I bought this bike with my first "big paycheck" the thing here is that it is a mtb, the purpose at first was that i need to go up a pretty decent hill on my way to work(10km aprox) and i dont know if a road bike would be a much better option than buying a rack and needing to unasemble in three days due to the weight, (my bike on its own weights 18kg)
by _Gondi
12 Comments
I never had a road bike (only a “hybrid” 29 and a 20″ folder), but from what I got by osmosis from reading answers here – it really depends on ride quality on your commute. Can’t road bikes also climb on lowest gear if the road is smooth?
If a bike is a big purchase, I would personally save money and just by a rack and fenders (not MTB flaps, solid ones. It depends on your climate, but if a road gets wet at any point – fenders are a must). MTBs make pretty good commuters if you add fenders, lights, and a rack.
Actually, don’t *road* road bikes also come withoug fenders, lights and racks? Usually they are included in purpose-built city/commuting bikes. Which can be a good option, or so I’m told, but I never owned one, so I will leave this topic for others.
I strongly recommend against buying a road bike for commute. The style of riding is just different. I prefer hybrid, others prefer gravel. For short commutes, MTB, cruiser or folder is just fine. Folders work very well on train type public transit.
It can be very advantageous to get a belt drive bike for commuting as well, especially if you’re going to ride in the wet. I wish this had been more of a thing when I bought my current commuter in 2014.
Just get thinner tires
Using a road bike as a commuter is commuter dependant. Are you commuting year round, or are you a fair weather commuter? Riding a road bike to work can be really fun as they are usually faster than a typical hybrid or mountain bike. Most road bikes don’t accept fenders or racks, so take that into account.
I commute on a carbon road bike or aluminum frame fixed gear. My commute is flat and is about 7.5 miles. I have secure bike parking. I don’t commute in wet weather or year round. If it’s dry and clear, I ride. I don’t use any type of rack or pannier system, so a commute specific backpack or messenger bag is how I get everything with me to work.
Telling people that road bikes are not good to commute on just isn’t good advice. It’s your personal preference, but for others, it’s a really good option.
I’ve always preferred cruiser bikes but I’ve ridden bikes like this back and forth to work too, they work just fine
I started on a 26″ mtb and it was okay. I do recommend getting a stem extender if you decide to go for it. It raises your hands and moves your center of gravity rearward, while also making you taller in the saddle, improving visibility.
You WILL want fenders, and please, please, do not commute without decent lights.
I commute on a road bike and hard tail mtb with all the Same racks and shit. The road bike is great for daily riding, mtb with the front fork makes random pot holes and curb hoppin is way more for giving
Start on that one while you save for a quality eBike.
Depending on where you live, you might want a set of fenders.
Buy a second hand touring bike as a commuter. It will have the gear ratios & strong wheel set/frame as per a mountainbike but drop handlebars & a rack for carrying a pannier or two. Also mudguards are easy to fit & you can run Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard puncture resistant tyres. Where are you located??
You can start with that but I highly recommend not putting money into making it a commuter bike, your money would be much better spend on a road one.
I used to commute on my mountain bike when it was my only one. It was fun popping up curbs and hitting random dirt paths, but the thing with mountain bikes is they are heavier and the shocks absorb pedaling power making it less efficient.
You can just “upgrade” the forks with rigid ones, and get maybe a 2.1 slick tires
The bike you have is the best start. This is because whilst commuting you’ll learn what works best for your commute.
Buy some advanced slicker maybe thinner tyres to reduce the amount of road suck, pay for some good lights, and put on a bottle cage. If it’s more than 10Km then buy some padded bike shorts. Be prepared to buy other items as needed depending on your ride and load: wet weather gear and fenders, panniers and bags. You’ll need a bike chain cleaner and chain lube.
I find a bike computer which shows distance and elapsed time (ie, not GPS) to use useful for commuting, but other people don’t use one at all. I also found that SPD cycling shoes and pedals completely changed the cycling experience, whereas other people dislike them because of they are more difficult in traffic.
Anyways, in six months time you’ll be able to answer this question yourself, and you’ll be shopping for a bike with that knowledge. Most of the stuff you bought can be transferred over to the new bike. If your ride is >15Km then I’d seriously think about an e-bike, but that really depends if you have a secure place at each end.
I have been commuting for >40 years, so I have a choice of road bike and offroad touring bike myself, and choose depending by how much gear I have to haul. But I live next to a desert. The thing about commuting is that you can optimise the bike for your exact ride.