thinking of trying a road bike......

[jax13]

..... for commuting instead of tailoring my mtb for road use.

my problem is that i've never felt comfortable on a roadbike before. maybe its my desire to never be seen in lycra, maybe its the geometry, maybe i've never found one that fits me properly!!

before i start looking around for a second hand bargain (and it would have to be a mega bargain as funds are stupidly tight) if you could quantify the effort you put in on an mtb and replicate it on a road bike what would you gain in temrs of speed / time saved? my commute is a moderately hilly 4 miles done 4 times a day (but i will take the scenic route home if its sunny and add a few more miles onto it) averaging approx 15mph on the mtb with smooth rubber.

is it worth investing a little in an older but good nick bike?

 

[Tazio]

Uphill, can be a bit of a bugger. On the flat, a lot easier. Downhill, terrifying top speeds are there to be had.

 

[jax13]

there is also the option of building a larger framed mtb with drop bars, 1.4 road tyres and dropping a road chainset on it........ hmmmmm

 

[Tazio]

there is also the option of building a larger framed mtb with drop bars, 1.4 road tyres and dropping a road chainset on it........ hmmmmm

A road chainset could be problematic in terms of chainstay clearance. And if you chuck a longer BB to make it clear it could balls up your chainline.

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

A proper road bike every time. The converted mtb (I have one for touring) will only ever be a compromise. Try both 'types', the retro and the new compact jobs to see which you prefer. Sizing and fitting is all important.

Try it. A whole new world is waiting.

 

[mikee]

i bought a road bike for occasional commuting duties
a £30 trade in from my lbs
it makes a hell of a difference over a slicked mtb
you could build a drop barred mtb as well , a cheap roadie would
be a good source of bits any way

 

[JamesM]

In my experience, for the same amount of effort a road bike will up your average speed by around 3mph over an MTB with 1.75 slicks. A road chainset won't make much difference on the flat over MTB gearing. I have a 48 up front with an 11 at the back and only use that gear on good days with a tailwind. Most of the time I'm in the 48:13 which is a lower gear than the 44 or even 42:11 most mtb's have. If you have an older MTB frame though big chainsets shouldn't have a problem with clearance. My 48/38/28 runs a 45mm chainline and has loads of clearance. And just for the record my highest speed was also on an MTB with slicks, over 10mph higher than on a road bike, simply because I was to scared to max out the road bike. Pot holes, bumps in the road etc. don't bother me on the MTB but they do on a roadbike.

 

[kaiser]

A proper road bike every time. The converted mtb (I have one for touring) will only ever be a compromise. Try both 'types', the retro and the new compact jobs to see which you prefer. Sizing and fitting is all important.

Try it. A whole new world is waiting.

+1 Look for a local bike recycling charity try a few out.

 

[ededwards]

Go for a roadbike - if you live then you won't regret it. You'll certainly be faster uphill and on the flat when compared to a slicked up MTB and, if brave/foolhardy, likely quicker downhill.

If you are using it for commuting, make sure you get a road bike that can take mudguards (ok, you can ge at clip on Raceblades and the like and while they work fine they aren't as good as a full mudguard).

 

[jax13]

the big question then.... new-ish or retro?

what are the pro's and cons of each please.


obviously, newer bikes should be that bit lighter but at the cost of what?

as i'm only looking at the bottom end of the scale (raleigh 100 / viking or a similar type if its a newer one) would i get a lot more bike for my money if i went retro or are there too many drawbacks for the benefits i would see?