Replicating road bike position?

ajoten

I am comfy on my road bike but don't feel great on my mtb - on the face of it it could be not being clipped in and having twice the weight to shift making it feel too "different".

Obviously the recommended riding position is different per discipline for handling reasons, but I have a longish off road ride on very easy terrain in the calendar, and I wonder if it's worth tweaking contact points to match my road bike.

(One reason I avoid riding the mtb is coz I struggle going uphill with the front end lifting up and would feel safer with more weight towards the front, but I don't know the best way of achieving that. Push saddle forward and longer stem?)

cooldad

Er it's not a road bike, but if you put skinny slicks on it, and drop bars, and rubbish brakes it might feel like a road bike with little wheels.

Danieljephcott

Swapping your tyres to hybrid items might help and do you have locking shocks.

Ive found a big difference in locking my shocks while going up hill, less bouncing and lifting.

i would also say its down to practice as the style of riding is so different.

figbat

As implied above, the positions are different plus with an MTB there is more need to move about compared to the road bike. I am often over the front wheel to keep it down on a steep climb (because I'm too stubborn to get off and push!) and get the occasional 'wheelie' if climbing over uneven ground. Equally I am hanging off the back, over the rear wheel, on a tricky drop. MTBs usually have QR seat post clamps so you can easily try some options while you are out. And if not being clipped in is an issue, get some SPDs - I am clipped in 99% of the time on the MTB and have only had the clipped-in-failed-to-release-in-time fall oooh, about hundreds of times. You get used to it.

My MTB and road bikes have very similar seat height, angle and fore/aft location but of course the frame geometry makes the experience quite different.

The Rookie

What MTB?

If it has riser bars, fit flats, put the spacers above the stem and/or flip the stem, any or all will get the grips lower and nearer a road position. My commuter is a flat barred hybrid and I use all the above to get the front end low.

rockmonkeysc

If you ride clipped on your road bike then why not go clipped on the mountain bike?

ajoten

Fear. Not keen on the technical stuff, me.

The Rookie

Fear is why I clip in, unclipping is never a problem, coming off the pedals worries me more.

rockmonkeysc

Try it. I feel much more secure clipped.