Road bike noob questions

[Matu]

Hi guys/girls

Been riding MTB for 3-4 years and its been great fun, sometimes the MTB group feels too lazy to drive to new locations an we opt for a road ride at our nearest coffee shop instead.

I have been enjoying the road rides and would like to start looking at my first road bike.

I have a few (stupid) questions...

• So I have a soft tail MTB:
  • can i expect a huge difference in speed/drag/power/etc. ? i assume yes, but is it really that tangible?
  • will the road bike feel like an enema to ride? 
  • is it a road sin to have time atac pedals? (so i can wear the same shoe/cleat af MTB)
• Should i focus more on a good frame or a good group set?
  • given the same price (new or used), i.e. should i go for a aluminum frame/carbon fork and 105/ultegra or full carbon frame with sora/Tiagra?
  • on a used bike scenario, how have 5 year old bikes fared against time? have the same group set changed dramatically over the last 5 years?
• are disk brakes the way to go? (i have very limited experience with the performance and feel of rim brakes)
• is tubeless a must? (wouldn't dare ride a mtb with tubes for instance)

Think that's it!

Thanks in advance!

Matu

 

 

[Super Sywurm]

Get an extra set of MTB wheels and put on some slicks.

 

Oh, and tubes are fine.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Super Sywurm

[TNT1]

6 minutes ago, Matu said:

Hi guys/girls

Been riding MTB for 3-4 years and its been great fun, sometimes the MTB group feels too lazy to drive to new locations an we opt for a road ride at our nearest coffee shop instead.

I have been enjoying the road rides and would like to start looking at my first road bike.

I have a few (stupid) questions...

• So I have a soft tail MTB:
  • can i expect a huge difference in speed/drag/power/etc. ? i assume yes, but is it really that tangible? Yes
  • will the road bike feel like an enema to ride? No
  • is it a road sin to have time atac pedals? (so i can wear the same shoe/cleat af MTB) Whatever pedals you want. The sin will be to ride a road bike with MTB shoes.
• Should i focus more on a good frame or a good group set?
  • given the same price (new or used), i.e. should i go for a aluminum frame/carbon fork and 105/ultegra or full carbon frame with sora/Tiagra? Either frame. Go for minimum 10speed 105 or Ultegra.
  • on a used bike scenario, how have 5 year old bikes fared against time? have the same group set changed dramatically over the last 5 years? The only thing you'll not get on a 5 year old bike will be disc brakes and that is a gimmick on a road bike anyway.
• are disk brakes the way to go? (i have very limited experience with the performance and feel of rim brakes) There is zero need for disc brakes on a road bike. Ask Egan Bernal.
• is tubeless a must? (wouldn't dare ride a mtb with tubes for instance) Toobs are fine.

Think that's it!

Thanks in advance!

Matu

 

 

 

[lechatnoir]

6 minutes ago, Matu said:

Hi guys/girls

Been riding MTB for 3-4 years and its been great fun, sometimes the MTB group feels too lazy to drive to new locations an we opt for a road ride at our nearest coffee shop instead.

I have been enjoying the road rides and would like to start looking at my first road bike.

I have a few (stupid) questions...

• So I have a soft tail MTB:
  • can i expect a huge difference in speed/drag/power/etc. ? i assume yes, but is it really that tangible? Yes. Very much so
  • will the road bike feel like an enema to ride? Wider tyres and lower pressures aid comfort, but can puncture more
  • is it a road sin to have time atac pedals? (so i can wear the same shoe/cleat af MTB) no. whatever works for you
• Should i focus more on a good frame or a good group set?
  • given the same price (new or used), i.e. should i go for a aluminum frame/carbon fork and 105/ultegra or full carbon frame with sora/Tiagra? Personally, I would go with the former. 105 is great and IMO, the bike would be nicer than the lower-specced carbon bike
  • on a used bike scenario, how have 5 year old bikes fared against time? have the same group set changed dramatically over the last 5 years? I think the turnover is slower in road bikes than in MTB. Plenty of older road bikes that perform just fine.
• are disk brakes the way to go? (i have very limited experience with the performance and feel of rim brakes) Properly set up, rim brakes are fine
• is tubeless a must? (wouldn't dare ride a mtb with tubes for instance) no. tubes will puncture, but road tubeless is $$$ and can leave you frustrated.

Think that's it!

Thanks in advance!

Matu

 

 

 

[Martin PJ]

Get a road bike and a decent front light. Maintenance is a lot less, you can ride 4 to 5 hours, be home by 10 am. Great prep for the long MTB races. An Aluminium bike with 105 or Ultegra is fine. Doesn't matter the age of the bike, as long as the condition is good. Judge condition by looking at shifters and rear derailleur, these take a hammering on road bikes.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Martin PJ

[TNT1]

1 minute ago, Martin PJ said:

 Just condition by looking at shifters and rear derailleur, these take a hammering on road bikes.

