Road Cycling - Using a Mt. Bike for Road biking?

:D I have put slicks on my Mt bike, taken off the front suspension and put on a rigid fork and intend to use it as a road bike this summer. Where I have moved does not lend itself to off-road, but looks to be really great for road biking which I have never done before. Does anyone here have any advice or warnings for me and my bastardized road bike? And will road biking be much different?

I commute on an old trek 850 ridged fork mt bike. I have 1.0 inch slicks and I get average mph about 3 hrs slower than my road bike. The only thing I have noticed is it's not as stable at speed as my road bike and you will spin out the high gears before you realy wan't to. If you are a layed back rider you will be ok.

i did exactly that, and i rode like that all summer last year and I had a blast....

but you will get sick of it and lust after a road bike after your back and arms and hands start hurting from being stuck in one position for so long, and then you will eventually end up getting a road bike.

but, it is a good way of holding off your future purchase for at least a couple of months ;)

I did the same thing last year before I finally succombed (sp?) and bought a roadie. I used to keep up or beat with most of the people in my cycling club on my slick tyred ridgid MTB, especially downhill where the extra weight of the MTB was an advantage.

I found the difference when I upgraded to the roadie absolutely awesome. Chalk and cheese. Roadie lets you get the power down so much more efficiently. I haven't got any scientific findings I can quote, only "seat of the pants" feeling. I do find that after riding the roadie for the last 8 months or so I still feel more confident on fast downhills on the MTB. Maybe it's something to do with the fatter tyres and being closer to the ground (not as far to fall!).

I also started with a MTB and progressed to slicks. I thought that would tide me over.., well it did for about three months.

I still remember I would go by the LBS and drool at the road bikes. Then I had all I could stand, I bought the road bike.

My poor MTB is sitting in the storage shed. Has not gotten more than 3 rides since September. (Foul weather, took it out when I was getting stir crazy but did not want to mess up the road bike)

I would go ahead and ride the MTB till you get the bug for the road bike.

Matt

Is having slicks over regular MTB tyres that much different?

Is having slicks over regular MTB tyres that much different?
Slicks have a much smoother ride, they also have less rolling resistance and are silent compared to knobblies. Most can be pumped up to 80psi.
I have had a road bike for years but I still use the MTB for commuting more than the road bike. The main reasons are no punctures, better grip in the wet and better brakes/handling for avoiding near misses with cars. The MTB can is better for any riding that may need quick reactions.

CHEERS.

Mark

The road bike fver will soon overwhelm you. You will soon be psting here on advice between this bike and that bike.

Is having slicks over regular MTB tyres that much different?

yes, this is the most significant difference between a "mountain bike" and "road bike" in the usual setup. putting high-pressure low rollng resistance slicks on the MTB makes it useable as a road bike... i have slicks that support 100psi but you have to be careful with regular wide mountain bike rims and/or use EXTRA rim tape - i have puntured a few on the spoke holes.

but for HIGH PERFORMANCE the road bike has the following advantages:
* lighter weight
* better aero position
* more rigid frame for better power transfer
* more stability at speed
* higher gearing - although MTB COULD be upgraded, but not so easily

a few years back (about a month before i bought my road bike) i did a road triathlon on my MTB and beat a friend of mine on his road bike, although another friend beat me...

unless you're racing or REALLY doing a lot of miles or long downhills where you spin out, you should be just fine on the MTB. IF you still are addicted at the end of the summer, buy a road bike then.

i would also recommend bar-ends as they give you some additional hand positions and can even be used as a rough substitute for aero bars...

P.S. i also use my old mountain bike for commuting as the no-flatting and curb/obstacle jumping is more important than maximum speed (plus the road bike is a theft risk)

The slicks on the mtn bike will be a big advantage, but until you ride a road bike you won't appreciate the difference.

My mtn bike has 1" slicks, and I ride it a lot, but when I really want to enjoy the ride I take the road bike. I compare it to the difference between driving a SUV and a sports car.

Another big difference is gearing. My commuting mtn bike is geared fairly high, so I usually cruise at 1 gear less than top gear. My off road MTB is really geared very low, and I still have lots left when I run out of gears. This puts a severe limit on top speed. Road bikes are geared for road use.

In the case of using higher pressures 80-100psi for the slicks on MTBs, would you need special tubing, or do you just change the tires and keep the tubes? :confused:

Did it for years when I raced cross country on my MTB. Roadies hated it when I kept pace and even decimated them at times.