MTB Commute

Blue_CBRXX

Hi all,

I have a mountian bike that intend to attempt commuting on. I will be changing the tyres, and when I get a bit fitter may be the chainset as well. I am sure many of you have done this so, does anyone have any recommendations on tyres, make, model and size, etc? Does anyone commute from the Hamiton/Bellshill area in Lanarkshire to Glasgow City Centre? I have been told there is a cycle route that follows the Clyde. Where does it start and is it OK for a commute?

Cheers Paul

ChrisLS

Hi Paul,

An MTB is fine to commute on. If you're on the road more than off fit smooth tyres. Lock out your suss, if you can and you're away. Have a good commute. I commute on an MTB and luckily I have an off road route home...

Surf-Matt

I do it every day on a Spesh Stumpjumper Comp and it's fine. Oh and I use off road tyres on the road too :shock:

dirk_van_gently

Continental Double Fighter tyres, Semi Slick MTB tyre, work great on and off road.

mrchrispy

I don’t know how to manage on the stumpy with fats on. my gerenal commute work horse is a gary fisher bigsur fitted with slick and mudguards (panniers coming soon), if the weather is nice it break out the focus cayo, on the odd occasion I’m come in on my stumpy fsr I’ve found it a killer. Twice the effort for half the speed. I take my hat off to you sir

cee

i commute everyday on a hardrock. I ride trails on it in the evenings and weekends, so therefore have knobby tyres on there. Its fine.

Surf-Matt

mrchrispy wrote:

I don’t know how to manage on the stumpy with fats on. my gerenal commute work horse is a gary fisher bigsur fitted with slick and mudguards (panniers coming soon), if the weather is nice it break out the focus cayo, on the odd occasion I’m come in on my stumpy fsr I’ve found it a killer. Twice the effort for half the speed. I take my hat off to you sir

Mine's a mildly lightened Stumpy hardtail - I think an FSR would be much harder work - especially up the three vicious hills I climb each day.

ride_whenever

I commute 30 miles each way on my 456 with specialised fatboys on, it kills me particularly on the hills, but is definately doable, although I only do it once or twice a week. I've just bought a 2nd hand pompino so that should be much easier, even though i might have to push up the hills. My advice would be definately get some semi or full slicks, and try and leave as much stuff as possible at work.

Surf-Matt

Mine isn't a commute - I just ride 10m each morning but actually work from home

Great cycle facilities at this "office!"

marcba

My previous commute bike was a mid level x-country mountain bike.
I put road tires (Schwalbe Marathon 1.75; if I had to do it again, I'd choose slightly thinner tires, 1.5 or so), basic mudguards and a small rack fixed to seat post to carry Abus U lock.
In a second step, I switch to more protective SKS rear mudguard (fixed using P clips) and a SRAM road cassette (12-26 instead of 11-32).

I used that bike regularly during 3 years for commuting (and during 3 years before that, for mountain biking), alternatly with a Brompton (mainly during 2007 when I partially commuted by local train).
It is the lack of real rack (and mainly the desire for change) that made me switch to an hybrid oad bike (Trek FX). Poor fork with very limited setting (not lockable) was also a bit frustating when pedalling off the saddle (but not limitating at all when on the saddle).

A mountain bike used is very sturdy, and that is a major characteristic for a commuting bike.

jedster

tyres to consider for road use (not good for off-road):

schwalbe marathons
conti ultra gatorskins
spec nimbus armadillo

You can get all those in 1.2-1.5 inch 26". THey are slick and very p*ncture resistant.

I suspect you'll find that swapping the cassette is easier and cheaper than a new chainset and gets you most of the way there.

Blue_CBRXX

Thanks everyone for the quick repsonses. I tried a test run of the commute today after getting some part worn slicks off a mate, Continental Contact Sports. After all I have spent on the MTB I can't afford to spend £20+ each on tyres I don't 'need'. There are a couple of hills that made it hard work but after that it wasn't too bad. It is a bit longer than I hoped (17 miles each way on cycle route rather than 12 by car). I did find I spent most of the time on the large sprocket at the front and the lower gears on the back, so I will have a look at changing the cassette (thanks Jedster and Marcba). But I will get out in the evenings to get my fitness up before getting in to it regularly when my train ticket expires early next month. Thanks for the responses and encouragement.

Cheers