Considering a Road bike for commuting... good idea?

On Tue, 05 Aug 2003 01:10:22 GMT, Pete wrote:
"Rick Onanian" wrote
Why are road bikes so much more expensive? More precision
machining and workmanship, and exotic materials required?

Image.

Why do those of us who don't care and just want an
efficient bike for pavement have to pay for that?

I guess we pay for worse things...

Pete
--
Rick Onanian

Thats a good point, I'll definately look into it..

What is sort of getting to me with my sort of converted mountain bike is
that the position is pretty high up, and wind REALLY gets to me. Also the
straight bar (even with bar ends) don't have a lot of hand positions. From
what I know about road bikes is that you can hold onto the tops, the hoods
(is that what they are called) and lower on that curved surface. That seems
like a lot of comfortable positions for distance riding.

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"Preston Crawford" wrote in message
...
"Gazoo" wrote in message
. ca...
or a cyclocross bike?

Not a bad idea. I started without much funds so I bought an entry level
road
bike. Then I had it fit and they had to add a funky high stem to adjust
the
angle. Then I decided I wanted to add "suicide levers". Then I added a
rack.
Before you know it I had more or less some weird hybrid of a cyclecross
and
touring bike. I love it, though. It's right where I want to be so I won't
change it. But yeah, first time around if you have the money this would be
a
good way to go. Thing with entry level road bikes is you can get one for
$599 or less and then work with it.

Preston

Speaking of saddles, I'm using a Selle Italia Flight titanium (I forget the
exact spelling or model) But it's quite a narrow road seat.. it made sense
when I bought it because I was doing so much offroad racing that I was
barely in the saddle anyways. I'll consider getting something new, it should
help the bum. My friend and I are planning a 120KM ride soon..

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"Steve McDonald" wrote in message
...

I used road bikes with 1-inch or 1 1/8-inch high-pressure tires on
all sorts of city streets and country roads for many years and thought
nothing about discomfort or relative safety. But, several years ago, I
got a very good, unsuspended mountain bike. I put on gears that give me
101 inches of travel in high. It has light but sturdy alloy rims and
hubs and I've put Tioga City-Slicker smooth treads on it. I pump them
to 65-70 lbs. (high-pressure for 1.95 tires) and get a great ride.
I use a HyperPlush spring-loaded seat and the chronic saddle-sores from
road-biking have disappeared. It's like sailing on a cloud, compared to
riding a typical road bike. I will now use a narrow-tired road bike
only on smooth, newer roads and bikepaths and never after dark, if I can
help it. The wide tires give so much more safety in adverse conditions,
last longer and resist punctures and sidewall breakdowns better. I can
make this rig go pretty fast, for a mountain bike. If anyone passes me
on a road bike, they have to work hard for it.

Borrow a road bike and navigate your commuting route a few times
and you'll have your answer about
how much difference it makes to you.

Steve McDonald

That's exactly what I mean. A few extra KM/h feels more safe to me, and I
usually try to go as fast as possible in traffic because I prefer the cars
to go past me slowly.. I don't think I could keep up with traffic
(50-60KM/h) for more than a few seconds in the shape I'm in, unless it's
downhill or something

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"David Kerber" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

...

I'm just wondering if purchasing a road bike would be more appropriate
than
a mountain bike. I most certainly don't want to be one of those kids
riding
on the side of the road with a fully suspended downhill mountain bike
with
the seat all the way down bouncing up and down on each pedal stroke.

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?

Depends on how strong a rider you are, but you usually won't be keeping
up with the cars unless traffic's pretty slow. It's nice to have them
slowly catch and then pass you, rather than just blowing by you, though
GGG.

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

Not in my experience. If you don't like it, you can put just slightly
larger, lower-pressure tires and soften that up a lot.

....

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Thanks for the help... I think definately trying one out is in order!

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"Eric Murray" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Mike Beauchamp wrote:
I'm just wondering if purchasing a road bike would be more appropriate
than
a mountain bike.

If you want to do only road riding, then yes.

I find a real road bike both faster and more comfortable than
a MTB on the road. The drop bars allow more hand positions.

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?

