Road bike or mountain bike?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
gsix14
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Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by gsix14 »

Hi,

I am planning a short solo tour (up to a week) somewhere in the UK this summer and an overnight trip before that to test things out. As this is my first experience of touring I don't want to get a new bike at this stage, so I have the choice of the bikes I have already.

Which of these would be a better choice for use in the uk mostly on road, but with some use of Sustrans bike trails?

Road bike (Forme Longcliffe 2): Aluminum frame, 700x23 tyres
Mountain bike: Aluminium frame, hard tail, front suspension fork, 26x1.5 tyres (hybrid tyres that I added for commuting before I had the road bike)

I will be camping, but travelling as light as I can (probably about 12kg of stuff) with rear rack and panniers and handlebar bag.

Thanks for you help,

Tim
whoof
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by whoof »

I would use the road bike for a B&B tour but for camping I'd go for the mountain bike. Also look carefully at your packing list, there is a lot of advice on here about what to (and not to) take.
HarryD
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by HarryD »

Tim

I use a hardtail with 28mm Gatorskin road tyres for touring including camping. More than happy and have done lots of off road stuff while touring such as a couple of Caminos

The better half uses a Hewitt Cheviot road bike again with 28mm Gatorskin tyres at the same time

My thoughts are that 23mm tyres even with only 12kg dead weight on trails might be uncomfortable particularly on hands, wrists and bum - especially if pumped hard enough to avoid pinch punctures. Can you fit fatter tyres? If not I'd be tempted to use the hardtail
beardy
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by beardy »

and an overnight trip before that to test things out.


Possibly two overnight trips are needed, one for each bike.

I would answer it depends on the style of your trip. If you are after covering a high mileage and want to travel at some speed take the road bike and cut the luggage even finer. If you want a slower, shorter trip with less haste take the MTB.

Even if the actual distance doesnt vary very greatly (15%), the bike suits the style of the trip.
Barrenfluffit
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by Barrenfluffit »

My experience was that a touring bike was 50% faster than a mtb.

The key issue is toughness; as a shakedown taking the weaker bike might help clear this up. That said tourers in general are tougher than road bikes so my experience may not be valid.
dandru
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by dandru »

Depends on the distances you are riding, 60-80 km is my prefered distance on my MTB, even though I've done heaps more, but if I was riding longer distances then I'd go for the road bike, providing the roads are ok.
hamster
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by hamster »

Barrenfluffit wrote:My experience was that a touring bike was 50% faster than a mtb.

The key issue is toughness; as a shakedown taking the weaker bike might help clear this up. That said tourers in general are tougher than road bikes so my experience may not be valid.


I'd agree with the 50% if the MTB is on knobblies. However you can get tyres like Gatorskins for 26" wheels which gets you somewhat closer on rolling resistance. It all depends on where you intend to ride. A steel MTB with rigid fork is a versatile machine.
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3spd
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by 3spd »

I would go for a long ride on each with the approx kit you plan to carry and see which you prefer.
My personal leaning would be toward the MTB.
Last edited by 3spd on 28 May 2015, 6:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ChrisF
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by ChrisF »

gsix14 wrote: but with some use of Sustrans bike trails?

Sustrans trails vary widely; some are good ashphalt (and smoother-surfaced than many minor roads); others are rocky or muddy and you'll find yourself walking if you use the road bike. But that may not matter if you can make up the time/distance on the smoother bits. One of the online cycle route planners (I forget which, sorry) has links to photos of some parts of these trails so you may be able to have a look before you go.
Chris F, Cornwall
Merry_Wanderer
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by Merry_Wanderer »

I would have a think about gearing on the two bikes as well as comfort and the type of tour you intend doing. Will it be a hilly area? My first 3 x 3 day tours were all in hilly areas and my MTB alu framed hardtail was my choice over my alu framed road bike because of the much lower gearing (and easier riding whilst loaded) of the MTB
The MTB had 44/32/22 and 11-32 8 speed whereas the road bike had a compact double. 50/34 and 11-28 IIRC. I fitted 26 x 1.5 semi slicks to the MTB and quite happily averaged only 1 mph less on the MTB than the loaded road bike over 50 miles. Can you lock out the front suspension on the MTB too?
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by Vorpal »

700 X 23 tyres on a loaded bike may not survive Sustrans trails, unless you are absolutely meticulous about keeping the air pressure up. My first tourer when I was younger was my road bike, and it was fine, but the first thing I learned was to fit fatter tyres, because I kept getting punctures.

So, I would fit the fattest tyres (25s? or maybe 28s?) that the road bike can take, then do what beardy suggested and see how you get on with each bike. To Merry_Wanderer's point, include a decent hill in both trips.

With no chance to do shake down trips, I would take the MTB over the road bike.

Enjoy your cycling, whatever you decide! :D
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Merry_Wanderer
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by Merry_Wanderer »

That's good advice Vorpal, I am biased towards MTB style tourers sometimes but it's important to decide what suits the OP best, not just me and his/her knees will I am sure be a lot better than mine
nez
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by nez »

I think it depends on the distance. Mtb bars are uncomfortable for some people over long distances because you're locked into having your wrists in one position. On short trips of course it doesn't matter.
Vorpal
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by Vorpal »

If the mountain bike doesn't have them, it may be worth fitting some bar ends for more hand positions. I have them on my MTB.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
LollyKat
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Re: Road bike or mountain bike?

Post by LollyKat »

quilkin wrote:One of the online cycle route planners (I forget which, sorry) has links to photos of some parts of these trails so you may be able to have a look before you go.


It's Cycle.travel. Left-click on the map to add a point, left-click again on that point and an option 'find photos' should come up.
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