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Is it worth it for me to get a "Road Bike"?

Old 05-15-15, 06:42 PM
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Is it worth it for me to get a "Road Bike"?

I would really appreciate your expert (and experienced) opinion on this issue - should I get a road bike? will I notice the difference?
About me:
50 years old, 5’10” 165 lbs in good shape – live in Montreal Canada.
Commute to work: 11 miles each way to work (doing 22 miles total round trip every day) – mostly on the road and on concrete bike paths. Montreal roads are often cracked and bumpy but for the most part okay. There are only two hills along my commute. It takes me between 45 and 55 minutes each way, depending on wind and how tired I am.
Bike I used to own (till it got run over by a car): Giant Escape 2 Hybrid (700c tires). I liked it, it was okay, but it always frustrated me why road bikes whizzed by me. I am in better shape than those people!
Bike I currently use to get to and from work: Trek 3500 Mountain bike. I changed the tires to 1.5 inch (instead of 2 inch) slick tires. This bike is 26 inch – and is very heavy. Too small??? Is the suspension fork killing my power? Significantly?
Other weird facts about me and my ride: I use (and will always use) the spiderflex.com seat. I get zero chafing, zero pain. I plan to use this seat on a road bike. I also won’t do the bib-spandex thing. I wear hiking pants (long) and a T-shirt when I ride to work. I wear Velcro straps around my pants to prevent a chain-catch. And yes, I wear a small fanny pack. I really don’t care what I ‘look like’.
I’m reasonably happy with my current configuration but was wondering – if I buy road bike, will it make much of a difference? Would it be worth it? I would be willing to spend between $1000 and $1200 – any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:01 PM
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I would. Road bikes are fun and allow you to go further fast.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:16 PM
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I am in almost precisely the same situation you are.

50 years old, 180 pounds, in good shape, 5'11", had a Giant Cypress LX for 10 years, 11 mile one way commute, on rural roads in Michigan that are bumpy and cracking.

People kept trying to convince me to get a road bike, I told them to be quite because my bike and I liked each other. I looked locally and decided I was too cheap to spend that kind of money on a bike I didn't know if I would like. But after about 5 years I finally broke down and bought a road bike, a Windsor Fens from BikesDirect, for $800, which was an amount I was able to talk myself into. At LBSs I was looking at $1500 to $2000 for the same thing and I would never have talked myself into that kind of spending.

I put it together and got on the road in front of the house - and in 30 seconds knew what everyone was talking about. Best I can describe it is it's like there's no bike, it's just me flying over the road. The steering is so responsive (you will think "twitchy" when you first get on it) that you just think about where to go and you're already there. It takes a day or two to get used to, and when I ride the hybrid again, it's like riding a lumber wagon.

These days I really don't like riding the hybrid and will ride the road bike every chance I get. (The Cypress was given to a friend, I bought a dedicated winter bike, a Giant Seek 0 hybrid with IGH and hydraulic discs - weighs about the same 42 pounds, still rides like a lumber wagon, but it's what I wanted for winter).

However, I would caution - I would not buy a pure road bike again as a commuter - I would shoot for maybe a cross bike, or at least something that had the option of taking at least 32mm tires, but was as light as the road bike. My Fens weighs about 18 pounds as shipped, I've added a rack and trunk bag, water bottles, wired comp, airzound, it probably weighs 23 without the bag now. But it won't take a tire bigger than 25mm, and I pinch flat a fair amount with the roads around here being what they are. Actually for these roads, I'd probably not buy a road bike even for recreation. A 23 is OK on the front but on the back I wish I could mount maybe a 28.

If your roads are like mine, you will NOT be able to be a gutter bunny with a road bike unless you like changing tires twice a day. I learned to take the lane to a much greater extent than I did before, because I simply had no choice. Luckily most of my route is rural and there's rarely cars in both directions enough to hold up a driver more than 5 seconds or so (though there are occasionally people who refuse to wait even 5 seconds of course).

I think one of the reasons I get flats now is that I have pretty cheap tires. I bought Nashbar Premia 2 tires for something like $12 each. They roll OK and everything but they're subject to pinch flats in a bad way. I am about ready to spring $50 for a single really good tire - maybe a Marathon Premium or a Conti Grand Prix, in 25mm, just for the back. I've only gotten one front tire flat and that was probably unavoidable. The cheap tire only lasts about 1400 miles and the last 200 are flats every 40 miles or so.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Westislander
I would really appreciate your expert (and experienced) opinion on this issue - should I get a road bike? will I notice the difference?

About me:
… I also won’t do the bib-spandex thing. I wear hiking pants (long) and a T-shirt when I ride to work. I wear Velcro straps around my pants to prevent a chain-catch. And yes, I wear a small fanny pack. I really don’t care what I ‘look like’.

