2011)

I ride my rockhopper everywhere with no problem...skip the road bike


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## rll131 (Mar 13, 2012)

I take my mamba for road rides at least once a week with the original mtb tires it came with I'm no roadie but I'll do 20-30 miles whenever it's too wet to hit the trails just to keep the legs flowing I did get some looks from roadies hahaha and I rock the camelbak


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## BShow (Jun 15, 2006)

In this situation, ignorance is bliss. Road bikes are dramatically better, more fun, more comfortable, more everything on the road. But if you don't ride one, then you really don't know any better.

The simple answer is, a bike is a bike... you can ride your MTB on the road no problem with no ill effects. Riding any bike is better than riding no bike, so get on the bike! I have a friend that rides a good bit of road on his MTB. There are three trail networks that are reasonably close to each other and he'll do long rides on his MTB and include each park... it's a 40-60 mile ride with probably half trails, half roads. That's gotta suck, but it is what it is...

My suggestion echo's that of some other posters here. Get some slicks. It'll get old quick for you to be swapping tires every few days to go for a weekend trail ride, so I would take this opportunity to upgrade your wheels. Get some really nice MTB wheels and use your stock wheelset as your road wheels. Mount up the slicks and that way you can swap back and forth much more easily.

I've done winter road rides on my mountain bike and its really not _that _bad. GO for it.


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## Slee_Stack (Apr 14, 2010)

I'm fortunate enough to have three very different bikes and can always pick the one most suitable to the task.

I only ride my road bike on long (and/or fast) excursions. Obviously, its efficient, but it can also rattle you on rough pavement and twitchy doesn't begin to describe its steering.

My mtb is heavy as sin and is fitted with the best gripping (knobby) tires I could find. It can ride on pavement, but its slow and hums like one of those Jeeps with mudders on the road. I can handle it in small doses but it does detract from the 'fun' though.

My hybrid is not a POS (many are). I consider it the Cadillac of my bikes. Its silky smooth and ultra comfy to ride on pavement, its not super inefficient so I can ride it for decent distances, and it can actually handle easier trails. I use it in the city and on the greenways mostly.

If your priority is only functionality, a MTB will do it.

If tread buzz and efficiency become a factor, alternate tires are the minimum investment. A used hybrid could be a great option for you.

Here's mine:


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## blizzardpapa (Jan 19, 2004)

*Why not?*

Some people refer mountain bikes as All Terrain Bikes. So why not?

I have a carbon road bike for road duty, but if you have limited budget, you shouldn't feel bad about riding your bike on the road.


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## Cobra45 (Jul 19, 2011)

I tried riding this on the road, wasn't very much fun.. So I decided to buy a road bike since I can just hop on it and like you start riding right from my front porch and squeeze some rides in before I leave for work


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Ted_R said:


> Here's why I ask:
> 
> I don't have time to do full blown trail rides during the week ( I save'm for the weekend ) but I could squeeze in some short road rides out my front door in the evening ( or morning ). This would keep my legs working during the week.
> 
> ...


I know this post is a week old but I'll answer any way. When riding on the road all inefficient things becomes very obvious and kind of irritating. I used to ride about 30-40km a day on my commuterized rigidized all mountain ht. The first things that had to go was the knobby tires, and those HAVE to go. And the fork went bye bye very quickly too. And that gave me a sort of steepish very aggressive and nervous behavior, perfect for inner city car slalom and not being as fragile as road bike. Very suitable for short sprints in hectic enviroments where you need control and there are many stop/gos and going in and out of saddle much.

But that also created a highly uncomfortable ride over longer distances (IMO). I still have the riser bar, and I have a bigger ring up front. Not too many hand positions to choose from which is tiring for longer distances, like more than 30 minutes, not very fast by "road" means, not at all aero so I catch all wind. Corners great and stops great though.

If you want to ride road, get a road bike, even a cheap one is better than bastardized mtb. and the bastardized mtb will still hold you back a lot. You will work at least 30% harder to get the same speed as on a proper road bike. So if training is the goal, mission accomplished, if the goal is getting somewhere - not so much.

The only reason I used a mtb for my use was that it was cheap to modify it and it takes real winter tires (I want 300 studs), its not a particulary good/comfortable/enjoyable road bike though.

Can you do it? YES, no problem at all. Is it a good idea? YES, until even the slowest imaginable senior citizen overtakes you (when you push it to the max). Then you will also come to the conclusion that its not really that efficient or ever rewarding.

If you don't have any cash to spread around, do it. All you need is new tires really, and a bit higher gear ratio.

gud luk


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Red bull road rage 

Bike race @ 95 km/h IN THE RAIN - Red Bull Road Rage - YouTube
Red Bull Road Rage Israel 2010 Documentary - YouTube


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Goes like rocket in the city and it was made for that only so. I had a 90-130 or so fork on there before and now its the salsa cromoto 425 with cut canti studs and repainted (brush and polyurathane). Still looks ugly compared to when the bikes were made for 400 a-c forks.. The tires are good. Continental that are non threaded in the middle and some high tech puncture protection. That works.  I think its a lot sexier than in the pics. Well as sexy as it can be with a limited budget. 72 head angle, measured.
Workable, but its more for the masochist imo. You harden the **** up though, pretty fast too!


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## big terry (Apr 22, 2012)

duct tape chainstay protection? badass.


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## timefleas (Sep 18, 2011)

dirt farmer said:


> I know one can do it with a mountain bike, but you'll be _so much more comfy_ on a bike at least somewhat made for road riding. It's truly like night and day.


