[Closed] Just joined the "dark side"... Anyone coming 🙂

Welcome I was turned some time ago.

Stumpy FSR will still be "Sunday Best" though...

You say that now...........

I've spent the odd lunchtime looking at shiny road bikes recently.

I'm contemplating commuting in London and initially thought that some slicks and locking out the suspension on the FS would be fine. But recently I've been contemplating something made of carbon to get to work on...I'll be saving money on train fares afterall.

Will I need clothing made from lycra, and do I have to shave my legs?

For commuting in London I would prefer a mountain bike with some decently wide tyres and disk brakes to help me avoid all those opening car doors and pedestrians stepping out onto the road 🙂

hmmm...so I can't by a new toy then?

I was turned briely but soon came back, not keen on road riding proper but might get a flat bar bike just to pootle round the back lanes on soon.

Ive joined. No bianchi or anything as nice but its doing me for now.

Got some bibs on their way and some spd's. Did 42 mile on Sunday - it was actually quite good fun.

You will be shaving your legs next 😆

But recently I've been contemplating something made of carbon to get to work on

I have a road bike with carbon forks & stays. I wouldnt recommend carbon for commuting through the winter you will wreck it. OK for summer though.

Mine has delaminated on the rear stays and looks crappy. I am looking for a new commuter and looking at something CX with discs, bit heavier but built for the wet.

I joined a few years ago - surprisingly enjoyable in a masochistic kind of way - can be very fast - cars are hard & scary sometimes (always hard tho!- avoid)

Already there.

You soon be swapping your Stumpy FSR for a plastic framed roadie as your Sunday best.

Be warned, there's not going back once pain has become your friend.

yep.. it happens to us all (shaved legs as well)

Weirdly i prefer road racing to mountain bike racing.. But given the choice of a mountain bike weekend or road riding weekend, the mountain bike weekend would win hands down every time.

aah yes, the road bike for training purposes idea.

I did that 2 years ago. I now own no MTBs and 4k worth of road bike!

Cancel the order right now!

Seriously, step away from the road bike. It just gets far too expensive. Can't just have one set of gear as pretty much nothing from the world of mtbing can be used. Tyres and tubes are different sizes, clothing and shoes has to be different, can't even wear the same style of helmet. Only thing I actually share is glasses, possibly socks!

Even the training gets difficult, I've been doing loads of road training for the Etape Caledonia and now this weekend I'm riding 10 under the Ben. Not even sure I can remember how to ride off-road!

Apart from the cost side, you're probably going to end up loving it. I bought a cheap roadie for commuting and am now a member of a club and my roadie actually costs more than any of my mtbs - something's not right there!

Legs still remain un-shaven though - no plans to do that yet!!

Legs still remain un-shaven though - no plans to do that yet!!

Wait until you start racing and riding with a club.

I shall be joining you on the darkside this week. The commute is the justification I'm using.

May the lord have mercy on my soul. Take me down.

stevemtb- that's why the Crank Bros pedals- so I can use my shoes (I've got Candies on my MTB) and I've no intention (or cash) to have a "road only" helmet or gear. Already spend WAAAAY too much on MTB gear and don't ride anything like enough to justify it!

You'll spot me, I'll be the idiot at the back in boardies or 3/4 Camo Enduras and a mud splattered helmet 😉 I will wear my lycra ST jersey though (... mind you I do love the look of those retro Brooks wool ones...)

Stumpy FSR will still be "Sunday Best" though...

Legs still remain un-shaven though - no plans to do that yet!!

Wait until you start racing and riding with a club.

Already do (ride with a club, not much racing) and it still ain't happening! Also play five-a-sides a few times a week and the (fully justified) abuse I'd get from them (and my mtb buddies) more than cancels out any club related abuse!

Kevtoo - just keep a careful eye on what you start looking at online! All very easy to get into buying road gear too..... Think I started with the Aldi stuff and it's spiralled from there.

^^^ Don't footballers shave their legs? I teach English at a Spanish club and most of the players seem to do it.

Already do (ride with a club, not much racing) and it still ain't happening!

Don't worry. I said exactly the same thing! i used to turn up to club rides and TT's the only one with hairy legs and i said I'll never shave my legs.

I started riding a lot more this year and took up racing and now have shaved legs. It just feels right in lycra. Having hair poking out of lycra is not a good look.

nope 😉 🙂 good luck to you if you enjoy road riding,but i'll always love/need mountain biking in my life (have never enjoyed riding on the road)

Well said racefaceec90.

yep - whenever I have to cross a road I think "what's the point of this tarmac stuff?" and whenever I am down near Leith Hill or Boxhill I just feel pity for all the misguided people riding road bikes 🙄

I just feel pity for all the misguided people riding road bikes

You do realise you just come off like a ****, saying stuff like that?

I say all cycling is good. I think to really enjoy road riding you have to be fit. That's part of the appeal to me.. as i've got fitter I enjoy it more which led me to have a go at racing.

I always need mountain biking in my life.. There's nothing like descending a technical rocky trail thinking a 100 miles an hour but i also enjoy going out for a spin on a smooth tarmacked road in the countryside

About to cross the floor myself. Cannondale road bike on order via C2W.

I've crossed the other way from road to mtb. miles for the sake of miles was becoming very boring.

tip for road. make sure the bike fits, it will knacker your body otherwise.

Just bought a road bike...

Nothing dark about it, consider yourself enlightened.

Keep the mountain bike for social rides with your fat mates 😉

jamie, yr nr Pbog aren't you? Are you in either of the local road clubs?

Nice bike, good choice. I think you'll find lots of us already there!

Perhaps they should change this forum and connected mag name to Tarmac Magazine. 🙂

Once I get the ok from the Docters I plan to buy a road bike to get my strength and fitness levels up before I attempt off-road again

I bought a road(ish) bike for commuting on, as the rate at which I destroyed mtb parts was astonishing...

I now own a charge plug, nice n simple and pretty darn quick

already there... great for building your cardio...

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jamie, yr nr Pbog aren't you? Are you in either of the local road clubs?

No mate. I'm a lone, lycra clad, wolf.

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I haven't seen any lone half cyclist/half wolf roadie types lurking around the lanes. Where do you ride mostly?

Having not ridden any of my bikes since New Year I finally ordered some road shoes and pedals as I know I MUST start riding again... and the road bike seemed the best way to start again...

It's a bottle thing after a couple of spills last year dented my confidence and I started to find any excuse NOT to ride 🙁

Does that count ?

boblo - Member
I haven't seen any lone half cyclist/half wolf roadie types lurking around the lanes. Where do you ride mostly?

Usually start of from P'boro and can be anywhere in and around this area:

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...even tho of late more likely on the P'boro side of things as doing shorter rides due to time constraints.

More than likely have a Planet-X jersey on.

I'm a bit concerned with this thread as I've been just been persuaded into doing a TT next week. The borrowed road bike will be here tomorrow to get some miles and practice on. I really don't want to become one of those lycra boys slip streaming each other across Dartmoor, passing perfectly good trails without a second thought. But by the sounds of it, hopping on a road bike is like taking a hit of some class a drug !!!! I may have to tell them I'll give it a miss!

@bitemebryn

You know you can do both, right?

Weirdly i prefer road racing to mountain bike racing.. But given the choice of a mountain bike weekend or road riding weekend, the mountain bike weekend would win hands down every time.

Riding on the road is nowhere near as much fun as riding off road, unless you are no good at it of course.

Oh look tarmac, a car, more tarmac, a lorry, a bus......boring!