# MTB or Hybrid for limestone trails?



## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

Getting ready to go ahead and add a Mountain Bike to the collection. Adjacent to our local MTB trail is a great limestone 'track to trails' conversion that goes all the way from Lincoln Nebraska to the outskirts of Kansas. This is what my wife and I typically ride together.

Currently using a Sirrus Sport for this with skinny 700X28 tires and it seems to work very well. Just wondering what kind of things other experienced users with a bigger stable of bikes prefer for these.

I see a lot of road bikes on this trail, also. Looking at a 2014 Sumpy HT and am thinking this would actually be pretty reasonable for this type of riding.


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## Wittgenstein's Ghost (Oct 4, 2014)

Champion_Monster said:


> Getting ready to go ahead and add a Mountain Bike to the collection. Adjacent to our local MTB trail is a great limestone 'track to trails' conversion that goes all the way from Lincoln Nebraska to the outskirts of Kansas. This is what my wife and I typically ride together.
> 
> Currently using a Sirrus Sport for this with skinny 700X28 tires and it seems to work very well. Just wondering what kind of things other experienced users with a bigger stable of bikes prefer for these.
> 
> I see a lot of road bikes on this trail, also. Looking at a 2014 Sumpy HT and am thinking this would actually be pretty reasonable for this type of riding.


I am mostly a singletrack mountain biker, so I have a nice 29er hardtail that I ride for that stuff. However, I do sometimes ride a crushed limestone trail in my area when I'm trying to get miles in. When I do, I normally take my road bike. My road bike is not nearly as nice as my mountain bike, but there isn't much of a difference between crushed limestone and cement. My wife and I are planning to ride the Allegheny Passage trail at some point this year, which is about 150 mile rails to trails conversion. For that, I'll probably just throw some 28's on our road bikes.

An MTB wouldn't be terrible for that sort of riding, but it would be less efficient.


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## Rocky Mtn (Jan 19, 2014)

My only thought is that a man bike will give you flexibility to ride off road - a hybrid will not.

If you a certain that you will be riding this limestone trail almost 100% of the time, then get a hybrid.

In the past I used to only have one bike - a mtn bike and I rode that every where including rides where maybe I rode 30kms on a trail, and 70 Kim's on pavement.

i suppose a hybrid would be ok on buff trails, but anything rough and it would be no good.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

Hybrid = glass half empty. Worse of both world.

Mtb on a paved road may be an overkill but that's not a bad thing.


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## TheGweed (Jan 30, 2010)

You can ride a mountain bike on a limestone trail no problem...and if you ever decide to go try some more difficult trails you'll already have the bike. If you buy a hybrid you'll only be able to ride the limestone trail.


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## sleepyguy1001 (May 26, 2014)

I have a hybrid and a mountain bike. For the rails to trails/road riding I ride my hybrid and really enjoy it, for everything else I ride the mountain bike. If you've no interest in ever tackling or have no access to any other type of riding, the hybrid will be fine. If you've a notion that someday you may want to roam other places, then get a mountain bike.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

there's some crushed limestone trail in my area (and a lot more paved rail trail to boot).

Sometimes I ride my skinny mtb. Sometimes my fatbike, and sometimes my commuting/touring bike (a road bike with drop handlebars and 700x38 tires). It depends who I'm riding with and what the objective of the ride is. And sometimes it depends which bike is down for service.

They all handle the surface just fine.

As for the hybrid bike vs. mtb decision, I'd say it depends on your objectives when riding and what your preferences are. The mtb does give you "adventure" capability for more rugged surfaces than what the hybrid offers. The riding position will tend to be more aggressive with more weight on the handlebars. The hybrid won't be very capable if you want to start getting into more rugged terrain. It's also going to put most of your weight on the seat, with quite a bit less weight on the handlebars. That upright position is good for slow-speed cruising and shorter rides, but not so good when you want to pick up the pace or ride for long distances.


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## owensjs (May 21, 2009)

Well, for starters, you already have a hybrid (the Sirrus). I think it all depends on your goals. If you plan to eventually get more into mountain biking, then buying the Stumpy HT would make sense. It could go on the limestone trails just fine and you have the option to use it for it's intended purpose later on. If you end up sticking with the hybrid route, my recommendation is to just use the Sirrus and toss on some wider tires if necessary.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

how fat of a tire can you fit in that Sirrus? 35mm+ tires at relatively low pressure might be more comfortable for long miles on dirt.

for that kind of riding, especially if you are riding a lot of miles, I would also consider a gravel-oriented road bike, aka "gravel bike,"or a cyclocross bike. I have a Salsa Vaya, which is great for riding long distances on gravel, roads, and easy trails.