I’m reasonably happy with my current configuration but was wondering – if I buy road bike, will it make much of a difference? Would it be worth it? I would be willing to spend between $1000 and $1200 – any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Just my off-the–top-of-my-head opinion, but if you seek the riding efficiency of a road bike yet disdain wearing the similarly efficient riding attire, I would question if you are ready.

For what it’s worth, I ride a high end carbon road fiber bike, in spandex, with clipless pedals, on an urban commute in Boston of 14 miles, with variable pavement and a few hills. That’s much more preferable to me than the fine, yet beater mountain bike, with spandex, often looser rain pants, and toeclips, used only because the CF bike never goes out in bad weather (to keep the drive train clean).

Consider also how you are able to store a fine bike while at work. (How to lock up a nice Road Bike in front of work....)

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 05-16-15 at 11:12 AM.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:23 PM
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Stop by your local bicycle shop.... take a couple road bikes out for a spin and see what you think.... what could it hurt.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:33 PM
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A road bike is like getting wings, wings of wheels.
try one, you will like it.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:46 PM
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I just made the move from a hybrid (a Giant Cypress DX) to a road bike (a Bianchi Volpe). I'm not using it for commuting, but for recreational rides. I use a big old Dutch-style bike for commutes. On the other hand, my commute is much shorter than yours, about 6 miles. Okay, back to the Volpe. I can't get over what an incredible difference it is over the hybrid. I feel like I am flying. It's like hills that used to slow me way down aren't even there. I take corners and curves with a speed that was unthinkable on the hybrid. The super-responsive steering does take a little while to get used to.

So, I'd say go for it. I'll also note that my particular road bike is "endurance geometry," which means that it isn't nearly as aggressive as some racing oriented bikes are. It also has nice, plush 28 mm tires, so I'm probably not going as fast as I could. That's not a bad trade-off though since these tires really smooth out the rough city roads.

Best wishes for whatever you decide.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:50 PM
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Try a road bike with clearance for wider tires. We sometimes call them adventure or gravel bikes. I think those are some of the the most fun and versatile bikes to ride. They are still fast and responsive, but there is more compliance in the frame and room for wider tires and that makes them very good commuters.
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Old 05-15-15, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Just my off-the–top-of-my-head opinion, but if you seek the riding efficiency of a road bike yet disdain wearing the similarly efficient riding attire, I would question if you are ready.

Consider also how you are able to store a fine bike while at work. (How to lock up a nice Road Bike in front of work....)

Originally Posted by Dave Cutter
Stop by your local bicycle shop.... take a couple road bikes out for a spin and see what you think.... what could it hurt.
I probably sounded like a Captain Bringdown in my reply, and wouldn’t want to discourage you. My first reply to anyone even just considering any bike, is to determine what you want to do with it, even before price.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 05-15-15 at 08:08 PM.
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Old 05-15-15, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
I probably sounded like a Captain Bringdown in my reply, and wouldn’t want to discourage you. My first reply to anyone even just considering any bike, is to determine what you want to do with it, even before price.
+1 Jim! Good solid advice!
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Old 05-15-15, 08:45 PM
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You can commute on any type of bike. Try out some road bikes, if you'd like, but don't worry that you need to get one to be legit.
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Old 05-15-15, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Westislander
I’m reasonably happy with my current configuration but was wondering – if I buy road bike, will it make much of a difference? Would it be worth it? I would be willing to spend between $1000 and $1200 – any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
What kind of a difference are you looking for? Do you want to spend less time on the bike? Get a road bike and some tight fitting clothes and you could probably shave 10 min off your commute time.

I'm about the same size as you and 5 yrs older and ride 33km each way to work. I use a road bike as I'm trying to minimize my time on the bike. If I go hard I can get under an hour but generally I'm between 60 and 70 min. A big part of why I ride is for fitness and a 60 min ride every 12 hrs works pretty well for me. If I had a shorter distance to ride I'm not sure I would be as keen to go faster and might use bigger tires and a heavier bike to get a decent workout.

The advantages of a road bike:
- easier to get into an aero position allowing faster speeds with the same power
- drop bars offer more hand positions which becomes more important for longer rides
- More aerodynamic frame. This is a marginal benefit performance wise

Options to go faster on your existing rig:
- wear tight clothes. Much cheaper than a new bike
- lower bars and ride in a more aero position
- get some decent 25 or 28mm tires. Not sure what's available for 26" wheels but if you could get the equivalent of continental GP4000s that would help significantly.
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Old 05-15-15, 09:29 PM
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road bikes are specifically designed to be used on the road:

your "stance" on a road bike will be more aerodynamic than a mtb or hybrid.
a road bikes gearing is larger than mtb's and some hybrids (this explains why fat roadies fly by you with less effort)
skinnier tires=higher pressure = less rolling resistance ???? idk they just seem faster
any kind of shock absorbing systems on a bicycle will "activate" under heavy torque, yes I believe it is sapping power. plus adding unnecessary weight.

so, bottom line. Should you buy a road bike? absolutely.