Actually, I don't agree at all. I have had several great road bikes including two 16 or 17 pounders, and have had several MTBs. Road bikes are stiff, unforgiving, no suspension, high pressure thin tires, require overly bent forward riding position--this is not my definition of comfort--fast, yes, comfortable, no. However, I ride the road everyday (unless it is raining or snowing hard), at least 20 miles, and I no longer ride the mountains--so I have adapted the MTBs for the road.

I have four MTBs, one in my office, and three at home--all carbon frames (Giant MCM Team, Giant MCM Composite, Trek STP 400, Scott Team Ltd), all carbon forks (3 of the 4 have the Look Fournales VTT carbon air forks), all have 1.25 tires which give a slight bit more cushion (comfort) than the 700cc road tire, and are much safer (they don't slip into gutter cracks, but they do ride over curb edges and the like without destroying the rims). All have leather Brooks saddles which are much more comfortable than either a road or MTB plastic saddle. Two weigh less than 20 pounds, two weigh a couple of pounds over. Three use canti-breaks, which are much lighter and easier to adjust, and make perfect sense for the road applications. All, even the one with the straight non-shock fork, are MUCH more comfortable than any road bike I have ever ridden, and only slightly slower. Given a choice, I would take a converted MTB, with narrower (not necessarily slick) tires, and as light a set up as possible, over any road bike--for everyday road riding (i.e. not racing)--the comfort of a MTB converted for road use trumps the "comfort" you will find on any top level road bike.


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## Slee_Stack (Apr 14, 2010)

timefleas said:


> Actually, I don't agree at all. I have had several great road bikes including two 16 or 17 pounders, and have had several MTBs. Road bikes are stiff, unforgiving, no suspension, high pressure thin tires, require overly bent forward riding position--this is not my definition of comfort--fast, yes, comfortable, no. However, I ride the road everyday (unless it is raining or snowing hard), at least 20 miles, and I no longer ride the mountains--so I have adapted the MTBs for the road.
> 
> I have four MTBs, one in my office, and three at home--all carbon frames (Giant MCM Team, Giant MCM Composite, Trek STP 400, Scott Team Ltd), all carbon forks (3 of the 4 have the Look Fournales VTT carbon air forks), all have 1.25 tires which give a slight bit more cushion (comfort) than the 700cc road tire, and are much safer (they don't slip into gutter cracks, but they do ride over curb edges and the like without destroying the rims). All have leather Brooks saddles which are much more comfortable than either a road or MTB plastic saddle. Two weigh less than 20 pounds, two weigh a couple of pounds over. Three use canti-breaks, which are much lighter and easier to adjust, and make perfect sense for the road applications. All, even the one with the straight non-shock fork, are MUCH more comfortable than any road bike I have ever ridden, and only slightly slower. Given a choice, I would take a converted MTB, with narrower (not necessarily slick) tires, and as light a set up as possible, over any road bike--for everyday road riding (i.e. not racing)--the comfort of a MTB converted for road use trumps the "comfort" you will find on any top level road bike.


He said a bike "at least somewhat made for road riding" and you even quoted it.

That doesn't necessarily mean a *racing *road bike. It could be a touring one or a hybrid.

And I completely disagree with you that a MTB is a better choice than a well done hybrid or tourer.


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## timefleas (Sep 18, 2011)

Slee_Stack said:


> He said a bike "at least somewhat made for road riding" and you even quoted it.
> 
> That doesn't necessarily mean a *racing *road bike. It could be a touring one or a hybrid.
> 
> And I completely disagree with you that a MTB is a better choice than a well done hybrid or tourer.


I'm not sure what your problem is.

I addressed the rather basic point that a road bike is not as comfortable as an MTB--a few other posts in this thread also suggested that a roadie was comfortable, including the one I quoted, so I chose to respond to this one as representative of that trend of thought--I did not distinguish between race road, general road, hybrid road or touring road, because the distinction was not made in the OP's original post, nor was it clearly made in the post I quoted. I merely responded to this particular post to make the point that a MTB, with very little alteration, would be much more comfortable than a road bike, and with suitable tires, quite appropriate for virtually all "everyday" road requirements--addressing the OP's original question regarding whether there was a need to buy a second bike, or make do with the one he had, while covering the road comfort issue in general. I did not mention hybrid nor tourer, nor did the OP, nor my quoted post.....

Don't quite seem why your feathers got ruffled on this one...it was a simple point, really, addressing a direct comparison of road bikes to MTBs, regarding the issue of comfort--that, and nothing more....did I miss something?


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## karma 33 (Dec 27, 2009)

The real problem with riding a road bike on the road is not the vehicle itself(the road bike), but is instead the fact that ownership and use of said vehicle brings you one step closer to those closeted spandex wearing anal retentive fairies with orange tinted goggles dressed up advertising some obsure Italian eatery on their form fitting jersey. These guys are scared of dirt. They keep their cars too clean. They keep logs of their workouts. They have their first bowel movement at 7:07 every morning. Do u really want to be like them? It is not a fun existence, toiling away the miles dressed like some tofu eating clown. Be proud. Ride the mtb on the road!


