Flash

Hi, I ride a 2002 Bianchi Volpe as my main commuter and I'd like to add a mountain-type bike as a second commuter to allow me to off road a bit when I decide to change my route. There are some nice opportunities for fun on the way home.

I wondered if anyone could steer me in the direction of some mountain bikes that have been used successfully for commuting, "pure" MTBs, hybrids, whatever. One thing I know for sure: I want this bike to have straight bars and a more upright riding position as well as fatter tires (I'd go with slicks).

Also, any tips on frame sizing for MTBs would help. I know how to size a road bike frame, and I know MTB frames require much more standover, but would love it if someone could steer me to a sizing chart of some kind.

thanks much.

MichaelW

The Volpe is based on cyclo-cross offroad bike. You should be able to ride any track or trail using 32mm tyres. The brakes are not ideal for big descents but Ive ridden my touring bike down long, steep mountain trails with panniers, and down extreme technical trails unladen. You can't expect to do much jumping or stunt riding on a Volpe but don't let that stop you riding off road.

jeff williams

Some thoughts....older mtb with a close to horizontal toptube will use the same\ similar reach\ seat hight
as a road style bike.

They are not really made as mtb anymore, even xc bikes have radical sloping toptubes.

The seattube can be 'ignored' when sizing a radically sloped frame, it's your reach \toptube that is the most important measure.

Generaly people prefer a smaller frame for off road than on, it gives you more control over the bike on challenging terrain.

A more modern inclined frame with front suspension will have a more upright (comfort and leverage) position, but it loses the race position, seated cranking hard >these bikes you peddle standing a lot.

The traditional HT, if cromoly, can be a smoooth bike, even ridged fork, I run bigger front tires under-inflated for shock, the rear is smaller, harder for speed (I don't bother swapping out tire for on\ off road).

An older A-class cromoly mtb would make a great all around bike, but like anything >quality costs.
My rebuilt Ritchey that I bought for 150$ is now $700. Mind you it weighs 20.5 lbs and is bomb proof
(Really!).
An alu frame mtb should run front suspension IMO. And you probably want to stay away from any full suspension bikes.


As for slicks, few town mtb conversions are faster than me..very few, and I have a MEATY big front tire that rolls over glass, grates, because a mtb w\ lowered gravity\ toptube > I can lift and plant the tire wherever I want.

Mtb are very good\ safe bikes for urban riding...which may be inherently more dangerous than offroad.
Mtbs open up a new type of riding for yourself = offroad, technical, recreational fun, urban assault..he.

https://www.firstflightbikes.com/atb.htm Some history and models considered worth running, nice site.
https://www.oldmountainbikes.com/bikes/ Bikes by Old Tom THE Man of mtbing. His frame geometry was adopted by the major producers of mtb and produced out of Japan =the first affordable mtbs.
Like RockyMountains @ $800 early 80's.

Hopefully some info for ya, everything IMO>

>jef.

phillybill

I ride a 55cm on my Lemod Proprad (Cross) and in a MTB I ride an 18" trek 4900. I had a 19" earlier in the year, but went down a size as it was a bit to stretched for me. Also I took off the shock fork and now use a Rigid suspension corrected fork. Gives a more snappy ride and saves some weight.

bobfe

I have a Giant Cypress DX, about the only thing I wish I had is disc brakes for better braking in the rain. The 700c x 40 tires are great. They roll well without making me paranoid if I don't see a grate coming up. I don't ride off road much so I didn't feel as though an MTB was what I wanted.

cyccommute 

I'd say that just about any hard tail (front shock only) mountain bike can be used for commuting. I use, and have used for many years, a Specialized Stumpjumper. I have also used a Specialized Hardrock, Rockhopper and RockCombo (seeing a patern here?). That being said there are some issues that you should be aware of with mountain bikes for commuting.

1. Most of them don't have eyelets for racks (if you plan on riding off-road avoid fenders). The ones with disc brakes or disc brake mounts are harder to put racks on. Unless you want to carry all of your stuff in a backpack, you will need a rack. Look at the less expensive bikes since they might have eyelets. It looks like the Rockhopper (middle of the Specialized line) has rack mounts.

2. Sizing a mountain bike isn't that hard. You want one that is comfortable in terms of reach to the handlebars and you want room if you have to bail off when the going gets tough. Where a road bike has about an 1" of clearance when you stand over it, try to get 2-3 inches with a mountain bike.

3. Stay away from dual suspension and disc brakes. Dual suspension is great for hardcore off-road but it adds a lot of complication for on-street riding. Plus, if you put slicks on it, it just looks dumb. Disc brakes are a royal pain in the butt! Nearly every bike on the road uses disc brakes, it's just that the rotors are either close to 27" or 26" in diameter! I ride off-road in the Colorado Rockies and never found the need for the current batch of disc brakes.

4. Riding off-road on the way to work is great fun. I've been doing it since I moved to northwest Denver 18 years ago. If you plan on riding off-road, I'd stick with real knobbies. Sure they are a bit of a drag riding on pavement but when you get to something that is slick or rocky or a bit dodgy, they beat the pants off of slicks. Also, if you can go fast with knobbies on pavement, just think how fast you'll be with regular road bikes!

Here are some websites with fit data: https://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/...mar/kronpa.htm, https://,https://www.ehow.com/how_1410...ect-frame.html, https://www.stlbiking.com/Bike_Fits.htm (lots of formulas here)

Hope this helps.

