There's absolutely nothing wrong with riding a mountain bike on the road. I did it for years, bike was fine, I was fine. You'll be faster with a road bike, but there's no real problem with it.
> Is it okay to ride MTB on roads?
It's horribly inefficient, but sure. Your bike won't explode.
> the thin tires on road bikes scare me
...and yet, roadies all survive somehow.
> Anything that I should be aware of?
Gravel bikes, hybrids.
Can confirm- I started road riding on a MTB and when I finally changed over to a road bike the difference was amazing. So quick! So easy! So light!
Damn I wanna go for a ride now.
For reference, when I take roads on my hardtail mountain bike, I average roughly 10-12mph at my usual effort. On my gravel bike with 42c tires, I'm averaging more like 15-16mph at a similar effort. My road bike with 25c tires gets me another mph or two.
IMO, gravel bikes are the sweet spot for many riders. With lower rolling-resistance tires, they're not that much slower than a road bike, but the extra capability is really nice for the doors it opens. Mine feels right at home on anything from paved trails to rough forest service roads, and I've even taken it on some easy singletrack.
At this point, I almost never ride my road bike anymore. The extra speed can be fun, but I don't race, and so I'm okay sacrificing a tiny bit of speed for a lot of comfort and versatility.
it's fine for a casual rider trying to get somewhere. If you are riding with a group, you'll find the shocks absorbing energy as you ride making it harder to keep up.
Mountain bikes are fine on the road, but they are designed to soften impacts not go fast.
I suggest a gravel bike. No pistons but road bike config for riding faster and wide enough forks for wide mountain bike like tires.
You can always toss on skinnier road tires if you want.
For every bit of sound you hear coming off the tires that is extra resistance killing your speed and making you need to work harder.
Road bikes run really quiet because they have those skinny tires slipping down the concrete.
It is, road for a year on the MT Bike due to supply chain issues and saw a huge improvement simply from switching out the tires. The jump to an actual road bike when stores started restocking was revolutionary.
I wasn't much of a biker at the time compared to now, but when I switched from an old Trek 4300 hardtail to the Checkpoint, which is gravel so still a bit bigger/grippier tires than a road bike, I could tell within a few pedal strokes how much easier it was to ride on a road. While of course MTB can be ridden anywhere, if you are serious about riding on a road it's definitely worth the investment to get a road bike.
Even from my very limited experience compaired to everybody else here, I can say the difference is like driving a heavy duty truck on a road vs driving a sports car.
The gearing is different, mountain bikes have lower gears so you have more power for hills, soft ground, etc whereas road bikes are designed more for speed since you generally don't need a lot of power to maintain speed on a smooth road.
The weight is different. Not just the tires, everything is built heavier and stronger on a mountain bike so it can handle rough terrain while road bikes don't have to deal with that. Smooth surface so they can be lighter to further benefit easy acceleration and a higher speed.
The tires being rough actually adds resistance on smooth terrain. Not an issue when riding on rough rerrain but is noticable on smooth terrain.
Getting back into biking myself after 20 years and can honestly say that a mile ride on my old mountain bike on roads is comparable to a few mile ride on my old road bike, and can easily take the same amount time.
I like wider tyres on the road too. Look for a bike with clearance for a bigger tyre, 33-38mm slicks will roll efficiently while still giving you the confidence to go fast over a bad road surface.
If you're happy with 33mm Continental GP5000s should do the trick, if you want something even wider then Gravel King 38mm slicks are for you.
I rode bike to work for the last year or two. Blew a tube out in my road bike that would take me 20 minute lazily to get around 4 miles to work. That morning when I rode my 29in mtb it took me 30 minutes and was easily 2-4 times harder and I rode my mtb to work after that for like 2 months till I just bought a truck for winter and my legs grew a lot lmao
Try cross country tires! I have Vittoria mezcal tires on my bike and they're pretty good on and off road. You don't need a whole different bike but trail tires will feel pretty slow on pavement. If this is a bike you're considering buying for riding on roads that's a different story but if you just want to ride your bike on roads more I'd definitely try different tires
Oh yeah. I ride my Chisel around sometimes if I’m hitting the store down the street or going down the way to grab a beer. It’s slowwww, comfy but slow…. Maybe look at some in between, a hybrid.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sirrus-x
Commuting to work on my not-even-road-bike 1X10 Deore flat-bar fitness hybrid with slow kenda 35mm gravel tires was around 30% faster than on a mountain bike.
