I think i've made a mistake...

I think i've made a mistake...

Author
Discussion

AmiableChimp

Original Poster:

3,674 posts

236 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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I have been increasing my mileage on my Ridgeback Velocity over the past couple of years and also used it to commute to work.

As I was getting into cycling and doing more miles, I thought a road bike would be a good companion as my hybrid has a pannier rack, full length mudguards, etc. so I thought I needed something stripped back, fast to do weekend miles on.

I just can't gel with it at all.

Admittedly I haven't ridden it much, getting a pinch puncture the first time out probably didn't help, but I just don't feel as comfortable (as in it feels "right") riding the roadie as I do on the hybrid.

Is this just due to the fact i've never ridden a road bike before, and it will come with more miles?

Anyone else encountered this?

I don't look forward to getting out on it when I get the chance.

I am seriously considering selling the roadie and buying another hybrid, maybe one with disc brakes and keeping it bare for the weekend stuff.

The road bike is a Decathlon Triban 5, and i've stuck SPDs on it and some new tyres as well.

Fugazi

564 posts

120 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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Are you sure the bike is fitted correctly as this can dramatically alter the comfort on the bike. My brother in law had a fitting and he said it transformed his rides even though he thought his bike fit was spot.

Could try flat bars, don't Decathlon use the road bike frames for some of their hybrids?

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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You got a pinch puncture on it? What pressure did you have the tyres at?

I ask, as my brother in law was ready to jack his roadie in after a few 15 mile commutes, then I used a proper track pump to inflate from 20psi to 120, and he suddenly "got" it...

mike13

715 posts

181 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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i did this 2 years ago, knew within 1 ride it wasn't for me, riding position, gear changing, general feeling, sold it at £100 loss which i was happy with, stupidly i had virtually given a perfect hybrid away to get the road bike.Still happy with my mountain bike, horses for courses and all that.

AC43

11,435 posts

207 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
quotequote all
For my riding (100% London) roadies don't do it for me.

On open roads I prefer flat-barred hybrids to bikes with drops.

Some people absolutely love them but it doesn't mean to say you have to.




Darkslider

3,071 posts

188 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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I felt exactly the same the first time I rode a proper road bike after years of mountain bikes and hybrids. It felt completely wrong and alien, body position, brakes, lack of give/suspension and gear changing all felt horribly uncomfortable and unstable and I didn't feel like I could ever be in control properly.

However all the weird positioning and discomfort is part of the no compromise focus on speed that a road bike has over anything else, so it's well worth sticking at for a bit because they're so much quicker than anything else. It took me a short while but I did get used to it in the end, and now can quite happily swap between various styles of bike with no issues.

T1berious

2,242 posts

154 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
quotequote all
A proper bike fit will help but I'll mirror other comments and say "what pressure were you running?".

Your bike should be comfy regardless of what type it is. The fact it isn't and you're loathe to ride it screams that you need to take it back and have a chat with the bike shop and see what can be done to make it work for you.

My LBS did such a good job on my initial fitting that i'm not touching it. 12 km to 70 km it's a joy.

Don't give up on it. Get back to your LBS

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
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I felt exactly the same when I first added a roadie to the fleet, after a couple of weeks though it all changed and now the hybrid just comes out in the rain.

AmiableChimp

Original Poster:

3,674 posts

236 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys.

The pinch puncture was because I initially only had a hand pump but now have a track pump and run them around 110psi.

I am off for a few weeks after today so hoping to get some time to get out on the bike and do a few miles to see if I can gel with it.

I'll also look into a bike fit. Saying that, i've done a couple of 30 milers on it and it's not any more uncomfortable at the end than it is at the start. Maybe uncomfortable is the wrong term, the roadie position just feels weird to me!

scherzkeks

4,460 posts

133 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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Darkslider said:
I felt exactly the same the first time I rode a proper road bike after years of mountain bikes and hybrids. It felt completely wrong and alien, body position, brakes, lack of give/suspension and gear changing all felt horribly uncomfortable and unstable and I didn't feel like I could ever be in control properly.

