Decision due to revelation

MrCubeLtd

I brought my MTB 4 months ago to get in shape. I was 17st and basically spent 20yrs of my life being a slob. I started out slowly and over the time managed to ride 12 - 14 miles per day, 5 days a week. I have been to Swinley forest with a few members from the MTB section. They were really good people but I sort of new then that technical off roading on a MTB wasn't my thing. I was at a cross roads.

Then my bike turned up last week - I am down in Newquay on holiday and have spent the last 3 days getting used to the bike. I can't get enough of the road bike, it is smooth to ride, the accerelation on the back wheel brings a smile to my face. I can go faster for the same pedalling as on my MTB. Everything about it makes me know that I have made the right decision bike wise.

No I will never win races but I can over time give it a bloody good go. The road bike is going to allow me to increase the miles and for me personally it now gives me a bigger wow factor then my MTB does.

I know some people can ride both. For me my love affair with my MTB is over. When I go back to Surrey next week I will put it up for sale. With a sad heart as it has got me to where I am now skill and fitness wise. But the road bike is going to take me much further.

Again proceeds of sale will get me some look pedals and some decent road shoes and some cycle clothing for the winter.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that when I was a slob, exercise didn't interest me one little bit. Cycling has opened my eyes to a whole new lifestyle that I am going to continue with all the way.

charlie_potatoes

I too started out with a MTB.
Mine is a cheap hardtail which I have kept as it is handy to nip to the shops or for the odd ride out with the family on the cycle paths.

Cleat Eastwood

well played mrcube. Not only will you feel lighter in the long run but so will your wallet.

What was interesting for me was doing the same route on the road bike that I did on the mtb - I was staggered how much faster the road bike was. Enjoy your new freedom. :P

Secteur

Well done!

Now get some really tight fitting lycra, and join the Roadie club!

♠ChumBucket♠

Same here. I bought a MTB to start with back in April. After a couple of weeks I put road tyres on it, then turned the stem round & took the spacers off. Then added flat bar-ends. I've just been out for a short run of 19 miles with an average of 17.8mph. I never ride it off road at all! My next purchase will be a road bike but I'm undecided whether to just get a TRiban 3 or wait & get something a little better.

MrCubeLtd

Secteur wrote:

Well done!

Now get some really tight fitting lycra, and join the Roadie club!

Already ahead. Picked up some Tenn Bib Shorts with padded chamois for £21 on Ebay. Wore them for the 1st time today and they were fine.

I did toy with the idea of putting seperate road wheels on the MTB before the road bike purchase. I did take a gamble on the new bike as I had never ridden a road bike before. But the way I saw it was that by the time I brought seperate wheels and tyres, swapped them over each time on the MTB, I could of put that money towards the road bike etc

I'm meant to me on a ride with my mate tomorrow on the MTB. But I not interested at all anymore. I'll make him suffer following me on the nice flat tarmac in his XC tyres. And when the time is right, I'll pop a gear overtake him and leave him wishing the upmost respect for my Cannondale

MrCubeLtd

I have 2 pairs of gloves from using my MTB.
1, A set of d30 Scott gloves perfect for MTB
2, A very light pair of Specialized gloves with just enough padding for road.

I am using the specialized and they are fine for the road bike and to be honest I prefer them to using mitts and have the added insurance of a spill I have full protection on my hands.

Does anyone else use full finger gloves on the road bike?

benkxk

MrCubeLtd wrote:

I have 2 pairs of gloves from using my MTB.
1, A set of d30 Scott gloves perfect for MTB
2, A very light pair of Specialized gloves with just enough padding for road.

I am using the specialized and they are fine for the road bike and to be honest I prefer them to using mitts and have the added insurance of a spill I have full protection on my hands.

Does anyone else use full finger gloves on the road bike?

I'd rather have fingerless mitts. If I had full length my hands would sweat a lot. And also that iny bit of fabric isn't going to protect you any more...

nwmlarge

to be fair the mtb will burn more than the road bike

i have both and thoroughly enjoy aspects of both

twist83

I am with the chap above I have both a Santa Cruz Blur and a Road bike. I love both. I love the accessibility of the road bike but love going off road and the more technical and adrenaline inducing side of things of the MTB.

jonomc4

MrCubeLtd wrote:

I


Again proceeds of sale will get me some look pedals and some decent road shoes and some cycle clothing for the winter.

Would advise speedplay pedal - esp as you are probably used to two side SPD's

MrCubeLtd

To be honest I have a £850 MTb and I haven't really put it through its paces and like I said earlier anything technical offroad riding and I wasn't into it. Its a shame because its a wonderful bike but I am not using it for its true potential. I did give offroad a good go but it is not for me.

SPDs for me are a no no. I have been riding flats for 4 months. I did put on spd but had a bad fall with them on and bruised up my right hip bone. I had been using them for a week and could not for the life of me get my head around them. Basically went offroad, couldn't get the foot out quick enough and the mtb toppled over with me still attached and wacked the hip bone.

Unless I have been told different, apparantly Look Easy pedal are the easiest to get out of?

jonomc4

I use look pedals - the only reason why I advise speedplays is because they are dual sided - the look pedals are light and work well when engaged (though people do complain about their bearings from time to time).

But I have issues setting off as they are single sided - I had SPD's before which were dual sided. TBH I think most good quality pedals are easy to get out of - for me the issue (although I have got better) is getting into them.

MrCubeLtd

Thanks Jonomc. do the speedplay pedals need a specific shoe or is it a stadard cleet for the shoe to pedal?

ben@31

My revelation was buying my first road bike a few months ago at the age of 32.

I'm amazed at how effortless it is to cover long distances that I'd never dream of walking or running, in what feels like a few minutes.

Similar to the OP, the reason why I have wrote this is because, I haven't stopped using a MTB but my beloved car! Since the end of last month, I have only taken my car out the garage only once. I now use the bike to commute, go to the shops and visited a friend who is 27km away down some empty country back roads. When it's a sunny day I look for excuses to go out.

I'm just looking forward for the quadriceps to get stronger, so I can do more.

As for cleats. I fallen over at a complete standstill (yet again) this afternoon when I messed up setting off in confined alleyway. I have just bought some Look classics, I found that they are easy to disengage but if you still have your foot near the pedal it's very easy for it to unintentionally lock back in again.

Bordersroadie

MrCube, well done mate for getting off your sofa and onto a bike!

MrCubeLtd

Yep the MTB is already up for sale. A long list of bike bits to buy hopefully from the proceeds of sale

Spare tyres
Fit bones measured and decent saddle fitted
Shoes & Pedals
Proper foot pump for indoors
Pressure guage
Extra pair of bib shorts
Computer mounted to the stem

Step one is to stop smoking. I am a heavy smoker and recovery time from a ride, expecially on the road bike is punishing me due to the smokes. It has got to a point where it is holding me back.

Step two is to tackle test hill in Richmond Park - I have ridden flats for the last 4 months and have no fitness or experience of riding hills. This is somthing I need to learn and I have been putting it off due to fear.

Step three go on a bike mechanics course and learn how to maintain my bike

Step four keep having fun

I have been out every day this week, about 1hr per session. ( I have my kids with me on holiday in Newquay) so massive rides a no no. Still getting used to the bike, but no regrets what so ever. I've even tried malt loaf but I don't like it. So I shove a jam sandwich in my jersey pocket for snack during ride.

My boy is 4 yrs old and when he watches the Olympics he Shouts out Cannondale instead of Canada. Not that I taught him to say that