If you ride a MTB on the road

tailwindhome

Put slick tyres on it

The difference is astounding, 5 mins off my best time for 9 miles

Not bad for a total spend of £23.38 (City Jets from the Wiggle Fairy)

Will be going clipless when a bigger size arrives in the DHB M1 shoe, might pick up a couple of minutes there as well

Kieran_Burns

and you don't sound like a wet blubbery fart on a leather sofa as you go past as well....


Alternatively you could buy a CX bike..... come to the dark side..... :twisted:

itboffin

+1

Kieran_Burns you should be on commission

Kieran_Burns

Just Kieran please

was the +1 for the wet blubbery fart or CX comment?


just call me Anakin in either case 8)

GarethPJ

Scuse me, but with a name like that you don't want City Jets, you want Spesh Fatboys.

Actually Fatboys are even faster than City Jets and very, very tough to boot, I've ridden them down to the canvas without flatting. IMHO they're as fast as some of those super skinny road bike style tyres for MTBs, but a whole lot tougher.

They are, however, kind of hard to get hold of these days. I got City Jets for my hack because I couldn't get Fatboys, they're OK but a bit draggy compared with Fatboys.

roger_merriman

tires are where the action is, mind you on the very odd times i've used my new MTb with it's full on mud tires (thin and very very aggressive tread) though parks no one has stepped out just infront as one can hear it miles away...

GarethPJ

The noise usually drives me mental within the first mile. Different people get annoyed by constant noises at different frequencies, but for me there are two noises that set my teeth on edge: MTB tyres on tarmac and the transmission whine in and old landrover. Actually the latter was, to be fair, also combined with a fair amount of tyre noise which probably resonated (sorry) with my hatred of MTB tyre noise.

I accept that maybe I'm weird in this respect. After all I love the sound of a two stroke engine being tortured. Most of my neighbours complain about the sound from out local motorcross track, but if I can't get over to watch on race days I will make sure I'm outside so I can hear the engines.

Rich158

Kieran_Burns wrote:

and you don't sound like a wet blubbery fart on a leather sofa as you go past as well....


Alternatively you could buy a CX bike..... come to the dark side..... :twisted:

Don't do it, they're all perverts stick to proper off roading - the force is strong when you've got big tyres and suspension

Greg T

I'd agree - first step change the tyres. If you can think about getting slimmer rims too - that way you can get down to proper skinny tyres.

The gearing will make be set too low for top road speeds so think about swapping your little chain rings for a larger set, consider swapping your rear mech for a more "road" config

If you've got front suspension think about going stiff forks to cut down on energy being wasted pogoing.

If you get stiff font forks you might find the geometry a bit tall.

Think about swapping the frame for something that will let you stretch your trunk out somewhat to cut down your wind profile and also be much lighter, you may find that the flat bars are too restrictive - perhaps swap them for drops.

Get rid of the clunky finger and thumb index shifters and go for a set of brake lever operated ones.

I reckon by the time you've done all of the above your MTB will be road ready.

girv73

Greg T, sounds like you're advocating some sort of cross between a mountain bike and a road bike there. Something like a CX bike maybe?

+1 for the OP. I fitted slicks and rigid forks to my MTB, made a world of a difference. Added 2mph easily I think.

You know what the sound of off road tyres on tarmac remind me of? The 4 ton armoured landrovers the PSNI use.

bigmat

Greg T sounds like you're talking b******s! But tongue firmly in cheek I sense. Get some slicks, Lock out your forks and fit a cassette with an 11 tooth sprocket (widely available on MTB cassettes). A pair of bar ends will enable you to vary position (the ones that curve round at the front give a good stretched aero position). Job done - the only real penalties over a road bike will be the weight, and the lack of skinny 700cc wheels - but for a short commute the advantages of those are arguable anyway.

Greg T

MatHammond wrote:

Greg T sounds like you're talking b******s!

Well that may have been said once or twice before.......

There is a tipping point after which your tinkering with your MTB set up to get it running on the road is reached and you should just bite the bullet and decide what you want your bike to do if it's speed then you are, like Maverick in that Seminal film "Top Gun", are a hot blooded fighter jock and

Feel the Need, the Need for Speed

You get yourself a roadbike and bang your hot tactics teacher (Kelly McGillis).

I'm not against tinkering mind - what a chap does in the privacy of his own shed is his own concern. Tinker away bretheren with your Frankenstein bikes - the best bike is the bike you ride - FACT.

nation

Greg T wrote:

Get rid of the clunky finger and thumb index shifters and go for a set of brake lever operated ones.

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone who would have Dual control levers by choice.

My tyre of choice for commuting is (handily) also my summer/dry tyre choice, semi-slick and narrow Schwalbe Hurricanes, treaded only on the corners.

Furbes

Greg T wrote:

I'd agree - first step change the tyres. If you can think about getting slimmer rims too - that way you can get down to proper skinny tyres.

The gearing will make be set too low for top road speeds so think about swapping your little chain rings for a larger set, consider swapping your rear mech for a more "road" config

If you've got front suspension think about going stiff forks to cut down on energy being wasted pogoing.

If you get stiff font forks you might find the geometry a bit tall.

Think about swapping the frame for something that will let you stretch your trunk out somewhat to cut down your wind profile and also be much lighter, you may find that the flat bars are too restrictive - perhaps swap them for drops.

Get rid of the clunky finger and thumb index shifters and go for a set of brake lever operated ones.

I reckon by the time you've done all of the above your MTB will be road ready.

