Riding on balloons!!

[SquareDaff]

Or at least that's what it felt like.

Have bought a new Mountain Bike on the Cycle to Work scheme so that I can do some offroad riding on surfaces where my CX (or my ability on a CX) won't cut it. Bought from Halfords yesterday (boxed - obviously) and put together myself. Thought I'd give it a "shake down" ride on the usual commute to work so that at least if something went wrong then I could get home relatively easily rather than being stranded in the middle or a moor somewhere.

Now it's been a couple of years since I rode anything with bigger than 35mm tyres inflated to less than 80psi.
Yikes!!! It feels like I'm riding on 2 balloons. How/Why do other people regularly commute on these things?!?!

 

[Beebo]

did you have suspension as well?
It always makes me smile seeing guys bobbing along on cheap full suspension bikes that must weigh close to 20kg.

 

[raleighnut]

Wait till you try a favourite (downhill) corner at your usual speed.

 

[SquareDaff]

did you have suspension as well?

Yes but I'd locked it out. No need for it on the road.

 

[vickster]

Better get used to it if it was a C2W purchase

 

[SquareDaff]

Wait till you try a favourite (downhill) corner at your usual speed.

That wasn't too bad. The comedy moment occured at a set of lights. I usually ride clipless. I have a set on order but at the moment just the normal flat pedals. I couldn't understand why the pedal didn't follow when I lifted my right foot and almost went over the bars when I stamped down onto thin air!

 

[SquareDaff]

Better get used to it if it was a C2W purchase

It was - but our scheme doesn't say I have to use it regularly. In fact according to our T&C's just using it today would be enough.
Everyone knows I cycle every day anyway - they're not going to check what bike I'm on. And TBH, if we ever have heavy snow I'll probably use it instead of the CX.

 

[simon the viking]

I sometimes think about getting a 29er but I reckon I'd hardly use it as the road bike would always look more tempting as I wouldn't get chance to use it off road much...........

 

[SquareDaff]

I have a few friends who go offroading so will join them some weekends and try and gain some skills in another area of cycling. Nothing wrong with a little variety.

 

[simon the viking]

I have a few friends who go offroading so will join them some weekends and try and gain some skills in another area of cycling. Nothing wrong with a little variety.

Can't fault you there but don't think I'd find the time to use it properly...... shame as I'm only half an hour (drive) away from Cannock Chase and some cracking down hill routes there................

 

[BSRU]

did you have suspension as well?
It always makes me smile seeing guys bobbing along on cheap full suspension bikes that must weigh close to 20kg.

My MTB is a cheap full suspension bike weighing close to 20kg, it did only cost me £5 though and so far only used in the snow(fitted with Ice Spikers).

 

[Leaway2]

isn't the correct terminology "full susser"

 

[raleighnut]

isn't the correct terminology "full susser"

Fully Suss

 

[Leaway2]

Fully Suss

I stand corrected.

 

[Bodhbh]

Now it's been a couple of years since I rode anything with bigger than 35mm tyres inflated to less than 80psi.
Yikes!!! It feels like I'm riding on 2 balloons. How/Why do other people regularly commute on these things?!?!

For me, if was gonna get a commuter from scrach I probably wouldn't buy a MTB, but it's what I had, it was already done out as tourer and had a rack, so...

The plus side is they do open up some traffic free route possibilities.