mtb for road riding?

Question: I was curious if anyone else uses their mtb for road riding? Also any suggestions/comments anyone might have....


My background: When I lived in Fl. I had a road bike and did mostly road biking. Before moving out West my bike was stolen :(

Anyway, I decided to purchase a mtb, since I'm surrounded by them and I really LOVE it.

But, I do miss road biking. Being that I'm a poor grad student, I really can't afford to have both. I'm very interested in doing a duathlon next summer, but would have to use my mtb.


Thanks in advance for your replies :)

Sure... if you want you can put some slicks on. If you have a little more pocket money, surely you could exchange the wheels for something ligther.

I'm not an expert, but for 3 months I rode my mtb on the road. I was putting in 20 miles or more 3 or 4 times a week. I couldn't go as fast as the people with road bikes, but I certainly worked hard. And I felt more secure and more in control (wasn't used to road riding at all). I was doing it all with my knobby tires too. But I put slicks on them and it was great. The slicks allowed me to go along a little more smoothly. I had a really hard time transitioning to my road bike after all that and I am using my mtb now as a commuter because i just feel safer riding it in the cold and wet conditions right now. I personally loved it. I understand now how my road bike is different and in some ways more efficient, but I honestly kind of miss my mtb sometimes.
Good luck and have fun,
Gray

I ride my mtb on the road almost daily--to exercise my dogs. I have Small Block Eight tires for that very purpose. :)

I started off on mtb. I had big, knobby tires and then progressed to smaller ones. I think I worked harder and the chainring had a lower ring than my road.

thanks all for your replies. I'm definitely feeling better about having to use my mtb bike on the road for the duathalon.

I will have to check into putting slicks on them, I need all the help I can get :)

Doing the duathalon is mostly just for fun, but honestly I really don't want to finish last and I was just concerned that I'd probably be at a big disadvantage riding a mtb.
Just means Ill have to work harder and push stronger......

If your mountain bike allows you to lock out the front fork, I'd do that for road riding - just because you don't need the suspension for road riding, and it makes you less efficient. If it doesn't allow you to lock out the front fork, and if you have air shocks, you can pump up the airshocks to make it stiffer so that you don't lose as much energy to that motion. You can let the air out when you want to actually go off road.

One of the main reasons that mountain bikes are so popular is that they are so doggoned versatile... truly a go-anywhere bike, on-road or off. Plus, the generally upright position makes new or infrequent riders a lot more comfortable. And since it's the bike you already have and are comfortable with, it's the best bike to ride.

It's probably not the optimal bike to ride for a road time trial (which is what the bike phase of a du- or triathlon really is) due to the big knobby tires, off-road gearing, and overall weight, especially if you're looking to win the thing. Obviously that's going to depend on your engine...

Not optimal, but some slicks will make it faster. And it's common to see folks with mountain-style bikes at small races. You definitely won't be the only one.

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Originally Posted by Catriona

If your mountain bike allows you to lock out the front fork, I'd do that for road riding - just because you don't need the suspension for road riding, and it makes you less efficient. If it doesn't allow you to lock out the front fork, and if you have air shocks, you can pump up the airshocks to make it stiffer so that you don't lose as much energy to that motion. You can let the air out when you want to actually go off road.

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Thanks for the great suggestion Catriona, I never even thought about that! I can lock out the suspension and definitely will :)

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Originally Posted by PscyclePath

It's probably not the optimal bike to ride for a road time trial (which is what the bike phase of a du- or triathlon really is) due to the big knobby tires, off-road gearing, and overall weight, especially if you're looking to win the thing. Obviously that's going to depend on your engine...

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Ahh, very true. It'll definitely make for a greater challenge, but that's part of the fun, right? I honestly don't think I'll take first, but would be estatic if I was in the top 5 for my age class.

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Originally Posted by ilima

Not optimal, but some slicks will make it faster. And it's common to see folks with mountain-style bikes at small races. You definitely won't be the only one.

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Thanks ilima, I hope not. I did a century ride last year on my mtb, but that was in no way a race and people were on bikes of all sorts. I figured being a race, I'd probably be the only one with a mtb at the duathalon, but you're probably right because it is a small race. I've never done one and really not sure what to expect.

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Originally Posted by giuliagoolia

Thanks ilima, I hope not. I did a century ride last year on my mtb, but that was in no way a race and people were on bikes of all sorts. I figured being a race, I'd probably be the only one with a mtb at the duathalon, but you're probably right because it is a small race. I've never done one and really not sure what to expect.

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Ahhh... but you'll clean their clocks on the hills and the short cuts... :p

Age, stealth, and treachery will beat youth, strength, and enthusiasm ever' derned time!

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Originally Posted by PscyclePath

One of the main reasons that mountain bikes are so popular is that they are so doggoned versatile... truly a go-anywhere bike, on-road or off.

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I agree! If I could only have 1 bike, I would take the mtb.