Hardtaill MTB

[jowwy]

Made the decision today to turn my hardtail mtb into my commuter bike. The ride home is pretty hilly so the extra gears will help even tho the bike is a tad heavier, but hopefully it will help strengthen the legs for the climbs on the roady.

So ordered - Charge spoon, MTB Slick road tyres ( gators again). Gonna do the 30 mile round trip commute twice a week and a long roady ride on a saturday morning.

 

[I like Skol]

Nothing wrong with this. When I 1st started cycle commuting I just slapped a set of 26x2.1 Continental slicks at 65psi onto my GT Zaskar and it was great. To be honest even though I have had my definitely road orientated GT Traffic hybrid for nearly a year now I am still only just matching and slightly beating some of the best commute times set on the MTB. Skinny tyres aren't the holy grail, just make sure you keep the pressures at the maximum for easiest progress.

EDIT: typo

 

[ColinJ]

How about a pair of rigid forks too?

 

[jowwy]

How about a pair of rigid forks too?

need to keep the budget down, otherwise new forks would have been already purchase, but to be honest the road i'm cycling on between pontypool and brynmawr is not the best with some pretty bad potholes - so im hope the front suspension, with only 50mm of travel will help with the ride comfort.

 

[I like Skol]

How about a pair of rigid forks too?

In my case my short travel forks (only about 70-80mm, so very short by current standards) were unnoticed. As a staunch, dyed-in-the-wool, luddite I resisted suspension of any kind until around 5 or 6 years ago so believe me, I would be quick to criticise any losses due to suspension forks but really don't notice the energy penalty between the two bikes until the knobblies went on at which point it was like riding through thick treacle!

EDIT: spelling

 

[jowwy]

In my case my short travel forks (only about 70-80mm, so very short by current standards) were unnoticed. As a staunch, dyed-in-the-wool, luddite I resisted suspension of any kind until around 5 or 6 years ago so believe me, I would be quick to criticise any loses due to suspension forks but really don't notice the energy penalty between the two bikes until the knobblies went on at which point it was like riding through thick treacle!

i only find the suspension a problem when i rise out of the saddle for a short climb, so now i just sit and spin away to i get to the top

 

[fossyant]

Nothing wrong with the set up. I got back in to commuting with my MTB slicked up with guards. - my road bikes couldn't fit a bit of tin foil as a guard.

It worked for me for a year or two until I got my fixed. MTB is now back to muddy stuff (OK kid tractor) !

 

[Moodyman]

I have an old hardtail for off roading and a rigid mtb for commuting.

Recently had to use the hardtail due to the rigid needing work on it. Interestingly, for the 8 days that I rode the hardtail, it was a couple of minutes quicker per commute than the rigid. It was also comfier.

Got me thinking whether this rigid fork business is ill founded.

 

[John90]

I have an old hardtail for off roading and a rigid mtb for commuting.

Recently had to use the hardtail due to the rigid needing work on it. Interestingly, for the 8 days that I rode the hardtail, it was a couple of minutes quicker per commute than the rigid. It was also comfier.

Got me thinking whether this rigid fork business is ill founded.

That's what I've got too and I prefer the hardtail MTB for commuting - no significant time difference (in London), much more comfortable/controllable over bumpy roads and a better work out over 5 - 10 miles. I now mainly use the rigid MTB for long weekend rides.

 

[joebingo]

I find I don't have to slow down for the bumps in the road at all on the hard tail. It's nice, and one of the reasons that I'm being so lazy about fixing the puncture on my road bike . That and incorporating a bit of off road fun on my commute.

 

[jowwy]

Yeh i have to be honest i did feel a lot safer on the early morning cummute over the mountain roads on the hardtail cause of the more upright riding position and the better braking ability.

Until i blew out the back tyre 7 miles into the commute, with no spare on me - quick phone call and i was back home and picking up the car - gutted.