Ive been riding a standard MTB for several years now for short journeys, and the 5 mile commute along a straight road into uni with a good cycle lane. I also enjoy going for rides (20-25 miles) to chill out, but always on the road. I'm getting a new bike, and i want to get a road bike as i want to increase my cycling activity ( longer distances, more frequently ). Obviously a road bike will increase my efficiency and speed, but are the rumours true that the thin tires make for less control and being prone to slipping over - i'm cautious about purchasing a road bike as i do have to deal with traffic often enough in my commute (around Brighton, UK) and i've never had an accident, can someone reassure me about the realities of a road bike in traffic. Cheers.

It's the poor workman who blames his tools.

I posted this in the road cycling thread as well as i wasnt sure what category this should come under, safety or road cycling.

Ive been riding a standard MTB for several years now for short journeys, and the 5 mile commute along a straight road into uni with a good cycle lane. I also enjoy going for rides (20-25 miles) to chill out, but always on the road. I'm getting a new bike, and i want to get a road bike as i want to increase my cycling activity ( longer distances, more frequently ). Obviously a road bike will increase my efficiency and speed, but are the rumours true that the thin tires make for less control and being prone to slipping over - i'm cautious about purchasing a road bike as i do have to deal with traffic often enough in my commute (around Brighton, UK) and i've never had an accident, can someone reassure me about the realities of a road bike in traffic. Cheers.

There are a lot of people on this forum who commute to work in traffic on road bikes. I think it depends in the road surfaces in your area. I wouldn't think of one on Queensland "roads", but others use them here quite happily. Of course, you could always grab a road bike to use only in dry weather, and keep your MTB as a wet weather bike.

P.S. I just merged the two threads in question. This was probably more suited to Advocacy and Safety anyway (IMHO), and it makes it easier to track the replies.

As long as you ride safely(make sure you follow the law, signal when you are turning, make sure you are visible etc.) then riding on the road should be fairly safe. Of course you always have the crazy, inconsiderate drivers and other cyclists to worry about.

About the thin tires having less control and being prone to slipping, that isn't neccesarily(sp?) true. The thin, slick tires will have less traction on dirt obviously but on the road I have never slipped and fallen, all my crashes have been due to cars, small animals or me not paying attention. Im not sure the tires make the bike have less control, it seems to me that my road bike has more control than my mtn bike as far as tighter steering goes.

Im not sure the tires make the bike have less control, it seems to me that my road bike has more control than my mtn bike as far as tighter steering goes.

Cool, thats pretty much what i wanted to hear, thanks.

The tires seem to work ok for the Peloton when they come screaming down a mountain pass at 50+ MPH, so I think they just might withstand a commute :D

When I was commuting on my road bike I never had a problem with control, steering, "slipping over", or any other problem. You'll be fine on a road bike.
If you'll be carrying a load (backpack or panniers) you may want to consider slightly wider tires than the usual 700x23. I had two loaed panniers and put 700x25 on my bike. Many others have 700x28 or larger. It just depends on the road surface, road conditions, and what you're comfortable with.
Happy commuting. :beer:

The tires seem to work ok for the Peloton when they come screaming down a mountain pass at 50+ MPH, so I think they just might withstand a commute :D

Yeah, but in the TdF, bike+rider weigh 170 lbs. Their road bikes will a make great commuter bike for you if you :
a) can arrange to have a team car ride behind you on your way to and from work carrying your work clothes, lunch, repair tools, etc., and
b) weigh less than 155 lbs.
I'd love to see TdF riders scream down the mountain pass with snow tires, fenders, a rack, and 2 full saddle bags. ;)

Seriously, the thing to watch for in a road bike is whether it will allow you to carry the stuff you need for commuting. If you will commute only in dry weather and don't need to carry much, a road bike should be fine. But if you are going to ride in adverse weather, fenders are almost a necessity. Also, try getting 35 mm snow tires on some road bikes. Some road bikes may be able to handle all this stuff, but it's something to consider.

Wider tires will deal with potholes better than thinner ones. And remember, even in the TdF, US Posatal put on the widest tires they could when they had the rainy team time trial. Armstong said many of Tyler Hamilton's team's flats that day were the result of too-skinny tires.

I commute on a cyclocross bike, and I think it's the perfect commuter. It has almost all of the road-bike efficiency, but it also has wide clearance, and it can handle fenders, a rack, and saddlebags. Because of the clearance, I can ride all winter. I particularly enjoy passing roadies in March, when I've been riding all winter and their legs are still creaky.

As to dealing with traffic, you'll get used to it the same way you got used to dealing with off-road MTB trails. But you may find many roads rougher than a lot of the trials you've used.

Along with everything else that's been said about narrower and "slicker" tires, make D@MN sure you keep them at full pressure. Be esp. watchful for pressure drop (slow leak) in your front tire DURING a ride. I failed to do this the other night. Went into a turn at a semi-high speed, one that I would normally have handled adroitly. But the front tire had lost most of its pressure, and I was braking just a bit. That was enough to send it out from under me. Thing is, by the time you notice it tactilly, it's too late; you're falling. This just goes back to supcom's "poor workman" aphorism. That fall was my own fault, for assuming I had the control that I obviously didn't have.