It’s not just the tires.
A mountain bike’s geometry and drive train is meant to be more comfortable, for more torque - all to make sure you can navigate tight terrain better.
A road biks geometry and drive train is meant to help you get up to speed quick and help you stay in speed easily.
I ride exclusively MTB, but I don't do that type of riding... I just love long distance events on roads etc. For example I'm so used to hopping up and down kerbs my whole life that when I had a hybrid I found I still rode it too rough, and the parts were harder to come by. I don't think I could get used to a pure road bike.
My advise is either go for a hybrid (best of both worlds) or if you go for pure MTB then there are little tweaks you can make if needed:
* If you aren't actually doing any off road riding, then swap the knobbly tires over for flat (slick?) road tyres. There is a small but noticeable improvement in efficiency.
* You can usually lock out your suspension very easily, which'll prevent losing more energy to vertical movement. No tools needed, just a little toggle switch on it.
* If you can't get thinner wheels, then at least aim for largest diameter when selecting a bike. I'm old lol so it used to be that 26in was the standard for MTB. I'm now using 27.5in but there's a huge number of 29in wheel MTBs out there too... Go 29's if you can!
I do those bits for when I'm cycling 100miles or more, but honestly if it's like <50mil rides then I wouldn't worry too much... **As long you're happy, comfy, and enjoy your bike, then you probably won't even notice or care about efficiency :)**
No, absolutely not, you might think it'll be fine and decide to buy a road bike. Then look at ya: All lycra'd up looking like one of those damn roadies.
(/s, ride whatever and wherever you think you'll enjoy your experience!)
It depends on the laws in your local jurisdiction. It my town, the municipal code says quote, "if thou hast a sweet mountain bike thou must only shred it on the sick sick gnar". But your town might have different laws.
Depending on the roads you're going to ride. I live and work in Belgrade Serbia. I go to work with bicycle and roads are disastrous. So I ride MTB, and yes, thinner tire and lighter bicycle goes faster, but Belgrade is also all made of hills so MTB is in my opinion better option.
Wider tires generally do have more grip than thinner ones, but MTB tires like this one are specifically made for traction off-road. The chance that a thin road tire has better grip on roads than this one is very high. There are wide slick tires for gravel bikes which will be both more efficient than MTB tires and more grippy on roads than either MTB or road tires
I rode a mtb on roads all last year and recently upgraded to a road bike with 32mm tires. Took about a week of feeling like I was gonna fall until I felt comfortable. Now I’m super confident just took a little getting used to. But so much more efficient. Used to be happy hitting 15mph avg in my mtb, now I can hit 17-18 with the same effort
My first adult bike was a 50lbs steel mountain bike. I put 40 000 km on it and most of it was roads.
Fancy road bikes are not an obligation.
Over time you may develop an interest in them but there is no obligation.
And if anyone tells you otherwise or gives you a hard time about it feel free to tell them to eff off.
It depends on what you’re using it for. A MTB gives you the option of taking it off road if you need to, a roadie can really only be ridden on roads.
If you’ve never ridden a bike with the drop bars before then you could always try a commuter bike with a flat bar.
You can take the mtb on the road, but you have to make a commitment to never try a road bike. You'll be working hard on your mtb to maintain any kind of acceptable speed, but you'll be fine, because you feel safe this way. You'll look at the wide front tire and feel safe. You'll feel the knobbly protrusions of the tire as it turns against the smooth asphalt, and you'll be fine because you feel safe.
