# How much of a difference going from mountain bike to road bike



## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm an out-of-shape 40 year old trying to get regular exercise via cycling. My current bike is a Motobecane Jubilee DLX Mountain bike. It's a hardtail with a front suspension fork. It seems to fit OK and I've taken it to an LBS for a tune-up so it's operating fine. The big problem with it is the weight. It's 35-40 pounds.

As I said, I'm a beginner. I've been cycling almost a month now (I started on April 2). I had started out with 5 mile rides and my current loop is 11 miles (17 km) of relatively flat terrain (all on roads), that I do in about 55 minutes. So I'm pretty slow and am fairly tired at the end of the ride.

The reason I have that bike is because I had a great deal on it from a friend of similar height who was getting rid of it. However, as I get more serious about cycling, I'd like to get a road bike with a budget of around $1000.

Question is, how much of a difference does it really make? The LBS told me that I could go from 10 mile trips to 15 miles trips instantly just from the lighter weight and skinnier tires. True, or was he just trying to sell me a bike?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I have personally found that I'm so much faster and can go so much further with a road bike as compared to a mountain bike, it's nothing funny. It's not only the weight. It's the aerodynamics. It's the width and tread design of the tires.

As a matter of fact, I'm constantly shocked by posters who claim they can feel no difference in efficiency between a mountain and road bike, or who say their mountain bike is _more _efficient (barring fit issues, of course). In any case, I'm sure you'll see plenty of those below......


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## ajm_venge (Apr 22, 2012)

40 year old cyclist here who's been riding MTB exclusively for several years now. Bought my first road bike 3 weeks ago and could not be any happier. 

The experience is totally different. Not good, not bad, just different.

First thing you will likely notice is the stiffness in the ride. Not sure if your MTB has full suspension but if it does, then you're sure to notice the sudden "harshness" in ride. This, however, quickly goes away as you get used to the feeling. 

Second thing you will notice is gearing and how to get to those gears. First the hardware is different so you'll have to get used to that. Second, the gearing is higher so you'll have to go through some trial and error to get it right.

Third are the brakes. They are not as strong in stopping power as disc brakes. Gotta get used to that as well.

Last I think would be the ease by which you'll be covering distances. With the skinny tires, low weight, gearing, etc.. You will definitely find yourself going much farther.


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## Jimmy_Bar (Apr 23, 2012)

I just made the switch from a mtb to a road bike. I was up to 35 mile rides on a relatively flat paved trail on the mtb. My first ride on the road bike I rode a little over 43 miles and wasn't anymore tired than the 35 mile ride on the mtb bike. 

My mtb is a smoother ride but the road bike so much faster and better handling.


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## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

I've heard some people describe the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike as "being shot out of a cannon"; after riding the road bike.


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## Pitts Pilot (Dec 5, 2011)

I was averaging 15-16 mph on the mountain bike when I got my first road bike. I immediately averaged about 20 mph. That's not quite as big as the guy at the store suggested to you, but close. As a lifetime mountain biker switching to road: Road bikes don't stop nearly as quickly - use caution - and much more FRONT brake than you used to.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Hey Gus -- write any symphonies lately?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I like mountain bikes. You don't have one.

Now that that's off my chest, the totality of what you do have is really working against you. Not the weight, actually - it doesn't matter when you're not accelerating or climbing, and even then, it's the total system weight - so the bike, but also you, your tools, the water you have with you, everything - that matters. For me, much as it bothers me to admit, a loss of even 15 lb would be less than 10% of that number. So I might go a little bit faster on a climb, but even then, air resistance is non-linear, and on the road, that's where most of the power you're developing actually goes.

However, the bike's got bouncy stuff everywhere. Giant tires. Fork. That seatpost and saddle. You're probably spending a fair amount of energy making it bounce around, and you're not getting it all back. Depending on your build, it may not be possible to make that thing fit in a remotely efficient way, so you're probably pushing a ton of air that you wouldn't in the position a correctly sized and fitted road bike will facilitate.

So a 5 mph gain in cruising speed actually doesn't strike me as terribly unrealistic. (But maybe a little bit of a stretch.) Average speed is another story. If you have things like traffic signals on your route, you'd be surprised, unless you've clocked it, at how much they slow you down. And you're not going to accelerate out of them much better.


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## Pitts Pilot (Dec 5, 2011)

BTW - the difference in average speed I get on my mountain vs road bike is significantly less on a mountain ride. The steeper the ride, the less difference. The biggest difference will be realized on flat rides.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Geometry is different ... Posture is different ... Weight too ...

I used to only ride off-road, then I got sick of cleaning my bike and so only go out on the trails on my FS when it is dry and converted my HT to a 'road' bike, one with 700C wheels and 28mm tyres. 

Road dries up quicker than the trails ... 

Much easier to ride on the road, mainly because of the tyres and less weight you are carrying. As the distance grew, my lower back started to ache, then I did a bit of research and found out my HT frame's effective top tube was too long.

Went to my LBS and tried out a Spez Allez and it feels so much easier to ride ... better geometry and shorter cranks and lighter makes it all feels so 'flighty' ... 

Getting a road bike soon ...  ... HT frame sold and components going onto my wife's new touring bike and building my own road bike ... I am 42 BTW ...