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## Mr Cup (May 31, 2011)

timefleas said:


> Actually, I don't agree at all. I have had several great road bikes including two 16 or 17 pounders, and have had several MTBs. Road bikes are stiff, unforgiving, no suspension, high pressure thin tires, require overly bent forward riding position--this is not my definition of comfort--fast, yes, comfortable, no. However, I ride the road everyday (unless it is raining or snowing hard), at least 20 miles, and I no longer ride the mountains--so I have adapted the MTBs for the road.
> 
> I have four MTBs, one in my office, and three at home--all carbon frames (Giant MCM Team, Giant MCM Composite, Trek STP 400, Scott Team Ltd), all carbon forks (3 of the 4 have the Look Fournales VTT carbon air forks), all have 1.25 tires which give a slight bit more cushion (comfort) than the 700cc road tire, and are much safer (they don't slip into gutter cracks, but they do ride over curb edges and the like without destroying the rims). All have leather Brooks saddles which are much more comfortable than either a road or MTB plastic saddle. Two weigh less than 20 pounds, two weigh a couple of pounds over. Three use canti-breaks, which are much lighter and easier to adjust, and make perfect sense for the road applications. All, even the one with the straight non-shock fork, are MUCH more comfortable than any road bike I have ever ridden, and only slightly slower. Given a choice, I would take a converted MTB, with narrower (not necessarily slick) tires, and as light a set up as possible, over any road bike--for everyday road riding (i.e. not racing)--the comfort of a MTB converted for road use trumps the "comfort" you will find on any top level road bike.


Ok, we get it.... You own lots of carbon bikes. Welcome to the forum......


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

Let me tell you what I did: 

I went to my LBS and took a long spin on a Trek FX 7.3. I wanted to try a 7.5, but they were out of stock.

The 7 FX line is what Trek advertises as their fitness hybrid line. It's their most popular line according to the Trek website.

I'm 5'9", I tried the 17.5 and the 20 inch frame, I liked the the 20 inch the best. ( I liked the extra length ) 

These were my ride observations:

I liked the way the semi-slicks stuck to the pavement ( especially on turns ). The ride was even smoother than I expected. The bike was nice and light and it felt nimble and sharp on quick turns. I rode both frame sizes plenty ( made some additional observations ) and then I went back inside the LBS. My LBS bud asked me what I thought.

I told him that I enjoyed the ride and the bike and I could definitely feel the difference in the more road like experience the FX offered. However, I also came to realize that the difference wasn't ( in my experience ) nearly as dramatic as I expected and if anything the ride made me realize just how wonderful a bike I already own.

I think I am discovering that I just love mountain bikes period ( I've had 3 ), whether I am riding them on or off the road seems secondary. I ride for fitness and fun, I don't race, so speed is not high on my list of priorities. As others have said, I really like the versatility of a mountain bike in an urban environment. I can jump curbs, ride on cruddy roads, dodge cars ( off road ), laugh at potholes, rumble through the occasional rock pile and never have to worry about whether the bike can handle it or not.

I have also come to realize that the X-CAL is a Great Freakin Bike !  :band: :band:

OK... Well, I get a little carried away about my bike :blush:


So I think that's where I am at for now gents. Thanks for everyone's excellent, detailed and thorough input so far ! Keep those cards and letters comin


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

Ted_R said:


> I liked the way the semi-slicks stuck to the pavement ( especially on turns ).


wait, so do you ride your bike around corners fast enough that, on dry pavement, knobby tires start to break loose?


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

Bill in Houston said:


> wait, so do you ride your bike around corners fast enough that, on dry pavement, knobby tires start to break loose?


Hi Bill, 

No, I have never had my knobbies break loose on dry pavement. I just noticed that the lack of knobbies on the semi slicks provided a constant contact patch of rubber on the asphalt/concrete that seemed to give a feel of great adhesion.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

No. I can see the economics but a road bike is purposed for the road.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

Not having knobbies in corners inspires confidence. You can feel knobbies move sometimes and its scary. Also they usually corner very bad on the road to begin with bordering dangerous imo.

What I personally meant with a road bike being more comfortable is the pretzel bar, it gives you several hand positions, and its narrow, and you can escape the wind. Having all these options is where the comfort comes from. I mean on the road its very nice to be able to shift to a new position when you get tired. Time trial bars and bullhorn and "touring" bars also makes sense to me. If I could choose I would choose anything except straight or risers because those offer only one good position.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

I see a difference between "road riding" and "riding on the road". Riding a MTB on the road can be quite enjoyable, as long as the tires are somewhat suitable. I am sure it would be faster or more effortless on a real road bike (depending on whether speed or ease feels the more important thing at any given moment).

Tires: When I had a pair of the original Mountain King tires, they worked great for me on trails but were pretty awful on paved surfaces. They were noisy and the soft knobs made every turn and change of speed feel sloppy.


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## sxotty (Nov 4, 2005)

I road my 29er about 30 miles on the road yesterday. I had hurt my thumb mountain biking so I needed something more gentle. Personally I prefer riding a mountain bike on the road to a road bike. Road bikes are just a lot harsher and unless you are in a big hurry whats the point? I just have nano raptors on the bike which works fine on the road.


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## donn12 (Mar 25, 2012)

After a month or so riding the crap out of my mountain bike I bought a road bike. HUGE difference on the road. I cant recommend it enough, even if its a cheap used road bike. Its a much different workout and it will help your mountain biking big time!


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

Ted_R said:


> Hi Bill,
> 
> No, I have never had my knobbies break loose on dry pavement. I just noticed that the lack of knobbies on the semi slicks provided a constant contact patch of rubber on the asphalt/concrete that seemed to give a feel of great adhesion.


okay, thank you.


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## fwinter (Nov 20, 2010)

Let's not forget the wonderful low gearing for winching a hefty frame up an incline, then the hydro discs for bringing it all to a predictable stop at the other side!


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Mustn't forget how much easier it is to winch a light frame, and especailly light wheels and tyres, up an incline ...


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## fwinter (Nov 20, 2010)

Ok, but with 48:36:24 and I'd agree!


