MTB Commute

[AncientWyvern]

Hello All,

I've been away from cycling for quite a while (12 months or so) and wanting to get back into it. Trouble is by new place of work is a 24 mile round trip and I only really have an MTB (Trek 4900) to commute on. I am going to give it a go, my bikes a hardtail and not too heavy really; though will probably keel over in a heap for the first couple of weeks but hopefully will get easier the more I do it.

Just wondering though, anyone else commute via mtb?

 

[Bigsharn]

As of yesterday, me. Two spokes snapped on my Ribble and there's a 2 week wait at my LBS...

 

[derrick]

Always commute on my mtb, don't matter what the weather it's good to go anywhere.

 

[AncientWyvern]

Cool, looking forward to getting back on the bike. Seems that it may be my only way to get / keep fit

 

[jonny jeez]

I did...for a couple/few years...3 or so days a week 40 miles a day.

MTB's are made of sturdy stuff (the rims in particular) and my 15 year old example is still going strong., on the same 15 year old rims.

you'll have no problems at all.

 

[Mugshot]

I did a thread on this recently, congratulating the MTB commuters. I used my road bike for a month or so and swapping back to the MTB was quite a shock to the system, it felt so slow and cumbersome in comparison it felt like a real slog for a week or so. However, I'm back into the swing of it on the MTB and kinda forgotten how much easier it felt on the roadie. You'll be fine

I will however be swapping back again when the weather improves!

 

[AncientWyvern]

40 miles a day?! That's mental!!

 

[jonny jeez]

40 miles a day?! That's mental!!

LOL..not every day.

There are plenty on these pages who do though.
That said, its truely not as far as you mught think...after all you do 12 each way...my run is only a few miles more.

Point is, my trusty MTB managed the job with honours.

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

Put some racing ralph tyres on it ... they are amazing as they have low rolling resistance plus enough
grip to get you through most muddy puddles.

I did a 30 miler on my 16kg raleigh at30 mtb once ... at only 15 minutes slower than my 9kg road bike.

 

[AncientWyvern]

Racing Ralph eh? I heard the tires are good but soft and don't last too long.

Looking at my bike again it has a couple of hex bolts above the seat stays which look to me like rack mounts... if that's the case then maybe the bike was designed with some distance riding in mind?

 

[Edwards80]

Used to commute on my mtb before getting a road bike - just over 20 miles a day, every day. You'll be grand! Slick tyres were the best purchase I made for it - highly recommended if it's all on road.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

40 miles a day?! That's mental!!

Not really... It's actually quite liberating.

I only do 2 or 3 times a week. Childcare duties and other stuff mean that I can't do a full week, though I would if I could. I only have to get up 30 minutes earlier than normal (or alternatively, I get a lie-in compared to "turbo trainer" mornings!). I get to wake up on my way in, doing something that I love and arrive at work on top of a motivating endorphin rush. My gf has commented (more than once) that I'm always in a much better mood on the days that I cycle and it slightly shames me to admit that it's true!

I can't imagine doing a short commute now. I look at mine as training and I now begrudge any missed miles. If I can do 120 miles a week before I do any "proper" riding, then it's fair to say that I'll be in business come the middle of the season and the long days ahead!

 

[DCLane]

I do the 20+ mile commute occasionally on a hardtail MTB with knobblies on. It's a few minutes slower each way but not significantly so.

 

[Chr15]

I've been commuting on my hardtail MTB since the beginning of January, 28 mile round trip. I recently changed the knobblies to road tyres and that does make a big difference. I'll be changing my front suspension forks as well, to suspension forks with lockout.

I was going to buy a road bike but to be honest I don't see the need for it at the moment. The MTB has been great the last couple of months and I've really enjoyed it.

 

[Moby Jones]

I use my trek MTB to get work as well. I changed the tyres to some nice marathon plus ones, this really helps. My fork i just keep locked out all the time. I can commute in any weather and not worry about pot holes, my road bike will come out once the weather improves but the mtb is my workhorse.