Will you see a significant difference over an 11 mile trip? timewise, not really a few minutes maybe. but your saddle time will be spent more efficiently and you may even arrive at your destination with a little more energy left in the tank.

One final thought. many people are "intimidated" by drop bars and the general bent over positioning on road bikes. they assume that having lower back pain will be amplified by this and opt for a more upright bike. I was surprised to find that on my roadie I have more weight forward on my wrists and shoulders, meaning less on my tailbone, which translates to a less jarring ride. sitting upright puts the force straight up and down on my tailbone. leaning forward reduces that.
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Old 05-15-15, 10:22 PM
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I'm in a similar situation vis a vis age and weight. My commuter is an older steel road frame with the usual attachments -- fenders, etc. I've ridden similar bikes for decades, and have not had a problem with typical road conditions, even occasional off-road shortcuts. Road bikes aren't as delicate as they look.

An issue for me is that I can't ride a bike with drop bars. My neck don't bend that way any more. OTOH there are plenty of riders at my age or older who have no problem with drops, so it's definitely an individual thing. On the other hand there's no law against putting upright bars on a road bike, as I've done. Why? I prefer a lighter, more responsive bike -- more fun to ride. The hybrids that I've ridden just seem sluggish and cumbersome.

At 22 miles round trip, I'd be thinking about a faster bike. Of course guys on hybrids and mountain bikes pass me on the path every day, as I'm no athlete. But this is only about what it takes to get me from A to B and have some fun while doing it.
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Old 05-15-15, 11:35 PM
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Yes the road bike position does require a little more of a cock in your neck. this may be or become a problem for some.

another misconception of drop bars is that you have to ride all the way down in the drops. this is not true. most of my riding is done with my hands on top of the brake hoods, much more comfortable.
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Old 05-16-15, 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by catonec
road bikes are specifically designed to be used on the road:

your "stance" on a road bike will be more aerodynamic than a mtb or hybrid.
a road bikes gearing is larger than mtb's and some hybrids (this explains why fat roadies fly by you with less effort)
skinnier tires=higher pressure = less rolling resistance ???? idk they just seem faster
any kind of shock absorbing systems on a bicycle will "activate" under heavy torque, yes I believe it is sapping power. plus adding unnecessary weight.

so, bottom line. Should you buy a road bike? absolutely.

Will you see a significant difference over an 11 mile trip? timewise, not really a few minutes maybe. but your saddle time will be spent more efficiently and you may even arrive at your destination with a little more energy left in the tank.

One final thought. many people are "intimidated" by drop bars and the general bent over positioning on road bikes. they assume that having lower back pain will be amplified by this and opt for a more upright bike. I was surprised to find that on my roadie I have more weight forward on my wrists and shoulders, meaning less on my tailbone, which translates to a less jarring ride. sitting upright puts the force straight up and down on my tailbone. leaning forward reduces that.



Both on bicycles and motorcycles: "racing" position is a lot more comfortable for fast riding, even on longer distances. Back and stomack muscles do the work, while spine stays relaxed. Siting straight: every bump brings a bolt through your back, directly. You can place bars higher, so your tops are higher than saddle - almost like a hybrid, and make the drops regularly "rideable", still having a bit better comfort and aero position.

Riding on the road is the most fun, the nicest on a road bike.

My road bike has rear rack for commuting, hauling stuff, but it has slim tyres, road gearing and DROP bars. Never regreted building it. After decades on MTB-s, treking, hybrids and city bikes (dutch, or English, whatever you call those?).
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Old 05-16-15, 12:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Westislander
Bike I used to own (till it got run over by a car): Giant Escape 2 Hybrid (700c tires). I liked it, it was okay, but it always frustrated me why road bikes whizzed by me. I am in better shape than those people!
Road bikers just love to whizz past MTB riders!!!!
Or, drop them like a rock on hills.


You'll have to choose tire width. I've always ridden skinny tires (23/25mm), including commuting. However, big cracks that go parallel with your path are really bad. Cracks that go across the path should be a major problem.

Many road bikes are limited in tire size.

Hybrid bikes are MTB/Road hybrids, tending towards MTBs.
Cyclocross are MTB/Road Hybrids tending towards road bikes.

