Can Mtbrs and road bikes truly get along?

Surf-Matt

El Capitano wrote:

Surf-Matt wrote:

I'm still tending to stick to dry weather though - I just don't trust road tyres and wet roads/ironwork.

That's actually some good advice there. Wet roads - normally white/yellow lines are very slippery and can catch the unwary (and experienced) rider out. Better to stick to the dry weather until you become more familiar with the bike's handling. Oh and roadie brakes don't really work in the wet either...

You should have seen me when I first got it - total paranoia of white lines. drain covers, in any sign of rain. Now a lot better but would still rather not risk it - of course there are also the drain covers with slats - perfect for grabbing a front wheel of a 23cc tyred bike!

But the smoothness, the acceleration and the freedom are great. Only done about 300 miles on it so far but all good. I also avoid certaim roads where i'm likely to get killed.

Faster bike + worse brakes = mild nervousness

miss notax

Hmmm, this is interesting! I'm a MTB'er with a road bike (my birthday pressie in May) which I have only ridden for about 10 mins down the road :oops: It does feel very VERY strange when compared to riding my comfy MTB though... I feel too stretched and it feels very twitchy - I had assumed it's just one of those things and yuo just have to get used to it!

I am also a complete scaredy-cat and will happily MTB in rain / snow etc but wouldn't consider the road bike in anything other than perfect weather. Which to be fair is probably why I haven't ridden it much this year.... :roll:

Surf-Matt

Notax - what MTB have you got?

Mine's a pretty racey Stumpy HT so the transition wasn't that massive between the two.

Oh and althought the Stumpy is light (light as standard but I've shed a lot of weight from it), the pretty low rent Allez Elite with no mods (just upgraded - for free - wheels) is MUCH lighter!

Surf-Matt

Freddy - I'm outside Truro - the roads are about as rural as you can get. The road bike is fine.

miss notax

Surf-Matt wrote:

Notax - what MTB have you got?

Mine's a pretty racey Stumpy HT so the transition wasn't that massive between the two.

Oh and althought the Stumpy is light (light as standard but I've shed a lot of weight from it), the pretty low rent Allez Elite with no mods (just upgraded - for free - wheels) is MUCH lighter!

Santa Cruz superlight

andrewjoseph

To the OP:

I have a Marin Mount Vision and a Boardman Comp road bike, I also have a back problem. The road bike does not make my back worse.

As others have said, you may need to tweak your position, adjust brakes, stem or buy new.

I couldn't get on with 'ergo' drops, was constantly fiddling with stem length and angle, brake position etc.

I then got an fsa omega compact drop bar. The reach is shorter and so is the drop, it makes for easier transition from hoods to drops and makes brake reach on the drops better.

I can now spend more time in the drops on windy days or for long flat sessions to put the power down.

I've now got a 'perfect' position on tops/hoods and drops, but at no time am I in a flat back racer position.

You need to be aware that sometimes bar position is a compromise between comfort on the tops and hoods and comfort in the drops. I.e. perfect position on the tops/hoods may mean less than perfect position in the drops and vice versa. I spend less time in the drops but I need to be really comfortable as I'm on the drops when descending with fingers on the brakes. If this is uncomfortable then 'bad things' can happen.

You may need more time on the bike to sort out what the problem is and find possible solutions. Don't give up, you can get used to it and you can get a better position.

dav1

It does taklesome getting used to that for sure.

I had similar problems when I forst got my road bike. Took a while to adjust it so that it was comfortable and to get used to it.

Give it some time and I'm sure you will grow to love it (but not as much as the MTB )

You will find this will work both ways. WHen my forks went off and I had to be a roadie for 3 weeks my MTB felt very odd when I got back out on it.