Are roadbikes the new STW niche?

Single speeds, 29ers and rigid ego chariots make way, is everyone road curious these days ❓

Road is taking over….mtb’ing has had its day in the sun.
Its too expensive to drive to go riding anymore.People have ‘done’ everywhere.3000 people at the cheshire cat sportive today and roadbike sales will exceed mtb sales at ours for the first time this year.
Its the next big fad y’know.

definately noticed a bias towards roadietrackworld recently

What road bike for, Look at my new bike, Road bikes are awesome

Its the start of summer.

are there any road bike forums?

http://road.cc/%5B/url%5D

It’s getting popular again, but the recent upsurge does coincide with the good weather, in the same way everyone on here bought a 4X4 when it snowed.
I feel a bit of an imposter on here now not owning a mountainbike.

Passing fad. Wait until summer is truly upon us and the negative posts will start.

I buckled my rim trying some ‘big-air’ 67 miles into an epic 100 miler.

That said, I did buy a hardtail after last summers fad.

Sportives are golfing for cyclists. It’s the new mid life thing. Why pay to ride a route you could do for free with your mates?

I feel a bit of an imposter on here now not owning a mountainbike.

I wouldn’t worry about that.

However, you gave your age away the other day:
Middle-aged git more like 🙂

Why pay to ride a route you could do for free with your mates?

Because you have none? A lot of people don’t like joining clubs, and it’s not as necessary to be in a group on the road, less danger and remoteness for a start, and anyone can spot a quiet road on a map so doesn’t need as much local knowledge. Sportive let you go on a big group ride without having to race.

It’s a bit like saying “Why pay to do the London marathon when you could go for a jog round with your mates?” .

Unsure about roadies being the new niche, however I firmly believe that CX is the new XC. I really like mine, it’s like what biking used to be like before it got bouncy

partyboy – Member
http://road.cc/

thanks, but i was taking the piss

Its because conventional 26 inch mtb’s are a **** rip off at the moment.

Suspension forks for example are insanely expensive at the moment. A decent set of 100mm shockers costs £550-700. That is barking mad considering you could probably have yourself built a 29er frame in steel with a pretty paint job for the same money OR a carbon road frame and fork which won’t wear out in 18 months.

I’m thinkin about throwing my hat in with ‘conventional’ mtb. Big old money pit which I get little pleasure from.

thanks, but i was taking the piss

I wasnt answering your question, just so happened my timing was coincidental to your attempt at humour.

I feel a bit of an imposter on here now not owning a mountainbike

I’ve still got one…but I’ve got 4 road bikes now.And the vast majority of my miles are on road.And most of my races are road races.And I don’t own a single item of baggy cycling clothing or a rucksack.
But I started as a mountainbiker and I’ll always be a mountainbiker at heart.

I reckon it’s a number of clear factors that have pushed this forwards.

Look how awesome the Tour was last year. I had people I had pegged as staunch anti-cyclists talking to me about how interesting the race was. They were talking then about buying a roadbike. We’ve been splendid at track cycling for ages and while that’s not really a regular option for most people unless you live near a track, the bikes look like road bikes, sorted.

Cyclescheme and in particular, Boardman have made quality bikes available to the masses. And it makes financial sense. Petrol so expensive, buying a bike for a short commute is a no brainer.

I think the last one is most pertinant though. Road cycling is the new niche for non-cyclists. It might have been motorbikes or sports cars before but the amount of fat, wealthy blokes you see nowadays riding around slowly on 4 grand carbon monstrosities is astounding.

I don’t mind though. More bikes is always good and some of these guys even want to try and race. Until they realise it’s not about the kit or the bike.

Most MTB’s are costly, way too expensive. Not many newbies are going to be happy with a steel HT with some old Z1’s and XT brakes bolted on when Giant/Trek/Boardman give them nice looking road bikes for 550 quid.
I like road bikes but won’t buy one. I want a fatbike and a tandem, and a 29er rigid, and a cargo bike, and a Pompino with SS CX setup. Proper roadie stuff – thanks, been there, done that, got the t-shirt too many times. Most of us here love bikes but are too old at heart or too vain to ignore the fashion. I don’t care, bikes are bikes. BTW if they keep roading we’ll be seeing “do you shave your bum?” threads again 🙂

seeing “do you shave your bum?”

Yes 😆

Road bikes are the original 29ers, the naysayers are buying then to enter the niche by the back door so the evangelists don’t have the oportunity to say “I told you so”

Any MTBers left here?, today the bike forum looks like the ‘new riders’ section of a road forum 😯

Partboy – proudly, I’ve never owned a road bike, nor have no intention of ever doing so, unless it has an engine of course.

Roadbikes are boring.

dont worry im still keeping the faith

roadbiking is dull imho

I do think the price of petrol is a big part of it. I used to go mountain biking on my own quite a bit but I won’t often drive up to the Lakes from Lancaster now without someone to share petrol with – whereas I can ride my road bike from the door.

I do think the price of petrol is a big part of it. I used to go mountain biking on my own quite a bit but I won’t often drive up to the Lakes from Lancaster now without someone to share petrol with – whereas I can ride my road bike from the door.