It's not like you're going to be keeping up with motorcycles
or anything, but it will be a bit faster.

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?

It's hard to read your mind from here so I don't know
exactly how hard you think its going to ride, but my
guess is it wont be as bad as you think.

Especially if you get a commuteable touring bike instead of
a full-on racing bike. Touring or "sport" touring bikes have
longer chainstays that leave room for
fenders, slightly relaxed geometry, and larger tires. All of
which will make the ride a little smoother and won't
slow you appreciably from the full race bike.

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.

An excellent reason.

A 'sport' touring bike would be ideal for commuting.
Fenders are a must unless it never rains where you live.

Eric

In rec.bicycles.misc Mike Beauchamp wrote:
Hey all,
I'm considering purchasing a new bicycle (Maybe $800 CDN total) to replace
my nearly 8 year old Mongoose IBOC Pro mountain bike. I used to use it mainy
for offroad but a knee injury stopped that, and in the past few years I've
used it purely for commuting (10K's to school and back, 30-40K rides on
weekends, stuff like that).

Consider a touring bike like the Bianchi Volpe. It has cantilever brakes
which leaves plenty of room for fenders if you intend intend on riding
in the rain. If your going to carry books, it will have the proper fittings
for a rear rack. 700x28 tires are a good choice comfort wise and still
have a low rolling resistance. Beware. Some road bikes don't have enough
clearance to mount a 700x28 tire. A touring bike has enough clearance to
mount cyclocross style knobby tires if you wish.

A triple chainring is STRONGLY reccomended for those of us with bad knees.
The gearing of a double chainring equipped bike is quite high compared to
a typical mountain bike.

---
Eric

Hey thanks a lot Rick.. very convincing!!


Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com

"Rick Onanian" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 18:02:12 -0400, Mike Beauchamp
wrote:
I'm just wondering if purchasing a road bike would be more appropriate
than a mountain bike.

Absolutely.

I most certainly don't want to be one of those kids on the side of the
road with a fully suspended downhill mountain bike the seat all the way
down bouncing up and down on each pedal stroke.

I don't know how they do it, with their knees coming up above
their chest...how do they develop any power that way? And usually
pushing a heavy $65 Wal-mart FS "downhill" bike, at that.

Funny note: I've acquired one such bike, and it says "DH" and
"Downhill" and "Off-road" and such all over it; and buried in
a little nook you can barely see, a label that says that it is
NOT to be used for any off-road riding or conditions. It's got
fat very knobby low pressure tires, excessively plush front and
rear suspension...

I want something that can use my energy as efficiently as possible, and
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?

It depends on the terrain, yourself, and the traffic. In urban
traffic, with level land, you probably can get there just as
fast as you would powered by gasoline.

Here's my concern. Obviously a road bike is going to be a more harsh
with
the small tires and the high air pressure, etc. Are small bumps in road
going to be as bad as I think they are?

Possibly. However, I've found that my bike takes the edge off
the bumps pretty well; this may be because of the long carbon
fiber seatpost and the carbon fiber fork legs. At least, that
is the conventional thought on carbon stuff. I've recently
acquired an old steel Peugeot, and haven't ridden it much, but
have been impressed by it's ride too.

Is that why I don't see too
many people riding around the streets on nice road bikes?

No, that's because:
-- They're expensive
-- Most people don't realise that there's bikes beyond Wal-mart
-- The ones who do, can't see spending $500 (let alone $1000)
on a bike
-- Road bikes, to such people, don't look manly enough, so guys
are afraid to ride them; and women don't seem to ride as
much, nor do they care as much what they ride. Disclaimer:
That was an observation I've made locally. It may differ
in other areas. It is not a judgement of the female gender.

I'm going to go try a few road bikes out tomorrow, mainly for fun.. but
wondering what people think in here. Should I stick with a mountain
bike?

No. You will be faster; you will be more comfortable for the
road [after proper fit and break-in and so on]; and you will
feel better after a pavement ride. You will also get in better
shape -- a nice road bike makes you want to go faster and uses
your muscles more efficiently.

