Recumbent, Road bike or MTB?

[alf]

I am going to start riding to the office, 20 miles round trip. Did it on Monday on my old MTB from college. Butt and neck hurts. I have slicks on them, could ride on a gravel bike trail or asphalt bike path.

Anyone ride recumbents?

Road bikes any better than MTB? I have not been on a road bike since HS.

[einreb]

Recumbents would freak me out for commuting since they tend to not beas visble being low to the ground.

20 miles is long for a mtn bike commute... look into cyclocross or touring frames.

[David]

I had a recumbent. I won't have one again unless I suffer some injury that makes it impossible to sit on regular bike seat. They are very inefficient since you don't have gravity helping on the downstroke. Yes, you can get some good torque by pressing back against the seat, but that's really on good for spinning the rear tire in slick conditions.

A road bike is more efficient than a MTB, but I don't like the riding position anymore. My current ride is a Gary Fisher 29er hardtail. When I ride on road, I put 700x32 street tires on it and lock out the front fork.

[Laneco]

Even for very skilled riders, a recumbent is extremely difficult to ride in any type of gravel. Much more difficult than even a very narrow tired road bike.

What other type of riding do you enjoy? If you love MTB riding, go with a hard tail (the 29er suggested above would be great) and use slick tires. Otherwise, go with a cyclocross or road bike. Most of the cyclocross bikes are a bit more "upright" in the front end and that will likely help your neck. I love my 'cross bike for commuting. Its quicker than my MTB and more forgiving than my road bike especially with broken pavement etc.

Make sure you have a pretty new helmet, the old ones should be replaced for safety purposes and are often heavier (which is going to add to your neck ills).

As for your butt, think good seat and toughen that part of your anatomy up. A good seat is an absolute Godsend!

angela

[nota]

hi-bred
lite semi skinny tyres
more upright then a roadracer

or put up bars on a road bike
and a softer seat [gel] but not to wide

and buy used but a better quailty bike
look for good bits like quick releases on both wheels and the seat that helps to lock everything and to put the bike in a car eazy
alloy wheels cranks and hubs
most $500 to 1000 list new bikes
canbe had for a 100 or two on the used market
or even cheaper if needing a minor repair

+10 for craigslist but fleamarkets and garage sales are a winner too

BTW I got a like new all campi roadbike for 150 and fliped it for 300 to a friend as I am too old for roadbikes now

[vash]

without a doubt, if i could commute i would buy a rivendell Atlantis.

[Racerbvd]

I have owned all 3, and for long rides, I loved my recumbent. So give a +1

[Noah930]

How are recumbents on hills? I've heard they're not so great, partially for the reasons 125shifter listed.

Your butt and neck hurt: you're butt's gonna hurt, at first. (I hear all you guys snickering.) But you'll get used to it. (More snickers.) Or, get a different saddle. If your neck hurts, a taller stem for the handlebars can be fitted, too. You might not necessarily need a new bike, though wanting a new one is another matter.

[RANDY P]

+1 on the Hybrid.

I just picked up a Trek 7.3 FX and swapped the saddle. I love it, it's lightweight, has a more upright seating position, road tires. It has gearing more suitable towards MTB usage, but for long trips I haven't found it to be an issue. I guess the road gears are a bit taller.

http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/2006/bike_path/B1327010.html

Cost me under $500 new. Do swap the saddle tho and perhaps get some decent riding shorts.

Black will match the Roach...

rjp

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by Noah930
How are recumbents on hills? I've heard they're not so great, partially for the reasons 125shifter listed.

Your butt and neck hurt: you're butt's gonna hurt, at first. (I hear all you guys snickering.) But you'll get used to it. (More snickers.) Or, get a different saddle. If your neck hurts, a taller stem for the handlebars can be fitted, too. You might not necessarily need a new bike, though wanting a new one is another matter.

Well, I'm in FL. so hills (other than over passes) aren't a problem. For your butt, a Quality pair of shorts, good saddle & proper fit on the bike cures all of that. A buddy haS a high end MTB, but an extra set of wheels with slicks for the street, and raises his seat. Works well too.

[alf]

OK, so I will drop the recumbent.

Gonna toss some money at the old Specialized Rockhopper to make it fit my older body. I rode that thing everywhere for 3 years rain, shine or snow.

In the meantime, I was surfing on Craigslist and came across this little beauty of a roadbike...

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/bik/366024559.html

[Racerbvd]

I'm looking at getting another road bike myself

[alf]

I picked up that Davidson on Craigslist today. Felt like I stole it for $580, my brother in law and cousin both have one of those and it costed them well north of $3000.

This one is within 1cm of my recommended frame size (inseam x .67). Gonna ride into the office tomorrow and see how it works out, will go get it fitted by Davidson later, but it feels much better than the MTB going around the block.

[Racerbvd]

Let us know how it goes!!!!

[nostatic]

I have a Davidson I got off eBay in the garage. Had rust that wasn't disclosed by the seller (I only paid $200 though). One of the best bikes I ever owned was a Davidson Stilleto. Total crit bike, 75 degree head angle, but rock solid at 50mph downhill. Amazing bike.

Hopefully the frame is 1cm *bigger* than recommended. I find that most people ride road bikes that are too small, based on old school advice about nad clearance. Grant Peterson has some great things to say about bike fit at www.rivendellbicycles.com (or at least used to...haven't been on the site in a while).

Use a high-rise stem to get more upright.

[alf]

The ride in was great, my butt does not hurt and the Davidson is much easier to ride than the MTB. It is 1cm smaller than my recommended size Glad I got it and thanks for all the great guidence.

[David]

I can understand keeping the bars up, but due to my 36" inseam, I use the smallest frame I can get away with to keep the top tube and wheel base dimensions to a minimum. Modern road bikes have a higher head tube anyway, sort of like a MTB.