Fifty Plus (50+) - How many 50+er's have traded their roadbike...

for a 29'er?...as in wide tall tired mountain bike with upright bars? Just wondered how many get to a point of not caring about how fast they are going and a bit more about ride quality and riding more comfortably on varied road surfaces?

I would trade my road bike for a 650b'er if I wanted to do that. You can ride on dirt roads with a bike like that, and it's still relatively fast. Similarly, a cross bike can take really large tires and is perfect for most of the conditions around where I live. I have ridden mountain bikes on the road quite a bit and see no reason to do that unless it's the only bike you can afford and you live in an area where mtbing is really compelling.

Ride quality takes many forms. How easy is it to pedal? How much effort does it take to go up a hill? I got a flat bar not that long ago and while it is different it is not more comfortable than my road bike. I have a Trek 800 as well and it is not more comfortable than my road bike. It is about the same only slower unless I happen to decide to hit the dirt for some reason. I don’t think you can say a Hybrid or a MTB is more comfortable to a road bike if you already are riding a road bike. Maybe if you were asking about a bent?

Count me in - three weeks later, I sold the old roadbike, and never looked back.....

I would never trade in my road bike, but I am seriously considering one of these....

http://www.salsacycles.com/fargoComp09.html

I went the other way. I bought a 29'er to return to riding but soon realized I missed my old road bikes so I got one of them also. My 29'er wasn't seeing much use so its been on long term loan to a friend's daughter.

I went the other way. I bought a 29'er to return to riding but soon realized I missed my old road bikes so I got one of them also. My 29'er wasn't seeing much use so its been on long term loan to a friend's daughter.

Ditto. Started back on the road with a Fisher Kaitai which led me to a Lemond Reno.
Then the aluminum Reno took me to a carbon Giant
And then both the Kaitai and the Reno were purged to make space for my Jamis.

So... 29'er: Zero; Roadies: Two

I've been thinking of adding a 29er mtb to my stable but not as a replacement to any road bike. I'd like to have a cross bike too for that matter. I guess I could stop dropping the hints about a Porsche Boxster S and get another bike but I might be selling short if I did. :lol:

Twenty years ago, I sold an old Reynolds 531 frame Raleigh road bike and bought this...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/bicycle/IMG_2603-1.jpg

...and last week just bought another old Reynolds framed Raleigh road bike to rebuild.

ah... the circle of life... :)


Greg

My main concession to father time has been raising the bars on my road bikes until they are only about 1" below the saddle. My neck and back like it better than 4" below.

I went to a 26/20.

Offed mine for a LWB recumbent. Now that's comfort. bk

I would love to have a 29er, but not as a replacement for my road bike.

How about both?

I would not be able to ride such a bike on the road. I prefer sports cars to trucks. The road bike is so much more fun. As to ride quality, a properly designed ti, carbon or steel frame is more than adequate. Then too, with a touring or cyclocross frame you can run wider lower pressure tires: as wide as 38 mm.

I used to ride a touring bike with 38 mm tires long ago. I put new wheels and 25 mm tires on it and it was so much faster and enjoyable to ride. I went from truck to sports car except for the too heavy frame.

One of my older (66) friends who used to race cross country switched from a full suspension ATB to a 29 hard tail. He says the comfort is about as good and has adapted to the slower acceleration. He changed out his 22 ring for a 20 for the climbs. He also uses smaller rings for the mid and large ones.

Comfort is somewhat dependant on how one rides. Off-road you're off the saddle on the rough stuff and I am as well on road.

Al

Certainly not me.

If I had to cut myself down to only 1 bike, it would be a conventional road bike. I've done other styles of bicycling but, through the years, I've had a lot more fun on road bikes than with anything else.

As I turned 50 (last year) I wanted a road bike for the speed and light weight but wasn't thrilled about their agressive riding position or comfort. Started looking at flat bars, 29's, et al and eventually/reciently (through some good advice here) ended up with a cyclocross with 30c tires. A little like kissing your sister to the road bike crowd but it is working perfecly for me. Specificly, I like the multiple hand & body position capability, low weight, wheel size and ride quality of the cyclo. Kind of like a hybrid road bike vs a hybrid MTB. I'll likely get around to putting some 28C road tires on in in the spring but to be honest, don't see any pressing need. My son now has a road bike and we can keep pase with each other nicely "as is". Besides, She'll already go allot faster than a guy with my reaction times should probobly be doing anyway:rolleyes:

eventually/reciently (through some good advice here) ended up with a cyclocross with 30c tires. A little like kissing your sister to the road bike crowd but it is working perfecly for me.