If you choose wider tires, then consider the Cyclocross bikes.
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Old 05-16-15, 12:50 AM
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A "sport touring" bike might offer you the perfect compromise: space for racks and wider tires with a more aggressive geometry.
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Old 05-16-15, 01:06 AM
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Road bikes are ok, rode them for many years, but I never found them to be as magic as some make them sound, and they do have their down sides too. Personal preferences don't define what's "better".
Unless you are limited to one bike, why not just give it a try.
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Old 05-16-15, 06:27 AM
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I'm 6 years older but same weight and many days the same commute distance or a tad longer. I went the opposite direction and got a Dutch bike (Workcycles Opafiets). I'll never go back. Makes for much more comfortable and enjoyable rides and for all trips much easier to know that I can ride in whatever clothes I want without ever worrying about grease or rips or anything. I also like knowing that these bikes are nearly maintenance free in all weather so no worrying about adjustments or needing to fix stuff and they are more impervious to flats. They also handle weight much better and are easier to ride when weighted down.

More here: City Bikes | LocalMile

That said I still have a road bike for training rides that I do enjoy riding but that is very different from transportation.

I don't drive an Indy car to work (though I did use to have a couple of formula Vee's) and when I'm driving I don't get worked up when other drivers pass me even though I know that my car is faster. There's a difference in racing and transportation.

Last edited by CrankyOne; 05-16-15 at 06:30 AM.
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Old 05-16-15, 09:03 AM
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Honestly, no. I commute on two bikes. One bike is a ~16lbs full carbon race bike. The other is a full suspension mountain bike with giant (2.35") knobby tires. The mountain bike is about 20% slower. And you can't get a bigger disparity is bikes than that.

You're not going to happy on a road bike. The riding position is going to be totally different, your spider flex seat will be miserable. Suspension forks don't actually cause you to lose much energy unless you're pedalling out of the saddle. Look at how much your fork actually moves when you're cruising along, I doubt its doing anything.

Cycling is a very strange sport in terms of what "in shape" means. Bigger individuals can ride very quickly on the flats since they can produce a lot of power. I'm a reasonably strong recreational rider on a road bike. The main people passing me on the flats are typically 30 lbs heavier.

Get a flat bar road bike with disc brakes. You'll have tons of tire clearance for good commuting tires, no fork to worry about and you'll be fine in your current position. Invest in quality tires to improve road feel and reduce drag.
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Old 05-16-15, 09:36 AM
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The weight estimates here are amusing. 18 lbs for a bikesdirect windsor fens? Maybe with the wheels missing. And the bianchi infinito is not a race bike -- it's a mid-range plastic leisure bike that weighs 17-19 lbs minus pedals.
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Old 05-16-15, 09:43 AM
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Road bikes really come into their own in terms of efficiency, etc., as the miles go up. Eleven miles each way is a decent ride, but it's probably on the shorter end of where road bikes really shine.

Part of the efficiency of a road bike is the tires, and part of it is the riding position. Not necessarily low, but lower than you would be a mountain or hybrid-style bike. You mentioned you like your SpiderFlex saddle; I hadn't seen one (just Google'd it). I'm not sure if it works well with the more "hunched over" position of a road bike. That's a question only you can answer.

Also remember that road bikes usually don't have attachments for fenders, carrying stuff, etc.

I commute on my roadie; my ride is closer to 20 miles each way. I don't have to carry anything (I drive in "civilian" clothes on the days I drive) other than a few personal items (keys, wallet, ID badge, etc.) which I stash in a small waist pack. My commute is through suburbia on roads that sound pretty similair to yours (i.e., frost heaves, potholes, etc.). So there's no reason a road bike can't work; the question is will it work for you. Only way to answer that is to go demo a few.
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Old 05-16-15, 11:03 AM
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Hi gsa103,
I like your reply best. I think you're right. I'm going to my local bike shop and will try one out. I'm older, 50, and I don't want to join/justify the spandex-cream thing. I like my spiderflex and will try what you suggest. Thank you.
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Old 05-16-15, 11:20 AM
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Not all road bikes are great for commuting. The two biggest issues I have found are rack compatibility and tire size.

Historically I have used a hybrid for commuting and a road bike for fitness/training rides and triathlons.
Just this year I got an endurance-oriented road bike with larger tires and now I'm doing everything on that one bike.

But the biggest difference with my new bike is the endurance/touring type tires rather than pure roadie tires.
If you are considering commuting on a road bike, my take is be sure it will take 32mm tires.
I have found this to be so much more rideable on potholes, expansion joints, gravel stretches, etc., than my 23 or 25mm road bike tires.
And personally I have found the speed penalty to be negligible.
alathIN is offline  

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