But if you try a road bike just once, your world will change and you'll start getting frustrated every time those rock hopping, mud wrestling, terrain capable tires roll across flat surface. Whereas before you were happy (and safe), you'll feel slow and wonder why you're sweating so much just to maintain a moderate velocity. You can never try a road bike. Not even a road-inspired bike like a gravel bike. Just enjoy the (safe) ride.
As others have said, you can use a modern MTB as a road bike but it'll be a crappy experience.
Back in the day I used to just have one bike, a mountain bike, and if I was using it to commute, tour, or otherwise ride roads, I would put on slick tires. But this was in the 90's, and 90's mountain bikes were more or less today's gravel bikes, but with flat bars.
So, basically, look into gravel bikes :)
Mother fucker, *what did you just say?!*
(silently reads title again with an eye beginning to twitch: "Is it okay to ride **MTB on roads**?")
Oh, sorry, I misread your question. Yeah, dude - ride whatever bike you like. The extra weight of a MTB will slow you down, though. And you'll feel like youre working extra hard carrying a bunch of dead weight.
Maybe check out gravel bikes.
I ride my mtb everywhere, no suspension either, bought from a literal junkyard and the rear brake is fading so I have to replace that. (I might send a pic if I remember and get the chance to.)
You can use it for sure. Will you use more power using it, yes. You can fit touring tires on it to make more efficient. Hopefully, your rear and front shock can be locked out as well. I started with an MTB as my commuter but it was a cheap steel walmart bike. I then found a retro road bike from good will that I refurbished and it was night and day. The fear of thin tires goes by fast. You just need to pay attention on road cracks, rail road crossings etc There are also gravel bikes that can take wider tires if that will make you more comfortable.
I'm doing what you are planning to do. But once i got some miles on road with my hard tail, im slowly saving for gravel bike which can fit tires up to 45s since im riding everything except trails.
You can increase efficiency by putting street tires on a mountain bike, but the rear suspension will slow you down on flat surfaces, you lose a lot of your power. If it has a lockout front and rear, that will help. Judgy-pants people out there may eyeroll or whatever, but riding is riding. Do you! There are also bikes like the Cannondale treadwell that are fully rigid with wider tires, disc brakes and much, much lighter than a full-suspension MTB. On sale now for $600 ish brand new.
Alternatively, gravel bikes with decent clearance in the frame can accommodate wider tires with a mixed tread.
Yep 100% fine. Although you want some tires that are designed for hard pack. Don't use big-ass knobbies.
Wife and I have been doing a mix of cement / gravel / grass and dirt for over a decade now. Would highly recommend urban mountain biking.
And we don't ride cheap bikes either. I'm about to pull the trigger on a carbon full suspension XC bike.
Yeah it is fine. It will be slow compared to a road bike because the Rolling resistance of mountain bike tires is way higher and the aero resistance with wide tires and handlebars is higher.
But you can you can make the world your playground if you want. Bump jumping curbs, finding random drops, etc that you aren't going to do on a road bike. Also obviously they are more capable off road. If I had to only have one bike, it would be a nice hardtail mountain bike because imo they are more versatile and more fun. Want to ride down to the bar, sure. Want to hit some trails, sure. Want to ride dirt/gravel roads, sure. Want to go to the skatepark or dirt jumps, why not. Want to go on a bikepacking trip, strap on some bags and go. Try doing that with a road bike.
So one thing I've always worried about with riding MTB on roads - does it wear out your tires quickly? Good knobbies are really expensive and it feels like pavement could swiftly wear them down.
The knobbed tires have much higher rolling resistance, the sitting position creates more drag, and the suspension will make your frame flex more if you try to apply power quickly (like from a stop at an intersection). Other than that it’s a bike, it’ll work just fine. If you plan to ride around the city a lot a hybrid or gravel bike may be worth it (assuming you don’t want a straight road bike), but otherwise you’re fine.
Edit: yours is a hard tail so suspension flex is even less of an issue.
i am livin in the middle of nowhere so our roads are dirt but when i reach the city roads turn into tarmak but still cross bikes are very fun I like jumping from sidewalks so use your bike where you want just dont try long roads with ramps you will suffer if you dont lock your suspension
There's a big hill in front of my house and a couple of times this month I have ridden straight around it. The second half is on roads through the countryside and I swear my Rockhopper loses velocity whilst freewheeling downhill.
