andytv

First post here.....so please accept my apologies for any breeches of bikeforum etiquette I may be committing.

Dilemma here.

I recently began cycling at a somewhat serious level. I've had a Giant hybrid for years and pulled it out of the shed to try to keep training for a marathon with a hip flexor tear. Well......turns out, I really like riding. So I ditched the hybrid and spent a grand on a decent mountain bike after I w a s frustrated by my old bike's suckiness.

So....really enjoying the bike. Probably stacked up 300 miles in riding last month. Mostly gravel trail. But also I use the bike to cruise over to the next town for to hit the gym.

This led me to put some road friendly tires on my MTB.

So now I'm thinking..... maybe I should have a road bike too. You know.....for riding on roads. Why? Because I want to go fast. The MTB gears out at about 21mph....and it isn't great for hills.

So...here is the dilemma.

The roads here in rural SW PA suck. Potholes....gravel....railroad tracks. I fear that a road only bike might be too wimpy. I am drawn to a commuter type (I.e. Carbondale Bad Boy), but that seems a lot like my MTB. Been looking at Giant Defy and C'dale Synapse.....but these things seem like they'd be swallowed by a bump in the road.

I want a speedy bike but I think I need something a little tougher than a road bike. I don't see myself doing a ton of long rides but still want that option. In other words, I want it all.

So please weigh in. Lemme have it. What should I be looking for?

KBentley57

Well, the goal is to avoid all the potholes and such, not plow through them. No bike short of a full suspension DH MTB will make a huge pothole feel great. I would claim that any roadbike should be able to stand up to paved roads, so long as you don't run full on into a parking block or something similar.

There is always the disc equiped cyclocross bikes that you may be interested in.

Dave Cutter

Let me google that for you

Homebrew01

I was also going to mention a cyclocross bike. You can get different tires to use in different conditions, or splurge and get a 2nd set of wheels with different tires. 1 set for road rides, 1 for more abusive rides.

andytv

Potholes can be avoided.....true. I have to cross RR tracks though. And even on the MTB with 47mms road type tires, it feels injurious to the bike. Maybe I'm hypersensitive. I imagine hitting those suckers at 30mph on a road bike and getting two flats. Cyclocross bikes seem cool....but seem pretty similar to my current bike (rockhopper).

Mind you..... I was certain I needed a road bike four hours ago, in which case this would have been a carbon vs aluminum post. Now I am really wondering if I really need a road bike. I love buying crap though....so maybe I should just get an entry level bike and see if I use it.

Homebrew01

Bunny hop the RR tracks, or slow down and ride them normally.
Road bikes can handle if you have wheels appropriate for the job.

UnfilteredDregs

You, my good Sir, sound like a fine candidate for a Salsa Warbird...I can't help but recommend the Titanium model:

I do plenty of stupid things with it including unanticipated single-track and wailing across grade crossings...

2014 Warbird Ti | Bikes | Salsa Cycles

andytv

BTW.....Giant Defy 3 for sale local for $500 (2010). Seems like a good springboard bike. Thoughts?

Northwestrider

Surly Cross Check

andytv

That Salsa looks great.....except it costs more than my mower. I have a really nice mower.

UnfilteredDregs

I don't have a lawn...lmao


...I've heard good things about the non-Ti versions...

I mean, look at this RED:

howellhandmade

I suppose I'm in SW PA too, and the roads DO suck. I already have two road bikes and am pretty sure I need another one.

coasting 

get a road bike. i think if you think about all the ifs and butts, you will end up with a bike that is master at nothing and you just won't enjoy the riding as much.

so potholes are a concern..you just have to deal with them...avoid them. you can't get a bike that is good for potholes and then miss out on the fun of going fast on decent roads.

coasting 

my friend asked me if he should get a cross bike because of the potholes and bad roads. i asked hi if he intends to ride off-road and he said no. the answer was clear then.

UnfilteredDregs

Pssst... "Mostly gravel trail." as per the OP.

A good gravel bike does 99% of what a road bike is capable of and can wear a far more robust set of treads if the situation warrants it.

It's a no-brainer if you're riding on other than regularly groomed tarmac.

coasting 

oh....

well get a road bike anyway because we say so.

UnfilteredDregs

I'm doing that myself. I'm suffering a dilemma though...Classic Italian steel or asplodin' crabon hypertech.

coasting 

i say carbon.

calyco

+1

I ride in NYC where its pothole galore. Upgraded from a hybrid to road bike and very happy, fast and nimble. If anything it is easier to maneuver around traffic, potholes etc. Take a different route OP?

UnfilteredDregs

Yeah...I've been considering Parlee.

Long Tom

Run 28mm tires, worry less, enjoy!

znomit

I would say cross but I'm not sure what a cross bike is anymore. Theres a "road" bike named after a town in france from the company that sues everyone that takes 30+mm tyres now. So it seems the gap is filling in.

bruce19

In the past few years I've bought a lot of "stuff" from the company whose name shall not be spoken. Never again. Sue happy freaks. But, back to the original topic...if it's a matter of bad roads that can be negotiated with avoidance techniques I'd opt road. If there's significant dirt or off road I'd go cross bike.

I bought this 2 yrs ago for $1200 from my LBS. All 105. https://archive.raleighusa.com/archive/2011-road/rx1-11/