RainmanP

I commute 22 miles round trip every day. My primary commuter started as a Giant Cypress comfort hybrid that has been through a total tranformation to something more like a cyclocross bike, sort of a heavy duty road configuration. Lately I have been riding my old lugged steel Bianchi road bike. I sometimes ride a lightweight steel road bike. Because I'm no lightweight at 210 lbs and my riding is 75-80% commuting on fairly rough trashy city streets I run 25 mm tires with thorn resistant tubes and Mr. Tuffy liners on 36 spoke wheels. I feel very confident in my bikes and frankly can't imagine riding a mountain bike any distance. Compared to even a good mountain bike a road bike will feel like it rolls by itself. Just use common sense and don't expect an ultralight bike with rock hard 20 mm tires on 14 spoke racing wheels to stand up for day after day commuting, and you will be fine on a road bike. Once you get used to the different riding position you will wonder why you waited so long.