letitsnow

My wife always wants to ride in highly populated areas that have a bunch of intersections and other obstacles to ride over/through. I am riding a Specialized Roubaix (when riding with her) and still get beat up from this form of riding (or lack there of).

While I am happy to be riding with her, I enjoy riding my Tarmac on a long, fast ride instead of all of this starting/stopping, and riding over all of the curbing etc... She views this type of riding as "boring".

I wonder how a full suspension mountain bike would do for riding with her? I'd put slicks on it and also drop bars...

sevenmag

If it's that rough then by all means give it a try. I might try a cyclocross or a hybrid before a full blown mtb though. Maybe even a mtb with just front shocks.

gurry

I fixed an old full-suspension bike then took it for a trip. Was a lot of fun going\hopping over curbs and stuff. You make your own short-cuts with it!

Arrowana

I'd pick a hardtail MTB with 26x2.35" Schwalbe Big Apples, or a similar tire. All you have to remember to do is to rise out of the saddle for the curbs, and you should be fine, plus you don't get the added weight and lost efficiency of rear suspension.

fietsbob

You have to throw significant money into those straight to drop bar conversions .
basically pulling off the stem and every thing on it and starting over.
since increased reach to road brakes suggests a different stem length..

The standard fork /hardtail conversion, below is is interesting..

I have a somewhat different conversion , bars :Nitto Mustache.
brake lever, 70's <C> road, bar end shifters.

given the 11-36t cassettes now offered,
something like VO's 30-46 double
makes more sense vs a 50-34t pair.

thirdgenbird

i would do something like this:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ar-Conversions

letitsnow

You guys are making me think about some options that I hadn't even considered, thanks.

I was thinking full suspension partly because it would take more effort to ride fast - which might help slow me down to match her pace...

thirdgenbird

26in wheels with heavy tires will as well. you could also look at going with a single ring front setup on a bike like i pictured above. this would limit your gearing, potentially cut cost, and it would be a blast on rough single tracks.

edit: you could also go single speed and really cut costs.

Burton

Out of curiosity - what is your wife riding?

no1mad 

How big boy are ya? You could try going with a BMX. Smaller wheels spin up faster at the lights, but you will have to work harder to maintain any semblance of speed. Which means you'll get a work out and your wife should find easier to keep with you.

Don in Austin

The other night I rode my "BSO" Schwinn S25 full suspension MTB on an evening urban ride with my friends. I know such as these are held in contempt by many, but at one time it was my main ride, and I have put a few thousand trouble free miles on it. I bought it at a pawn shop, rode it basically like it was for some time and later made a project out of modifying a few things. I got the frame powder-coated, found a deal on a Fox air shock for the rear, a much better front fork, etc. I rode with the air shock inflated to where it was pretty stiff, and with max preload on the fork. It really didn't slow me down that much at all, and it was cool hitting potholes and everything else with no worries. Comfortable like a Lincoln Town Car!

Your wife has different taste than you, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with her preference and think you could have fun accommodating it.

It would be MUCH easier if you gave the flat bars a chance, maybe with bar ends. Or, consider "butterfly" trekking bars. These can be installed in such a manner that you can stretch out for downhill if desired.


Don in Austin

SlimRider

I'd either get a HT MTB, a single speed, or a cruiser, depending upon the terrain to be traversed. If you have any serious hills or inclines, I'd opt for the HT MTB. Probably something like this:

Hills

The Dawes Haymaker 1500 ~ $480
www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/hay1500xi.htm

No Hills

The KHS Urban Soul ~ $400
www.khsbicycles.com/06_urban_soul_12.htm

The Schwinn Heavy-Duti ~ $440
www.schwinnbikes.com/bikes/cruisers/heavy-duti/

PS.

I've always found dual suspension bikes on smooth pavement, just a tad odd

Arrowana

In that case, a MTB from the early to mid 80's might be a great choice. Full suspension bikes just seem to suck away you energy, while the really old MTBs are just slow while still being fun. Riding my 1986 Schwinn Mirada, I feel like I'm driving a big truck, it's awesome.

jmiked

I ride my Specialized 29er everywhere. It's a full-suspension bike, and I have no problem riding on paved surfaces. I got this bike because I can ride it just about anywhere. I don't buy the argument that the full suspension is somehow less efficient on roads... in practice. It would seem to be more a matter of gearing. I sure don't have the top end of a road bike, for sure. Fortunately, that doesn't matter in the casual riding that I do. It weighs more than a road bike, but again, for riding around town, it doesn't matter.

letitsnow

She rides a Scott Sub 45, and I can't get her on a regular style road bike.

letitsnow

Thanks for the idea, but I'm more of a power than a high cadence guy. Not that I couldn't ride a BMX bike, but I prefer not to spin that much.

letitsnow

I have an American Comp Lite from that era that I may try.

letitsnow

Thanks for the advice.

Jeff Wills

In my world, a Scott Sub 45 is as normal as Mrs. Murphy's Sunday School.

My opinion: put some "city" tires on your bike, something like a Continental Town & Country: https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...42_-1___202472 . Crank up the preload on the suspension so it doesn't bob too much, and go ride with her. If you feel like burning off some excess energy, detour through a parking lot and bounce over some cars. It'll keep both you and your wife happy.

FWIW: my wife and I went out for a leisurely 40 mile ride this morning. I was somewhat faster than her, but she caught up to me at stop lights. A good morning to be out riding.

Burton

Actually thats a very nice bike! So lets be realistic - the gearing on that bike says that either you and your wife are worlds apart fitness wise, or she simply doesn't LIKE driving any faster. In either case, sticking you on a mtb bike or sticking her on a road bike isn't going to change that.

No-one HAS to drive flat out all the time - its a choice. You can choose not to. Suggest you decide that if you're going out riding together, that you stop and smell the roses, enjoy her company, and learn to relax a bit. When you go riding on your own or with other friends - things may be different.

I own a Specialized Roubaix Ultegra myself. Its a nice ride at any speed.

SlimRider

+1

This is sound, cerebral, and intelligent advice....It's also quite sobering!

letitsnow

Nice!

letitsnow

Haha!

How long have you been married?

Burton

Over 10 years. It wasn't a rush thing and we're still not tired of each other.

MichaelW

Can put wider tyres on your road bike?