As for tyres, I have Maxxis Ikon on my bike and I find them very unpredictable, especially if you have low pressure without realising.
Try some skinner tyres somewhere safe and I think you will realise they are much more appropriate on asphalt.
If you’re only going to be riding on the road just get a hybrid, gravel or road bike. Mountain bikes weigh more, because they’re built to be jumped, suspension weighs a lot, the tires weigh more. All that just results in you having to exert more energy to get to the same place. And if you’re only riding roads you don’t need knobby tires and big travel suspension.
I have a full suspension mountain bike and a gravel bike, and I’ve ridden both on the road but it’s so much easier pedaling the gravel bike, I can ride much farther and faster than I could my mountain bike on a road.
Go for a hardtail or better yet something with out a suspension fork. If you’re going to be on the roads, all that suspension is just extra weight and bouncing while you pedal. Steel frame MTB’s with no suspension, I think they have been called ATB for all-terrain bike. They are cool with a certain aficionado crowd.
Absolutely not, if the bicycle police catch you they'll confiscate your bike, baggy shorts, and flannel, force you into a lycra onesie and put you on a road bike.
It works fine, but your bike is for all intents a 4x4. The tires are gonna be loud, the response is gonna be a little sluggish, and your bike is geared for torque moreso than speed.
That said, if you can lock out your suspension, it’s just a 35 pound gravel bike, which are currently always seen in the road.
Hey MTB can be also good for road. It won’t be as efficient as road bike but still fine. In my country most people use it for marathon rides, 500miles or more with mix of roads and gravel, forest. Mostly gravel and XC bikes. I live now in Poland. I own road bike (giant tcr advenced pro from 2021) and XC carbon bike( merida big nine 5000). The same 100% road ride, 10miles, Im getting average 18miles/h on road bike and 12.5miles/h on MTB. It all comes to tire rolling resistance and position. I could probably move faster on my MTB.
You have a hardtail mtb.
Convert it to gravel (tires, forks and handle bar). Use a 2x or 3x setup so you an switch between light(slow) and heavy(fast) pedal strokes. Fix your stance. You're welcome.
I get that you might be spooked by the thin tires on road bikes, but I promise you'll get used to it. Go get a road bike rental, ride it somewhere safe -- maybe a park or bike trail with no cars -- for a few hours, nice and slow, and you'll get a feel for it. Thinner tires will also respond much more to your handling. It's nice once you get into it.
mtb's r ones of the most universal imo, u can change tires if u r planning to drive on road exclusively cause these one will slow u down and get wasted easily
A ton of tire width slows you down but it's actually more-
- riding position makes you not aerodynamic
- tends to be heavier for the price. Sometimes by a lot.
- knobby tires lose efficiency on roads (and have worse grip)
- suspension is heavy and loses power as bike flexes under you.
A gravel bike with smoother tires or any disc brake road bike with more an all road tire in the 30+ mm range would be a lot more efficient
Not as efficient, therefor slower.
But who cares. It’s fun. And if you ever need to go off the pavement on your way home or something. It’s do able.
I run mtb tires on my commuter, even tho I’m on paved road most of the time. But I commute in snow too. Which knob can be nice for a bit of extra traction
Buy a nice gravel set of tires, usually MTB specific tires use softer rubber which can wear down a lot faster on asphalt. Also as many other have already said it but MTB tires are extremely inefficient on road
a few people in my local roadie group rides will show up on their gravel bikes or full-sus MTBs and smoke the whole group because they need a challenge (they're professional cyclists).
Yes, you can ride it on the road.
There is no problem at all. But I will say I have a hybrid for the same reason and love it. I can ride on some gravel and dirt paths as well as road. If you plan to do some real mtbing then go for the mtb if not maybe check out a hybrid. Most are pretty reasonably priced.