However all the weird positioning and discomfort is part of the no compromise focus on speed that a road bike has over anything else, so it's well worth sticking at for a bit because they're so much quicker than anything else. It took me a short while but I did get used to it in the end, and now can quite happily swap between various styles of bike with no issues.
A properly fitted road bike should be comfortable -- not sofa comfortable, but you should not be in pain. The problem is, there is a lot of bad information out there about road bike fitting.

Sammo123

2,103 posts

180 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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I found this with my road bike too. I came from years of MTB riding and just couldn't ride the roadie comfortably. I even went and had a bike fitting and still didn't like the feel of the bike afterwards! That was about 2 years ago and the roadie has just sat in the shed all that time (I have probably ridden it a total of 10-15 times since I bought it). I want to start cycling to work but don't fancy using my XC MTB for that so I have been looking at converting the roadie to flat bars to make it a bit more comfortable.

I'm going to speak to my LBS this weekend to see what they can do with it.

THX

2,348 posts

121 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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Weird, I went from MTB'ing to Road'ing and immediately loved the position and feel.

I still enjoy hopping back on the MTB and throwing it around - they're great fun - but the Road bike eats all my cycling time.

The first time I took a Road bike down a hill felt as exhilarating as the first time I put my food down in my first properly fast car!

TheLemming

4,319 posts

264 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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THX said:
Weird, I went from MTB'ing to Road'ing and immediately loved the position and feel.

I still enjoy hopping back on the MTB and throwing it around - they're great fun - but the Road bike eats all my cycling time.

The first time I took a Road bike down a hill felt as exhilarating as the first time I put my food down in my first properly fast car!
Same here, my first road bike (Carrera TDF!) felt like a flying machine compared to my mtb. Instant love at first ride. The position took a bit to get used to, but the "Im going soooo much faster" was addictive.
MTBs feel strange to me now. Bars are far too wide to be comfy, it feels sloooow and fast is fun. Each to their own of course, but it seems like there's little point in a hybrid or a flat bar road bike - they get the sacrifices (narrow tyres etc) of a road bike and none of the advantages of an MTB.

As always a CX bike is the answer.

To anyone finding it hard to adjust to a road bike, start looking at setup. You can happily start off with a very neutral setup with a minimal saddle to bar drop and high bars.

A more aggressive setup is rarely comfortable unless you're used to it.

stu67

804 posts

187 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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I'm really no expert but I've gone through the same thing. I use my bikes for commuting into London each day, don't use them much as a social rider at the weekends. I've got a trek hybrid and a couple of roadbikes. The trek when you do take everything into account is the better commuter bike no doubt. It's comfy, less rigid than the roadbikes soaks up the appalling roads, mudguards, panniers so no rucksack.

However when its dry and I dont have to cart a load of stuff into work the roadbikes are faster, lighter, seem strangly to have better gearing (probably for making progress) and are just fun.

I'm in the lucky position that I commute a little way in, in a van, so keep both in the back a dependant on my mood use either. Today cheapo roadbike

Silver940

3,961 posts

226 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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Post a picture of your bike up and we can critique your setup wink

When I bought my roadie I went in expecting to buy a 54cm, it's what the guides said. Tired a 51 as the wife was also supposed to be able to ride it ( She hasn't in nearly 2 years ) and to my surprise and that of the shop owner it fitted better and felt right. Seems to be the most important measurement is the top tube.

My problem these days is deciding which to grab on a Sunday Morning, Roadie or MTB as I love riding both!

HereBeMonsters

14,180 posts

181 months

Friday 29th August 2014
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It has taken me a while to get into road riding now, but every time I get on my mountain bike now I can't help feeling how inefficient the 800mm wide bars are!

walm

10,609 posts

201 months

Friday 29th August 2014
quotequote all
AmiableChimp said:
Is this just due to the fact i've never ridden a road bike before, and it will come with more miles?

Anyone else encountered this?
Yes, yes and yes.

MTB to road bike and it was horrible.
Frankly this happens to me every summer. I start of uncomfortable and terrified on the roadie.
(Then at the end of summer I am slow and heavy on the MTB - you can't win...)

Rule 5 and ride more!