using a MTB to commute

coinneach

I thought it'd be a good idea, what with all the miserable weather, snow slush and ice we've been having.
I was SO wrong!
The disc brakes are both contaminated and need new pads, the suspension forks need daily love and care to stop them rusting up. Don't even mention my egg beater pedals!
This is after 2 weeks.
Maybe I've been unlucky, but I've gone right off the idea of disc brakes.
Any other opinions?

andy83

its all i got to commute, but does have slick tyres on.

disc breaks are annoying in rubbish weather, and my forks were dead a long time ago, more like rigid ones now lol

although my pads do last a little longer than yours lol

The_Darkness

Been commuting on what I guess is a MTB for coming up a year, 9 miles each way, no problems at all.

If you feel it isnt working for you find another option. But my disks are maintenance free, effective and dont require cleaning. Maybe you've been unlucky?

alfablue

andy83 wrote:

disc breaks are annoying in rubbish weather

strange when this is when they are supposed to come into their own!

ride_whenever

I have to say that's odd, haven't noticed any issues with my hopes, but then i'm only out occassionally.

I have a rigid mtb as one of my commuting/hack bikes and it seems to love the wet and the muck.

girv73

I've been riding a rigid converted MTB with discs through the worst crap the NI winter could throw at me, and it's been little trouble.

It came with a dodgy rear wheel that I got repaired twice and eventually replaced. I let the chain get rusted up and it neeed replaced too (but it was a cheap no-name one to start with), and it's now run out of brakes so I need new disc pads, but on the whole it's been fine.

With the better weather we've had this week I've been considering taking the road bike in, but at the first hint of rain I'll be back on the MTB.

passout

A rigid MTB with rim brakes would be better. Magura rim brakes are maintenance free and Vs aren't too bad. Slick tyres are the main thing though.

scottgeniusltd2005

disks are rubbish? are you kidding? i'm 17 stone, over the years i've had a lot of bikes. v brakes on the rear needed so much pressure to stop, the frame flexxed, rim brakes in the rain with road crap on, hit n miss n eventually wore the rim out. disks, never ever had a problem ever. why do you think mountain bikers use em, coz they are great in the mud, they are well away from the road gunge. are you for real? :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

tardington

I've just switched to a mtb after the severe injury of my tricross - It's actually great fun! But problems ;

Must ditch knobblies for semi or full slicks
Panner's hit heels so onto a rackpack (and/or rucksack)
Could do with a higher gear!
Also badly missing drop bars! Only one or two hand positions?!

m0scs

Glad to read a few post praising the virtues of MTB's and disc brakes.

Mine has Avid jiucy 5's, which have never let me down in any weather.

One of my main concerns about getting a road bike is their braking power or lack of it in wet weather.

scottgeniusltd2005

i agree tardie, i have carbon bars which i am going to change so i can get bar ends. i did put bar ends on but i cracked the end of the bar by pulling on the bars uphill

CycloRos

put semi slicks on my mtb commuter for the first time last night and wow what a difference! knocked a good 5 minutes of my early morning commute without even trying, I'm just hoping we don't see any more snow

tardington

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

i agree tardie, i have carbon bars which i am going to change so i can get bar ends. i did put bar ends on but i cracked the end of the bar by pulling on the bars uphill

My borrowed mtb has a rear view mirror AND bar ends, so I can't really use the bar ends... Annoying. The single position really gets to you after a while.

But! Slightly more traumatising, you cracked carbon handlebars?! :shock: ouch!

scottgeniusltd2005

yeah but i put on some odi grips and never had a problem since (bout 2 years). only cracked em on the end...phew!!

il_principe

m0scs wrote:

Glad to read a few post praising the virtues of MTB's and disc brakes.

Mine has Avid jiucy 5's, which have never let me down in any weather.

One of my main concerns about getting a road bike is their braking power or lack of it in wet weather.

This really isn't an issue. Good road brakes are very effective, the issue is more to do with the amount of tire actually in contact with the road. I've never had any problems you just have adjust your riding in relation to the weather.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

m0scs wrote:

Glad to read a few post praising the virtues of MTB's and disc brakes.

Mine has Avid jiucy 5's, which have never let me down in any weather.

One of my main concerns about getting a road bike is their braking power or lack of it in wet weather.

This really isn't an issue. Good road brakes are very effective, the issue is more to do with the amount of tire actually in contact with the road. I've never had any problems you just have adjust your riding in relation to the weather.

Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Jash here, the bog-standard factory fit blocks you get on a lower priced bike (and I'd know) are a bit rubbish, but swap the blocks out and you've got a pretty damn effective braking system. I've never had any scary moments even on my cheap and cheerful selection.

And I nearly put myself over the handlebars pulling the brakes on a good road bike!