As near as I can tell, you're the only person in the whole world that bike is supposed to make happy.

One bike surely doesn't fit all and if given one bike a Cyclocross with a couple of wheelsets would do as a compromise. I am pretty much a pure roadie. But...I have moved out to the boonies and now live on a dirt road. So no forays out the door for casual roadbiking when time is short around the subdivision any longer. My road bike now has to always go in my car to where the road is paved. I know if I gave up my road bike or perhaps even converted to a cyclocross, I would miss the speed and competition with my roadie friends. So there in lies my dillemma. I believe the only solution is another bike and am leaning toward a nice aluminum mid/high end hardtail 29'er mountain bike. I am tallish and don't particularly like a high BB and I am no stump jumper but need something that will work well for the pea gravel, relatively smooth dirt roads and or occassional slow ride on a paved bike path with non cycling friends. Guess I need another bike.
Cheers.

You always need N+1

.
I am tallish and don't particularly like a high BB and I am no stump jumper but need something that will work well for the pea gravel, relatively smooth dirt roads and or occassional slow ride on a paved bike path with non cycling friends. Guess I need another bike.
Cheers.

My cyclocross bike has a very high BB. It's not noticeable and does not negatively impack handling. Many would argue that it improves handling. I subscribe to that view.

Al

Hung up my road bike and got a TREK 750 hybrid over 20 years ago, before I even turned 35. Been riding it as my only bike ever since.

I'm keeping my road bikes, but I did recently pick this beauty up:

http://os2.dhs.org/~john/superbe/01.jpg

One bike surely doesn't fit all and if given one bike a Cyclocross with a couple of wheelsets would do as a compromise. I am pretty much a pure roadie. But...I have moved out to the boonies and now live on a dirt road. So no forays out the door for casual roadbiking when time is short around the subdivision any longer. My road bike now has to always go in my car to where the road is paved. I know if I gave up my road bike or perhaps even converted to a cyclocross, I would miss the speed and competition with my roadie friends. So there in lies my dillemma. I believe the only solution is another bike and am leaning toward a nice aluminum mid/high end hardtail 29'er mountain bike. I am tallish and don't particularly like a high BB and I am no stump jumper but need something that will work well for the pea gravel, relatively smooth dirt roads and or occassional slow ride on a paved bike path with non cycling friends. Guess I need another bike.
Cheers.

Cycle cross season is approaching. I have a buddy, with whom I ride on occasion, who always rides his cycle cross bike on the road this time of year. He is fast on the cycle cross bike as well as his road bike. I would suggest getting as nice a cycle cross bike as you can afford/meets your needs. You will be able to ride it on the dirt and the road. If you have enough power, it will not make much difference.

I have a road bike, time trial bike, track bike and tandem. I used to have a full suspension mountain bike. If I were going to ride on good dirt roads designed for cars and extend the ride to paved roads, I would get a cycle cross bike.

They will have to pry my road bike with my 11 cm seat to bar drop from my cold dead hands.:D

I wouldn't do that.

I just might buy a recumbent. I have a pot belly and a grey beard so I guess it would be OK.

On second thought...HTFU and ride your road bike. I would put the wider tires on my Cervelo R3 and be done with it.:thumb:

As near as I can tell, you're the only person in the whole world that bike is supposed to make happy.
Geez, now I feel extra special ;)

Cycle cross season is approaching. I have a buddy, with whom I ride on occasion, who always rides his cycle cross bike on the road this time of year. He is fast on the cycle cross bike as well as his road bike. I would suggest getting as nice a cycle cross bike as you can afford/meets your needs. You will be able to ride it on the dirt and the road. If you have enough power, it will not make much difference.

I have a road bike, time trial bike, track bike and tandem. I used to have a full suspension mountain bike. If I were going to ride on good dirt roads designed for cars and extend the ride to paved roads, I would get a cycle cross bike.

They will have to pry my road bike with my 11 cm seat to bar drop from my cold dead hands.:D

John that is a cool bike...gotta love English Racer style bikes...fun to ride.
Decisions...decisions. 11cm drop is pretty substantial for a half centurian. I run about half that on my Look 555. By the look of your neighborhood, you can do just fine with a narrow tire bike. That used to be the case with me as well but I guess now I need a dirt bike for those times when I don't feel like putting my bike in my car.

I had a Rossin Record for 20 years that I loved...but now have a Rivendell Bleriot w/650B wheels. It is a nice all rounder but not a racer. At 57 it suits me just fine. I picked up a 1988 Panasonic MC7500 from Craigs list. It's a hard tail city/mtb that I use on trials etc. I am going to put dropped bars on it for comfort. If I lived where there were lots of hills and few cars I would still have the Rossin....which was a nice comfortable stage racer. In the end it is personal preference.

