Racing/Road bikes

Dizzy the Egg

Am currently cycling in to work on a MTB with road tyres in about 40 minutes. Would a cheap racing bike improve my speed enough to fork out for one?

homercles

How long's the commute - as in distance-wise?

roger_merriman

unlikely to make much differnce speed wise, but a lighter racer would be easyer. and more fun.

Bassjunkieuk

Having done one of my regular commutes on a very heavy halfords full susser, whilst my road bike was awaiting a new front wheel and I can I don't think it took me much longer on my 40 minute commute. I might have only lost few minutes on the MTB but the road bike was much more comfortable and easier to slot through traffic then the wide barred MTB!

I also found the gearing on the road bike much easier to work with, on the MTB on the hills I was spinning out on the descents whearas on my roadie I still had plenty of ommph left :-)

Peasoup

... it'll also depend on the traffic conditions.

A lot of stop/starting will make less difference than a clear straight run

meanwhile

Dizzy the Egg wrote:

Am currently cycling in to work on a MTB with road tyres in about 40 minutes. Would a cheap racing bike improve my speed enough to fork out for one?

Assuming your MTB is a suitable one for the road (hardtail, good handling, locked or rigid fork, aggressive riding position rather than vicar's bike) you'd gain a maximum of five minutes, and might well lose time due to having to pedal slower due to the lower safety factors on racers (less aggressive maximum braking, not so hot low-medium speed agility dues to larger wheels). This calculator -

http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm

- is pretty accurate; it's based on the equations from the MIT bike science and engineering book that most bike companies use. Assuming that you're riding fairly briskly for a commute, you'd get about 0 increase for switching to a racer and riding on the hoods, and about 2 mph for spending the entire commute on the drops. Racing bikes are optimized for riding in packs, both cooperation between members of the same team and breakouts against rivals. But for solo speed, they're nothing special - a 20 inch wheel Moulton is a much better design, although rider skill and wattage will still be 95% of performance. If your commute doesn't involve the possibility of sudden braking (is this possible?) then you could get a aerobars, which will get you a real speed increase if you're willing to ride at serious sweat generating speeds.

However, 700c racing bikes - especially ones with horizontal top tubes - are about the prettiest bikes ever made!

Mettan

Dizzy the Egg wrote:

Am currently cycling in to work on a MTB with road tyres in about 40 minutes. Would a cheap racing bike improve my speed enough to fork out for one?

If your MTB's fairly heavy, and the commute's Hilly, then a Road bike should help reduce the commute-time. Having said that, make sure that what ever bike you're using can accomodate the road surfaces that you're travelling on. On poor Road surfaces a Sports-Hybrid with 28's on might be more useful than a full-on Roadie.

Alibran

Mettan wrote:

If your MTB's fairly heavy, and the commute's Hilly, then a Road bike should help reduce the commute-time. Having said that, make sure that what ever bike you're using can accomodate the road surfaces that you're travelling on. On poor Road surfaces a Sports-Hybrid with 28's on might be more useful than a full-on Roadie.

I ride a full on roadie on very poor road surfaces, and my first 1000 miles have been fine. When I bought it, I was replacing a hybrid rather than an MTB, and it didn't reduce my commute times by much, but it has made commuting by bike a joy rather than a chore. I also ride it a lot when I'm not at work, and sometimes even in my lunch breaks .... The difference in my fitness levels brought about by the increased cycling has definitely reduced my commute times.

psychle

I commuted 9 miles regularly on a basic road bike, with lights, mudguards, rack, pannier etc. Normal time was about 25 minutes. Some work colleagues fancied going mountain biking one day straight from work, so I took the MTB in that day. It took me over 35 minutes and I was absolutely knackered!
As said, there are a lot of variables (tyres being a biggy), my commute was mostly straight fast road, no significant hills and only two sets of lights which I could time so as to maintain momentum, but I still occassionally have nightmares about being forced to use a MTB on-road :shock:

AndyManc

Yep, I used to bike to work on an MTB , sometimes on my full susser, it's painfully slow compared to my Trek sports hybrid.

Even though my commute is only 7 miles ( each way ) my MTB can be a real slog, ... get a light as possible road/hybrid bike it's a far better option.

Having said that , in poor conditions I still jump on my MTB ..... and besides it gives a much harder workout , if thats what you want :?

Gr.uB

roger merriman wrote:

unlikely to make much differnce speed wise, but a lighter racer would be easyer. and more fun.

Much difference !! You are having a laugh or riding like a girl. It will make a lot of difference, not only up hills but also due to the decreased frontal position ( lower ). Plus the gearing will help. I'd be surprised, very surprised if you didn't make a huge difference once you got used to the road bike.

Belv

It does depend far more on other factors than the machine, in my opinion.

karl j

Dizzy the Egg wrote:

... Would a cheap racing bike improve my speed enough to fork out for one?

as others have said it'd certainly speed you up and be more fun, but only you can decide what is "enough"...