I usually ride the 15 paved miles from my house to work on a CF road bike which is hybridized with straight bars. Best time in so far with this bike is 54 minutes total with cooperative traffic lights and wind. There's not too many different options for the route if I want to stay on bike-friendly streets, so, wanting a change in the ride, I took home my Schwinn s-25
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...QEwBw&dur=3376 , (not my bike, but an example) that I paid too much for - $100 - at a pawn shop a few years ago. New this sold for something like $159 at your local "big box" store. I did take advantage of e-bay to put a Dart fork on the front and a Fox rear air spring on it.
So what was
good about riding this bike to work today?
1 -- Just that its different. Different bike makes a different ride.
2 -- Luxurious smooth ride like your grandmother's Lincoln Town Car. Couldn't feel a single bump despite exercising no vigilance to avoid potholes and miscellaneous road hazards. The 2.25 off-road tires have a smooth center stripe and, at the rated 80 PSI, were silent and jitter-free.
3 -- MTB gearing caused me to spin much more level or downhill, which is not a bad exercise and change. I tend to "mash" my road bike in the hardest gear.
So what was
"wrong" about riding this bike to work this morning?
1 -- Front and rear suspension and 34 pound weight meant more energy expenditure. But, guess what? If I wanted to minimize energy expenditure I own a 2009 Honda Fit which will get me to work with no exertion at all!
2 -- Front and rear suspension and 34 pound weight meant ride to town took longer -- an hour and 7 minutes. But, guess what? If I wanted to minimize ride time I own a 2009 Honda Fit which will get me to work in 18 to 25 minutes.
3 -- Some fellow cyclists could see me and think, "Look at that idiot on his department store BSO with not only a suspension fork, but REAR suspension, fat MTB tires and riding it on the street!" But, guess what? TOUGH!
Probably bring the road bike home for the next ride in, but will be riding the Schwinn again soon!
Peace and love --Don in Austin