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## 555 (Mar 28, 2011)

I agree that investing in a cheap wheelset for the road tires is a great idea, but would also keep an eye out for a inexpensive bike on craigslist. You might find a great deal on a road bike. I got a road bike and am surprised how much I ride it. I have put in some long rides and really increased my fitness.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

fwinter said:


> Ok, but with 48:36:24 and I'd agree!


Depends.

In my area, there's not any road hills I cannot get up riding a burly 34/18 singlespeed MTB (with the fat tires, the diameter is close enough to roadbike diameter). And I'm not a particularly fit guy. Things are certainly different somewhere else, or for somebody else.


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## chewie_52 (Jun 12, 2006)

Perfectly acceptable...I mean after all...a bike is a bike and it's meant to be ridden so go out and ride. I own a Spesh Stumpjumper FSR and Spesh Allez...unless I'm going on a road ride, I'll usually opt to take the Stumpy out and just lock out my fork...even on the road (a spin around town with my GF, a quick errand down to the convenience store etc. my mtb is just more comfy, more versatile and more stable especially if I'm just cruising around at low speeds or what not. Before I got my road bike...my mtb was my do it all. Ride and enjoy life!


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## fwinter (Nov 20, 2010)

perttime said:


> Depends.
> 
> In my area, there's not any road hills I cannot get up riding a burly 34/18 singlespeed MTB (with the fat tires, the diameter is close enough to roadbike diameter). And I'm not a particularly fit guy. Things are certainly different somewhere else, or for somebody else.


Ok, I like ss as well, opposite way of thinking. I thought you were in favour of a road bike though?


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

fwinter said:


> I thought you were in favour of a road bike though?


Not really.

I've been trying to offer different points of view. What bike you should use on the road depends on many things, and I don't know what exactly is important for anybody but me.

MTB is all I have now but there's some good country roads in my area where a road bike would be better. Or places to visit along those roads but the distance is enough to make it a chore on a MTB.


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## fwinter (Nov 20, 2010)

Yeah I've actually got 2 roadbikes but starting to think about just going all mtb just for the fun and convenience - and to get rid of the nagging ever present need to train all the time to keep the weight down and be competitive


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## Sandrenseren (Dec 29, 2011)

I think the answer to this thread lies in what you want to achieve. 

If it's purely a matter of exercise a mtb with knobby tires does the job just as well as a dedicated road bike. If you have an hour to ride you can probably go 25 miles on a proper road bike, 18 miles on a mtb with slicks and 14 miles on a mtb with knobbies, but in terms of calories spend it will probably be the same. Actually the mtb on knobbies might even work better because you can't really coast without grinding to a halt very quickly, so you'll have to pedal more constantly I guess..

If you're looking to go places, maybe commute to work, visit friends and so on, I'd go with a road bike because it'll get me to my destination faster and less sweaty than my mtb (unless I listen to Rammstein in which case I pedal at warp speed  ).

If it's about riding for fun, do whatever floats your boat. I borrowed a road bike for a while and riding fast is fun, you really get around on one of those. However riding my mtb gets me places too, not nearly as fast, but I like it anyway.


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## WR304 (Jul 9, 2004)

Bill in Houston said:


> Wait, so do you ride your bike around corners fast enough that, on dry pavement, knobby tires start to break loose?


It really depends on the tyre profile. If you have a knobbly tyre with a square profile and tall tread blocks then you can feel the tread blocks begin to squirm and complain immediately when you lean the bike over. A good example would be a mud tyre like the Panaracer Spike. As the cornering lean angle increases your contact patch becomes the side blocks of the tread.

If you were cornering on a soft surface (such as mud) then the tall tread blocks would dig in but on tarmac the tread will fold over instead. A tyre with that sort of shape can break loose quite easily on tarmac if you're not careful. The best technique when cornering on tarmac with a tyre that has an aggressive tread is to try and keep the bike stood up in order to stay off the side tread.

A knobbly tyre with shallow tread blocks and a rounded profile (such as a Specialized Fast Trak tyre) can be leant over much further on tarmac without any issues. It has a smoother transition from centre to edge making for more predictable cornering.

Pictured below: Panaracer Spike mud tyre tread pattern has tall tread blocks and a square profile. Good for deep mud but not ideal for cornering on tarmac.

A Specialized Fast Trak tyre is an example of a rounded profile low tread pattern that will still corner well on tarmac.


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## HelloMyNameIsSean (Sep 14, 2011)

^ LOL I washed out my 'real' MTB leaning to hard coming into my driveway, worst road rash of my life, thankfully none of my neighbors saw it happen.


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

WR304 said:


> It really depends on the tyre profile. If you have a knobbly tyre with a square profile and tall tread blocks then you can feel the tread blocks begin to squirm and complain immediately when you lean the bike over. A good example would be a mud tyre like the Panaracer Spike. As the cornering lean angle increases your contact patch becomes the side blocks of the tread.
> 
> If you were cornering on a soft surface (such as mud) then the tall tread blocks would dig in but on tarmac the tread will fold over instead. A tyre with that sort of shape can break loose quite easily on tarmac if you're not careful. The best technique when cornering on tarmac with a tyre that has an aggressive tread is to try and keep the bike stood up in order to stay off the side tread.
> 
> ...


Judging by the knobby tread pattern on the X Cal ( shown in the link below )

Bontrager 29-1 Expert 29er Tire Reviews

I would think that it would corner pretty well on pavement/asphalt/concrete. The side knobbies seem to have the design that you mentioned that would be required for decent cornering. Also if you notice the knobby pattern down the center is pretty tight and low ( compared to most knobbies I've seen ). I would think that this would be conducive to a lower rolling resistance ( on the road ) when the bike is straight up and vertical.