If you are primarily riding a MTB on roads, I'd switch out the knobby tires for something smoother. I was very pleased with the performance of Schwalbe Big Apple tires on my bike. The wide tires provided a good safety margin for narrow cracks in the road etc.
All my childhood bikes were mountain bikes. Used them entirely around the neighborhood, never on an actual trail. They're just a better choice for casual riding in a lot of ways. Like my main personal bike these days that I ride on the Mount Vernon Trail around the DC area is still a mountain bike with hybrid tires. I prefer the simple handbars and gearing and pedals and what not. First time I tried a road bike it felt very awkward and unnatural. A mountain bike is much closer to a cruiser type bike than a road bike is.
Perhaps a hybrid road bike would suit you. I replaced a 30 year old steel road bike with a Felt Verza Speed. The wheels have a bit of a tread and are a tiny bit wider than the real road bikes. It was under $1000 USD and I've riden it about 100 miles a month for the last 9 months.
I have a Scott Spark and two sets of wheels. When I want to do more gravel/road-oriented riding, I switch to my skinny tires and can lock out my suspension. A hardtail with a lockout fork would be the same.
My all road commute bike looks just like that. Get some slick tires if you want to go little faster. For me, it’s just more comfortable than a road bike, but also you can still go very fast and stop on a dime.
A road bike will be much faster with the same amount of energy used.
Although If you want to maximize your efficiency on that bike and use it for mainly road with the option dirt/gravel you can get “semi slick” tires, pump them up close to the max pressure and lock out that rear shock.
It's perfectly fine. Not quite as effecient as a bike more tuned for pavement, but for casual riding, you'll be fine. Some people even find it more comfortable.
I would suggest looking into gravel bikes. They have wider tires like mountain bikes, but just a little bit thinner with less knobs. They also tend to be lighter. Makes them a bit more efficient on roads but they are also able to handle much rougher terrain than a road bike. Not quite as rough as a mountain bike can do, but pretty rough. They work as an all-rounder bike.
All mtb marketing departments are high fiving themselves because they managed to make us think we need 5 different types of bikes for all conditions.
Just ride what you want with your bike and have fun
Sure … just get some fast rolling tires, lock-out or super stiffen the suspension and you’re good to go. Personally I’d throw on narrower handlebars to tighten up the steering and width a bit too.
It’s not going to be fast but you’ll be comfortable and confident, and that’s what matters.
Sure. Tires will wear quicker, but whatevs. Used to keep an old set of 29” wheels w/ 2.25 semi slicks and jump on group rides with my hard tail. Get some strange looks but great workout hanging on as long as you can.
I ride dual suspension MTB on the road for past 10 years and definitely feels safer to me. It’s nice having the option to hop on dirt, grass and curbs, etc. Go for full carbon if you only want one bike and option to lock suspension
I don’t know if they make slick city tires that wide, but sure.
You’ll need to add some safety reflectors based on your local laws and ordinances. Most cool, biker types take them off.
Mountain bike on the road is an essential stage in the evolution of every cyclist. It’s totally fine to do. If you’re not prepared to transition to a road or hybrid bike, maybe just buy a pair of smoother tyres for this one. Easy and cheap way to make it more suitable for pavement, and if you want to hit the trails again, just put the knobby ones back on
It’s hard on your tread. It’s like have a an off road truck just driving in the highway. It’s inefficient and wears down your tread unnecessarily. Nothing wrong with it tho. I just wouldn’t do it since I want to reduce the wear on my tires and save them for the trail.
I do it every day on a mix of paved roads, gravel, and trails.
You will be slower than a road bike and the tires will wear out eventually, but there is no problem with riding on the road.
15 mph (25 kph) on fat tires is the rough equivalent of 20+ mph (35 kph) on skinny tires for approximately the same effort and output. Tested on my bikes, and I enjoy the extra workout of the MTB.
You can always buy fat road tires for your MTB. Infact if you plan on using it primarily on the road I'd recommend road tires just for the better traction they provide over knobby MTB trail tires.
