Why should I get a road bike?

2»

Comments

  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    Apologies as I wasn't too clear (didn't think people would get so anal about it ;) ) but there were 2 things I mentioned.

    1. IN MY EXPERIENCE -very important bit
    2. Commuting - wasn't so upfront about this bit. Vast majority of my time cycling is commuting, and thus instead of riding for 30 miles without stopping, I'm stopping every 100 yards for the lights/traffic and so on. Then starting again from scratch.

    Starting a 31 pound bike takes more effort than a 20 pound bike in my book, but maybe it's in my head. I lost almost 2 stone on my hybrid in the 4 months I had it compared to 4 pounds or so on my road bike - there's more to it than that of course but you understand why I said what I did I hope.
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    Apologies as I wasn't too clear (didn't think people would get so anal about it ;) ) but there were 2 things I mentioned.

    1. IN MY EXPERIENCE -very important bit
    2. Commuting - wasn't so upfront about this bit. Vast majority of my time cycling is commuting, and thus instead of riding for 30 miles without stopping, I'm stopping every 100 yards for the lights/traffic and so on. Then starting again from scratch.

    Starting a 31 pound bike takes more effort than a 20 pound bike in my book, but maybe it's in my head. I lost almost 2 stone on my hybrid in the 4 months I had it compared to 4 pounds or so on my road bike - there's more to it than that of course but you understand why I said what I did I hope.

    A heavier bike will obviously take more effort to move, but you are still the majority weight contingent. Well done on your weight loss.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    Apologies as I wasn't too clear (didn't think people would get so anal about it ;) ) but there were 2 things I mentioned.

    1. IN MY EXPERIENCE -very important bit
    2. Commuting - wasn't so upfront about this bit. Vast majority of my time cycling is commuting, and thus instead of riding for 30 miles without stopping, I'm stopping every 100 yards for the lights/traffic and so on. Then starting again from scratch.

    Starting a 31 pound bike takes more effort than a 20 pound bike in my book, but maybe it's in my head. I lost almost 2 stone on my hybrid in the 4 months I had it compared to 4 pounds or so on my road bike - there's more to it than that of course but you understand why I said what I did I hope.
    I don't think we were getting anal about it. As I interpreted it your comments were incorrect but per your last post it makes more sense. If you're commuting a set distance and especially if starting and stopping a lot or climbing hills a heavier bike will add to the workload and make it a more demanding cycle - so, yes I agree with you on that. My comments were based on if you were just getting out on the road for a set amount of time to train, in which case the weight of the bike effects your speed and acceleration but not necesarily the amount of work done.
  • markiegrim
    markiegrim Posts: 136
    I ditched my hybrid of 18 years for a roadie 4 weeks ago and have been amazed at how i now get up some pretty big hills on which I used to either stand up in pedals or even (the shame) get off and walk. Typical speed on my hybrid on the flat - 15-18 mph, typical on the roadie - 18-22 mph....doesnt sound much, but feels great
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    Ai_1 wrote:
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    Apologies as I wasn't too clear (didn't think people would get so anal about it ;) ) but there were 2 things I mentioned.

    1. IN MY EXPERIENCE -very important bit
    2. Commuting - wasn't so upfront about this bit. Vast majority of my time cycling is commuting, and thus instead of riding for 30 miles without stopping, I'm stopping every 100 yards for the lights/traffic and so on. Then starting again from scratch.

    Starting a 31 pound bike takes more effort than a 20 pound bike in my book, but maybe it's in my head. I lost almost 2 stone on my hybrid in the 4 months I had it compared to 4 pounds or so on my road bike - there's more to it than that of course but you understand why I said what I did I hope.
    I don't think we were getting anal about it. As I interpreted it your comments were incorrect but per your last post it makes more sense. If you're commuting a set distance and especially if starting and stopping a lot or climbing hills a heavier bike will add to the workload and make it a more demanding cycle - so, yes I agree with you on that. My comments were based on if you were just getting out on the road for a set amount of time to train, in which case the weight of the bike effects your speed and acceleration but not necesarily the amount of work done.

    ok we're cool now ;) (the anal bit was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek btw)
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    "ok we're cool now ;) (the anal bit was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek btw)"

    Steady on! You can't have anal and tongue in the same sentence unless you want the thread moving to Bottom Bracket!
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Its easy to overstate the improvements you'll have from a road bike. On a 30 mile loop I'm no more than about 20% quicker on my race bike than my full suspension MTB on summer tyres.