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## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

Let's face it, a 29er xc hardtail or rigid bike is a hybrid. I have ridden tons of miles of pavement and gravel on a 29er with tires ranging from 40mm semi-slicks to 2.25 mtb tires and they all do fine. The only difference being a average speed and comfort. That's actually one of the huge advantages of a 29er IMO. Given some smart choices and some mechanical skill the right 29er can be ~4 bikes in one.

That being said, I think Owen and Mack have a good point. The Siris will do great on gravel with the right tire choice, and should actually be fine with the tires you have, so if your looking to buy a MTB is doesn't nessicarily have to be compromised for riding the rail trail.

Personally I like MTB bars (Jones) so I have two hybrids built for gravel/pavement riding like you've described. Both with 40mm wide tires. I find that size best for my riding style as they feel quick enough on road and will handle mild trails if I get the urge.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

Very interesting responses so far. Exactly the kind of perspective I was looking for.

I will definitely be buying a MTB, and the leftover 14 Stumpy HT is a leading candidate, although it's a wintry mess around here so I won't be able to test ride it for a few days. The dealership also has some Crave Experts sitting around (also 400 off MSRP), and even a well discounted Camber Comp! I'll probably ride the two hardtails and perhaps the Camber, then pick which one seems right.

As far as the limestone trail I mentioned, it's very interesting. The MTB trail crosses it at over half a dozen points, so it's incredibly inviting! It also offers an 80 mile round trip option to Beatrice, Nebraska. I've gone on it with the Sirrus, but quickly had to get back off. At any speed above walking, its way to rough for the road-oriented Hybrid.

It looks like the XC bikes I'm considering will be the same weight, even a bit lighter than the Sirrus. Can't wait to see how my final selection handles both types of terrain!


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## owensjs (May 21, 2009)

Obviously it might be worth it to you to test ride the Camber, but I would recommend against a full suspension for the riding you're looking to do. Not to mention you mentioned the hardtails being lighter than the Sirrus...the Camber will be heavier than the Stumpy HT and Sirrus and possibly the Crave too. The Stumpy Comp HT is easily 3lbs lighter than the Camber Comp. 

Have you experimented with different tires and pressures on your Sirrus? The tires that come on those things aren't the best for non-paved trails, but there should be clearance for at least a 30c cyclocross tire or something like that. Your comment about rough riding makes me think you're probably running fairly high pressure in them. 

By all means test ride some bikes though. A MTB would certainly give you the flexibility to hit some of those trails that branch off from the limestone trail you mentioned.


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## Carton (Sep 15, 2014)

The Sirrus is already pretty close to a "gravel grinder", so if it's seeing a lot of gravel you might want to simply get some wider tires.

http://forums.mtbr.com/beginners-corner/fat-tires-specialized-sirrus-526548.html

But on gravel and even bumpy roads I find even wider tires just more comfortable. If you're thinking of going for a MTB to use the trails more often I'd just use that bike for most off-road riding.

Specialized switched up the frame on the Stumpy in 2015, going to 142x12 and the Cannondale-style taller dropout joints that I guess are supposed to be "more vertically compliant" (they also did the latter on the Rockhopper but not yet on the Crave). Between the 2014 I'd take a long look at the Crave, but if you really prefer the lighter Stumpy I'd try to negotiate for a discount on a brake upgrade, those Formulas have been really poorly reviewed.


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## Wittgenstein's Ghost (Oct 4, 2014)

When I posted my response, I think I misunderstood the question. The above advice is correct: If you already own a Sirrus, don't buy a hybrid! An MTB would be the only logical purchase.

I would consider, however, keeping the Sirrus and putting some good gravel tires on it. Maybe even some drop bars. An MTB, although certainly capable of riding crushed limestone, is going to be less efficient (slower) than a bike that has more of a road orientation.


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## big_papa_nuts (Mar 29, 2010)

Wittgenstein's Ghost said:


> I would consider, however, keeping the Sirrus and putting some good gravel tires on it. Maybe even some drop bars.


Can of worms right there.


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## Wittgenstein's Ghost (Oct 4, 2014)

big_papa_nuts said:


> Can of worms right there.


Yes, I actually posted the drop bars bit without thinking through things. The cost of brifters alone would probably make that unwise.

I do think a hybrid with gravel tires and flat bars would be better for crushed limestone, however.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

Wittgenstein's Ghost said:


> When I posted my response, I think I misunderstood the question. The above advice is correct: If you already own a Sirrus, don't buy a hybrid! An MTB would be the only logical purchase.
> 
> I would consider, however, keeping the Sirrus and putting some good gravel tires on it. Maybe even some drop bars. An MTB, although certainly capable of riding crushed limestone, is going to be less efficient (slower) than a bike that has more of a road orientation.


