MTB or Road bike?

[Ox_Wagon]

Continental Town-Country?s 1.9? is also a nice all-round tire if you what to do some dirt road riding too.   

 

I was using very cheap kenda 1.5? tires on my hardtail before I got my road bike.  My only argus was done using this setup.   We where going through Fishhoek when the bunch in front of me split open like Moses parting the <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Red sea.  I was already over the killer manhole cover before I realized what happened.  On a road bike I most probably would have gone down .<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[dirtrider]

Hybrid is a waste of money !!!

[Spinnekop]

Hybrids.

 

Trek

Cannondale

Raleigh

 

To name a few.....

[Spinnekop]

My choice will be a full on MTB with good slicks. 

Good sadle and she's off!

 

The experience will be a lot better!!!

[dirtrider]

[amateur]

For me it would depend on what her style of riding is, does she like going downhill's fast? Because then the MTB gears will frustrate her, but if she doesn't like climbing and or is not a good climber then she might need the extra gears on the mtb, and then the mtb will be perfect if she doesn't like going downhill fast!

Also how fit is she because the weight of the mtb makes a big difference, I've done 94.7 on both a road and mtb and I much prefer the road bike, and I've done the Argus only on the mtb. I swore I'll never do it on the mtb again, I hate climbs but I'm willing to sacrifice the extra gears of the mtb because of the weight difference of the bikes.

 

That's why I say see first what style she prefers!

 

my 2c

 

[fandacious]

Why a full on MTB? We're not gonna be doing any off road riding. So why carry around the extra weight of a shock? I like the idea of a Hybrid because I know she'll be more comfortable on a MTB frame, but the hybrid is lighter than a full on MTB...

[Tumbleweed]

Hmm.. I've never considered a Hybrid. In fact' date=' they're not that common. Can you helpful lot name some decent makes?[/quote']

 

they are actually quite common

here's the giant cypress

 

but this is a really cool hybrid/commuter. i used to own one. the gt zum (zaskar urban machine, i think)

 

[dirtrider]

Is that what they look like ?

[Tumbleweed]

Is that what they look like ?

 

er, yes

[Tumbleweed]

fandacious, the giant's fairly cheap. but as a good investment, see if you can get your hands on a zum. i think they are still locally available. i used to do the benoni-joburg commute on mine (until my damn ex-brother-in-law got it stolen). it goes like a dream. plenty comfy and fast mine was the 2.0, not the 1.0 as pictured, and it came with v's not discs.

 

 

now i've gone and got myself all nostalgic, i may just be treating myself to one come payday      

[Lilo]

I did my first Argus on my entry level mtb. My next Argus was on a Road bike. And seeing I'm a girl aswell, I would definately get her a Road bike!!

[Dibles]

I did my first Argus on my entry level mtb. My next Argus was on a Road bike. And seeing I'm a girl aswell' date=' I would definately get her a Road bike!! [/quote']

 

Listen to the advice the women are giving you Fandacious. We know best

[g00s3m4n]

dude.. besides the choice of bike.. well done on getting her to do it at all.. i cant think of anything my other half would rather NOT do than cycle!

 

seriously though.. maybe the best is for her to be given both options, pros & cons and let her decide.

 

if i was in your position, i would consider the hybrid as the first option, and road bike as second option.

 

good luck!

 

[Ox_Wagon]

Most manufactures make them but as usual not many importers bring them in.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

There are basically three types of hybrids:

 

1) Performance hybrids:  Road bikes with flat handlebars.  (The fastest, harsher ride)

http://www.trekbikes.com/int/en/bikes/2008/road/fx/76fxwsd/

 

2) Leisure hybrids: Road bike wheeled mountain bikes. (Don?t like them)

 

3) Rigid MTB hybrids: Rigid  MTB with road cranks and skinny wheels (More versatile, softer ride)

 

Performance hybrids can be converted from ?n normal road bike, just remember that the front shifter pod (Shimano) must be road specific.  There is a difference between the chain ring spacing between road and MTB crank sets.  

 

MTB hybrid is a lot easier if you don?t worry about running out of speed with the normal mtb crank set.   Take a rigid MTB change the cassette to a road cassette preferably with an 11 or 12 small sprocket and put on skinny slicks.

 

I build my pavement special hybrid out of a GT road frame, 7 speed Shimano 600 lifted of an old hansom frame.  I use the down tube shifter for the front derailleur and a 7sp mtb shifter pod for the rear derailleur.   I used cheap Tektro MTB brake levers with the Shimano 105 calipers. All for less than R1000. 

 

Ox_Wagon2007-09-13 03:41:13

[fandacious]

dude.. besides the choice of bike.. well done on getting her to do it at all.. i cant think of anything my other half would rather NOT do than cycle!

seriously though.. maybe the best is for her to be given both options' date=' pros & cons and let her decide.

if i was in your position, i would consider the hybrid as the first option, and road bike as second option.

good luck!
[/quote']

 

I think i'm gonna organize a hybrid and road bike from my LBS and let her do a 5km ride on both of them. At the end she must maar decide which was overall the one she'd rather spend the better part of 5hrs on...