Had a meeting down the road this morning and was planning to go on the cross/commuter, but noticed a cracked chain plate as I was giving it the once over.

So a last minute change of plans saw me grab the good (It’s all relative, believe me!) road bike and set off over the back lanes. This is it’s first outing this year, and I’d forgotten just what a pleasure riding a skinny-tyred lightweight road bike can be – even when dressed in meeting atire rather than bike-specific getup.

I might take it out for another spin tonight 😀

Yes they are – I’ve really enjoyed having one and it is easily my most used bike. It’s also the only bike that I’ve left stock.

I’m feeling guilty at the mo because I haven’t been out on it for a while.

I recently got my first road bike, I was amazed by the speed of the thing. Awesome for munching the miles, but not as much fun as ripping dusty trails (or, being in the UK, getting covered in mud).

cx bikes with road tyres are even more ace

If there’s one thing better than a riding a road bike …. It’s riding a road bike in a small group at speed.

This little know fact is new to me and I’m loving it…. In fact I’ve binned the midweek MTB racing (@beastways) to get a fast group ride in.

cx bikes with road tyres are even more ace

I disagree, they’re worse in every conceivable way 😕

oh no no no, they are ace as you can take the road tyres off

GET OFF MY FORUM!

danielgroves – Member
I recently got my first road bike, I was amazed by the speed of the thing. Awesome for munching the miles, but notjust as much fun as ripping dusty trails (or, being in the UK, getting covered in mud).

…leaving me with a quandary, a winter road bike or Kinesis FF29…. 😐

…leaving me with a quandary, a winter road bike or Kinesis FF29….

go crazy and get a kinesis crosslight pro6 (with spare road tyres or fat cx/xc tyres)

cx bikes with road tyres are even more ace

Works for me – no room in my shed for a MTB, winter commuter, summer commuter, and delicate road bike. Much as I’d like them.

So instead it is MTB (doubling as deep winter commuter with snow tyres) and CX bike (doubling as summer commuter and road bike with a pair of 28c Conti GP 4 Seasons on).

Okay it’s not a thoroughbred “racing” road bike, but it can still happily munch through 60 mile+ road rides when the urge takes me.

What Graham said. I did buy a ‘proper’ (well, entry level if you’re a serious roadie) road bike last year, but found it:
@ too big (or I was too short for it)
@ just a bit too hash for bimbling spins
@ too delicate to pop down a little track to see where it goes, or even just use the numerous back roads, some of which are pretty agricultural.

So I sold it, and then waited for a year for an “all roads” or “rough touring” bike – which is lovely.. Doesn’t quite lend itself to caning it on the road, but long explores of the local county are definitely back on the agenda.

Road bikes are ace!

they indeed are, bought one to “supplement” my mtb riding, it is now my default bike for commuting and for fun, getting over 200 miles a week in on it lately. Love it.

Skinny road bike when i’m late/time is tight…
Fat tyred hardtail when the sun is out and time is on my side..
ie, “cheeky off road trails”… 😀

Even a £5-600 roadbike is good fun. My cheapo Bianchi with £40 worth of conti tyre upgrade slips along nicely. Its not the same kind of fun as the mtb but if you haven’t got trails from the door then its a very good alternative.

For real flexibility I would like to get a tourer that will handle some tracks etc without being too slow.