Confused Moutain Biker (roadie help)

Discussion in 'The Roadie Hangout' started by coolbreeze, Jul 10, 2013.

  1. Pilas

    Pilas Member

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    Looks awesome. Those are my son's training grounds. He always talks about how great the riding in SB is. need to check it out for myself soon...
     
  2. fongster

    fongster Active Member

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    Great points made by others. Some personal random thoughts on a few things: I ride an old steel Lemond and love it--it tames road vibration really nicely--who cares it looks retro? You probably won't find many steel frames these days though unless it's a custom. My wife rides an aluminum Cannondale with a carbon fork and loves it. She's done up to 50 miles on it without feeling beat up from the road vibe. A good, light wheelset is one of the most important items for a road bike--my first bike was fewer $ but it had crap wheels that wouldn't support me enough and kept going out of true. I ended up having to buy a better set. Cutting rotating weight (i.e. wheels/tires) is one of the best things you can do for a road bike--any bike really. Get a compact crankset (50-34 teeth) vs a std. 53-39 or 53-42. I say this as being an mtb'r, you'll like the lower gearing better--especially when in the hills. I never run out of top end gears, btw. Lastly, get a proper bike fitting done for max comfort and efficiency ($150-300+ but worth every penny).
     
  3. mtnbikerfred

    mtnbikerfred Super Moderator

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    'scuse me while I go shave my guns.... :p :D :p :D
     
  4. Varaxis

    Varaxis Trail Ninja

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    Why don't you be the avant garde guy that gets a cyclocross frame, and install mtb bars, hydraulic disc brakes, XX1 (with a big chainring up front, or other 1x setup), and maybe even a dropper post on it? ;)
     
  5. socal_rider

    socal_rider Member

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    Yep. That's how I'd roll if I went roadie.
     
  6. jimmymats

    jimmymats Member

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    I ride a Surly Crosscheck and love it (still have the drop bars on it, and no dropper post though) :). Very smooth. Plus I put fatty tires on it, and it still rolls surprisingly fast and climbs okay too despite the fact it weighs about 25 lbs. The nice part is, I can venture off when I see a fun sliver of dirt along the route.

    I agree with earlier posts about comfort. Unless you envision racing or very competitive group rides, stay away from aggressive race geo.

    TT/tri bikes are usually cheaper (relatively) because they come with cheaper components out of the gate (esp wheels, which are an expected upgrade). But I think it's already established from others that you don't want one of these anyway. Just made to go straight.

    Good luck!
     
  7. BikeThePlanet

    BikeThePlanet Active Member

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    I am a "Fred" as somebody else mentioned before. I have Kona Jack Sh!ts on my steel Salsa Vaya and steel Surly CrossCheck. I ride with sandals most of the time. Also, rarely padded shorts because my Brooks saddle is REALLY comfortable. No kit. So my advice may be worth nada.

    Anyhow, I like the geometry of CX bikes and steel frames, but if you are going to be doing "serious" roadie riding in Pelotons probably not a good idea.

    Another series of trails I like better than SART, especially riding solo after the jackings they had last year, is the Back Bay to Mountain to Sea Trail. It goes all the way to Peter's Canyon/IRP. There are also many offshoots through Irvine, including paralleling the 405 and going through Shady Canyon. All off road.

    One route I like to do with minimal road, because I like stay off roads as much as possible, is turn tight on Bay Drive after crossing the bridge where the Queen Mary used to be. It will pop you out after most of the chaos that is CDM. Ride up Newport Coast, down by Mariner Park, through Shady Canyon, Irvine bike trails to Mountain to Sea, and around the Back Bay.
     
  8. Allthatflash

    Allthatflash New Member

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    Everyone keeps saying to buy compact? why ? I have a standard 39/53 crankset and works fine for me, if I wanted gearing I'll take my MTB out for a spin. I think it all depends on the guy who is looking to buy a road bike and his leg strength. If he has the power to run a standard they why not, it will trickle down to your mountain bike as well when those long steep climbs come into play.
     
  9. Pho'dUp

    Pho'dUp Spam Musubi MasherSS

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    If I didn't already have a road bike, I'd just get a cross bike instead. Throw some skinny knobs on there and jump on some fireroads too as you ride the road.
     
  10. LadiesMan

    LadiesMan Pro Member

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    I've heard of SART, where's that one and what's it stand for?
     
  11. BikeThePlanet

    BikeThePlanet Active Member

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  12. coolbreeze

    coolbreeze Looking for the gun show?

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    Wow....the force from the dark side is strong.

    I rather just put the carbon fork back on my Niner and put 1.95 tires on :p
     
  13. mfoga

    mfoga Intense Whore

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    Are you doing big long climbs with that too? Compact is best for most people unless you plan on racing and need all out speed. Does that mean you can't use a standard no, but unless the price is a lot lower I would direct anyone not planning to race to a compact.
     