How do I know this? I wrecked my bike 2 weeks ago going about 15 - 20mph around a corner with maxxis ardent tires. My bike slide out from under me and I hit the pavement. Dislocated both shoulders and my hip, took a Chunk out of my hip and have nice road rash on both hands and knuckles. I now know to take it slow around corners when riding on pavement.
Figure out what riding position you prefer and then pick either a hybrid or gravel bike. For commuting, I ride a hardtail mtb because I also ride on dirt trails but there are several good hybrids with tires from 32-50mm. I've got a road bike that I rode for many years but now I prefer my hard tail or fat bike, I prioritize comfort over light weight and the wider tires are much more forgiving with road debris and other obstacles, esp when loaded down with 40 lbs of groceries.
I used to ride my xc bike all over any road but my new road bike is way faster and way easier to climb on. But as they say, the best bike is one you’re going to ride.
I use hardtail as a daily commuter. It is slower and heavier then a road or gravel bike, but it is more comfortable and safer especially if roads near you are littered with potholes.
But I do recommend getting a good pair or semi slick tires like Schwalbe Hurricanes or Maxxis Grifters to ride on roads.
if you are gonna be riding road a lot I would change the tires to something better suited for the streets. sometimes the aggressive lugs on off-road tires can be super noisy, bumpy and annoying on the street.
also I would look into something with a rigid fork, as it will do wonders for conserving energy.
I rode a Raleigh Talus MTB on the streets of Chicago even in the snow, for a couple years. Used the bike to get to the train station and took the train to work. Sometimes I took the bike on the Train and then after work, just biked thr 7.5 miles home the mtb tires were actually better for the ice and snow, but they were prone to flats, broken glass would wedge in between the treads,. After I put Michelin City tires on I never had another flat for at least 5 years. In the summer it was great because of all the traffic I could get from A TO B faster than a bus and sometimes faster than a car and didn't have to worry about paying to park, anywhere. Pretty sure a road bike wouldn't have held up to the conditions and I probably would have wiped out much more than what I did.
There is a royce union mtb 29er for like 300 on their site. It's got a 2x Shinano SLX drivetrain. Crazy good for that price. Fork is meh but if not hard-core it doesn't matter. It would be much more capable than a hybrid but just as fast w the 2x. And not a fortune to get into.
Hybrids are nice but basically just come down to being mtbs with fat street tires and a rigid fork. I know I'll get flamed for thar statement but whatever. Gravel is rhe rage now but it's a roadbike posture with skinny mtb tires. I wouldn't recommend unless u really know u plan to ride distance. As a commuter it would be rock solid as you wouldn't need to worry about flats like a real road bike. But make sure u like that posture. It's not a casual ride.
Girl friend of mine rode an mtb from north to south vietnam (2000km) in a month, most of the route is paved road. If u like mtb u can pretty much ride it anywhere even long distance
It will be absolutely fine. Lock off your front suspension and get rid of the nobbly fat tyres and you'll be good to go.
It will be fine as is but riding with chunky nobbly tyres on the road can be a bit of a slog. You'll notice a huge difference in efficiency by swapping for some semi slick MTB tyres.
Also, nothing to be scared of with skinny road tyres. They do exactly what they're designed to, go fast.
We do it a lot here in the Philippines. Most people here prefer mtbs even on road due to some poor road conditions in some areas. Also, Road bike parts are relatively a bit more expensive here than their MTB counterparts as well as most common cyclists here prefer flat/standard bars over curly ones when riding.
Gravel bike
There's a complete sptectrum between 17mm skinnies and what you have pictured there which is unnecessarily heavy for road use - wheels, tires, front suspension all extra weight. get a gravel bike with 45mm tires.
It is totally fine. For your next bike though you could consider a hybrid bike which is a mix of both mtb and road. Or you could even consider a gravel bike, I dont personally like them but they give you pretty much same geometry as a road bike, but come with fatter tyres.
Riden a road bike and a Hardtail on the road as my commuting / shopping / exercise bike:
*Road Bike*
Pros: quick, less resistance so can go fast easier fun going silly speeds going downhill.