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Unless it's super-muddy, I just clean my chain and fork stanchions and call it good. Cleaning the rest of the mountain bike seems like a Sisyphean task.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

I wouldn't call a Jubilee DLX a mountain bike...

Save up to 60% off new Motobecane Jubilee Deluxe Comfort Bikes from bikesdirect.com

It's more of an older hybrid style bike. Anyway... if it's just for general fitness and you really don't care about mph or super long distances... it's fine. If you want to do more charity rides, longer rides, etc.... might want to consider a road bike.

Since it claims to have a lock out fork.... lock out the fork on the smooth roads... less energy is wasted.


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## thatguy57 (Mar 20, 2012)

I just recently switched from a cheapo mountain bike-esque bike to a Giant Defy 3, my first road bike. If you're primarily riding roads and you ride somewhat regularly you will notice a gigantic difference in ride. I was going about 3-7 miles on the mountain bike for the month or so I rode it. My first rides with the road bike were 7-13 and I now I regularly go 13-18 miles a month later. Fitness obviously played a part (specifically my horrendous lack thereof). A big part was also played by the smoothness of the road bike. Getting on a road bike feels like cutting an anchor you were dragging around with the mountain bike. You can coast faster and farther with less effort and accelerate easier. Go to an LBS and try one out. It'll blow you away.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

It depends what you have for tires on the mountain bike and how much you take advantage of potential better aerodynamics on a road bike but what the shop told you is plenty reasonable IMO. Re the tires....it's not so much that they are skinny but that they won't have knobs or big tread. 

I ride quite a bit more distance than you're currently doing with a road bike and I'm pretty sure I'd go down at the same rate the shop is telling you you'd go up if I had to ride a mountain bike with a shock and big knobby tires instead of my current road bike. There's no question road bike are better suited for the road.

If your goal is just to get exercize you won't get any more by going longer distances in the same time with the same effort.


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## Longhair-NL (Mar 31, 2012)

If you want to go faster and farther without spending a lot of money on a new (or used) road bike, put some 26 x 1.50 slicks on your current bike. Ride it like that for the season and save your money for a road bike next season.

The biggest reason I say that is because two things will either happen between now and then: 

a) you stop cycling for what ever reason - total loss is only a cost of a couple of tires and tubes.

- or - 

b) you enjoy cycling so much that you have actually learned a lot of valuable information to save you money when purchasing your next bike.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Longhair-NL said:


> If you want to go faster and farther without spending a lot of money on a new (or used) road bike, put some 26 x 1.50 slicks on your current bike. Ride it like that for the season and save your money for a road bike next season.


Great idea! Am looking into this now.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Longhair-NL said:


> If you want to go faster and farther without spending a lot of money on a new (or used) road bike, put some 26 x 1.50 slicks on your current bike. Ride it like that for the season and save your money for a road bike next season.





gusmahler said:


> Great idea! Am looking into this now.


As a stop gap, I agree that it's worth considering, but I suggest tempering your enthusiasm with the fact that you're still riding a mtb - with a suspension fork, suspension seat post, the same geometry (thus fit/ rider position, handling and gearing), so it's not representative of riding a road bike. 

A good compromise? Maybe. But a compromise none the less.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

The big reason I train on a road bike over my mountain bike is that I'm more comfortable in the palms-in position when I'm riding in the same position all the time. I love my mountain bike very much, but flat bars get pretty uncomfortable for me if I'm just riding roads.


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## TDI Hoo (Apr 1, 2012)

I have been riding a 21 year old Bridgestone City Bike (CB-0) for the last 21 years. It is a steel mountain bike frame with 26 x 1.25 slicks and has 21 speeds with 3 chain rings. It has an aggressive bar and is designed for messengers who need to be fast and agile in the city. I bought it when I was living in Seattle. Here's what mine looks like. I have only needed to replace the saddle and added bar ends:
http://sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/pdfs/bstoneCB01991.pdf

I just bought a Felt Z6 road bike. There is a tremendous difference. The Z6 is much smoother and more comfortable. My avg speed on a hilly route with the City Bike was 14-15 mph. On the same route with the Felt I ride 18-19 mph. On the road, for me, it is just more fun to go faster and farther with the Felt. 

But I did like the Shimano above bar thumb shifters on the City Bike. They have held up for 21 years and it is easy to see which gear you in from the thumb lever, and you can move from 1st to 7th very quickly. Hyperglide rear derailleur shifted from stop much more quickly.

So, even coming from a fast, aggressive mountain bike or city bike, you will be noticeably faster on a dedicated road bike. Love riding both my bikes.


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## that_dude (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks for starting this thread! I started riding about 6 weeks ago on a mountain bike (trek 4300 disc), at the LBS my bro advised me to get a road bike 1st then a MTB later on if I wanted. Well I didn't listen and bought the MTB. My route has hills and flats, I normally do 18 to 22 miles a ride. I started feeling that I would be better off with a road bike, on my lunch break I stop by my LBS and test rode some road bikes. The difference was night and day! They had a 2010 Trek 4.5 still sitting there so I pulled the trigger. I think my MTB will see very light use now.


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

The mountain bike is like the guy I hang around with next door. 
The road bike is like the love of my life. 
That's the difference.
Welcome to the roadie experience.


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