Why not just get a Road Bike then :?: :?: :?:

snooks

Don't change your tyres, change your bike

If you think going to slicks is fast, get a road bike, speed with ease

Go for something expensive with lots of carbon, and leave your MTB on the terrain it's used to...you can't ride off road with slicks

Get two bikes, I've tried it, it's the future!

Bikerbaboon

snooks wrote:

Don't change your tyres, change your bike

If you think going to slicks is fast, get a road bike, speed with ease

Go for something expensive with lots of carbon, and leave your MTB on the terrain it's used to...you can't ride off road with slicks

Get two bikes, I've tried it, it's the future!

get 3 bikes ive tryed it its the future. :P


Nah I only have a 1-2 mile commute. And i have a single speed road bike for my day to day rides. cost me £100 and a day sanding down and respraying an old frame. and i save my 456 for the fun rides .

Kieran_Burns

Or get one bike that covers ALL bases... you know what two letters that'll be 8)

girv73

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Or get one bike that covers ALL bases... you know what two letters that'll be 8)

Sing it, brother!

ride_whenever

snooks wrote:

Don't change your tyres, change your bike

If you think going to slicks is fast, get a road bike, speed with ease

Go for something expensive with lots of carbon, and leave your MTB on the terrain it's used to...you can't ride off road with slicks

Get two bikes, I've tried it, it's the future!

You can, and i have, ride off road with slicks...

the_hundredth_idiot

Greg T wrote:

I'd agree - first step change the tyres. If you can think about getting slimmer rims too - that way you can get down to proper skinny tyres.

The gearing will make be set too low for top road speeds so think about swapping your little chain rings for a larger set, consider swapping your rear mech for a more "road" config

If you've got front suspension think about going stiff forks to cut down on energy being wasted pogoing.

If you get stiff font forks you might find the geometry a bit tall.

Think about swapping the frame for something that will let you stretch your trunk out somewhat to cut down your wind profile and also be much lighter, you may find that the flat bars are too restrictive - perhaps swap them for drops.

Get rid of the clunky finger and thumb index shifters and go for a set of brake lever operated ones.

I reckon by the time you've done all of the above your MTB will be road ready.

Don't worry - we didn't all miss the joke. I got it, at least!

Greg T

ride_whenever wrote:

You can, and i have, ride off road with slicks...

You CAN cut your toenails with your lawn mower - doesn't mean you should...

Where have the CX mafia come from anyway? I'm all for tribalism and all that but you guys need to get off the fence on this one...

Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?

snooks

Bikerbaboon wrote:

snooks wrote:

Get two bikes, I've tried it, it's the future!

get 3 bikes ive tryed it its the future. :P

I've actually got 4 bikes :P

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Or get one bike that covers ALL bases... you know what two letters that'll be 8)

The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" seems to spring to mind, and I have no idea why.....hmmmm

Bikerbaboon

snooks wrote:

Bikerbaboon wrote:

snooks wrote:

Get two bikes, I've tried it, it's the future!

get 3 bikes ive tryed it its the future. :P

I've actually got 4 bikes :P

Dam..... ahhh well i always did need another bike give me 5 Min on wiggle and i will be back with 5 bikes..... and any one know of a good CX bike and a full sus going for a shade under my CC limit. :shock:

Kieran_Burns

snooks wrote:

The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" seems to spring to mind, and I have no idea why.....hmmmm

I find your lack of faith..... disturbing....

cat_with_no_tail

Steady on now, one step at a time. I only just changed my Mud-Xs for racing ralphs and I'm still trying to get used to the differnce that has made. anything more slick atm will just blow my mind :P
Wet [email protected] rolling noise FTW though. Combine that with the Hope hub and peds can hear me coming for miles around, gives them plenty of time to think about the best way to jump out in front of me :roll:

BoardinBob

I toyed with the idea of slicks for my SS hardtail MTB but I like to throw in some off road sections on the way to and from work in the summer so best to stick with the nobblies!

ride_whenever

Greg T wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

You can, and i have, ride off road with slicks...

You CAN cut your toenails with your lawn mower - doesn't mean you should...

Where have the CX mafia come from anyway? I'm all for tribalism and all that but you guys need to get off the fence on this one...

Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?

It's horses for courses, ss steel road bike, slick tyres is much quicker on really smooth dusty off-road and gravel paths than a road bike, and you don't need the knobblies slowing you down.

Personally I think steel road bikes are the way to go rather than cx bikes per se...

Rich158

Greg T wrote:

ride_whenever wrote:

You can, and i have, ride off road with slicks...

You CAN cut your toenails with your lawn mower - doesn't mean you should...

Where have the CX mafia come from anyway? I'm all for tribalism and all that but you guys need to get off the fence on this one...

Which side are you on boys? Which side are you on?

They have to stick together in groups, stops them from getting beaten up by proper off roaders with fat tyres

ride_whenever

they do however have to be caught first, i'd imagine it is a bit like foxes hunting horses... the cx guys are faster, but the mtb are more agile...

Rich158

We'll just wait untill they hit a bit of trail that's a bit too rough/steep for them and they get off and run. I've got so much travel I probably wouldn't even notice them disapearing under my tyres

Kieran_Burns

ride_whenever wrote:

they do however have to be caught first, i'd imagine it is a bit like foxes hunting horses... the cx guys are faster, but the mtb are more agile...

and if the roadies try chasing, we just hop onto a tiny bit of dirt track where their wheels turn into interesting pretzel shapes and their false teeth rattle out