The tires on a road bike are really not an issue. Road bikes are designed specifically for use on the road. The tires have plenty of 'grab' and few cyclist really push the limits in the turns.

the main concern with narrow tires on city streets is pinch flats and road hazards. Pinch flats can be reduced by using moderate width tires like 25c or so and keeping them inflated near the maximum recommended pressure. Road hazards, in the form of longitudinal cracks and in-line grate slots, are more easy to drop a road tire into than an fat tire. You just have to watch for them. On a commute, you will come to know every pot hole and crack on your route and will not be a problem.

Some road bikes, with racing geometries, tend to be a less stable than other bikes. The geometry tend to make the bike more responsive but harder to ride with no hands. Touring bikes have a more relaxed geometry and may be more suitable for long distance riding and commuting. You might try test riding several types to see what you like.

For utility riding, 25mm tyres are really the bare min you should use. A lot of road riders use 28mm on their winter/training/commuter bikes, this is a sensible compromise.
A road bike that takes 28mm + mudguards needs to have a frame and caliper brakes with more generous clearance.
In the UK, this style of bike is often called Audax after the French style endurance event. Thorn make a nice example at sjscycles.com
Thorn make some interesting types of fast but useful bike, such as the commutour, a 26" MTB-wheeled road bike.

I've commuted with both road bikes and MTBs. I find the MTB to be slower but safer, and prefer it. I like the "heads-up" riding position and improved visibility. I will pay a 15% time penalty in order to be safer.

I've commuted with both road bikes and MTBs. I find the MTB to be slower but safer, and prefer it. I like the "heads-up" riding position and improved visibility. I will pay a 15% time penalty in order to be safer.

Fat tires are WAY safer in loose gravel!
We can't be guaranteed of clean asphalt everywhere we go.

I've commuted with both road bikes and MTBs. I find the MTB to be slower but safer, and prefer it. I like the "heads-up" riding position and improved visibility. I will pay a 15% time penalty in order to be safer.

I have a bike-commuter friend in New York City who says he prefers the heads-up position of a MTB in traffic. It makes it easier to keep track of what's around him. It's all a matter of what works best for you.

I have a bike-commuter friend in New York City who says he prefers the heads-up position of a MTB in traffic. It makes it easier to keep track of what's around him. It's all a matter of what works best for you.

I prefer riding my hardtail as my urban assault bike. It's more comfortable on rough streets and easier to get on the light rail. But I ride road bike too. It just depends how I feel that day.

They arn't more dangerous if you ride them properly, and where their made to be ridden.

Obviously a road bike will increase my efficiency and speed, but are the rumours true that the thin tires make for less control and being prone to slipping over ....
The thinner, higher-pressured tires of a road bike or touring bike are better suited for control on pavement than MTB tires. Just watch out for wet or oily pavement, rough pavement, sand or debris, especially on turns.

The thinner, higher-pressured tires of a road bike or touring bike are better suited for control on pavement than MTB tires. Just watch out for wet or oily pavement, rough pavement, sand or debris, especially on turns.

But the "thinnier, higher-pressured tires" are less suited for harsh pavement conditions and for bikes carrying more stuff. The wider tires act as shock absorbers. I can tell a huge difference between my winter 35's and my spring-summer-fall 28's. On the 28's, I feel each pavement bump, and so does my bike and everything attached. And compared to racers, commuters tend to have a lot of extra stuff screwed and clipped onto the bike. And compared to racers, commuters tend to spend more time on poorly-maintained, cracked, pothole-covered urban streets.

The effect of smaller tires smaller than 28's must be even more pronounced. On the flip side, I can't go nearly as fast on the wider tires.

But the "thinnier, higher-pressured tires" are less suited for harsh pavement conditions and for bikes carrying more stuff. The wider tires act as shock absorbers. I can tell a huge difference between my winter 35's and my spring-summer-fall 28's.
Yes, but 35mm is still a road tire. MTB tires are a different animal.

I use 28mm year-round, but we don't get snow. I don't think I'd like a 23mm or 25mm for commuting around here.

Hmm I could be wrong, but it seems obvious that a wider tire with a larger contact patch would have more traction, and thus be safer. Plus a MTB generally goes slower than road bikes, so it also seems obvious that you have generally more control, more time to react to obstacles/potholes, etc

But it can depends on scenario
-cornering at high speeds (favor higher pressure road tires)
-biking on gravel (favor MTB's wider tires)
-travelling on road with high speed traffic (favor road bike, as you're moving closer to speed of traffic)
-travelling on extremely poorly maintained roads (favor MTB's slower speeds and suspension)

However I think it is the case where the margin of difference in safety isn't that big of a deal. But mostly seems to be scenario based question

MTB tires provide greater control off-road. Road tires provide optimum handling on road surfaces.

