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

I just did this last week, a car munched my old mountain bike (trek
830) and a very guilt ridden motorist bought me a new cannondale (R4).
I enjoy a 12 mile each way commute through downtown chicago every day,
and i have to say that the road bike actually has a smoother ride than
the mountain bike. That and the road bike cut nearly 10 min. off of my
commute. I would recommend either getting fitted at your LBS or
breaking out the measuring tape and go to this site
(http://www.bsn.com/Cycling/ergobike.html). I took a 20 min. test ride
before and after fitting. you would not believe how much more
comfortable a road bike is when it actually fits.

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).

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

Tom Sherman wrote in message ...
I have a 22T granny ring and 24, 28 and 34T [1] cogs on my bike.

Tom did you read my post awhile back where I
stated the well known fact that roadies NEVER
climb with a even number cog!

Use a 19 or 21. And a 23 for climbing mount
Zoncolan and the Alto L'Angliru.

If you're stuck stateside then keep the 23 off, you
only need a 21. Guys will check your cogset out
before the ride starts, you don't want someone
like me finding a girly 23 on your bike.

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 14:39:05 -0700, Benjamin Lewis
may have said:

It's been over 3000 miles since my last flat tire on my road bike.

Ride through downtown Houston once and say that.

--
My email address is antispammed;
pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Yes, I have a killfile. If I don't respond to something,
it's also possible that I'm busy.

Ride through downtown Houston once and say that.

Everybody knows you Texans aren't Catholic.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:

Tom Sherman wrote in message ...
I have a 22T granny ring and 24, 28 and 34T [1] cogs on my bike.

Tom did you read my post awhile back where I
stated the well known fact that roadies NEVER
climb with a even number cog!

Use a 19 or 21. And a 23 for climbing mount
Zoncolan and the Alto L'Angliru.

If you're stuck stateside then keep the 23 off, you
only need a 21. Guys will check your cogset out
before the ride starts, you don't want someone
like me finding a girly 23 on your bike.

Fabrizio,

Wouldn't an "elite roadie" such as yourself be rather embarrassed if you
were seen to be checking out my bike [1]?

You are also forgetting that I am not a roadie, but a degenerate
recumbent lowracer rider.

[1] http://www.ihpva.org/incoming/2002/sunset/Sunset001.jpg

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
You are also forgetting that I am not a roadie, but a degenerate
recumbent lowracer rider.

[1] http://www.ihpva.org/incoming/2002/sunset/Sunset001.jpg

WARNING! DO NOT LOOK AT THIS!!!

Bill "conjuring visions of mad chiropractic torture devices" S.

Zoot Katz wrote in message ...
6 Aug 2003 16:19:03 -0700,
,
(Luigi de Guzman) wrote:

I think all kids should be required to do two years'
real vehicular cycling--no sidewalks!--before being issued a motor
vehicle licence. things like blind spots are more than academic to
cyclists, after all...]

That's a great idea though too sensible to ever become law. I'm afraid
it would discriminate against those who are physically incapable of
riding.

well at minimum I'd prevent very young drivers from being able to
drive very high-powered cars. Have four classes, or so, based on
engine displacement. Have them wait two years before they can drive
the next-highest class--and when time comes around for the highest
class, administer a second, more comprehensive, knowledge and skills
examination.

I came late to driving and in my opinion it wasn't a bad thing. At
21, my capacity for doing *stupid* things with the car is a lot less
than it would have been at 16...especially since I know that doing
similarly stupid things on a bike would have gotten me killed.


There was a time London taxi drivers spent a year learning the city on
a bicycle. Now, I hear, they get to do it on motor scooters.

I think The Knowledge, the course for taxi drivers in London, runs two
to four years (cribbed from an online FAQ
http://www.taxiknowledge.co.uk/faq.html#If) I think they've moved
to motorcycles in order to put an instructor, riding pillion. I know,
they could have used tandems, but.

The black cabs in London have been extremely good to me, as a cyclist.
They pick up my signals, give me (just) enough room to move, and
don't run me down. in the City, it's the City gents with their
expensive cars and disdain for human life that vex me.

-Luigi

Werehatrack wrote:
In the early '70s, when road bikes were All the Rage, and the mtb
wasn't even a gleam in a marketer's eye, cheap road-pattern bikes were
plentiful...and just as crummy as the Mall-Wart mtbs that are being
pumped out today.

I don't think that's quite true - the mass market ten-speeds were at least
reasonably good at going from one place to another quite quickly. :-/
--
David Damerell Kill the tomato!

Rick Onanian wrote:
On Tue, 05 Aug 2003 22:34:14 -0500, Tom Sherman
wrote:
professional racers who can have an average power output of 400 watts
use nothing higher than a 53/11 top gear, then riders of lesser ability
will have no practical use for such high gears. Many would benefit from
Didn't you read the 12-25 vs. 12-27 thread?

I was just wondering if Mr. Sherman had opened that can of worms again.

lower climbing gears, but that would not be macho - they could no longer
say, "I climbed such and such with a 39/22 gear".
Just like a stem with a rise is not macho. I don't care, I've
got one.

Curiously luggage is not macho either - which is odd, because those of us
with luggage have to push it up the hills as well.
--
David Damerell Kill the tomato!

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 19:15:28 -0500, Tom Sherman
wrote:
to parallel park and getting their cars stuck sideways in the street

If they can't get into a spot 12 inches (30.5 cm) longer than the
vehicle they are driving, they should not have a driver's license.

I guess it depends what type of vehicle you're talking
about...it may be possible to do that in a small car,
but I've never driven anything less than 3500 pounds.

Now, maybe the new GM full size pickup with 4 wheel steering...

Anyway, it doesn't matter here -- I so rarely have to
parallel park, and when I do, it's easy, just like it
says in textbooks -- pull up until the rear bumper of
the vehicle you'll park behind is centered with yours;
cut the wheel and back up, cutting the other way when
you can clear it. Works every time.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)
--
Rick Onanian