This.^

So far this year I’ve done quite a lot more road (and turbo trainer) miles than mountain bikes ones, but given the choice MTB is still my preference (and with good weather at the weekend it was the mountain bikes that were used). I enjoy road riding as well but mainly see it as a convenient way of helping with fitness.

My wife is also more interested in road riding than off-road so when we’re out together it’s on the road bikes mostly.

Maybe the mods should consider splitting the Bike forum into MTB and Road ❓

Maybe the mods should consider splitting the Bike forum into MTB and Road

It’s going to rain from Wednesday so the forum will self right itself.

I wonder if perhaps the demographic on here is relevant. 10 years ago I wouldn’t have even considered a road bike, now as I’m older and have less time due to family and work stuff the idea of riding out if the door and not having to piss about with cleaning stuff just to ride seems pretty appealing.

Picked up my giant tcr alliance on Saturday. How fast do road bikes go!?!?

I jumped on the bandwagon just before it became a bandwagon (I like to think…) mostly because of bike-to-work.

I would definitely second the ‘MTB is too expensive’ comments. I was getting sick of being played for a mug constantly replacing expensive kit, especially when I wasn’t really riding all that much.

CX gives me my slip-sliding off-road buzz, and my £500 CX bike is faster than any MTB I’ve ever ridden, just have to avoid the bigger rocks and roots, which co-incidentally means less needlessly expensive replacement parts, win!

Getting a bit worried about the recent trend for turning roadbikes and CX bikes in MTBs though, leave the lazy geometry and disc brakes on MTBs thanks, CX and Road bikes should be quiet, uncomplicated and sharp handling.

Roadbikes are boring.

Then you’re doing it wrong, or you must be some super-cranked adrenaline hero, you should audition for the next XXX film 8)

Personally, I don’t get the ‘its summer so time to get on the road bike’ thang. I mean, when it’s summer now is the BEST time for mountainbiking – long days, dry trails, enjoying the luxurious greenery of the hills… Isn’t winter the better time for being on the road, and save the off-road stuff for when the weather is better? Unless you’re touring, of course, in which case summertime is nice for pottering from place to place 🙂

I wonder if perhaps the demographic on here is relevant. 10 years ago I wouldn’t have even considered a road bike, now as I’m older and have less time due to family and work stuff the idea of riding out if the door and not having to piss about with cleaning stuff just to ride seems pretty appealing.

Exactly same here. Primarily a quick way of getting more exercise in.

Picked up my giant tcr alliance on Saturday. How fast do road bikes go!?!?

Tell me about it!

Partboy – proudly, I’ve never owned a road bike, nor have no intention of ever doing so, unless it has an engine of course.

Roadbikes are boring.

Why are you proud of not owning a road bike and how do you know it’s boring?

i must admit that i would love one of these unfortunately there is no way that i can afford one at present (have to pay off some tickets,pay entry fee for erlstoke 12 hour,buy a guitar/amp.but will get one before the end of next year (hopefully!)

Personally, I don’t get the ‘its summer so time to get on the road bike’ thang. I mean, when it’s summer now is the BEST time for mountainbiking – long days, dry trails, enjoying the luxurious greenery of the hills… Isn’t winter the better time for being on the road, and save the off-road stuff for when the weather is better? Unless you’re touring, of course, in which case summertime is nice for pottering from place to place

Night time road riding is borderline insanity.

Night time MTB in the mud is fun (as long as its SS to avoid mud related problems).

Which is why my road bike rarely sees the light of day over the winter. It’s not an either/or situation. I do as much mountainbiking in the summer as I do winter, I just ride on the road as well.

Just bought a Genesis Day 1 SS drop handle, can’t wait for it to arrive. I’m sick of commuting on my MTB and having to maintain it. I will always love mountain biking but can feel the pull for some road action now and again. Must admit I am a bit worried about going SS, just hope its ok for the winday days crossing the Tay bridge! A few years ago the thought of owning a road bike would have never crossed my mind.
The way I see it time spent on a bike is time well spent who cares if its road or trail. Its all good.

NIght road riding with off road lights is fun and called commuting in the winter

Any MTBers left here?

Me! My ‘road’ bike that I commute to work on every day has 2.0″ slick tyres (comfy, pothole munchers) and will accept up to 2.7″ tyres. It’s my camping bike: take off the mudguards and put on knobblies, and bikepacking, STW’s other niche, is ready for me!

Ah yes, forgot about night riding…

I’m a bit of a convert recently.

I still see myself a DH rider & racer though, however due to ever increasing transport, riding & racing costs we’re having to be a bit more picky with what & we do.

Living in Southampton means a distinct lack of decent hills too, so it makes it even harder. Been riding a lot more XC of late & I have finally taken the plunge & bought a decent road bike in a bit to commute (40 mile round trip) and use it as my main means to get fit. It taske as long to ride as it does to drive anyway.

I expect now the weather is improving however I will be riding a lot more MTB at the weekends & leave the road for the weekdays.

I just enjoy riding bikes, however I can still say I enjoy riding some more than others 🙂