Hats off to the mountain bike commuters.

[Mugshot]

Due to the mountain bike needing some serious attention I've spent the last month or so commuting on the road bike. However having now got the long, long list of jobs completed I've now swapped back, didn't particularly like getting the road bike all dirty plus it can be a little twitchy in the frosty mornings too!
I'd forgotten how hard the thing was though, it feels about 4 times heavier, the comfy seat is not as comfortable and the constant drone of those knobbly tyres is a constant reminder of the effort I'm putting in. (Yes I know I could put something else on but I can't be bothered, I'm telling myself it's resistance training) I've lost 3mph each way
However, when the weather improves my Sunday best will be back in action every day again, so I'd like to say well done to anyone that commutes on one of these beasts every day

 

[Maz]

'hats off'? I thought this was going to be yet another helmet debate!!

 

[Edge705]

Hard tails are not so bad the full suzies provide a laugh or two on my commutes I mean it not right that you bounce down the road going nowhere fast but whatever suits at the end of the day the more cyclists we have in the roads the more aware traffic will be that we exist

 

[classic33]

Used to do 18 1/2 miles to & from Leeds on one, five days a week. You get used to it.

 

[Keith Oates]

I'm currently doing a 40+ Km round trip 5 days a week on full knobblies, it is a mainly flat ride and is slower than it would be on a roadie but it's still enjoyable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[G-Zero]

Hard tails are not so bad the full suzies provide a laugh or two on my commutes I mean it not right that you bounce down the road going nowhere fast but whatever suits at the end of the day the more cyclists we have in the roads the more aware traffic will be that we exist

I put 1700 commuting miles on my full suss, before it eventually sank in that I needed something more suited to commuting.

The bike also pre-dated suspension lock outs, but I put it all down to extra calories burnt, rather than energy wasted.

 

[fossyant]

Scalped two roadies last night on my MTB with studs, one of which I passed 3 times as he kept jumping lights. Back to the road bike today.

 

[Inertia]

I do about 25 miles on a hard tail each day and haven't really thought about if its more work. A fair chunk of the route is on rough roads and tow paths so I think a road bike wouldn't last long anyway

 

[buddha]

Scalped two roadies last night on my MTB with studs, one of which I passed 3 times as he kept jumping lights. Back to the road bike today.

I had a similar experience yesterday. Passed a roadie twice - going up hill (me with Marathon Winters). On a steep bit I could see his rear wheel slip a few times (from his jerky pedalling). Though the plonker passed me twice by going through red-lights!

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Due to the mountain bike needing some serious attention I've spent the last month or so commuting on the road bike. However having now got the long, long list of jobs completed I've now swapped back, didn't particularly like getting the road bike all dirty plus it can be a little twitchy in the frosty mornings too!
I'd forgotten how hard the thing was though, it feels about 4 times heavier, the comfy seat is not as comfortable and the constant drone of those knobbly tyres is a constant reminder of the effort I'm putting in. (Yes I know I could put something else on but I can't be bothered, I'm telling myself it's resistance training) I've lost 3mph each way
However, when the weather improves my Sunday best will be back in action every day again, so I'd like to say well done to anyone that commutes on one of these beasts every day

Switching to the MTB for Dec, Jan and Feb has been my winter training. The first time ever on an MTB and they are a tough bunch, and I will feel the benefit big time when back on the road bike in a few weeks.

Best bit was sticking the spiked tyres on it and cycling to work on the snow for 15 miles. Shame it has melted on the return journey, but still great experience

 

[cyberknight]

On a non suss MTB with semi slicks atm , till the roads improve i like the wider tyres and the single sided spds so i can pedal unclipped if the roads are suspect .
Another factor is that the bike was cheap off ebay so i do not mind to much if the winter eats the components.

 

[subaqua]

Scalped two roadies last night on my MTB with studs, one of which I passed 3 times as he kept jumping lights. Back to the road bike today.

thats good fun that is. one caught me at some lights and said " you don't half move fast on that" Ok its not a full sus and front is locked out but it still is a MTB with 2 inch knobblies on.

 

[Bman]

I too have been on the MTB for the last week (see sig for the bike) Even with Snow studded tyres at 30-40psi, I seem to be scalping more people than usual

At least I can call it a proper scalp on the studded MTB. On the roadie it hardly takes any effort at all! :P

 

[BlackPanther]

When I finally killed my mountain bike last winter I was glad to see the back of it. I'd been on my Dawes hybrid all year, but was waiting for a part, so had to resort to my old Raleigh (Apollo?). It was soooooo much heavier, and the knobblies meant a lot of effort for not much speed. That said, my trusty Dawes got ditched as soon as I bought my 1st road bike. As soon as I got that, the Dawes became my Winter bike.

THAT said, I've now got a nice Baccetta Strada recumbent bike, so the road bike is now in semi retirement. Every time I buy a new bike, it's lighter, and faster than the previous one. However, just 'cos lighter bikes are easier to ride faster, I actually find myself working harder on the lighter bikes. Maybe this is because they actually go a lot faster, so it's worth putting a bit more in. As the Weather is pretty dire at the mo, the road and recumbent bike aren't in use, but even though the Dawes is a lot heavier than them both, I don't sweat as much and just take it steady....if that makes any sense.

 

[potsy]

Scalped two roadies last night on my MTB with studs, one of which I passed 3 times as he kept jumping lights. Back to the road bike today.

Overtaking me doesn't count as scalping a roadie