Road Cycling - I like the road and mountain.. What do i do?

I have a Giant Rincon that I use on the road even though it's a mountainbike... Do I have to use another bike if I want to start taking long bike trips or can i just switch treads.?

I've seen a lot of people ride mountainbikes at charity and club rides.Some with knobbies and still keeping pace!

It can be done, but it depends on how hard you want to work, how fast you want to go, etc. What kind of pace can you maintain on your MTB? Is it fast enough for you to finish a longer ride in a reasonable amount of time (sorry to inflict math and stuff on you)?

Either way, you'll certainly see reduced resistance by switching to slicks.

I just started riding but i think I am going to like going longer distances more so than mountainbiking but i want the versatility of a mountainbike...Just in case.

Welcome to the addiction!

I was sort of in your shoes last year after riding my hybrid around and just feeling downright slow. But after a few charity rides, I knew I was a road rider and always would be, so I bit the bullet and got an inexpensive road bike (Trek 1000). Jeepers, it's fun to go fast!

I'd put the slicks on and see how it goes.

Any particular kind? And how about hybrid tires?

Oh, geez. Questions like that are for the bike shop... :) Just tell them you want the roadiest tire that'll fit on your wheel. They'll know what to do.

I can always switch treads when I want to hit the trails right?

Yeah, you don't want to ride slicks over rocks and stuff, I'd imagine. But I'm not sure if you could even use the same tube. I suspect you'd need en entirely differen tube and tire, which would make it kind of a pain if you wanted to switch back and forth very often.

But again, I don't claim to be an expert... There may be possibilities available that would make it easier for you, and your LBS will be able to fill you in.

I used to use my mtb both on and off road. What I did was put Kenda semi slicks on it. These had a relatvely flat tread pattern with nobs on the sides of the tire. They gave a pretty good ride in everything except mud.
Eventually I bought a road bike. If you really enjoy road biking the differance betwen a mtb and a dedicated road bike is amazing. If you can afford it I think you should consider expanding your stable and getting a real road bike.:)

Any good suggestions for a starter bike that is relatively cheap in the wallet?

How cheap is "cheap"?

Jump on eBay and you'll find some pretty good deals. Most bike shops don't want to be bothered with used bikes. Stay with major brands and you'll generally be OK.

The Trek website doesnt have any bikes and Cannondale gives no prices.

I am not the most qualified person to answer, but I will tell you what works for me. I have a new KHS, a great MTB, I bought it to ride on the concrete trail here in the area. It is great around the neighborhood, over curbs, down gravel roads and through fields with my 8 year old son. HOWEVER.....the first time I took a road bike out on the bike trail, I really, really, knew that I needed a very good road bike. A mtb cannot compare to a road bike when ripping down the path, slightly downhill in the fastes gear that you have. Been there, done that and will never stop! - Ted

I am 250lbs.. Am I too big for a road bike. Will those tiny tires support me?

I'm 6'6" 260 and have no problem with a carbon fiber bike. If you are worried look at either steel or aluminum. Jamis is steel and makes some good bikes with a lot of value. If you want aluminum look at Felt, another brand with a lot of value built in.
Search the Forums and you will see a lot of people with a lot more experience and knowledge than me offering their opinions.

Originally posted by headliner
I am 250lbs.. Am I too big for a road bike. Will those tiny tires support me?

I weigh 226, I started on my Bianchi at 230 lbs. No problems at all with the bike or with the tires. I have regular Mavic double wall rims, and skinny tires inflated to 110 psi. I am a beginning cyclist too, but I think that the numbers speak plainly for themselves. I can't see where 20 lbs more would make any difference at all. FWIW - Ted

Thanks for the info

http://www.roadbikereview.com/defaultcrx.aspx

You can look at most current bikes and many late models with suggested retail here along with reviews of many. See if you can find a shop or a friend that will let you take a good road bike for a real spin, not just around the lot. You'll be amazed if you've never ridden a good road bike.

Headliner heres a bitof advise that may save you hassle.

Buy a decent MTB thats cmes fitted with disc brakes. Right now you're sorte for teh mountain.
"But I want to rifde on the road as well!"

Ok OK I hear you. Heres the 2nd part of my advise. When you buy the MTB, ask the LBS to build you a set of wheels thats consist of 700C rims laced to MTB disc hubs.

Now you'll have a proper set of wheels for the road and for themountain. No messing about with changing tyres and tubes.
I f you can, buy the Cannondale BadBoy I believe it comes with two sets of wheels, one for the road and the other for the mountain.

From my experience, I have a trek zx930 with lx components. It's pretty quick knowing i can keep up with my friends road bike. It does have slicks and the gears are very good, I can't say it's gonna beat a road bike but it certainly can keep up with it. As for off road, I done it before, actually done it many times, you just gotta be careful at what you do. It does tend to slide back to back a lot and I did fall over a few good times. I'm only 16 and I do bike long trips, about 22 miles. The longest was 40 miles but never made it back so it's around 30 miles.

If you want to ride on the road for extended distances buy a road bike. You will find it is much more enjoyable experience. I started on a MT bike, then changed to slick tires, then purchased a road bike and now the MT bike collects dust in the garage. I couldn't imagine riding a century on a MT bike unless I really wanted to brutalize myself..... One of the previous posts said Jamis was a good bike. I agree with him fully, I rode the "Quest" for two years, takes a lot of punishment for a 20 LB steel bike.

They are here: www.jamisbikes.com

Snowblower