    Weight - 7-8kg vs 12-13kg
    Contact patch 1cm vs 2.5cm
    gears - about 10mph more for the same cadence on the road bike
    Aero position - about 20% better on the road bike.
    Maintenance - Running costs Road bike is an order of magnitude cheaper to keep running.
    brakes and fast wet corners - MTB wins in my view.
    Acceleration - Road bike wins by a factor of about 70%
    Riding comfort - it really depends where you have problems - if you are comfy in a tucked aero position then the road bike will be better, if however you are plagued with back pain then this may be an issue.

    This adds up to a max of around 20-25%.
    Guide to cheap bike lights Turbo Trainer Vids Play list
    Stretching & Workout Vids
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    diy wrote:
    This adds up to a max of around 20-25%.
    That sounds like a massive difference to me, given that the engine is unchanged.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    lotus49 wrote:
    diy wrote:
    This adds up to a max of around 20-25%.
    That sounds like a massive difference to me, given that the engine is unchanged.

    Id be surprised if it was that much difference really, or at least from what roadie experts have been telling me for years that the bike really made only 5-10% difference, and the gain was really more just a comfort thing on longer rides (which leads into other aspects of improving speed/fitness/duration etc etc over longer rides)maybe they were wrong and Ive been toiling away on a hybrid going nowhere fast, when I could have been zipping around like anything on a shiny road bike instead going 25% faster. :shock:

    but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    awavey wrote:
    ......but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:
    Just means you'll have to go a little further or find more hills.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    20% is indeed a huge difference, and in itself proves the point for getting a road bike.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    awavey wrote:
    but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:

    If you are just using it to ride the same routes, perhaps on your commute, then yes, perhaps you will as it'll require less effort. But these things tend to balance out as for the same time / effort you'll be going further, so it depends on the terrain you're covering.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Road bikes tend to be more fun on road, MTB's tend to be a bit tedious on tarmac, so you'll push harder since it's fun on the roadie.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Yep, when I was riding my hybrid it felt all the time like I was battling with the bike to make progress. Whereas on my road bike it feels like I'm battling the terrain and my own fitness, not the bike.
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Lets be clear I'm comparing a full suspension MTB to my Road bike and its based on doing a couple of road laps on my MTB and comparing times. A hard tail with skinny slicks will close that gap significantly. My MTB rims (Stans flow) also have a max tyre pressure of 40psi and min tyre width of 2.0".

    A hybrid, will be a lot closer to a road bike maybe 10%. My point being if you are more than 10% slower than your mates the road bike might not make up the gap and leave you disappointing.
    Guide to cheap bike lights Turbo Trainer Vids Play list
    Stretching & Workout Vids
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,591
    I went straight from an MTB to a roadbike, and yes the speed difference is noticable.

    Apologies if I have missed this next bit, but I didn't see it mentioned anywhere - do you ride with SPD or SPD-SL pedals and shoes?

    You would notice, imho, an improvement if you went clipless on your hybrid - apologies if you are doing so already.

    If you do so, you can then transfer the pedals and shoes onto a roadbike you purchase in the future, as they never come with decent pedals anyway.
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    awavey wrote:
    ... but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:

    It never gets easier, you just go faster.
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,591
    @Lotus 49 - do you own a Lotus/Elise Type 49...?
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • Esiotrot
    Esiotrot Posts: 8
    Daniel B wrote:
    ...do you ride with SPD or SPD-SL pedals and shoes?

    I don't think this has been discussed previously but it's an interesting point. I actually wear an old pair of trainers and have flat pedals on my hybrid and changing to clipless was my first intended change. However I never got around to doing it because this whole thing about road bikes, tyres and body position side-tracked me.

    Money is a bit short at the moment but maybe soon.
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    awavey wrote:
    lotus49 wrote:
    diy wrote:
    This adds up to a max of around 20-25%.
    That sounds like a massive difference to me, given that the engine is unchanged.

    Id be surprised if it was that much difference really, or at least from what roadie experts have been telling me for years that the bike really made only 5-10% difference, and the gain was really more just a comfort thing on longer rides (which leads into other aspects of improving speed/fitness/duration etc etc over longer rides)maybe they were wrong and Ive been toiling away on a hybrid going nowhere fast, when I could have been zipping around like anything on a shiny road bike instead going 25% faster. :shock:

    but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:

    A full suspension MTB bike is not designed for road riding and the cheap ones are very hard going. Compared to a road bike you have the weight, suspension sapping power / smoothness from your pedalling, big fat tyres, less aero more upright riding position. I now have a fast XC MTB which flies off road. My Road bike is a lot faster on road overall but especially up hills. For me 20% faster is not too far off now I am used to my road bike and have become Strava Man :twisted:
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Esiotrot wrote:
    Daniel B wrote:
    ...do you ride with SPD or SPD-SL pedals and shoes?