I have a nice road bike AND a 29er mountain bike, both are seeing lots of use these days.

On the road my road bike is very comfortable for the riding I do (40 to 100 miles rides), very efficient and I am able to maintain speeds that are fun. I can't see any advantage to riding my mountain bike for a use that it was not designed for, riding long distances on the road.

On mountain trails and dirt roads the 29er mountain bike is fast, fun and handles rough surfaces and hills with ease. The 29 inch wheels do seem to ride over rocky trails a bit easier, and I'm getting use to the slightly higher position. It's a mountain bike, this is where it belongs, and what it was designed for.

I have no desire to replace my road racing tired road bike but I would get a nice commuter bike to ride to work, restaurants, etc.

Thanks, Mike.

Beanz and Gina gave me a road bike and I promptly hybridized it.

I ride a 29er and I'm getting a road bike (Madone).

Still, if I had to have just one bike, it would be the 29er. Great for single track, root strewn trails, grevel roads and off road. It's nice for riding leisurely with the family.

I've also been riding the 29er on the road at least 125 miles a week. Lock out the rear suspension, it still very comfy and goes pretty good too. An excellent work-out.

Why am I adding a road bike? I want to go faster. I'd like to try group rides.

http://integrity.smugmug.com/photos/570187356_bau9y-XL-1.jpg

for a 29'er?...as in wide tall tired mountain bike with upright bars? Just wondered how many get to a point of not caring about how fast they are going and a bit more about ride quality and riding more comfortably on varied road surfaces?

Why trade? I own both and ride what I want when I feel like it. That said, the 29'er has a great ride, but it's a slug from the speed standpoint.

In the 60s I had a single speed, then 3 spd bike.
In 70s, a five speed Schwinn,
in 80s, a mountain bike,
in 90s, a mountain bike and a recumbent,
2000s roll along, a recumbent, touring bike, road bike, cyclocross bike, and most recently a custom commuter that is sort of a cross between road and cyclocross bike. Selecting a tool appropriate for each task is important; however if I had only one- it would be a steel framed cyclocross bike.

Certainly not me.

If I had to cut myself down to only 1 bike, it would be a conventional road bike. I've done other styles of bicycling but, through the years, I've had a lot more fun on road bikes than with anything else.

Similar here. I am currently finishing a cyclocross bike for urban and rail-trail situations but they will have to pry my beloved road bikes from my cold, dead hands. :)

EDIT: Sorry Hermes... I actually hadn't read your post when I said this. Great minds...

Twenty years ago, I sold an old Reynolds 531 frame Raleigh road bike and bought this...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/bicycle/IMG_2603-1.jpg

Greg

What is that?

I would never trade in my road bike, but I am seriously considering one of these....

http://www.salsacycles.com/fargoComp09.html

OOoooooo....... That's something. This bike is a Grant Peterson wet dream !.

That's about as well equipped for it's purpose as anything I've seen, or could do myself. About $1800 and worth every penny

SB

I suppose if I could only keep one bike it would be my Karate Monkey. I've tried 4 handlebars, 3 forks, 6 pr tires, 2 cranksets, singlespeed and multispeed. It's always a fun dependable ride. But as a jack of all trades it's a master of none, which is why I have road bikes and FS 29ers (Lenz Leviathan and Behemoth).

What is that?

Hi Alice,

It's just the cheapest Taiwan built frame model of 1988 Fisher MTB with road tires... a simple rugged reliable transportation bike that's a pure joy to ride. I make up errands to run just for an excuse to ride it. Since the first pic, I've installed some old fashioned 1970's Shimano friction downtube shifters...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/bicycle/IMG_2647.jpg

...and updated the bars and brake levers...

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/bicycle/IMG_2660.jpg

...and ultra close gear ratios.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b90/compost_bin/bicycle/IMG_2574.jpg


Greg

Ain't it great we aren't all alike?

Other than a Schwinn when I was a kid and a rock around the neighborhood Huffy I didn't own a bike until a couple years ago. Oh, I almost forgot I had a cheapie I only rode a couple times before my offspring appropriated it.

My first bike, at the bike shop's recommendation, was a hybrid. Still have it but seldom ride it.

The second season I decided I wanted something more comfortable (most important), faster (more miles with less effort)and better climbing (more miles, less stress) since there are lots of hills in the area. Tried several bikes and ended up with a full carbon road bike. Liked it so much I now have two. Can't imagine giving up the road bikes.

