General Cycling Discussion - dilemma - Mt vs. road

Spring time I wanna buy a new bike, I like both mountain and road bikes. But Im a minimalist, and dont want to own 2 bikes, I just want to own one bike. Its kinda hard to explain the minimalist mindset. There are very few trails in my area, and the roads in my area are in horriable condition not to mention the nasty weather.

If I do get a Mt bike, would it be reasonable to have an extra set of wheels/tries for road use?

If I want to ride on paved roads, I could switch on the road wheels/tires, vice-versa for off-road?!?!?!?

well?.......... :D

minimalist=unicycle ? :)

But Im a minimalist, and dont want to own 2 bikes, I just want to own one bike. Its kinda hard to explain the minimalist mindset. well?.......... :D


minimalist...? .... OK...what you want is singlespeed crossbike

...what you want is singlespeed crossbike

Second that... and with 35c Bontrager Select Inverts. Just don't try going through mud with those... anything else is OK.

I see you have two options here.. a Cross bike which you could ride the trails and roads well with. Mountain bike you could do both just stay away from full suspension and second set of tires.. or second wheelset even with slicks on it.



You have your old MTB with a rigid fork why not just put slicks on it, use it for the roads and get a new mtb just for the trails.. seems like a good all around solution.

You have your old MTB with a rigid fork why not just put slicks on it, use it for the roads and get a new mtb just for the trails.. seems like a good all around solution.



I have slicks on my mt bike right now. But Im not satisfyed. My hands wrist, and other parts of my body hurt from all the bumps on the road. Suspension would help make the ride softer. Remember I wieght 250 pounds!!!

minimalist...? .... OK...what you want is singlespeed crossbike

Its not so much that I want a simple bike, I just want to own one bike. I dont care how mech. complex it is. :D

How much on the road and how much in the dirt?How hard in the dirt?

It is like trying to find a car that will do well climbing in the mud and back country and will still win in a road race. You can't do it.

I used a Specialized 1998 Hardrock with slicks (I have 8,000 miles on it) for a couple of years and tried to play road bike rider, and decided I needed two bikes for two different riding purpose. A road bike and a mtn bike.

This is as minimalist as you can get and still have a great riding experience. Anything else is a compromise.

I agree with DnvrFox completely. having two bikes is almost a tradition. You would have a bike for general purposes and training. And your fancy bike would be used for racing. Also, when one bike is in the shop, you still have something to ride.
I spent a day riding around Boston on my old Mtn bike. My friend had a hybrid with nearly smooth tires; lived there, and kept a face pace. By the end of the day my legs were dead, despite the fact I was in better shape. Which was really, really annoying. Which I suppose is not terribly relevant, until you go riding with your buddies and want to lead :D

Get a cross bike, it sounds like it's all you need. The minimalist thing is very admorable I think. I would do it if I didn't love new bikes so much! There's no place a cross bike can't go, except highly technical or rough singletrack, or deep snow (a mountain bike with slicks can't go there either). The road geometry of a crossbike is very comfortable compared to a mountain bike. A cyclocross tire will take some abuse, but if you're mainly riding on city streets, consider a wide touring tire, which you'll get more miles out of. For off road, cyclocross tires work great, of course.

I am truly amazed with the versitility of my Surly CrossCheck. Goes anywhere. I put on 23x700 road tires and have no trouble with group road rides. I throw the 35x700 cross tires on and can keep up with the group in most off road situations. I don't do any jumps or really rough stuff with it because the geometry doesn't feel quite as stable as a mountain bike. I look at off road riding as a challange for myself and the bike (not so much the bike).

BTW, if your current bike is uncomfortable and painful, go to a bike shop and have them look at your position on the bike before investing in a new one. Is the frame to small? Even a mountain bike should feel comfortable to ride provided it fits you well. Sometimes it's just a matter of adjusting components to get a better fit.

A 29in wheel mountian bike sounds right for you

Well the thing is that I only ride for fun, and not for exersize.

The thing that turns me off about roads bikes is the handlebars, and rigid frame/fork. The roads in my area are very bumpy, a reg road bike would fall apart after one year.
Its actually alot like riding off road. :D

I like mounatins bikes for there wide flat handlebars, and there suspension. Only problem is there wide tires. So I thought, why not buy an extra set of wheels and a pair of slicks to put on for road use?!??