    I don't think this has been discussed previously but it's an interesting point. I actually wear an old pair of trainers and have flat pedals on my hybrid and changing to clipless was my first intended change. However I never got around to doing it because this whole thing about road bikes, tyres and body position side-tracked me.

    Money is a bit short at the moment but maybe soon.

    I still use flats as riding in the SPD position gives me a lot of knee pain which I otherwise never get on my road or mountain bike with flats. If you can SPD's will give you more speed and power and let you do a Del boy in front of loads of people :)
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    Kajjal wrote:
    awavey wrote:
    lotus49 wrote:
    diy wrote:
    This adds up to a max of around 20-25%.
    That sounds like a massive difference to me, given that the engine is unchanged.

    Id be surprised if it was that much difference really, or at least from what roadie experts have been telling me for years that the bike really made only 5-10% difference, and the gain was really more just a comfort thing on longer rides (which leads into other aspects of improving speed/fitness/duration etc etc over longer rides)maybe they were wrong and Ive been toiling away on a hybrid going nowhere fast, when I could have been zipping around like anything on a shiny road bike instead going 25% faster. :shock:

    but then for the weight loss thing, does that mean if I swap to a road bike from my hybrid, with my 20-25% less effort going on, Ill actually put (more) weight back on again :shock: :shock:

    A full suspension MTB bike is not designed for road riding and the cheap ones are very hard going. Compared to a road bike you have the weight, suspension sapping power / smoothness from your pedalling, big fat tyres, less aero more upright riding position. I now have a fast XC MTB which flies off road. My Road bike is a lot faster on road overall but especially up hills. For me 20% faster is not too far off now I am used to my road bike and have become Strava Man :twisted:

    well no I know they arent really designed for road riding so are at a disadvantage to begin with, and carrying the extra weight around must count for something so there is a speed differential to account for. but Id always been told it was very marginal differences of maybe around 5% in overall speed (I accept there are other benefits which make it far more comfortable and easier to ride a road bike on the road for longer, but its difficult to measure those directly).

    even if my hybrid/mtb bike is on the chunkier side of 18kg, it was the still engine (ie me) which was by far the biggest factor in gaining speed improvements, but I dont know if that was just people trying to convince me not to spend lots of money swapping to a road bike and then end up disappointed wondering why Im only marginally faster than on the hybrid/mtb or not, though they certainly never mentioned any likely weight gain from it either. :?
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    awavey wrote:
    well no I know they arent really designed for road riding so are at a disadvantage to begin with, and carrying the extra weight around must count for something so there is a speed differential to account for. but Id always been told it was very marginal differences of maybe around 5% in overall speed (I accept there are other benefits which make it far more comfortable and easier to ride a road bike on the road for longer, but its difficult to measure those directly).

    even if my hybrid/mtb bike is on the chunkier side of 18kg, it was the still engine (ie me) which was by far the biggest factor in gaining speed improvements, but I dont know if that was just people trying to convince me not to spend lots of money swapping to a road bike and then end up disappointed wondering why Im only marginally faster than on the hybrid/mtb or not, though they certainly never mentioned any likely weight gain from it either. :?
    The difference made by a hefty MTB versus a light road bike is all heavily dependent on lots of variables. The biggest one probably being climbing. If you ride a lot of hills then dropping from around 18kg to say 9kg will make a big difference. If you mostly ride at a sedate pace (say 15-25km/h) in relatively calm conditions then the more aerodynamic position on a road bike won't make a huge difference but if you ride fast and/or in windy conditions you'll benefit significantly.

    The whole question of whether or not you'll lose or gain body weight because of a change in bike is nonsense. Less effort (intensity and/or duration) means less energy used. It makes no difference if this is because of the bike, the terrain, the weather, how hard you ride or how far you go. If you're trying to find a bike to make your cycle easier or faster then by definition you're looking to reduce the effort compared to the same performance with your current bike. If you stick with the same performance you'll get less excercise. If you stick with the same effort you'll go faster and further for the same effort. The choice is entirely yours. The bike doesn't dictate your weight.
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Kajjal wrote:
    I still use flats as riding in the SPD position gives me a lot of knee pain which I otherwise never get on my road or mountain bike with flats. If you can SPD's will give you more speed and power and let you do a Del boy in front of loads of people :)
    If you have knee problems with SPD but want to clip in, I'd highly recommend Speedplay Zero pedals. I started with SPD and switched to Speedplay after about 6 months. I find them far more comfortable. Probably not suitable for MTB though.

Categories