Sounds like good advice. Temperatures dropped like a rock here so I can't really test ride anything and then there's stupid _work_ to worry 'bout.

Since I really love the Sirrus, I'll just put on bigger tires, probably the 32's they're putting on the 2015 version- after these die off. The 28's specify 115-125 PSI and I usually go to about 110 before rides, which actually doesn't work bad on the limestone trail.

Am pretty concerned about the C1 brakes on the stumpy. The Crave brakes are Shimano Deore and I really prefer to avoid drama of any type. Can't wait to try them both.


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## Wittgenstein's Ghost (Oct 4, 2014)

Champion_Monster said:


> Sounds like good advice. Temperatures dropped like a rock here so I can't really test ride anything and then there's stupid _work_ to worry 'bout.
> 
> Since I really love the Sirrus, I'll just put on bigger tires, probably the 32's they're putting on the 2015 version- after these die off. The 28's specify 115-125 PSI and I usually go to about 110 before rides, which actually doesn't work bad on the limestone trail.
> 
> Am pretty concerned about the C1 brakes on the stumpy. The Crave brakes are Shimano Deore and I really prefer to avoid drama of any type. Can't wait to try them both.


I don't have experience with the C1s, so I can't comment there. However, the Shimano SLX/Deore/XT brake lineup is spectacular. I understand that there isn't a ton of difference between those models, and I ride with SLX myself, but I'v not heard or experienced any legitimate complaints on those brakes.


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## gsa103 (Sep 1, 2014)

Champion_Monster said:


> Since I really love the Sirrus, I'll just put on bigger tires, probably the 32's they're putting on the 2015 version- after these die off. The 28's specify 115-125 PSI and I usually go to about 110 before rides, which actually doesn't work bad on the limestone trail.


115 psi is a LOT of pressure for 28mm tires. That's a typical pressure for a roadie on 23mm tires. How heavy are you? Weight is an important factor, but there's a reasonable chance the 28mm would be fine at 60-70 psi.


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## owensjs (May 21, 2009)

You might want to try some different tires altogether on the Sirrus. The stock tires do work well enough, but they won't perform as well on mixed surfaces as some other tires will. The stock 2015 Sirrus tires are pressure rated for 75-100psi. You might want to consider a more all-around tread (I recently put the 700x35c Michelin Protek Cross tires on my commuter) or even a cyclocross tire that you could run at some lower pressures. It would drastically improve the ride of the Sirrus.


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## 70sSanO (Nov 20, 2013)

You really only have 2 things to do...

1. Find out the largest size cross tire that will fit on you Sirrus.

2 Research cross tires (Google, Forums, etc.) to find the right one for you.

I also agree with the pressure comments above.

John


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

Nice to meet someone from Nebraska. I know the trail you are talking about..only ridden part of it. Going to Beatrice would kill me. I have a cross bike that is perfect for the Rails to Trails and use it for gravel as well. I'd put some better and wider tires on the Sirrus and go from there. Not sure how wide my cross tires are, but they are great for the trails.

If you are wanting to ride through Wilderness, you'll need a mountain bike. Love the park as it's easy and fun. There's no technical stuff other than two ravines. If you want technical you'll have to head to Omaha/Bellevue or even Iowa. Those are still easy enough for a beginner, but there's skill levels for anyone.

Joyride has been awesome to work with. Cycleworks is okay. My friend gets all her stuff from Monkey Wrench.


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

Also nice to meet someone from Nebraska. Couldn't help but notice that there isn't a state specific forum.

I haven't made it to Beatrice yet, but did end up in Princeton one ride. Roca is also a nice stop heading south. I'm just so glad I discovered this great network of bike trails- and biking- given that my favorite outdoor hobby of hiking/climbing Colorado 14ers is practical and safe for exactly 1-2 months out of the year.

I really appreciate all the responses to this thread so far. So much great information and ideas. I'll never forget my first few rides on the Sirrus and the realization of just how far bicycles have come in 21 years since I last owned one. So far, we have been very happy with Joyride. Had some problems with the front tire on my wifes bike and they really took care of us.

The North Jamaica/Homestead trail is the perfect alternative to something like Torreys Peak or Mt. Elbert and the trailhead is just a few miles from home. What a resource!


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## Bethany1 (Jan 18, 2012)

If you are feeling adventurous, the Steamboat Trace is another nice trail. It goes from Nebraska City to Brownville with Peru being halfway. Entire trail runs 25 miles one way.

If you like hiking, Indian Cave has some great trails. Not sure I would take a mountain bike out there as it's pretty much up/down. I've done it once and it was exhausting and sort of scary.


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