Mountain biking is a dying sport – the introduction of 650b wheels proves that. Get out while you can and get yourself a road bike.

Buy a road bike, it makes the road come alive under your wheels.

I use a road bike for my commute, as it’s a lot quicker than my FS. But saying that I don’t enjoy riding it half as much, never had the feeling of the miles flying by on it.

Probably because you’re riding it more through necessity than choice.

I used to love going out for long Sunday morning road rides (60+ miles) on nice country lanes. Now the only time I really get to ride my road bike is commuting 17 miles on fast A/B roads and getting buzzed by cars doing 30-70mph. It’s monotonous, sometimes scary, and almost always boring.

Buy a road bike, it makes the road come alive under your wheels.

We have a winner 😀

And… there are less expensive bits to wear out.

hahah… you’re doing road bikes wrong then surely? 😉

weeksy – Member

The ONLY reason to choose a road bike is for speed. However does it actually matter ? If you do 2 hours and complete 25 miles or 35 miles, does it make any difference ? yes it does, for the same reason I never stick with running. Doing 2 miles down the road then 2 miles back every day is boring. Being able to ride 100+ miles without really much effort allows for an almost limitless choice of routes. Dont underestimate how valuable comfort and variety are for motivation on long rides.

I was gunna point that out as well atlaz, but then he also said:

5thElefant
I ride welsh mountains. Road bikes aren’t much faster on steep climbs

🙄 😉

If you do 2 hours and complete 25 miles or 35 miles, does it make any difference ?

Yes. Depending on your FS bike there could be more than 10 miles difference for starters, but otherwise how far you ride affects your choices of where to go.

As you increase the distance from your house, you include more possibilities of nice places to ride. For a 10 mile ride, I have about half a dozen lanes I can use. For 20 miles I have some nice flat blasts along the coast or a couple of classic hills. For 50 miles I have loads of choice, including some lovely peaceful Monmouthshire countryside and at least one UK classic route. For 80 or 90 miles I have a choice of a several epic UK classic climbs or a lovely ramble through the Forest of Dean.

yes it does, for the same reason I never stick with running. Doing 2 miles down the road then 2 miles back every day is boring. Being able to ride 100+ miles without really much effort allows for an almost limitless choice of routes. Dont underestimate how valuable comfort and variety are for motivation on long rides

you’re assuming people have that sort of time spare though. 100+ miles and that’s 4 hours of your day, likely 5, maybe even 6.

That’s probably about 3 days a year i have 5 hours for a ride.

For me, my rides are an hour or so generally and durning my ‘lunch hour’. So to think that doing it on a MTB or a road bike, it’s pretty irrelevent.

Yes. Depending on your FS bike there could be more than 10 miles difference for starters

But why does 10 miles matter ? why does that make you fitter ?

Surely 2 hours ay 85% MHR is 2 hours, the distance you travel is of little importance isn’t it ?

almost certainly true.

but riding a mtb on the road is crap and demoralising – like eating soup with a fork.

you’re assuming people have that sort of time spare though. 100+ miles and that’s 4 hours of your day, likely 5, maybe even 6.

That’s probably about 3 days a year i have 5 hours for a ride.

For me, my rides are an hour or so generally and durning my ‘lunch hour’. So to think that doing it on a MTB or a road bike, it’s pretty irrelevent.

Even our ‘steady’ (aka slow 16mph) group does ~80miles on a Sunday morning. And that’s pretty average all over the country.

And in an hour you could still cover 5-10miles more on the road bike, infact it probably makes even more sense on shorter rides, as there’s less options (limited number of roads and junctions within a 5 mile radius) so being able to get a little bit further expands that.

But why does 10 miles matter ? why does that make you fitter ? Surely 2 hours ay 85% MHR is 2 hours, the distance you travel is of little importance isn’t it ?

Because riding the same few roads every day would be boring. A road bike gives you more options, more motivation and more likley to actualy ride for 2 hours. That and there’s no comprimise between picking a gear that doesn’t spin out (52t) and doesn’t hit the ground (22+32 double+bash).

but riding a mtb on the road is crap and demoralising – like eating soup with a fork.

Couldn’t put it better, riding on the road on a road bike is fun, doing on a FS with draggy tyres and bobby suspension is purgatory.

Get a cheap Alu Road bike. End of. Hit the roads. Out the door for a spin and back. Quick clean. Job done.

Get a cheap Alu Road bike. End of. Hit the roads. Out the door for a spin and back. Quick clean. Job done.

If it’s lucky I’ll strip and clean the chain once a month. Other than that it stays as it is untill something comes loose or it gets a bit of love arround Easter. Keeping it clean this time of year is just a loosing battle.

But why does 10 miles matter ? why does that make you fitter ?

Cos of what I said in my post. It won’t make you any fitter, but it’ll be more enjoyable because you’ll get to see more stuff and you’ll have the option of going to more nice places.

For me, my rides are an hour or so generally and durning my ‘lunch hour’. So to think that doing it on a MTB or a road bike, it’s pretty irrelevent.

You just have more choice of route.

Admittedly the difference is less if you are on a rigid 29er with 23c slicks, but if you are on a 32lb trail bike the difference is huge.

I can’t understand why so many folk buy themselves a race bike when what they’re actually looking for is a ‘road’ bike! There are so many other options that are safer (better handling, braking, tyre grip), more comfortable and almost as fast. If you’re not actually racing regularly, a proper race frame with great rigidity, steeper angles and drop bars is more of a hindrance than a help. Most roadies spend 90% of their time up on the hoods anyway, so why not get a bike that’s actually built around that more comfortable upright position?
A CX, a proper fast hybrid like the Boardman, a steel 29er with faster wheels; all sorts of ways of being just as fast as the roadies and all capable of staying in their fast group, yet with lots of other plusses. And much less back-ache…
My ‘Road’ 29er has a narrow flat bar, longish flipped stem and a pair of old skool bar ends. That latter position is longer and lower than many road bikes on the hoods and with good wheels (Hope & Mavic Open Pro) and some relatively porky 28mm tyres, it’s fast enough to do everything short of full on racing. You do get some funny looks at sportive events mind…

I have two ‘road bikes’
Boardman Sports hybrid, flat bars/bar ends, 28c tyres, hydro disc brakes, 50/36 compact on a 9 speed mtb 11-32 cassette.

MEKK Potenza SL5.0 carbon road bike with MEKK’s ‘endurance’ geometry. Compact drop bars, compact 50/34 chainset on a 11-28 10speed set up.

The Boardman is comfy, reasonably quick but doesn’t accelerate fast. Low gearing is great for hills and bigger tyres means all day comfort, rode the C2C in a day on it.

The MEKK isn’t a ‘race’ bike, it has a shorter top tube and taller head tube than the racebred versions that MEKK offer, its designed for longer distances and a little more comfort than a race bike.
Its MUCH quicker than the Boardman as it weighs a lot less, the gearing is slightly taller but still gets me up hills. Its completely different and actually more comfortable than the Boardman – maybe due to the damping effects of the carbon frame.

I never used to like drop barred bikes but actually riding one was a revelation – drop bars don’t necessarily denote race bike.