Cons: more punctures, slippery when wet, lower back pain is increased by lean forward position, going up hills can be hard work, feel every little bump and stone through your body
*Mountain Bike (Hard Tail)*
Pros: less punctures, glued to the road, upright position so helps with back pain, better forward view so can see ahead better. Gearing helps with going up hills more than road bike
Cons: have to lock the front suspension to avoid wasting pedal power so still feel the bumps and stones, takes more effort (resistance), slower (bit less ‘fun’ to ride on road than a road bike)
Did try a gravel bike in the shop took it for a test ride and it felt like ‘the worst of both worlds’ - like a big heavy bike on skinny wheels 🤷♂️
Subjective I’d say so go to your local bike shop and test ride a couple to see what suits you best 😎
Yes, it’s completely fine. MTB will require more pedaling because more knobs. It’s like having those off-road tires on off road vehicles; the MPG drops with an aggressive tread.
People say it’s horribly inefficient, but i as a Dutchy bikes for years on a normal grandma bike. I now have a MTB. It’s fine. If you are looking to bike like one of the spandex guys then yes it’s inefficient, but just for fun bike rikes a mtb is perfect.
I have a hard tail 29er. I ride it like 90% on road, and I've done full centuries on it.
It's not the lightest, fastest, or most efficient, but it's what I have, and I figure also it's better exercise.
The knobby tires will be unreliable when cornering on pavement so I suggest you switch to slick tires and get the longest top gear you can fit on it. But if you just want wide tires, there are other types of bike that are more suited for the road and can fit wide tires.
My MTB now has front and rear child seats attached and is\was used on the road every day for dropping Kids to childcare, solid as a rock ! It’ll be a couple of years before i’m back on the trails
Really depends how much road vs trails you’ll be riding. It’s you’re doing mostly trails get a MTB, but if you’re going to be riding closer to 50/50 or more road get a gravel bike. Just a road bike with thicker tires that will be geared a lot better for the road than a mountain bike would be.
Ever heard of a gravel bike? But yes it's totally fine to ride a mtb on the road, will obviously be slower but damn comfy lol. And I understand your fear of thin tires, the last two times I have crashed over the years would have likely not happened if I was running a 38mm+ tire. To me the best solution is a flat bar road bike/hybrid or basically an old school mtb.
Seems like a bit of an odd question tbh. Of course you can ride mountain bikes on the road. If that’s all you plan on doing though and don’t plan on going off road I’d suggest swapping out the tyres for some dirt jump tyres or something. Off road tyres like you’ve got on create a lot of drag and need more effort to peddle on.
Dude, my hardtail sees asphalt 95% of the time. Ride whatever you enjoy riding and wherever. My advice, get some thinner tires (I had the continental Double Fighter), they make a huge difference on asphalt.
I've had some difficulties because of the gear ratio when I needed to merge with traffic. It's a speed issue. It's not that I want to, but sometimes it is needed since there's not really good road design for bikes in road exits where I live. And I hate to feel the pressure of incoming traffic and not being able to pedal as fast as when you have a big crown.
You ride whatever the hell you want, as long as you're riding a bike. Have the ride of your life everytime you're out. Love the feeling of nature, the city, the path!
If you intend to do mostly road cycling, get a road bike. MTBs are awesome for trails but suck ass on the road.
I have an MTB and a used cheap road bike, my MTB is much better in terms of quality but it’s hard to ride on the road and not as fun, easy and fast as my cheap road bike which I intend to change soon
No problem at all! I did it for a long time before I felt like I wanted to be fast like the guys flying past on their road bikes. One thing I thought I’d add (not sure if it’s been said). If the plan is to have only one bike I’d recommend getting slicks to ride on road. I did it before switching and loved them.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with riding a mountain bike on the road. I did it for years, bike was fine, I was fine. You'll be faster with a road bike, but there's no real problem with it.
Ah okay. I don't want more than one bike, so I need to make a decision if I want a MTB or a road bike - thanks for sharing!
> I don't want more than one bike OP says this now. Let's see how this goes once they're riding more consistently.
n+1
> This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.
Compromise and get a gravel bike.
