Cycling - NLC

[pete]

i have a roadbike, and a mountain bike. I hardly use the roadbike, it's too uncomfortable and I have little free time. When I do ride it tends to be with Millie (who is 7). She has a 26 inch wheeled bike running on Conti roadbike style tyres. That makes for a harsh, uncompromising ride, but makes the bike really fast yet she can still ride it on forest paths. The need for knobbly tyres is over rated.

The difference in speed between roadbike and MTB on the road is 50%. There is no wasted effort which is a lovely feeling.

Scott if you want to look at some bikes PM me, I'm only down the road and I have a garage full of the damn things.

If it was me (and I've given this advice a few times) don't buy new - there are loads of good bikes out there especially if you are an average size (I'm really tall so I struggle to get S/H). If you must buy new then I would buy a hybrid as light as you can with rim brakes not disc (discs need loads of maintenance and expensive maintenance at that) and no suspension. You'll be able to go most places and you'll be pretty quick on the road.

Do you not remember being a kid? I used to ride everywhere on a bike that was once my (female) cousins - no sus, no discs and nothing stopped me

(edited to add when I said the roadbike was uncomfortable that's not the ride, it's just the fit. I think I'm too fat. Or need a new saddle (any advice on saddles which don't leave you numb would be great. Advice from gentlemen if you see what I mean.)

[Lazydonkey]

I know mate, I still have a sense of humour...just. lol

I know but you're bigger than me and have access to firearms

[Dominic]

When I bought my cross bike I had a couple of mates "in the know" really pushing me to get a road bike. I had other mates, also in the know (who write reviews for some of the cycling magazines) who advised to go down the cross bike route. I am really glad I ignored the advice of the guys pushing for a road bike. Tyre drag for a start is not an issue if you have the right tyres on it! I also know of a group who go out on a mix of cross bikes and road bikes, and the guys on the cross bikes are forever waiting on the road bike riders while they fix punctures etc. In fact, Woody sometimes cycles with us, and insists on using road tyres, which puncture all the time!

It's also worth pointing out that cross bikes and hybrid bikes are two quite different things.

So to sum up, those that mention road bikes are not worth listening to

[meatball]

Conti gatorskin FTW.
Anytime you cross boys fancy strathaven or a few loops of the moor rd let me know ...we will see who is waiting old bean. Lol

[woody]

Conti gatorskin FTW.
Anytime you cross boys fancy strathaven or a few loops of the moor rd let me know ...we will see who is waiting old bean. Lol

Not doubting we and the bikes will be slower, it is a compromise after all... Bring your MTB or road bike to the woods I cut through, we'll see who's waiting.

It was the Gatorskins that I had all the punctures with. Switched to Michelin Krylion Carbon's in January, once pinch puncture in the first week from a city center pothole & under infation, nothing since. Probably jinxed now

[Dominic]

Conti gatorskin FTW.

It was the Gatorskins that I had all the punctures with.

Just to prove my point, Meatball knows Jack Sh1t about this cycling malarky.

Now time for me to

[ste7en]

with rim brakes not disc (discs need loads of maintenance and expensive maintenance at that)

I would disagree with that. Granted, the Hope hydraulics I have on my mountain bike are a pain in the arse to set up and maintain but I have Avid BB7 mecanical discs on my hybrid which are excellent. Cable actuated, easy to set up, easy to maintain and I'd think it's substantially cheaper to replace a worn out disc than replace a worn rim and get the wheel rebuilt. Can't compair to v-brakes as its been years since I've riden a bike with those but mechanical discs offer way more performance than the caliper brakes on my road bike.

Conti gatorskin FTW.
Anytime you cross boys fancy strathaven or a few loops of the moor rd let me know ...we will see who is waiting old bean. Lol

Not doubting we and the bikes will be slower, it is a compromise after all... Bring your MTB or road bike to the woods I cut through, we'll see who's waiting.

