worldtraveller

Just curious who here uses a mountain bike with knobby or slick tires for their long distance rides?
or anyone who has done it.

What did you think of riding one compared to doing a road bike or touring?

Opinions?

Barrettscv 

This guy did a 200k on a Pugsley, climbing more than 10,000 ft;

unterhausen

slicks wouldn't be too bad, I hate to think of doing that on knobbies. I've ridden upwards of 30-40 miles on the road on knobbies and it isn't too much fun.

Machka 

I used to have a Walmart Mongoose Mtn bike ... 40 lbs of steel, with knobby-ish tires. I commuted to and from work year-round for years on that bicycle ... and did most of my winter centuries (imperial centuries for the CAM challenge) on that bicycle ... and did my first 200K randonnee on that bicycle. Plus rides of shorter distances as well.


The reason I did my first 200K on that bicycle was because I had torn the rotator cuff in my left shoulder in a clothing-related incident a few weeks earlier and could not put any weight on that arm. The 200K was looming and I figured the only way I would be able to do it was if I used the mtn bike which had a very upright position. That way I could sit up and ride with one arm most of the time. So that's what I did. That first 200K took me 12 hours, so I was well within the time limit.

However, when I did my first 300K (and actually my first double century because those 300Ks were 323 km) two weeks later on my road bicycle, it was a piece of cake ... a walk in the park!! It took longer than the 200K, of course, but was so much easier.

StephenH

I've seen several of the local rando guys do 200k's on mountain bikes, mainly because they were training for stuff like Dirty Kanza. The first 200k I did, and the first five centuries, were on a Worksman single-speed cruiser with wide cruiser tires.

All in all, if you're starting out, I'd advise to choose your bicycle to give you the best chance of success, rather than making it harder on yourself.

MagicJade

Last year I made 170km on my hardtail equipped with 2.1" Schwalbe Smart Sam. Together with a Topeak Dynapack for fuel storage, the whole set was around 17kg. It was my only bike that time so I had no choice. From the physical point of view I could have done much more, but had to finish earlier and catch the train home.

Since over two months I am enjoing my new Specialized Tricross, so the old MTB seems to be much less comfortable compared to my feelings last year.

So if you have a choice of bikes, take the StevenH's advice. If there is no choice, try on what you have.

Richard Cranium

I've ridden a "sit upright" hybrid bike for the last several years. I've probably ridden 15,000 or more miles.

For the most part - they don't compare. The whole point of using the bike was to "sit up" and relieve stress on my back and shoulder. When you sit up - you don't go as fast.

The real factors involved in distance riding do not change with the type of bicycle. If you pace correctly you can ride a hybrid or a mountain bike anywhere you ride a road bike - but of course more slowly.

Many people incorrectly "load" a road bike to the point that they have little advantage over a heavier hybrid bike. Conversely, a hybrid or mountain bike can out outfitted with high performance tires and handlebar accessories in a manner that make them as efficient as a road bike.

I would suspect there may many riders who are entering middle age that could benefit from the comfort that a hybrid bike provides. However, it is tire pressure and volume that is the over reaching factor that determines much of the efficiency of any bicycle. And road racing bicycles can be made more comfortable as well.

bnelson

I have a 9zero7 that all I do is long stuff mainly gravel and single track.Love it