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## RideGuideBlog (Mar 4, 2012)

I agree in either utilizing slicks for your road rides or if you can't be bothered changing wheels or tyres, then just go out with the knoblies. 

When we are or flat out at work and home - any ride can be a good ride.


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## phirebug (Apr 20, 2012)

speaking of cornering on MTB tires, the kenda small block 8's (and many other tires) have a dual tread compound-the sides are made out of softer, stickier rubber than the middle. that gives extra longevity to the center tread that will see most of the contact with pavement, but when you tip it over, the side knobbies "dig in" even on pavement. i can lean over just as far on these things as i can on my slicks.


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## Urbanride (May 28, 2012)

I am building a MTB for use on group rides that I don't want to abuse my road or SS track bids on. However I plane to do some light-moderate trail riding. A nut suggestions for tire type or size?

Currently I like the look of the intense MK2's and the Continental town and country's either in 26x2 or so is what I have in mind.


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## ryencool (Apr 20, 2012)

Since when did people become such little snobby babies? when I was a kid and I got on my bike, I was happy. I could have been burning down the street only to see who could skid the furthest in the driveway at the end of the street. It could have been riding in the orange orchards, hitting dirt jumps and eating oranges. Even riding to school, which for me was the best part of my day. we had a huge paved play ground, it was like a stunt park.

All I am saying is not once did I worry about how many calories I was burning, distance traveled, any inefficiencies, or the freaking noise my tires made for god sakes. I understand if you get to a certain financial position, then owning a specific bike for each use is do-able. It is very certainly FAR FAR FAR from needed though.

Just do what is fun and comfortable for you. All of these people saying get a road bike, that is their opinion based on what they want/need. Then there are some people who will say a MTB is fine, and for their style of riding (jumping curbs, rough urban areas) it works perfectly fine. So start with the cheapest option. Put some road tires on and try it out, if its not comfy go test a hybrid or a road bike. Just dont do something cause some dude who hates riding in the dirt says road bikes are better. They are better, for him.

As soon as someone starst talking about inefficiencies and calories and stuff, I stop reading. If I want to deal with stuff like that Ill go sit in on a algebra class. Im in it for the pure joy and fun of doing it. Then road bikers snickering because your not wearing spandex? come the **** on man,,,

Also, this is my opinion, and it might not be someone else's. So take it all with a grain of salt ;p my way is not "The" way. I had to ride a womens department store mountain bike that was falling apart before I got a decent bike. It worked on all surfaces and put a smile on my face...

WTB FX 23 w/SRAM MTH-306 Hub Wheelset at Price Point

get some o these and throw some road worthy tires on them...done.


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## xccat (Apr 9, 2004)

it is more about the fun, a beach curser is fun, but your have difficulty keeping up with someone on a light weight xc bike, then the guy on the xc bike has difficulty keeping with the road bike, if you are oblivious to this then enjoy your current ride,


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

phirebug said:


> speaking of cornering on MTB tires, the kenda small block 8's (and many other tires) have a dual tread compound-the sides are made out of softer, stickier rubber than the middle. that gives extra longevity to the center tread that will see most of the contact with pavement, but when you tip it over, the side knobbies "dig in" even on pavement. i can lean over just as far on these things as i can on my slicks.


I love your sticker on your headtube !  That's how I feel when I ride :cornut:

Thanks for the tire info also :thumbsup:


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## Psycho Mike (Apr 2, 2006)

To the OP...can be done and it is the least expensive way to go if you have a mtb and no road bike. 

Myself, I have done a 125 mile road ride (1 day) on a fs mtb with slicks. Would a road bike been faster and more comfortable? Faster - probably, more comfortable - maybe, maybe not.

Last year I did a 2-day, 130+ mile charity road ride on a 37lb FS FR mtb. It was a challenge, to be sure, but it was most certainly do-able. Heck, I'm doing it again this year on the same bike (nice vid on my participant page, link in my sig).


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## RaptorTC (Jan 22, 2012)

I'm currently in the market for a road bike myself. The main reason I like riding on the roads is the speed and I know that on a road bike I could go much faster and for longer rides.


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## Sean K (Mar 25, 2012)

My whole life I've had both a road and mountain bike. Only recently did I decide to ditch the road bike.

I'm 85% as fast on a good hardtail with slicks compared to my road bike. Plus, I can bunny-hop curbs, jump stuff and generally take a more direct path to where I want to go.

The road bike isn't worth having to take nicely groomed surfaces for only 15% gain in overall speed.

There's nothing magical about a road bike. They're light because they're weak. They're meant for one thing only; to pedal as efficiently as possible with near zero margin for abuse.

Plus, it's always fun to blast by roadies on a slicked MTB.


MTB + Slicks = Harden the F**K up!


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## WR304 (Jul 9, 2004)

Ted_R said:


> Judging by the knobby tread pattern on the X Cal ( shown in the link below )
> 
> Bontrager 29-1 Expert 29er Tire Reviews
> 
> I would think that it would corner pretty well on pavement/asphalt/concrete. The side knobbies seem to have the design that you mentioned that would be required for decent cornering. Also if you notice the knobby pattern down the center is pretty tight and low ( compared to most knobbies I've seen ). I would think that this would be conducive to a lower rolling resistance ( on the road ) when the bike is straight up and vertical.


Bontrager 29-1 tyres will be fine on the road. All I'd do would be to pump them up to 50-60psi for road use, and then lower the pressures back to 20-30psi for offroad use. By pumping the tyres up it should mean that less tread is in contact with the road, so that the tread blocks of the rear tyre won't round off as rapidly.

