Have I got the "right" bike

[Matt-g]

Hi,

I've already got an early 90s carrera symmetry front suspension mtb, which has hung on a rack in the garage for 15 years due to a medical problem.

I decided after Xmas to give road biking a try and bought another carrera, a "tdf" which I'm pleased with, locally on gumtree. It had done about 3 miles and based upon how it looked when I went to see it, I can believe it!

Most of my riding seems to be a shortish road journey to my local canal towpath network, which includes some areas of loose gravel surface and quite a few (muddy at the moment) puddles. I was quite wet today, which has forced the issue of full mudguards, which in have now ordered.(sks bluemels)

my question is, would I have been better off buying (or resurrecting) something more along the lines of a mountain bike? Or, does this sort of terrain better suit the road bike?

Thanks

 

[HLaB]

As much as I love road bikes, if you are not going to migrate to the road, I'd revisit the mtb. You maybe able to lock out the suspension forks and fit smoother tires if you are after something faster. If money and storage space is no option, you could also buy a town bike (aka a hybrid) which is a cross between a road and mtb.

 

[LimeBurn]

I agree with the above poster, the tdf is purely designed for tarmac although you could ride it on towpaths etc - put some touring type tyres on your MTB would be my choice and keep the TDF purely for the road