BTW, I spend 60% road / 40% offroad :D

Minimalist?...TWO bikes...(I have five).

Minimalist?...TWO bikes...(I have five).


I dont mind riding a mt bike with slicks! :D

CD Bad Boy Ultra

Well the thing is that I only ride for fun, and not for exersize.

The thing that turns me off about roads bikes is the handlebars, and rigid frame/fork. The roads in my area are very bumpy, a reg road bike would fall apart after one year.
Its actually alot like riding off road. :D

I like mounatins bikes for there wide flat handlebars, and there suspension. Only problem is there wide tires. So I thought, why not buy an extra set of wheels and a pair of slicks to put on for road use?!??

BTW, I spend 60% road / 40% offroad :D

The best advice is to test a few bikes out in the areas you'll be riding. You might have some unrealistic expectations if you expect a bike to smooth all the bumps out, mountain or road. Even a bike with a good front shock can jar you around. A full suspension bike might give you a better ride, but believe me, FS bikes are not versitile OR minimalistic, and they cost more. In general I have found the my road/cross bike is the most comfortable to ride in most conditions, except really rough mountain bike trails. I've never met a paved road, fire road, or gravel trail that the cross bike could not handle. Road bikes are NOT inherently weaker, except for racing specific models, with 2.5 lb aluminum frames, and 23mm tires. If you want a mountain bike, go for it, but make sure you buy one that fits you well. Hope this helps.

I only own a mountain bike, which I enjoy immensely offroad, and suits my needs on the road. Most of my riding is off the road, though. I like the idea of a cyclo-cross bike, but all the cross riders I see and know are scrawny guys like me, so I don't know how well they handle increased weight, although they are pretty tough. My personal preference would be to do what you were thinking and buy a spare set of wheels and slicks for a mountain bike. Since you ride mostly on the road, I would also look into getting larger chainrings to help you maintain a decent clip on the road.

Someone else suggested a bike with 29 inch wheels like the ones Gary Fisher makes. That might be something to look into as well, especially as a big guy, but definitely test ride one before you buy since it will feel significantly different.

VeloNews has a bunch of racers mudding and roading,cyclo-cross.

Only you can decide what kind of riding you want to do..
If you end up mostly riding on the road,then, I think a mountain bike is a mistake..The weight, they are less comfortable for long rides, the friction of the tires. I have a hybrid and road bikes..On long street rides I hate the hybrid. I come back far more achy and tired. I do not think tires can make up for their lack of agility for the road..
I see so many mountain bikes that seem to be used primarily for road rides. I would not do that. Can't beat the comfort of a relaxed touring bike for long rides..

I am, however, very temped to buy a bent. I've test riden many of them, and like um alot. :D

Listen guys, logic isnt always the answer. Id rather ride a bike thats fun to ride, than a bike thats fast.

Remember those British Roadsters from the 50's? Its kinda like that,........they arnt really fast, but they are fun to drive.

I would like to try something new.....maybe a bent,..maybe a Cross,..or maybe even a BMX..........

I dont think a Roadbike is my thing! Most of the roads in my area have speed limits of 45 -55 mph,......trust me its not much fun. I'd like to ride where I feel Im the fastest thing moving,... thats why I like off road. I like the illusion of going fast......get my drift?

Ahm, I'm sorry, I forgot what the question was. Just buy the bike you want and start riding! :D I think you're right, it really doesn't matter WHAT you ride, as long as you RIDE.

It is like trying to find a car that will do well climbing in the mud and back country and will still win in a road race. You can't do it.
.


actually, you CAN! :D

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/iaa_03/article_555.shtml

minimalist...? .... OK...what you want is singlespeed crossbike

For once I agree with you on. Cyclocross, best of both worlds and ss for no breakages...thats would be about as minimalistic as you could get without a unicycle :D

Bianchi has some very nice hybrid bikes, so if you want road have an extra set of wheels 700x23 and when you want mountain or cross terrain you have the original hybrid wheel set :D