Moving from MTB to Road, position problems

[juvel01]

Warning: Total Road Newbie Here.

I have spent the last several years riding only mountain. I started with a Trek and moved on to my SWorks about 5 years ago. I am SO used to the way this bike positions me and DH, who is a bike mechanic, has completely customized to fit me. I got very used to the position this bike put me in.

A couple months ago I decided I wanted to do some road riding so I purchased a frame and had my DH build me the bike. He built it using a Bianchi cycle cross frame because my goal was to work with this bike for this season, get some miles on it, put the bigger tires on it and use it for Cycle Cross next year and build a road bike.

The problem that I have is that I feel totally out of control on this bike. I mean for a MTB, the SWorks is a very twitchy, quick handling bike (compared to others I've ridden), but good grief, this new one makes that feel like a tank. I'm wondering if maybe to start out, he just built it too light and too fast and if I actually - he'd kill me for even thinking this - add some weight to it, I'd get a better feel for it. Right now it sits just over 16 pounds with my road wheels, computer and water bottle on it.

Or do I just need to suck it up and keep riding it?

[CR400]

Keep riding. You lost just about half the weight of your mountain bike by switching to a road frame and set up, maybe more. Most likely your mountain bike weighed at least 30 pounds. So compared to the 16 pound road bike with fast rolling smooth tires your mountain bike was a tank. Especially if you tried to ride it on the road. Just remember each kind of bike is designed to do that one kind of riding the best. A mountian bike for off road riding and a road bike for pavement.

[runnergirl]

Time in the saddle is the only cure...I was sooo wobbly for the first two weeks or so, and it's taken me two months and 1300 miles to even start feeling "one with the bike." I'm just now totally comfy in the drops. Do you stay on the hoods? That's the most secure place to start, I'm still a little iffy on the tops-lack of brake availibility frightens me.

[singletrackmind]

Don't worry, you'll get it. I've been on a mountain bike since '91 and it feels like home. I've been on the road bike since '98 (to get faster on the mountain bike and smooth out my pedal stroke). At first it was like a wild party at a motel room but now it's feeling like a comfortable second home.
You are right, it does feel weird-at first. The steering, the position, the response, the everything! It didn't take too long to feel ok on the road bike though, so keep riding-and riding and riding and riding...

I don't know how much the s-works weighs, but my mountain bike is 22#. Still, definitely a weight difference though I think for me it was the handling and the knowledge that while I could roll over just about anything from stairs to road debris to huge potholes to storm drains to an emergency road abandon on the mountain bike those things could cause serious damage to bike and body on the road bike. I have found the dirt handling skills to be VERY helpful on the road bike so congratulate yourself on beginning with an advantage! Hey, look at Lance's cyclocross move at the tour last year. You can still do 40mph on a gravel road on skinny! (but don't, I don't know what I was thinking-oh yeah, WAHOOOO!!!!)

[juvel01]

I had a feeling "just keep riding" was the solution, but jeez, I feel out of control. Actually there isnt a huge weight difference between my mountain bike and my road bike. My mountain bike is just over 20 pounds. Maybe I'm just trying to rationalize looking like a dork swerving all over the road!

I feel way more comfortable int he drops even though its not where I am on my mountain bike. If I ride up top, I feel like I have to "search" for my brakes and shifters and I feel like I have less control over the front end.

Thanks for the advice! More saddle time....

[SadieKate]

It's not just the weight and position; it's also the geometry of the bike. The design is for it to be faster handling and to put you in a different position in relationship to the bottom bracket. I've watched others get on a road bike after being a mtnbiker exclusively. It just takes time and patience. You're traveling at faster speeds so look even farther ahead. You'll get it.

[slinkedog]

When I first started riding a light road bike, I wanted to be in the drops all the time, too. It took a while, but I got used to riding the hoods and the bars. I still only feel comfortable riding the drops when I stop or turn. I admittedly don't get to ride on the road more than once a week, so I'm still getting there.

[CorsairMac]

after watching a friend of mine adjust to her first road bike - one of the things I noticed was how Hard she was gripping the handlebars. She was doing the same thing - swerving all over the place, having a hard time holding her line, etc. The bike is very light and very squirrly but she was also deathgripping the "bars thinking that would help her control it better. Once I convinced her "light hands/heavy butt" her handling skills started to get better. Don't know if this applies to you or not but thought I would pass the notion on.

[emily_in_nc]

Yes, you'll get it. I'm a dedicated roadie and have ridden many thousands of miles on the road with drop bars, but since my accident (broken pelvis in April) have been riding my mtb on the trainer so have gotten so used to the more upright position; it's amazing how quickly my body has forgotten the road position! My husband just put my road bike back on the trainer today, and for the first 20 minutes of riding, the position just felt all WRONG - handlebars too low, too stretched out, and this was just on the trainer! But, by the end of 40 minutes, it felt fine again. I am glad to be starting back on the trainer and not on the ride, because I am quite sure I'll be wobbly at first. When I started back to road riding in 2002, I came from a hybrid, and my first few road bike rides were scary, but I quickly learned to love it. You will too.

Emily

[CorsairMac]

OT for 1 brief moment:

WoooHoo Em!! On the road bike for 40 mins!! way to go girl!!

[emily_in_nc]

OT for 1 brief moment: WoooHoo Em!! On the road bike for 40 mins!! way to go girl!!

Thanks! It was cool too, I was watching the TdF replay of the day and got to sprint along with Vinny at the line!

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread...

Emily