Should I Buy Another Set of Wheels and Tyres?

[G2EWS]

Hi Ffoeg and MacB,

Many thanks for the thoughts. I will most certainly have a look at a complete set with all the 'bits' once I know what they mean! Sorry to be a numpty, but I am sure if I phone around they will surely know what I am trying to do.

Is it these bits off my list I am looking for:

• Cassette: Sram PG-980 Powerglide II 9speed 11-34t
• Rims: Mavic Crosstrail Disc UST wheelset
• Hubs: Mavic Crosstrail Disc UST wheelset

Obviously I need the tyres and I have no idea what the 'correct' ones would be for the bike and me. Bearing in mind I won't ever be a racer, but maybe a weekend warrior on road.

Space is definitely not a problem, but at the moment I just want to give myself the simplest solution with my 'new' bike as is.

Somehow, if this interest continues I don't think it will be long before I start looking at a 'proper' road bike. But I can see SWMBO watching my every move! I took up photography and spent £40k in my second year! Ooops!

Best regards

Chris

 

[Deleted member 23692]

You've got some expensive wheels there! Your looking £300-400ish for the pair before you start adding cassettes, rotors and tyres etc. I'd would have suggested getting just the the hubs and lowering the spec of the rims etc, but I don't think Mavic sell the hubs on their own. It depends on how much you want to throw at this idea. Another option would be to buy a lower spec wheelset and hope the brakes and gears lines up (I suspect they would), and if not adjust accordingly. It depends on how often you'd want to swap wheels

I'd suspect the overall price would put you well into decent 2nd hand road bike territory. If space isn't and issue then that's what I'd be looking at - I've got a road bike now, and the ease in which it covers ground is leagues away from an MTB running slicks.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I did just that many years ago to turn an old hardtail MTB into an urban-warrior commuterbike. It is a smart move. I winced at the initial price, but it makes a LOT of sense. I used the bike on road and off road.

However....

1. When I did it, it was for a V-Braked bike. Costs were minimal. If you have discs, you're looking at a bigger layout. Either way, I wouldn't bother with super-posh wheels for the road-bike version.

2. Think about getting a tighter cassette on the new wheel if you decide to do it. It's too much kerfuffle changing the chainrings, but you can help yourself a little with a small, tight cassette.

3. Go for road tyres that will take pressures of 80psi and over. I simply adore Conti SportContacts for this application, but most seem not to. Believe me, they are wrong and I am right.

4. Lock out your forks when on road tyres. Much better responses, more predictable under braking and you don't need springs on the road.

 

[G2EWS]

Thanks again guys for some brilliant advice.

I have also been discussing this with my Bro who is a serious biker and he is making similar suggestions but saying don't do it just yet.

I think that what you say Ffoeg, is beginning to make more sense about buying a road bike. But this would have to be once I get my head around what they are all like. I took a look on eBay last night on the iPad and was a bit flummaxed as to what might have been good and what might be rubbish.

So with all the brilliant advice - I do like this forum, haven't seen any bitching and arguing, which is a good thing - I think I will wait a while and see how I get on with my current set up and then maybe look at another bike. But that will be another big series of questions. Or maybe my Bro will sell me one of his upmarket models! He is just building a new one and imported Pinarello frame a couple of weeks ago.

Hmm I feel Brotherly love coming on this weekend when we get together!!

Best regards

Chris

 

[G2EWS]

Hi all,

An interesting update, having decided to not make any rash changes straight away.

I called on the Raleigh stand whilst at the NEC and told them of my dilemma. Apparently, whilst my bike has tubeless tyres it was never shipped without tubes!

So it looks like I may be down the route of changing tyres after all. Just a case of choosing the right ones for this time of year.

Will have to practice with my tyre changeovers!

Regards

Chris

 

[G2EWS]

Just took my front wheel in to 'Bikes 'n' Boards' in Devizes and he has confirmed that they are tubeless!

Oh!

So I have asked him for a winter tyre that will be a good allrounder for commuting to work and doing some road work at the weekends.

He recommended Schwalbe Land Cruisers.

I have two on order along with inner tubes and a couple of spare tubes.

Can anyone advise if these seem a good choice?

