Ditching the MTB for full time roading

Since October time I’ve only used my 2010 Orange five about 6 or 7 times and finding myself road riding more and more.

Im doing cat 4 races and having reasonable success there but really fancy a new frame, looking at a Giant TCR Advanced SL.

There is quite a bit of cash tied up in my Five that im hardly using which seems daft as my road bike is made up of second hand parts and a older heavy frame.

Has anyone made the jump permanently? Have you regretted it?

I’ve a 15month old daughter and find MTB just takes too much time, if i ride my local woods a few times a week it costs me about 50 quid a month just on fuel getting there, constant cleaning of the bike, midge bites (grrr). Its a good 45 mins either side of my MTB ride just getting to and from woods plus bike on car etc.

Roading has also allowed me to be much healthier and ditch 4 stone in a year, also im better at it if the truth be known.

I’d miss my mtb mates though – its good craic and fun when i go but I’ve little enthusiasm for it at the moment. Maybe I will decide after this weekends trip to inners.

Decisions decisions

Whatever makes you happy but I reckon you’ll get more joy out of 2 bikes than 1.

Must be somewhere more local than 45m drive away?

Its about 25 mins drive but 10 mins fannying on at either end.

How many posts on here about people switching to road?! Any how many from roadies switching to off road?

I’ve got that Giant and love it.

There were some 2011 spec’d versions going super cheap.

What you saying Damo – once they’ve had tarmac they never go back?

Similar situation to you mate. I now don’t ride my MTB “that” much because it lives at my parents in Nottingham, and I live in London. I just don’t have room for 3 bikes down here, plus the MTBing isn’t great down here…

I do still love MTBing though! Makes getting out on the MTB even better when I do. I’ll still be doing the main 24hr races as well, which will be good!

My advise would be to sell the 5, and maybe get a cheap SS Inbred or something, so you still get to ride off road!

Actually I had 2 mtbs, bought 2 road bikes, now thinking about another mtb.

What you saying Damo – once they’ve had tarmac they never go back?

Seems to be the case…

I jumped the other way, don’t burn your bridges and keep both bikes. I still flirt with the darkside but getting muddy is so much fun!

Heathen! I think you should be banned from here! :p

Dont’ be selling your MTB I think you may well regret it. Myself and mr MC have been doing more road riding just for that very reason, however there is NO WAY I woudl get rid of my MTB as going out on that once every 3 months still makes me grin like a complete loon and child which is something I don’t get from road riding, both very different disciplines and use them in different ways. As suggested if you need the cash still get a cheaper MTB.

M_C – I reckon there should be a DT road jaunt at some point… just don’t tell Trimix!

I’ve pretty much given up mtb’ing for the road now.Can’t remember the last time I rode it anywhere else than my local loop as a ‘recovery’ spin.I have bought a more grrr mtb than my ss scandal 29er to mess about on for fun but it’ll get used only when I’m not in training mode.
I’ve got a giant TCR Sl isp.It’s pretty special tbh.Was worried it was going to be a race day only bike but I’ve put in 500k in the last 10 days on it’s more comfortable than my Kenesis!! (it’s definately not for pootling around on though).

Keep the MTB for the summer, you’ll feel different on dry and dusty trails (do they ever get dry and dusty?).

Rorschach – its ok dont worry – i dont pootle anywhere

I’ve gone from mtb to road and back to mtb with occasional road touring. Mtbing is just inherently more fun IMO. Road riding becomes about going faster and longer all the time rather than just getting out and going for a good ride for the sheer fun of it.

Edit: Rorsach’s post above makes my point perfectly!

I havent ridden my mtb much at all recently. Living in a new flat with no outside storage space means a muddy bike is a bit of a hassle. I gave it to my mate to use, I may never ask for it back.

I did buy a new road frame though, gone is the light carbon fibre thing. The new one is steel with a slack headangle (to remind me of the good old days)

I’ve ridden my MTB twice this year – once in the snow and once on amazingly dry trails. Road and track makes up most of my riding – just done a crit race tonight, I’m track riding tomorrow. I still like MTB but road is just easier. Far less faffing, less cleaning of the bike and kit required.

I live within a few minutes ride of some great trails on the edge of the Peak District though and I’m loathe to get rid of the MTB cos once summer comes (will it ever?) and the trails dry out, it’s great for a blast in the evenings.

Hmmmm, I suspect your roadie choice will be a good move for you, but you will miss mtb’s, you will, but you can always come back, it’s not illegal to swap/change y’know.
Variety and all that.
Some roadies are actually quite nice people too ..

I go back and forth at least once a year, presently I’m keen on the road stuff, first run in with a carist twunt and I’ll be back on the mtb.