Stuart Black
"Dirt and commuting: a match made in heaven."

jeff williams

If you don't do- try running softer- less carbon front brake pads.
Salmon Koolstops are good. I use a black\ carbon rear pad for slowing and a soft grippy slammer for the front >then just use your front brake more.
Also if using a caliper\ yolk system, a fork mounted cable stay will provide better leverage.
I used a bmx one mounted the same as a road caliper >to canti boss mounted brakes and it was as good as the v-s I run now.

Jagwire are the pads I run currently, I also like Scott\ Mauthouser red, Khuon, a member says are now produced by Koolstop.

R600DuraAce

I just purchased a Specialized Hardrock for this Winter and bad weather and bad road condition commute. Glad I did because the bike picked up a lot of salt. Just think would what happen if these salt gets into my Orbea. Riding on pavement with bad fat knobbies which weight close to 2 pounds each isn't my idea of fun. Anxiously waiting for snow though. That would be fun.

cyccommute 

Those are some mighty hefty tires Most mountain bike knobbies, even OEM stuff, weigh in at around 500g to 700g, quite a bit shy of the 2lb each range. But then again just think of how fast you'll be on your Orbea come spring without all that dead weight!

Stuart Black

R600DuraAce

Yeah, they are the Specialized Enduro DH stock tires. Imagine I was trying to keep my old pace with those on. Thinking about getting a rigid fork and some sub 600g street tires.

cyccommute 

Okay. I shot my mouth off thinking that Specialized was on intelligent company from past experience. I haven't looked at anything that low in the Specailized line for ages but ... wow! What did they do, have a bunch of DH stuff left over and needed to move it? Why not just attach a couple of boat anchors to the bike and sell it as a training aid or S&M device? Damn.

On the other hand, you should have legs like trees come spring.

Stuart Black

BostonFixed

The DH tires are on the Specy Hardrock, because the hardrock is sold as an entry level trail bike. With the proliferation of DH/Freeride/Trail bikes, more people are going to use that bike as an entry level freeride/trail bike. With more teenagers and the like getting into this type of riding, cheap bikees are the answer. By spec'ing tires that are used for these types of riding, they appeal to this new type of rider. With disc brakes, bigger forks, and DH tires, the b8ike is marketed as an entry trail bike, which will undoubtly be used for urban assault,DH,trail,freeride,trials,dirt jumping, and maybe even some XC.

Any way you put it, DH tires suck to commute on. You should have had your dealer switch out those tires for some slicks.

rykoala

I'll throw my 2c in on this, as I commute on a mountain bike with slicks. My personal suggestion would be to get an older mountain bike that has a horizontal top tube. I ride a late 80's Specialized RockHopper and I absolutely love it. If you plan on riding some off-road, and pavement too, then get some knobbies that have a slick center tread, so that when you're on the road you're not riding the knobby portion, but when you get off-road they knobs dig in and give you traction. They would be a good compromise, at least. A friend of mine rides these and does well on and off road for casual stuff.

Then again, you already have a nice off-road machine, that Volpe. You could put the same kind of tires on it and probably do just as well.

ks1g

Watch for heel strike when mounting a rear rack and panniers on an MTB frame. At least on my hardtail Raleigh M60, the chainstays are on the short side (good for an MTB). Even with pushing my rack as far as I can without drilling some new mounting holes in the rack, I have to be careful about kicking a loaded pannier with my heel.

Sloth

I've been riding my old Specialized Stumpjumper. Great bike, but very old. It has no rack mounts, but you can get seatpost mounted racks that will take up to 50lbs these days, and they work well IF you are careful to make sure the panniers are at the rear of the rack to avoid heel strike.

The MTB can be great fun, off road or not. I mounted Nokian W106 studded tires and this is the most fun I've had in a LONG while. Cruising through snow and slush is an absolute blast and the looks I get from cagers are simply priceless, especially since I'm almost always having an easier time than they are!

Pay special attention to fender mounts. You really want full coverage fenders for winter, not race blades or similar. The real deal makes a vast difference, not only in how dry/warm you stay but also in how clean your drivetrain stays. Since clean also means free of salt and sand, it will translate directly into how long your drivetrain will last...

cryogenic

I commute on a Specialized Hardrock Pro and haven't had any issues so far. I don't find disc brakes to be the least bit of a pain in the butt and they come in handy in the rain for sure. Grab a handful of brake in a torrential downpour and you'll realize why they're so great. I commute without a rack and just use a backpack since for the most part, I never need to carry big stuff. If you're going to commute on a mountain bike, I'd suggest some slicks since knobbies just plain suck on the road. The Specialized Nimbus Armadillo tires get great reviews and are more or less flat-proof.

sbhikes

I've got an old Trek and it was an excellent commuter. (I've gone to the dark side now.)

I did have the heel strike issue with paniers. I ended up bolting the panier on to the rack so it would stay back enough to avoid hitting with my heel. Kept it from falling off, too. I only ever needed one.

Love the slick tires. I've ridden off-road with them and they do slip some on looser material on steep hills, but I'd never ride trails like that as a commute. I hate off-road riding anyway. On pavement they're a must.

When I first got a mountain bike I felt cramped when hill-climbing because the straight bars don't give you as many options for where to put your arms. I highly recommend those bar end extenders.

I also had undue pressure on my delicate, sensitive tissues. Getting a shorter neck really helped relieve the pain down there.

I believe my last regular bike was 22cm. I think the Trek is 18cm. Not that big a difference, but some.