If you were to fit full slick tyres then you could expect your average speed with the slicks to increase by roughly 0.7 - 1 mph over a tyre like the Bontrager 29-1. For the odd early morning road ride by yourself it's not worth the hassle of changing to slick tyres though. All that going faster means is that you'll travel further for the same effort. Unless you're trying to get somewhere within a certain time (eg: commuting) or trying to keep up with other faster riders then it doesn't matter. From a fitness perspective you'll get the same benefits whether you're doing 1 hour on slicks or 1 hour on knobbly tyres. It's the effort that you put in that counts, rather than your average speed.

For offroad use the Bontrager 29-1 tyres that come with your bike look like the typical showroom tyres that are often fitted to new bikes. They make the bike feel light when you lift it in the showroom and fast on a test ride. Depending upon where you ride they might be ok as a dry hardpack cross country race tyre but that's about it. Like the similar Specialized Renegade tyre they don't look like they'll inspire confidence in deep gravel, mud, loose surfaces or anywhere that you need some bite and edge grip. I'd be inclined to replace them with some more all round off road tyres, especially the front tyre.


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## Ted_R (Feb 21, 2011)

WR304 said:


> Bontrager 29-1 tyres will be fine on the road. All I'd do would be to pump them up to 50-60psi for road use, and then lower the pressures back to 20-30psi for offroad use. By pumping the tyres up it should mean that less tread is in contact with the road, so that the tread blocks of the rear tyre won't round off as rapidly.
> 
> If you were to fit full slick tyres then you could expect your average speed with the slicks to increase by roughly 0.7 - 1 mph over a tyre like the Bontrager 29-1. For the odd early morning road ride by yourself it's not worth the hassle of changing to slick tyres though. All that going faster means is that you'll travel further for the same effort. Unless you're trying to get somewhere within a certain time (eg: commuting) or trying to keep up with other faster riders then it doesn't matter. From a fitness perspective you'll get the same benefits whether you're doing 1 hour on slicks or 1 hour on knobbly tyres. It's the effort that you put in that counts, rather than your average speed.
> 
> For offroad use the Bontrager 29-1 tyres that come with your bike look like the typical showroom tyres that are often fitted to new bikes. They make the bike feel light when you lift it in the showroom and fast on a test ride. Depending upon where you ride they might be ok as a dry hardpack cross country race tyre but that's about it. Like the similar Specialized Renegade tyre they don't look like they'll inspire confidence in deep gravel, mud, loose surfaces or anywhere that you need some bite and edge grip. I'd be inclined to replace them with some more all round off road tyres, especially the front tyre.


Excellent information Sir, Thank You for all your time and effort, I really appreciate it :thumbsup:

The area I currently ride off road is mostly dry hardpack and embedded rock and the tire does well enough on that kind of surface. When it gets muddy ( rather rare until recently ) the performance of the tire is quite poor ( as you said ). It also seems sketchy in deep gravel and deep small loose rock, so I'd say you hit the nail on the head.


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## blizzardpapa (Jan 19, 2004)

You have a 29er and you can easily get a set of 700c road wheels to be used with your bike. Just make sure the wheels are for disc brakes.


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## iamunchien (Mar 30, 2008)

i like the style of MTB over road bikes. seems like the road bikes wouldn't be able to take a beating.

also, i think i'd fall off a road bike way easier.


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## Matt White (May 29, 2012)

Ted, I was in the same position and mindset as you...wanted to convert a hard tail for road riding. Thought it would be a good option as the gearing would be the same as my new duallie and to be honest couldn't bare the thought of becoming a roadie! So I switched my tyres for something with less grip and a little thiner and persevered for about 6 months. There is no doubt this experiment was successful...

...but, on a trip to France last year to watch the tour, I got an opportunity to jump on a road bike and to be honest it has done wonders for my mtb riding! The number of kms that you can get through is ridiculous and the benefit is amazing. The other upside, being on a roadie is an incredibly social activity. 

Having a roadie for training purposes has really improved me as a mtber...just don't forget to ride the singletrack on the weekend to keep your handling skills sharp.


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## UncleGeorge (May 24, 2012)

Anyone here with a MTB outpacing a roadie? What is your bike and average speed on road?


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## donn12 (Mar 25, 2012)

UncleGeorge said:


> Anyone here with a MTB outpacing a roadie? What is your bike and average speed on road?


If you are in good shape you can fly by several average riders on roadbikes. All things being equal though a roadbike with an in shape rider should always be faster on pavement (20-25 mph) unless the MTB had some goofy gearing. The upright position and tires make a huge difference.
When I am on a tow path or dirt road I am faster than most roadbikes because of the surface(15-18mph). The first time I got on my MTB after getting my roadbike I actually thought I had 2 flat tires. Nope - just much different from the roadbike!


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## David C (May 25, 2011)

UncleGeorge said:


> Anyone here with a MTB outpacing a roadie? What is your bike and average speed on road?


All the time. Unfortunately, I'm outpacing my heart a bit too often either 

Oh, and my bike is a 6" squish freeride that tip the scale at 39lbs with 2.4 tires @ 22psi. Get an average moving speed of 20km/h on Tarmac.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

UncleGeorge said:


> Anyone here with a MTB outpacing a roadie? What is your bike and average speed on road?


No way.

I have come to the conclusion that I probably waste 20-30% more energy than a roadie. Sure those 10 mm tires are hard as rocks but the narrower bar with lots of positions including in the drops that really really hides you from the wind and the bigger rings (the bigger the cogs/rings the less energy is wasted) and no discs (always some drag) , and stiffer frame (bigger triangles) really gives you that extra edge. The wind probably makes up for 90% of the benefit. The bar gives you ultra power too when you want to (in the drops).

Sure you can do it, for a km or 2 if the roadie is tired. But at the end of the day the roadie is faster, and gets there less tired.

