Any Tips For An MTB Rider Taking His First Ride Out On A Road Bike?

[Lovacott]

To me the difference is mainly in the sensitivity of the steering.

The enduring memory I have of road biking is having the right side of my handlebar clipped by a passing car on Willesden Lane in Kilburn nearly thirty years ago.

It put me in hospital (The Royal Free) and I still have the scars to prove it.

I'm not sure if it would have been any different if I'd been riding an MTB to be honest?

What I do know, is that I am not quite so "gung ho" as I was back then. I can't remember even bothering with stuff like checking my tyres or oiling my chain back in the early 1990's. I used to fly down Stanmore Hill in the rush hour at speeds approaching 35mph on a 2nd hand Raleigh Road bike without a care.

Those were the days.

 

[Lovacott]

The main difference is your Lycra bodysuit.

It has occurred to me that work boots and paint covered tracksuit bottoms might not look so cool on a carbon road bike.

Now I have to spend even more money before I even begin to look the part.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I don't have any statistics to prove it, but my gut feeling is you are more likely to have an off riding on drop bars than you are on flats. Roadies seem to crash more than casual riders just popping down the shops on their hybrid. I've done most of my crashing whilst riding drops, but likewise it could be a lot to do with me being more reckless and less careful as a youngster - which is the period when I mostly rode drop bar bikes.
I just take it slower and steadier these days irrespective of what I'm riding. The faster you're going the less time you have to react, so less chance of avoiding a crash situation. Most of my near misses involve other vehicles not giving way, and the slower I'm going the more chance I have of stopping or swerving in time.

It has occurred to me that work boots and paint covered tracksuit bottoms might not look so cool on a carbon road bike.

I'm quite happy with "builder chic", no matter what I'm riding. It's pretty much my default look and in my mind it's infinitely preferable to being a lycra luvvie parading around in a weekend roadie uniform. I reckon it discourages idiot drivers from taking too many liberties as well. I normally get left well alone even in busy traffic and van drivers don't try to run me off the road as I look much like one of them.

 

[Lovacott]

I'm quite happy with "builder chic", no matter what I'm riding.

When I commuted to work on my road bike in London in the 1990's, it was football shorts in the summer and trackie bottoms in the winter.

I wear pretty much the same things now when I commute on my MTB.

But on the road bike, I will dress up a bit. Lycra tights with big red baboon arse gel pads will be the order of the day.

 

[rivers]

I don't have any statistics to prove it, but my gut feeling is you are more likely to have an off riding on drop bars than you are on flats. Roadies seem to crash more than casual riders just popping down the shops on their hybrid. I've done most of my crashing whilst riding drops, but likewise it could be a lot to do with me being more reckless and less careful as a youngster - which is the period when I mostly rode drop bar bikes.
I just take it slower and steadier these days irrespective of what I'm riding. The faster you're going the less time you have to react, so less chance of avoiding a crash situation. Most of my near misses involve other vehicles not giving way, and the slower I'm going the more chance I have of stopping or swerving in time.



I'm quite happy with "builder chic", no matter what I'm riding. It's pretty much my default look and in my mind it's infinitely preferable to being a lycra luvvie parading around in a weekend roadie uniform. I reckon it discourages idiot drivers from taking too many liberties as well. I normally get left well alone even in busy traffic and van drivers don't try to run me off the road as I look much like one of them.

Offs on my road bike in 23,000 miles: 0
Offs on my mountain bike in about 15 miles: 2. And they were spectacular

 

[DCBassman]

The main thing I noticed going from one to t'other was, "Wow, this is fast!".

 

[Reynard]

The main thing I noticed going from one to t'other was, "Wow, this is fast!".

This, in spades ^^^

 

[MichaelW2]

Dont use clipless pedals with unfamiliar controls. You will overload your reactions

 

[Noblester]

As Skipdiverjohn has pointed out the sensitivity of the steering. I remember my first ride on a road bike after many years on MTBs. I was doing really well and enjoying the ride. Bent down to grab my water bottle and nearly shot of up the pavement. The sensitive steering caught me totally by surprise.