It was the Gatorskins that I had all the punctures with. Switched to Michelin Krylion Carbon's in January, once pinch puncture in the first week from a city center pothole & under infation, nothing since. Probably jinxed now

As for punctures (touch wood) I have had no issues with Schwalbe Ultremo ZX's. Only done a couple of hundred miles on them but so far so good

[meatball]

Woody,
That's weird my gatorskins have picked up glass and even a drawing pin without deflating, had you twisted your tube or something? The tyres are heavy though.
In the interests of banter I may well do that, I'm working down your way anyway. What surface are we talking about?

Dom,
I would maybe point to woodys Elise and hint that his bike maintenance might be an issue too.
Lol

[woody]

Woody,
That's weird my gatorskins have picked up glass and even a drawing pin without deflating, had you twisted your tube or something? The tyres are heavy though.
In the interests of banter I may well do that, I'm working down your way anyway. What surface are we talking about?

Dom,
I would maybe point to woodys Elise and hint that his bike maintenance might be an issue too.
Lol

The cross bike has just had an overhaul, the Road bike rebuilt and the MTB is 3 months old.

Gatorskins were on and off so many times it couldn't always have been an issue. No thorn's or glass in them either.

Give me a shout whenever, are you back at PIK? Surface I'm taling about is gravel in mud/Mud/leaves & sticks etc... Ask DDtB how he got on trying to keep up on proper cross tyres. Going out on Wednesday eve to the smuggler's trail on the MTB if you fancy as well.

ETA: my mechanical disc on the cross bike are pretty hopeless; they're shimano Br505's, which are ok, but the drop levers simply dont have enough cable pull to operate them effectivly. They now do the same model bike with the Avid BB7's which are supposed to be a lot better, I just dont want to throw the cash at them just now. Fitted a 180mm front disc instead. The caliper rim brakes on my 23 year old road bike are vastly more effective.

[pete]

I use my MTB all through the winter for school runs. I'm on my third set of disc brakes (Formula, Avids now Shimano).

Suzy's old nail of a MTB is on rim brakes and except for pad changes they just keep working. Original calipers and original rims. (OK it's anecdotal but I am making an accurate comparison) And how hard do you have to stop on the road? Rim brakes will lock either wheel on demand. I'm not denying for proper offroading discs rock but on road it's just fashion IMHO.

[ryallm]

Rumour has it that both Sram and Shimano are working on hydraulic disc brakes for next years high end road bike groupsets. Seems completely pointless to me, but then I thought that about electronic shifting and I am now thinking I was wrong. From all the reviews it sounds superb with no downsides, and a large proportion of the pro peleton at last year's tour were riding Shimano Dura Ace Di. Don't be surprised to see some 4k+ carbon road bikes next year with electronic shifting and disc brakes.

Mark

[ste7en]

Colnago have already shown their offering in the form of the C59 complete with hydraulic discs and Dura Ace electronic shifting.

http://www.colnago.com/c59-disc/

[meatball]

All banter aside, I'm gonna be going to Arran for a cycle, if anyone is keen?
I'll be climbing some hills the day before and camping....

[woody]

All banter aside, I'm gonna be going to Arran for a cycle, if anyone is keen?
I'll be climbing some hills the day before and camping....

When?

Work are due to do the annual bike n hike on June 16th. It's a sponsored event for Diabetes UK; 56 miles around the Island followed by a run (!) up Goatfell and back. MD is a Fell Runner and manages around 5 hours for both.

Havent decided if I'm doing it yet, but would be up for Arran some other time.

[kerryxeg]

Rumour has it that both Sram and Shimano are working on hydraulic disc brakes for next years high end road bike groupsets. Seems completely pointless to me, but then I thought that about electronic shifting and I am now thinking I was wrong. From all the reviews it sounds superb with no downsides, and a large proportion of the pro peleton at last year's tour were riding Shimano Dura Ace Di. Don't be surprised to see some 4k+ carbon road bikes next year with electronic shifting and disc brakes.

Mark

I'm happy with rim brakes on the road bike, but they are not so good with carbon wheels in the wet and potentially damage the wheels. So this may be the point of the rim brake for high end use, and if they shave a few grams off they'll take that as well.

Incidentally, my mate has a bike shop in Stirling - Velocity 44, they have a pretty good website, or if your in the area I'm sure he'll give you good advice.