Originally Posted by
Sawtooth
In another instance, we like to consider ourselves some hard core roadies but we rode the last 100 miles of a 200 mile day (Seattle to Portland 2006) at 21-23 mph with a GIRL on a gary fischer MTB with slicks. She did not hang on the front very much but neither did most of the folks in our group. She was incredibly strong, but that gave me a new respect for the versatility of the mtb chasis a foundation for all kinds of possibilities.
Sweetness!
My bud and I did the STP last year on 30-lb full-sussers with slicks. We did not go very fast
But it was a ton of fun!! we did do some pacelining, and caught some crap for being on the mtb's instead of a "real" bike, but overall it was very cool. I think the roadie types who said mean things were mostly concerned about wide handlebars in a group.
on the mtb/roadie efficinecy standpoint, there have been / continue to be some tandems and tri bikes using 26" and 650c wheels. They figure the smaller wheels, eveything else being equal, have about 4% more rolling resistance due to shorter contact patch=wider contact patch=more sidewall flex=less efficient. Don't remeber who ran the test but it was a tandem maker. fwiw.
now go ride!!