  14. Pickettt

    Pickettt New Member

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    It's my opinion that you'd be better served keeping standard chainrings and get a bigger cogset. You get the lower gears without losing the high ones.
     
  15. ManInAShed

    ManInAShed New Member

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    Hm. You know, I've been thinking about this too. Cause about once every three months I think I should build up a road bike again and return to the pave. Get in awesome shape, outclimb people on the trail, impress hordes of bikini models with my satin legs and shiny helmet and spotless bike, etc.

    Then I remember back to my road racing years, and remember how much time I spent carving graceful arcs down idyllic winding roads, and how much time I spent staring at the little visible patch of asphalt through the guys legs ahead of me, watching everyones weight shifts and movements like a hawk, quietly tolerating the uptight, rigidly structured, regimented, conformist, almost militaristic approach to... riding a bicycle. ...and then the screaming rage of the emasculated little league dads expelled from the playgrounds by their kids coaches, the image-centric superficiality, breathing exhaust, lack of any shade under the hot sun, constant headwind that shifts halfway through the ride to fight you on your way home too, cars passing you at 65mph inches away or swerving toward you, riding in gravelly gutters, getting half-eaten sandwiches and beer cans thrown at you at high speed, getting run off the road by drunk college kids, harassed by police that think bicycles belong on sidewalks, getting chased by rednecks, having to ride with a zipgun in the city, and all the 5 grit intersections I slid through on my ass scrambling to dodge oncoming traffic.

    Then I look at my big fat cushy balloon-tired mountain bikes, and the dark spongy trail of soft peat leading into the forest, where wet roots and mossy rocks make a playground in the light and shade, and songbirds sing with the wandering breeze through the trees.

    I guess I've gotten to a point where I don't really care about speed. I just want riding to be pleasant and enjoyable.
    I suddenly feel very old.
     
  16. dirtmistress

    dirtmistress AKA Roadiemistress

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    Seriously, don't listen to Wrecker! She clonked her head in her last race and now she has visions that she had fun on a road bike and could tear the pack apart!
    If you live near San Diego and you decide to take up Road riding, I highly recommend La Jolla Cyclery on a Saturday morning. A,B and C rides. Do the C ride. It'll teach you all you need to know about being a snob roadie! Like me!
    I have a lovely titanium Lemond road bike I'll sell you for a good price. You need to be 5'4" though. :):)
     
  17. ManInAShed

    ManInAShed New Member

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    That's the best shop I found too. Lucky for me it was just a brisk walk from my door! For being a knowledgable high-end road shop, the guys were all very chill and personable. Really fun. +, after you ride, there's the Ranch next door (just past the big pile of Lamborghinis, Bentleys & Rolls'). They make a breakfast torta that's an awesome post-ride pick-me-up. And Kristen the Bartender is a peach. Good stuff.
     
  18. Wrecker

    Wrecker Member

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    Sadly, that was not my last race. I don't think it was. Maybe the others were delusions. Now I'm confused. TOTALLY agree with the Man in the Shed though. :)
     
  19. obie

    obie New Member

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    I'd look into a CX bike running 32c's for OC riding. The roads around here are sketchy - loads of traffic, lots riders. Freaks most noobs out. You get a CX bike and now you can move onto trails and stretch out your horizons. Hell, you can do White Mountain (current flav of the month) on a CX bike. People ride Moro/LCWP on CX rigs all the time...start with Bommer end-to-end and you get a nice ride w/o too much steep/loose.

    I threw some Kenda small block 8's (32c) on my old rust bucket Peugeot and ride dirt/road. You're a little slower on the strictly paved rides (but not much. tho you're wearing the nubs down)

    John Watson and his crew in Austin are big on gravel grinders - good site for CX and tracko stuff:


    http://prollyisnotprobably.com/




    Stick to dirt, ride skinnies and meet new friends w/o all the roadie drama:

    [​IMG]
     
  20. badgas

    badgas I like dirt

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    I was in the same boat as you....Confused ! I have tried two different road bikes and sold them both. For me a rigid 29er with a comfortable geometry and some fast rolling tires works fine for long river trail rides, 30-40 milers are not a problem and then you get to have another mountain bike :bang:. If you have a group of really fast roadies you are trying to keep up with then this might not work but in my experience fast roadies are going to be out with the cars not on the river trails. The other nice this about a bike like this is you can do dual sport rides where to ride your bike out to the dirt and back.

    The Salsa El Mariachi is my MTB that I use on the road. I made it rigid for the summer and I'm running 2.1 WTB nano's that roll pretty fast and also work in the dirt if needed. Just some more food for thought.
     

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