If on the road- I use a road bike- one of several I know but even these have different uses. OCR for if I may have to leave it somewhere- like shopping or doctors. Always will be locked and only for short distances. Then the TCR-C if steep hills involved- or lots of slopes over long miles- then this is the bike for me. Then Boreas- only a couple of steep slopes or a flattish ride and this is the one.

Same on mountain bikes. The Bianchi Hardtail for general going out and playing- especially in the mud as it does not block up. Then the Kona- Flat ride with hardpack as the front suspension is very short and very stiff. Find an idiot that would like to see what offroad is like- then the Tandem gets out. That bike gets me fit as people do find out how hard offroad is and wear out very quickly. Or jump off it at the bottom of the first downhill and phone their wife to come and get them as they ain't going on that thing again. It's a long ride back riding it solo.

I believe in the right bike for the job. From what I have seen of the 29er's- they won't do the offroad aswell as a mountain bike- and I know the existing road bikes work well on the road- in fact superbly well. If I were to do mainly rough trails- that the 29ers seem to be built for- then I would get the bike that is ideal for them- a Cyclocross. Not a hybrid with treaded tyres.

I actually own an old MTB + a newish road bike. I generally ride the MTB everywhere. The road bike sees very little action. I normally cycle on quiet roads with not much off road action. I do this because the surface is good and less mentally demanding to ride. I have a 48T front cassette but always feel that I would prefer a 50-53T one.

I bought a Jamis Commuter 3 for day to day utility riding and kept my old TREK which I ride once or twice a week and overnight tours. I never have worried about speed, but the quicker more nimble handling is more fun.

I believe in the right bike for the job. From what I have seen of the 29er's- they won't do the offroad aswell as a mountain bike- and I know the existing road bikes work well on the road- in fact superbly well. If I were to do mainly rough trails- that the 29ers seem to be built for- then I would get the bike that is ideal for them- a Cyclocross. Not a hybrid with treaded tyres.

I suspect your opinion of 29ers would change if based on more exposure to them. ;)

I'll bet that one that BCAC posted above would be fantastic on a gnarly rock and root strewn MTB trail, especially one with good flowing lines. You'd be carrying a cyclocross bike over some of the stuff that bike would glide through. About the only negative thing I have heard from people who ride them is they don't accelerate as quickly as 26" wheeled bikes but once rolling they tend to keep going better.

I have a great-looking old school mountain bike (see signature), which I have enjoyed riding extensively both on the road and off, but my first love is still a road bike with a somewhat relaxed old school or touring geometry and with 28mm or perhaps even 1-1/4" (32mm) tires. With wind and a 30% chance of rain, I did today's 30-mile/50km group ride on my lowly old Peugeot UO-8 and had a great time. (The Bianchi is quicker and nimbler, but also somewhat twitchier in a crosswind.)

I really like the variety of hand positions a good set of drop bars affords the rider. Putting extensions on the ends of my mountain bike's bars helped immensely, but it's still not the same. I typically set my bars about 5cm below the top of my saddle, as I have for many years.

for a 29'er?...as in wide tall tired mountain bike with upright bars? Just wondered how many get to a point of not caring about how fast they are going and a bit more about ride quality and riding more comfortably on varied road surfaces?

NUTS! :giver:

I suspect your opinion of 29ers would change if based on more exposure to them. ;)

I'll bet that one that BCAC posted above would be fantastic on a gnarly rock and root strewn MTB trail, especially one with good flowing lines. You'd be carrying a cyclocross bike over some of the stuff that bike would glide through. About the only negative thing I have heard from people who ride them is they don't accelerate as quickly as 26" wheeled bikes but once rolling they tend to keep going better.

But this is the point- Gnarly Rocks and roots and I have a bike that does it superbly- It is the mountain bike. I know it will do the most difficult of ascents or descents- the rider may not but the bike will. If the trails got tamer and were just rough trails or really bad surface- Then the MTB will still do it But if it was going to be my main trail riding then I "Might" be intersted in getting a cyclocross bike to do it on. What it would not be is a 29er that I still regard as not the best bike for the road and neither would it be the best bike for my offroad.

What it would not be is a 29er that I still regard as not the best bike for the road and neither would it be the best bike for my offroad.

No MTB will be "the best bike" for the road. I'd like to try a 29er on the big open hills you have shown us in your photos. I think it would be right in its element. But it would probably work better for a big guy. They have to make compromises to make them fit shorter riders.

These look pretty cool.

http://www.kogswell.com/