I think I can average between 22,7km/h if its hotter than like 20 degrees C and sunny and 25,5km/h if its between 13 and 17 degrees and no sun and just a little moisture in the air. But I have to work after so I don't give 100%. Could be faster sometimes maybe 1 or 2km faster and probably like 3-4km slower too if its hot and annoying, or windy.

I used to ride 16 or was it 17-18 km to work and I usually made that in 45 mins and on good days 40 min, or really good days like 37, and on crap days 52 mins (it happens) or so. But I ride rain, storm, desert heat, snow, ice and eveything in between, but those times were for non winter.


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## MrAwesome001 (Jul 11, 2011)

I ride alot on and offroad. I ride MTB on the rode with dual tread MTB tires. I know it eats my tires up quicker. I actually like to endurnce and stength it has gotten me. I can avg about 15mph on the road. I ride on avg 14-50miles per trip on the road. a few times a week. What do I ride you ask. my last bike was a trek liquid. with a 3X9 drivetrain. my new bike is a enduro comp with a 2x10 drivetrain. I can still ride just as fast and as long. though it takes more leg power to keep the new bike cruzing. note I am also not some little skinny roadbiker.. I am 6'1 and 200lbs..


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## Badidea (Nov 17, 2010)

I did the same thing, put some schwalbe big apples on the spare wheel set and away I go. Went so far as to change my outer chain ring to a 46 tooth for some extra top end speed. I usuall make it to the mountains on the weekends, but I can get in a quick25-30 miles on a local paved path a couple of times during the week.


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## TheAntiSpoke (Jul 24, 2011)

fully rigid 29r + 2 wheel sets = win/win. i do get some weird looks from the roadies when they see me on my tank with a big 'ol camelbak and no spandex.


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## Premo (Feb 1, 2013)

Road bikes are great on good roads. Bad roads, not so much. I have friends that ride road and they are careful to plan where they go. If you just ride for adventure and pleasure, put some geax evolution tires on a 29er xc and go. I have a 22 36 48 3x9 setup and hit 32mph downhill yesterday. If my friends hit bad areas with their road bikes they have to pick them up and carry them. Road bikes are work to maintain 15 to 18 mph average speed. I have ridden both and am much more comfortable on my 29er. If you ride with a group you have to have a roadie to keep up over a 30 to 60 mile distance. If you want to ride anywhere that seems interesting a road bike can't do it.

Road bikes are fragile compared to a mtb.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

Premo said:


> Road bikes are great on good roads. Bad roads, not so much. I have friends that ride road and they are careful to plan where they go. If you just ride for adventure and pleasure, put some geax evolution tires on a 29er xc and go. I have a 22 36 48 3x9 setup and hit 32mph downhill yesterday. If my friends hit bad areas with their road bikes they have to pick them up and carry them. Road bikes are work to maintain 15 to 18 mph average speed. I have ridden both and am much more comfortable on my 29er. If you ride with a group you have to have a roadie to keep up over a 30 to 60 mile distance. If you want to ride anywhere that seems interesting a road bike can't do it.
> 
> Road bikes are fragile compared to a mtb.


If by "bad road" you mean a rutted out rocky fire road (essentially trail riding), then this is true. However, a set of 28s will fit on most road bikes and will handle any paved road and smoother dirt/gravel roads with ease. A road bike with 32s will do just fine on dirt and gravel roads as long as the gravel is not too deep.

The reason most road bikes are terrible on bad roads is because people choose to run 23s pumped up to 130 psi (yeah, I used to do this). A simple tire swap makes them a lot more versatile. Your friends just need some wider tires at lower pressure and they could ride any road they want (if that is important to them). I have 33s on my road bike (Salsa Casseroll) and ride dirt and gravel forest service roads all the time.


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## Old Ray (Sep 5, 2010)

I have a Jamis 853 mtb frame that I built a set of wheels made up of Mavic 700c road rims and XT disc hubs. So i came out with a flat bar, disc brake road bike. I use a Niner carbon fork, so every now and then I can throw a 29er wheel and knobbie up front, and a 26" mtb wheel and tire in back, and have a rigid '69er'. I added a 48 t big ring my friend had lying around his bike shop and dropped my granny cog, and still use the XT crankset. It's the old fashioned square taper bottom bracket type, which I am beginning to think is better than the newer BB's.

It's not the lightest road bike, but it's sturdy, and I can cruise along at 18-20 mph on level ground pretty easily. 

Tires were a trip; in the beginning, I didn't trust any skinnies...I started out with 35's. Next I went down to 32's, then 28's and finally I'm at the skinniest that I will ride, 25's. With the 25's on, the bike climbs steeper hills almost 1 mph faster than with the 35's, and on downhills, 40mph is no exceptional speed to reach. I actually enjoy riding at night more than in daytime, due to all the lights I have....they make it impossible to 'not see me'.


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## manbeer (Oct 14, 2009)

This setup (2x8 ht with 48t big ring, light wheels (1530 grams) and 0 degree stem + flat bars) was able to hold 18.2mph over a 55 mile ride and set several strava records on the road. With very light 1.1" slicks I averaged 17.8 over 100 miles with almost no stops. I got a road bike and while it sprints better I prefer the mtb on the road. Light wheels and semi slicks like ritchey speedmax beta are your friend if you dont live somewhere with too much loose soil. That way you dont need to chamge tires or wheels. I just go for the lightest decent looking semi slicks with enough tread to hold their own on the trail


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## Premo (Feb 1, 2013)

kapusta said:


> If by "bad road" you mean a rutted out rocky fire road (essentially trail riding), then this is true. However, a set of 28s will fit on most road bikes and will handle any paved road and smoother dirt/gravel roads with ease. A road bike with 32s will do just fine on dirt and gravel roads as long as the gravel is not too deep.
> 
> The reason most road bikes are terrible on bad roads is because people choose to run 23s pumped up to 130 psi (yeah, I used to do this). A simple tire swap makes them a lot more versatile. Your friends just need some wider tires at lower pressure and they could ride any road they want (if that is important to them). I have 33s on my road bike (Salsa Casseroll) and ride dirt and gravel forest service roads all the time.


