Hi all, I’m in a bit of a dilemma of sorts..
I sold my cube ltd hard tail bike just before xmas which I used for my daily commute and a few trails at QECP, to raise some funds to buy a full Suspension bike in order to “do more” trail riding and use for work like I did the HT, well I’ve used the trigger3 on the trails twice since I’ve had it but I do use it for a daily commute.
I didn’t realise how tough it would be to ride on the road I knew it would be harder than my HT but it’s either I’m so unfit or it really is that hard, the forks are locked out and the rear shock sort of locked out but obviously still some “play” in it so that’s where all my energy is going I reckon, the bloke I work with rides a boardman mx and he just flies along.
Since buying the trigger my hours at work have changed so I could only now ride on a early Sunday morning but I still have work Sunday PM and I don’t see a lot of my wife n daughter during the week so I spend time with them when I’m not at work.
The bloke I go to QECP with goes on a Wednesday night aswell which I used to do with him as well as a Sunday, he has now given up on asking me if I’m going with him and I feel like shit for that..
I had all new gear to go with for presents at xmas that are just sat in the cupboard pads/gloves etc
I just don’t know whether to just sell the trigger and get a decent hybrid (don’t like racers) my wife would do her nut as I “had” to have this trigger..
It’s a lot of bike just to commute with and wasted on the road, admittedly I’m crap on the trails anyway at 45 and a bit overweight doesn’t help I suppose, the last time I went I thought I was gonna have a heart attack (family history) but got that checked and was all ok just me being unfit I think.
The trigger owes me quite a bit of money as it has Thomson carbon bars, Thomson stem, reverb,vault Brendog pedals, and hans damps tyres, I’m never gonna get my money back I know that..
Sell or keep using????
Sorry for the long story
Cheers,Paul

I would never advise selling your only MTB, especially with (hopefully) dry trails and light nights just round the corner, but for a road commute, a hybrid is much more enjoyable.

I picked up a cheap hybrid and the difference in tyres really is noticeable compare to my MTB. Are you able to find a cheap commuter that you could put some hybrid tyres on and keep the MTB for good?

If you’re so unfit you felt you’ve had a heart attack, I would advise sticking with it and try and ride a bit more over summer.

If you can get away with it, go N+1, but go cheap. Save the trigger for what it’s made for, and put the commuting miles on something cheap but functional. Even a battered hybrid with skinny tyres is going to be better on the road than a FS.

As above really… a cheap hybrid or hardtail is the answer.

The issue isn’t really the bike, though the geometry plays a role.

It is the tyres that are the issue, so you can either get a second set of wheels which means you have to factor in the cost of; wheels, tyres and cassette.

Or pick up a cheap second hand hybrid or ht and get some fast rolling tyres on it.

As for the 45, overweight and unfit bit…. never has there been a better set of reasons for keeping the mountain bike!! Riding it will help to lift your spirits too, once over the first few ‘unfit’ rides.

Dare I say it, sounds like a job change could be called for… you only live once.

I’ve been at the sharp end of this sort of dilemma before. It feels odd to have an expensive MTB and yet hardly use it for its intended purpose.

The good news is that it sounds as if you are commuting by bike (can you do more?) and it’s coming up to the summer. On the commuting front, you have the best possible platform of regular or more regular exercise. As others have said, you will also have dry trails and evening light within the next few weeks to look forward to.

I’d suggest that you keep the Trigger and use it more as the spring gets into its stride. I’d hope that, with work sounding so pressured, you might have funds for another bike (or at least the moral cause to do so)?

In my recent experience it’s better to have the right tool for the job. Over Christmas, I gave in and built-up a third bike; I now have a MTB, hybrid and roadie. I use each of them at least once a week (50+ times a year, I tell myself!), so it feels justified – even if it means that my family have to deal with too many bikes living in the house.

If it’s a commute bike, a cheap hybrid will ride better on the road than an MTB. It’s what I used (cheap as chips Kona Dew) for my mixed commute of towpaths and roads until the CX revolution made me realise drop bars would fit through the motorbike gates on the cycle paths better than flat bars.

As Ben H said, I also have a road bike, an MTB and a commuter.

Thanks for all the replies
Ref the lighter evenings coming, I now work from 2pm until about 1-2am sun/thurs so only have Friday Saturday night with the family, I used to work from 3am until 1pm I done that for 25yrs but that changed 8weeks ago when I was asked if a fancied doin the late shift, it’s just over £100 a week more so couldn’t really turn that down so that’s the evening rides out of the question..
They do a cycle to work scheme at work which I think starts next month so I may look into that for the hybrid, I’m just worried that the FS is just gonna gather dust in the shed, it will probably bug me the amount of money that’s just sat there I expect…