Mike Beauchamp wrote:
I want something that can use my energy as efficiently as possible, and get
me going as fast as possible. Like many commuters here I'm sure, it's
definately more fun going nearly the speed of the cars instead of having
them wizz past you. Is a road bike as fast as I think it is?

Probably not. It will be faster than the MTB but unless you are a very
strong rider or traffic is congested, you won't be as fast as cars--even
in 25mph zones.

Here's my concern. Obviously a road bike is going to be a more harsh ride,
with the small tires and the high air pressure, etc. Are small bumps in the
road going to be as bad as I think they are? Is that why I don't see too
many people riding around the streets on nice road bikes?

It's not that bad. It's just that the general public likes MTB's and SUV's.
This is not for any particularly well thought out reason. They just do.
I've seen tons of people on MTB's that don't seem to ever go off road. It
seems silly to me. Come to think of it, the same could be said of SUV's.
I live in Southern California and most SUV's here have never seen a dirt
road much less mud or snow. A little rain for 5 minutes a year is about it.

I'm going to go try a few road bikes out tomorrow, mainly for fun.. but I'm
wondering what people think in here. Should I stick with a mountain bike?
Another reason for wanting to get a road bike is that I can convert my
mountain bike back to offroad and have two bicycles for whatever type of
riding I want to do.

I'd recomend a touring bike. They tend to have wider tires which run lower
pressures and so have a less harsh ride (not to mention having better
traction in the rain). They also have eyelets for racks and fenders which
can be really nice for commuting. Racing bikes tend not to have those.

--Bill Davidson
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