Only if it's been crashed.

[Matu]

Thanks for the comments guys! Much appreciated!

[Kranswurm]

27 minutes ago, Matu said:

Hi guys/girls

Been riding MTB for 3-4 years and its been great fun, sometimes the MTB group feels too lazy to drive to new locations an we opt for a road ride at our nearest coffee shop instead.

I have been enjoying the road rides and would like to start looking at my first road bike.

I have a few (stupid) questions...

• So I have a soft tail MTB:
  • can i expect a huge difference in speed/drag/power/etc. ? i assume yes, but is it really that tangible?
  • will the road bike feel like an enema to ride? 
  • is it a road sin to have time atac pedals? (so i can wear the same shoe/cleat af MTB)
• Should i focus more on a good frame or a good group set?
  • given the same price (new or used), i.e. should i go for a aluminum frame/carbon fork and 105/ultegra or full carbon frame with sora/Tiagra?
  • on a used bike scenario, how have 5 year old bikes fared against time? have the same group set changed dramatically over the last 5 years?
• are disk brakes the way to go? (i have very limited experience with the performance and feel of rim brakes)
• is tubeless a must? (wouldn't dare ride a mtb with tubes for instance)

Think that's it!

Thanks in advance!

Matu

 

 

Get a road bike

Stuff the mtb wheels and slicks

[Matu]

Thanks again !

[MORNE]

1 hour ago, TNT1 said:

 

Pfft, i ride all my bikes in the same shoes. Yes they are Xc ones too...and you can walk in them. No ice skating for me thanks. If you want to look a tit tippy toeing to the coffee station then you do you haha. Or worse yet, be the guy who falls in front of everyone in the starting chutes ????.  
i’m fine with being a sinner lol. And  gravel bikes made it more socially acceptable to wear “offroad shoes” on bikes that look like road bikes in anycase. ☺️

/comic sans/

 

edit: op, that then reminds me...consider a gravel bike too. It will be offroad enough to ride some grwvel roads and jeeptracks and onroad enough to make you go faster than a mtb would.

Edited May 26, 2021 by MORNE

[Underachiever]

1 hour ago, Kranswurm said:

Get a road bike

Stuff the mtb wheels and slicks

Or a gravel bike??

[Kranswurm]

7 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Or a gravel bike??

No...a road bike,a gravel bike is not a road bike

[TNT1]

1 hour ago, MORNE said:

Pfft, i ride all my bikes in the same shoes. Yes they are Xc ones too...and you can walk in them. No ice skating for me thanks. If you want to look a tit tippy toeing to the coffee station then you do you haha. Or worse yet, be the guy who falls in front of everyone in the starting chutes ????.  
i’m fine with being a sinner lol. And  gravel bikes made it more socially acceptable to wear “offroad shoes” on bikes that look like road bikes in anycase. ☺️

/comic sans/

 

edit: op, that then reminds me...consider a gravel bike too. It will be offroad enough to ride some grwvel roads and jeeptracks and onroad enough to make you go faster than a mtb would.

I use road shoes on my mtb...

[eddy]

Roadbikes are not like Mountain bikes and there has not been the same development of technology as has taken place in respect of MTB's - No change in geometry, no increase in suspension travel, no boost hub spacing, no 1x, no changes in freewheel standards, for rim brake bikes no changes in axle standard,  nothing as significant as that.

Road bike development in the last 20 years has been relatively static in comparison.

Road bike manufacturers have pushed disk brakes on the back of "better braking in the wet", but Egon Bernal rode away from everyone in atrocious conditions on a rim brake bike to lead the Giro. Bike have apparently got "more aero" but at the end of the day, the rider is still the greatest impediment to reducing wind resistance. Tires have become wider.

In short, road bikes are all still 2x, rim brake bikes still use QR's and are winning Grand Tours and hub spacing has not changed in 2 decades. I can use my 2020 carbon wheels with 25mm tires in a 2001 frame.  Everything has remained compatible and everything is inexpensive to fix. 

The difference on the road between your D/S MTB and any roadbike is the difference between the Wright brothers and the Concord.  The difference between a high end, 15 year old roadbike and a new middle middle market road bike at 3 times the cost, is  the difference between Castle Lager and Amstel.  

 

 

[Matu]

31 minutes ago, Kranswurm said:

No...a road bike,a gravel bike is not a road bike

I agree, i looked at gravel bikes, but not too keen on an inbetweener, i want to have the best of both world, separately  

[Matu]

3 minutes ago, eddy said:

 

The difference on the road between your D/S MTB and any roadbike is the difference between the Wright brothers and the Concord.  The difference between a high end, 15 year old roadbike and a new middle middle market road bike at 3 times the cost, is  the difference between Castle Lager and Amstel.  

 

 

this made me laugh but great info! Thanks