You are correct, changing to a larger tire that has puncture protection will allow for more varied surfaces, but it also slows things down a bit and turns what you are riding into the cross country type setup. which a lot of people love to do. But to get the most speed and a true "road" riding experience you need those 23s pumped up to 130lbs. My friends ride hardcore road and or hard core mtb. I'm like you, I used to do the true road riding on the edge but it no longer thrills me.
I do have a set of wheels with Vittoria cross 32s that I put on when I want to do 30 miles in about 2 hours. Great workout. Personally I lean toward the type of riding that you do when I feel the need for speed.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

Premo said:


> You are correct, changing to a larger tire that has puncture protection will allow for more varied surfaces, but it also slows things down a bit and turns what you are riding into the cross country type setup. .


What do you mean "cross country setup"? Cross country mountain bike? It's not at all like a cross country mountain bike. The difference between a road bike and a mountain bike is a whole lot more than the tire width.



> But to get the most speed and a true "road" riding experience you need those 23s pumped up to 130lbs.


I completely disagree. Most speed on smooth roads? Yes, by a little bit. Needed for a "true" road riding experience? Absolutely not. Your friends are missing out on much of what road riding has to offer. That's not "true" road riding, that's just being very limited in what you do.


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

FWIW, I ride my full suspension bike everywhere- road, dirt, ice, mud, etc. Simple tire swaps and locking out the forks makes it ride very well and pedaling efficiency goes up. It 's not too hard to hit 30mph out on the flats in high gear and blow past dorks on road bikes. And then you can dive off the asphalt right into the dirt. Can't do that on one of those plastic road bikes.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2013)

I use a 29er for both road and single track (my ride to work is gravel, crushed rock, paved one way and reverse the other - 17 miles the direct route, 20 miles the easier way - each way) and our local single track system is fair but not epic. I used 1.9" small block tires last year for all conditions and distances up to 51 miles and didn't feel the need to go either wider or narrower. I'm currently running 2.2" Saguaros and like the ride better but you really pay a speed price. I'm training some folks at work for a century this summer and at the "longer than 50 mile" point I'll probably breakdown and get some 35c(ish) tires (maybe some Kenda small block cyclocross tires). The second wheelset is a really viable option, I did this with both my road and cyclocross bikes (to preserve my race wheels because I'm more stout than wispy). With disc brakes I would use the same type hubset/discs or plan on making minor adjustments to your calipers when you change wheels (I'm pretty picky about disc rub). My Fisher came with a Bontrager front hub and a low cost Shimano rear hub and my second set of wheels have XT hubs. The rear lined up fine, but I made some front rotor shims out of beer can aluminum although you can buy stainless steel shims from several bike and non-bike outlets.


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

zygote2k said:


> FWIW, I ride my full suspension bike everywhere- road, dirt, ice, mud, etc. Simple tire swaps and locking out the forks makes it ride very well and pedaling efficiency goes up. It 's not too hard to hit 30mph out on the flats in high gear and blow past dorks on road bikes. And then you can dive off the asphalt right into the dirt. *Can't do that on one of those plastic road bikes.*


You might want to check this out before making that claim. Martyn Ashton - Road Bike Party - YouTube


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

Using mine as my daily driver, locked out the front forks, added a little extra air on the rear shock and am running the tires a bit high on pressure. Takes me a couple minutes to change back for weekend fun.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

I have two mtbs that I ride on the road to mix things up. Both with a separate roadie wheelset shod with slicks. A Ti 26er hardtail with 700c wheels and 23c Hutchinson tires. The other bike is a carbon 29er with a Fulcrum 29er wheelset shod with fat 35c Marathon tires. The 26er with 700c wheels/tires rides the same as my Ti Warbird but with a nice relaxed mtb position. The carbon 29er with fat 35c tires is a super smooth ride and I can ride it like my dual sport moto. I rode that bike more than my roadbikes this past summer because I felt more comfortable in the riding position and the comfort of the ride. Buttery smooth.


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## Premo (Feb 1, 2013)

My mistake in words. what I meant was putting larger tires on a road bike pushes the bike toward a cyclocross not cross country set up. Agreed that my friends limit themselves on road. They use slightly larger and puncture resistant tires to train on than they race on, but even that is too frail for me. They are as narrow in their focus when riding trails which makes me understand that they enjoy what I would consider agony. I ride to ride. I have tried to get them to ride a fat bike, ( for the sheer fun ) they do not ride for fun in the way that I do. They ride on the edge. That's OK with. 

PS: They are also weight weenies, and wear spandex, but we get along great and I do learn things from them.


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## El-Carpaso (Mar 19, 2013)

I considered on turning into a sole MTB'er and getting rid of my road bike. But then I switched tires to Hans Dampf and Nobby Nic and the consideration was very short. The rolling resistance on these tires is absolutely massive. It's not even funny anymore. I hate riding my bike on packed surfaces nowdays. Then again grip is good on snow so that's cool.

Also if I were to ride more on the road with the MTB I would need narrower bars. The 700mm is great for trails but it gets a bit uncomfortable on longer packed stretches.


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