Ross: Where do you live? What type of roads are you going on in your commute? What ar the traffic conditions? What are you going to be carrying on the bike? How far is the commute? If you are not used to riding a road bike with drop bars you could be dangerous on such a bike. I commuted for many years on standard road bikes with their drop bars. First it was 2 miles from work, then it was 6 miles and finally I was 10 miles at the time I retired. However as an adault I never rode anything other than a road bike with drop bars.

Hmm I could be wrong, but it seems obvious that a wider tire with a larger contact patch would have more traction, and thus be safer.

maybe not so obvious-according to Sheldon Brown if the tyres are pumped up to the same pressures then a wider tyre will have the same contact patch area as a thinner tyre. Thus if the tyre is pumped up to 75 psi and is subject to a 75 pound load this means that the contact area will be one square inch regardless of the width of the tyre. Wider tyres do feel safer more stable though. There are any number of scenarios where wide tyres will mean the difference between taking a fall and staying on the bike, e.g. going over a metal grid / througn a pothile / over a big stone/ over gravel / hitting a patch of ice The Tdf is a bit artificial. The Tdf guys are pros and even they sometimes fall off and they don´t have to cope with stuff like reckless overtaking cars forcing them into the gutter (though I did see one support vehicle knock a rider off his bike once) or darkness (when you can´t see the surface hazards).

MTB´s have another built in safety feature. i.e. they are slower than road bikes.

If the cycling conditions are good-smooth roads/good weather/good visibility then I think a road bike is OK. Otherwise an MTB will be safer. You just have to decide whether the extra safety margin is worth the disadvantages of an MTB.

Why not have more than one bike?- then you can choose the most appropriate one for the conditions.

maybe not so obvious-according to Sheldon Brown if the tyres are pumped up to the same pressures then a wider tyre will have the same contact patch area as a thinner tyre.

Not to disagree with Sheldon, but I keep my 700x23's and my 700x25's pumped to 120 psi.

Anytime I go through any gravel or sand on the road bike, the 700x25's traverse the sand or gravel much better than the 700x23's. Same pressure, very different handling. If not the contact patch, then what accounts for the difference?

Same brand of tires.

This a quote from an article at http://worldofendurance.com

"According to research conducted by French motor car and bicycle tyre manufacture, Michelin, the contact surface of a 700 x 23 cc bicycle tyre is so minimal that it easily pushes water aside and will not aquaplane like a car tyre would. In fact, you would have to travel at over 200 km/h on your slick tyres before your bike would start to aquaplane. The fastest I have reached down Ou Kaapse Weg is just over 90 km/h, so that makes me feel a bit more reassured on my slicks..."

You should be safe... :)

Yeah, but in the TdF, bike+rider weigh 170 lbs. Their road bikes will a make great commuter bike for you if you :
a) can arrange to have a team car ride behind you on your way to and from work carrying your work clothes, lunch, repair tools, etc., and
b) weigh less than 155 lbs.
I'd love to see TdF riders scream down the mountain pass with snow tires, fenders, a rack, and 2 full saddle bags. ;)

Seriously, the thing to watch for in a road bike is whether it will allow you to carry the stuff you need for commuting. If you will commute only in dry weather and don't need to carry much, a road bike should be fine. But if you are going to ride in adverse weather, fenders are almost a necessity. Also, try getting 35 mm snow tires on some road bikes. Some road bikes may be able to handle all this stuff, but it's something to consider.

Wider tires will deal with potholes better than thinner ones. And remember, even in the TdF, US Posatal put on the widest tires they could when they had the rainy team time trial. Armstong said many of Tyler Hamilton's team's flats that day were the result of too-skinny tires.

I commute on a cyclocross bike, and I think it's the perfect commuter. It has almost all of the road-bike efficiency, but it also has wide clearance, and it can handle fenders, a rack, and saddlebags. Because of the clearance, I can ride all winter. I particularly enjoy passing roadies in March, when I've been riding all winter and their legs are still creaky.

As to dealing with traffic, you'll get used to it the same way you got used to dealing with off-road MTB trails. But you may find many roads rougher than a lot of the trials you've used.


He/she could always ride a hybrid with some touring sized tires. That would give the position of an MTB with the better efficiency of a roadie.

... Anytime I go through any gravel or sand on the road bike, the 700x25's traverse the sand or gravel much better than the 700x23's. ...

My experience matches yours, Denver. My Bianchi, with 23mm tyres and a moderately tight geometry, is a fair weather friend that I ride only on good roads under good conditions. I have 28mm tyres (Specialized Armadillos) on the Capo and one of my utility bikes, the PKN-10. If the road is damp, uneven, or sandy, I feel much more secure on these. My UO-8, with 27x1-3/8" (35mm) knobbies, is great for urban commuting and light multitrack trail riding, as is my mountain bike.

Overall, I do most of my transportation and commuting cycling on the two Peugeots.