Mountain bikers have said to me about road biking: "It's like
steroids for your mountain biking." I would add that they're
complimentary; while road biking builds your pedalling ability,
mountain biking enhances your bike-handling skill -- while you
will never jump your road bike over a big log, in an emergency
you might have to get up a curb, or for that matter...a big log
that you suddenly realise is in front of you.

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.

That is a very fun setup...and common in this newsfroup.

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com
--
Rick Onanian

In article , "Mike says...

Is a road bike as fast as I think it is?

No. I have done the experiment. On a paved bike trail with several required
stops for street crossings, a fair simulation of commuting, my average speed
measured by computer was:

road bike 14.1 mph, mountain bike 14.3 mph.

The road bike was however felt faster and was more fun to ride because of the
more lively steering.

Notes:

Both rides were in ideal weather, cool, no wind, approximately 16 miles.
The mountain bike had no suspension.
The mountain bike had 1.5 slicks the road bike 25mm tires.
The mountain bike ride was slightly later in the season so I might have been in
slightly better condition.
The mountain bike was steel, the road bike aluminum, considerable lighter.
The trail was flat so gearing made no difference.
Most importantly the mountain bike had a Jan Ullrich model racing saddle while
the road bike had a heavy leather Brooks-like saddle (actually Belt.)

"Mike Beauchamp" wrote in message
...
Hey all,
I'm considering purchasing a new bicycle (Maybe $800 CDN total) to replace
my nearly 8 year old Mongoose IBOC Pro mountain bike. I used to use it
mainy
for offroad but a knee injury stopped that, and in the past few years I've
used it purely for commuting (10K's to school and back, 30-40K rides on
weekends, stuff like that).

I'm just wondering if purchasing a road bike would be more appropriate
than
a mountain bike. I most certainly don't want to be one of those kids
riding
on the side of the road with a fully suspended downhill mountain bike with
the seat all the way down bouncing up and down on each pedal stroke.

As has been stated before, much of this choice has to do with the roads you
are riding. While most of the roads I ride are smooth, the rough sections
are rough enough and long enough to warrant something with a bit more
cushion than my road bike offers. I personally wouldn't ride anything
without fenders for my commute. Even though it doesn't rain every day, there
are plenty of puddles from poorly aimed lawn sprinklers every morning.

I used a full-suspension mountain bike with slicks for years on my commute.
Suspension movement due to pedalling is good sign that your suspension is
set too soft and your pedalling technique needs a lot of work. I would still
be riding that setup if my commute wasn't now a combination of driving and
riding. The beater bike is less likely to be stolen out of my truck if I
have to make a stop or two on the way home.

Many folks around here split the difference and either equip a mountain bike
for road duty or get a hybrid. I find that typical commuting obstacles
(curbs and potholes) are easier to deal with if you have a flat bar. The
more upright position also helps with traffic awareness. If I were in the
market for a new bike (instead of more diapers for the new baby), I would
seriously consider the Specialized Sirrus or Cannondale's Bad Boy or Road
Warrior. Flat bars, 700c wheels, room for fenders... these are great
commuting machines. I built one similar to these out of an old Schwinn but
found that the toe overlap was a bit too much. Once I find a new frame and
some time to fix it up, I'll be rebuilding it.

Good luck in your search.

-Buck

My favorite commuting bike is my favorite road bike (Waterford RS-22). My
second favorite commuting bike is my second favorite road bike (Cannondale
T1000) Depending on the situation, I prefer one or the other.

--
Robin Hubert


"Mike Beauchamp" wrote in message
...
Hey all,
I'm considering purchasing a new bicycle (Maybe $800 CDN total) to replace
my nearly 8 year old Mongoose IBOC Pro mountain bike. I used to use it
mainy
for offroad but a knee injury stopped that, and in the past few years I've
used it purely for commuting (10K's to school and back, 30-40K rides on
weekends, stuff like that).

I'm just wondering if purchasing a road bike would be more appropriate
than
a mountain bike. I most certainly don't want to be one of those kids
riding
on the side of the road with a fully suspended downhill mountain bike with
the seat all the way down bouncing up and down on each pedal stroke.

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?

In the past few years, I've added slicks to my mountain bike, etc. All in
the name of a smoother and more efficient ride on pavement.

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?

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.

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com