Best regards

Chris

 

[MacB]

I haven't used them Chris but they get good reports...good enough that I've considered a set.

 

[G2EWS]

I haven't used them Chris but they get good reports...good enough that I've considered a set.

Hi Mac,

Many thanks for coming back to me. I was getting worried I may have been sold a pup or a pair of them! But I have only heard good reports about 'Bikes 'n' Boards' in Devizes.

I was going to get him to fit them, but I think I ought to use this as practice, so will hopefully pick them up tomorrow for fitting in the evening.

Best regards

Chris

 

[billy1561]

Just one thought Chris regarding a road bike and your concerns over their possible comfort with your back, if you do decide to look into it then definately go to your LBS and try one or 2 or 3 until it feels right. My LBS when i first went, wanted a deposit of £200 for a 3 day test ride (refundable) but now they know me i just take one if i'm interested.

 

[G2EWS]

Just one thought Chris regarding a road bike and your concerns over their possible comfort with your back, if you do decide to look into it then definately go to your LBS and try one or 2 or 3 until it feels right. My LBS when i first went, wanted a deposit of £200 for a 3 day test ride (refundable) but now they know me i just take one if i'm interested.

Good point Billy, I will bear that in mind.

Regards

Chris

 

[Norm]

I was in Devizes last weekend.

My first thought would be to go for a second bike. It needn't have drop bars, you could get a road bike with flat bars or even fit butterfly bars to give you an even more upright position. (MacB has plenty of experience on bar shapes, I'm sure he'll advise here)

The thing with changing the wheels on your current bike is that it's still an off-roader. Even with a lock-out to minimise the power losses through the suspension, the geometry with the front locked could be very slack with a low head angle and a lot of trail, possibly meaning the bike will flop into corners, possibly not feel very direct or connected to the road through the front tyre, almost certainly not feeling very accurate on tarmac, and you'll still be carrying around the weight of the suspension units.

If you aren't sure, you could either start out second hand (there are several Specialized Sirrus' on here, or Specialized Secteurs for drop bars) or you could buy something which is low-priced but pretty popular and should be easy to sell if you either want to trade up or you decide it isn't for you. The obvious choices are the Btwin Triban 3 with dropped bars, or the base Specialized Sirrus with flats, both of which retail at about the same £300 that you'd be looking at for equivalent wheels.

On the other hand, just being able to swap wheels could also be a good thing. You could fit different gearings on both, so your off-road set has lower ratios than your road set. Land Cruisers are good tyres for use on Tarmac, as they have a continuous tread down the middle to run along, rather than compressing hundreds of rubber blocks each revolution.

 

[G2EWS]

Hi Norm,

Many thanks for your comments. If you are ever in the Devizes area again, drop me a pm, maybe we could 'chew the fat' over a cuppa or beer of course!

I feel that buying a second bike will happen, but as I am prone to making rash and hasty decisions, I have decided I don't want to do that until I move out of newbie phase and at least into the 'I've learnt something' one!

As the bike I have is a very good one and I really do like the riding position, I think that 'trying' it out with the Land Cruisers (thanks for the additional support for these, it helps at this newbie stage!) and see how I get on. For the moment I don't want to be setting land speed records and am only interesting in 'enjoying' my rides along with improving and increasing my distances. Once this has been achievedI will enjoy meeting up with others and perhaps then investigating which bikes would best suit what I want to do.

Best regards

Chris

 

[Norm]

I went through similar thoughts, Chris, started with a hardtail as you have done (although at a much lower price point!) then went for a roadie and finally the CX-styled machine which I was riding on Saturday. I still ride them all frequently, each has a different purpose and there's seldom much time spend choosing as the bikes each suit a different environment.

The shame is that you could have had a ride on the CX-styled machine if we were having this discussion 7 days earlier, as I think something like that would suit your needs with higher bars and some off-road ability (mine just did 40 miles along the Kennet & Avon) but still generally as fast on tarmac as a roadie.

 

[G2EWS]

Hi Norm,

I was looking at the Boardman CX when I thought about getting a bike for road. Indeed it may be something like that I end up with.

Best we arrange that get together so I can have a 'go' on yours eh!

Best regards

Chris

 

[Norm]

Yup... although I think I'll also have to invite @Defy-One or he'll be complaining.