This time last year, I was advised to give up mtb (apparently I’m crap at DH and apparently your body doesn’t ever really “toughen up” to hitting trees).

I started a thread on here about it I think.

I’ve not done any serious MTB since that accident last year, focussing on giving my upper body some rest from impact and getting out and enjoying other hobbies that had fallen by the wayside due to constantly being away on the bikes.

Putting the bikes in the shed for a year has given me a completely fresh outlook on riding. There was a time over the winter when I was glad that I wasn’t out getting cold and wet on the bikes (instead i was getting cold and wet climbing), but now that the decent weather has started coming in, I’m absolutely BUZZING about getting back on the bikes. Every time I’m out in the hills I’m planning routes and visualising nailing sections, just like I used to.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that maybe you don’t have to “ditch” mtb completely. As others have pointed out, get a cheaper hardtail and wait for that day when you feel like tearing up some forest trails. It might not be for a while, but at least when it does, you’ll be able to jump on your bike and go. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing.

Road riding sucks balls though 😉

I just mix it up on the same bike. I always have fast summer tyres on bike and just ride out from home on the road to the trails, do the trails and then home. Both the Mendips and Ashton Court are within a 45-60 minute range of home for me which helps.

Yes Yes TSY .. Trimix will have a fit!

I’d rather kill myself.

Don’t get sucked into thinking you have to have an state of the art expensive bike to do road!

I won my first race (always the bridesmaid!) last year on my 16 year old raleigh dyna-tec titanium! Although I had updated most of the parts since then!

Keep the MTB and upgrade gradually.

Wow ..you mean like ..just 1 bike ……………….how odd….. 😐

Boo!!
You’ll miss the fat tyres,mud and those midges too much 😉 !

After years of obsessing about mtb I’m doing much more road these days. But when I do ride the mtb I still love it.
I would break the Five up and swap as much as you can to a hardtail so you can still mtb when you want to. Use what you’ve made from the sale to buy a nicer road.
I find road makes me fitter and stronger for the mtb but handling skills from mtb help you go faster on the road so riding both can make both more enjoyable…

Current road bike isnt bad – mostly ultegra, Ksyrium elites, just built on a heavy bianchi Via nirone frame. I may just buy the TCR Adv frameset and not SL but move stuff over and keep the five. If later in year im still not using it sell five then.

Keep bianchi frame to use in the winter with my training wheels on.

It’s a bit like dumping an exciting nympho totty for a predictable, straight laced kinda wifey type.
If you have both you’ll never get bored….

It’s a bit like dumping an exciting nympho totty for a predictable, straight laced kinda wifey type.
If you have both you’ll never get bored….

Im suprised you get time to ride any of your bikes!

keep the mtb, i ride mtb less now i have a road bike but enjoy the mtb riding i do a lot more than when it was every weekend, it became a bit of a chore especially in the winter clag, now i just wait till it’s dry/cold in the winter for mtb. being a lot fitter (from road riding) means mtb is more enjoyable too.

Sell your orange( no big loss lol ) free up some cash, get a good hardtail 1000 poudish and use the rest on a roadbike simples

Sell your orange( no big loss lol ) free up some cash, get a good hardtail 1000 poudish and use the rest on a roadbike simples

I concur

I can ride to work on road or off road. One of those options makes me feel great no matter what the weather or the conditions one of them is tedious.

Actually went the other way myself for really the same reasons as you, the best riding from my door is off road and I found myself taking my road bike off road more and more. I didn’t actually ditch the road bike I just bent it riding off road too much.

What did you ride over winter through the snow and dark nights?
I think I was the only one in our club to be able to train all winter because I had my mountainbike.
Though I do only have a very cheap old hard tail now. That said I use it for a midweek night ride, to ease off tired legs and xc racing.

What;s reasonable success in road racing? selling up and putting it all into an SL is a big step.
I’d down grade the MTB.
Move good parts onto a new frame.
Use remaining cash to turn the current road bike into a trainer.

Ladders winning a road race outright makes you the Bride not the bridesmaid.

I can see the attraction of road.
2nd hand bikes are worth a lot less than their really worth.
You’d lose alot of dough selling it.
I’d keep the 5 and slowly save to upgrade the roadie.
Downgrading to a cheaper mtb is never good – you won’t like it after being used to a quality bike.

Hugor I think I agree. It would kill me riding a lesser MTB when I do actually want to.

When I think about it I probably won’t make much selling say the frame and picking up a hardtail frame I’d probably only pocket 400-500 max from that.

The more I think about it going all out for an SL full bike at 3.5k is a bit mad. Even 2.5k SL frame only is eye watering. The standard TCR Adv 2 would be same spec(less wheels) as me just getting a frame and moving road parts over. That would be about 1400 option then keep old frame for winter build.