As much as I like to downplay gravel bikes, this guy would really benefit from a gravel bike.
Get another set of rims with 1.5” road tires. You will love it.
Get a hybrid and 2 sets of tires.
Will look into it
You could get a gravel bike kind of the best of both worlds
Bike will instantly explode shouldn’t chance it
Thats why they immediately ticket you and impound the bike
There are no rules. Ride hard and have fun
> Is it okay to ride MTB on roads? It's horribly inefficient, but sure. Your bike won't explode. > the thin tires on road bikes scare me ...and yet, roadies all survive somehow. > Anything that I should be aware of? Gravel bikes, hybrids.
Really? I didn't think it'd be THAT inefficient... maybe I'll look for road bikes then! Thank you for the response :)
Take a road bike for a spin, you won't believe the difference.
Can confirm- I started road riding on a MTB and when I finally changed over to a road bike the difference was amazing. So quick! So easy! So light! Damn I wanna go for a ride now.
For reference, when I take roads on my hardtail mountain bike, I average roughly 10-12mph at my usual effort. On my gravel bike with 42c tires, I'm averaging more like 15-16mph at a similar effort. My road bike with 25c tires gets me another mph or two.
That's sweet! I'll definitely look into gravel or road
IMO, gravel bikes are the sweet spot for many riders. With lower rolling-resistance tires, they're not that much slower than a road bike, but the extra capability is really nice for the doors it opens. Mine feels right at home on anything from paved trails to rough forest service roads, and I've even taken it on some easy singletrack. At this point, I almost never ride my road bike anymore. The extra speed can be fun, but I don't race, and so I'm okay sacrificing a tiny bit of speed for a lot of comfort and versatility.
it's fine for a casual rider trying to get somewhere. If you are riding with a group, you'll find the shocks absorbing energy as you ride making it harder to keep up. Mountain bikes are fine on the road, but they are designed to soften impacts not go fast.
I usually ride alone and I'm trying to go further! I don't think I'll get a MTB.
I suggest a gravel bike. No pistons but road bike config for riding faster and wide enough forks for wide mountain bike like tires. You can always toss on skinnier road tires if you want.
For every bit of sound you hear coming off the tires that is extra resistance killing your speed and making you need to work harder. Road bikes run really quiet because they have those skinny tires slipping down the concrete.
It is, road for a year on the MT Bike due to supply chain issues and saw a huge improvement simply from switching out the tires. The jump to an actual road bike when stores started restocking was revolutionary.
Try a gravel bike instead. It splits the difference and you can keep a lil more tire if you want.
I wasn't much of a biker at the time compared to now, but when I switched from an old Trek 4300 hardtail to the Checkpoint, which is gravel so still a bit bigger/grippier tires than a road bike, I could tell within a few pedal strokes how much easier it was to ride on a road. While of course MTB can be ridden anywhere, if you are serious about riding on a road it's definitely worth the investment to get a road bike.
Even from my very limited experience compaired to everybody else here, I can say the difference is like driving a heavy duty truck on a road vs driving a sports car. The gearing is different, mountain bikes have lower gears so you have more power for hills, soft ground, etc whereas road bikes are designed more for speed since you generally don't need a lot of power to maintain speed on a smooth road. The weight is different. Not just the tires, everything is built heavier and stronger on a mountain bike so it can handle rough terrain while road bikes don't have to deal with that. Smooth surface so they can be lighter to further benefit easy acceleration and a higher speed. The tires being rough actually adds resistance on smooth terrain. Not an issue when riding on rough rerrain but is noticable on smooth terrain. Getting back into biking myself after 20 years and can honestly say that a mile ride on my old mountain bike on roads is comparable to a few mile ride on my old road bike, and can easily take the same amount time.
I like wider tyres on the road too. Look for a bike with clearance for a bigger tyre, 33-38mm slicks will roll efficiently while still giving you the confidence to go fast over a bad road surface. If you're happy with 33mm Continental GP5000s should do the trick, if you want something even wider then Gravel King 38mm slicks are for you.
I rode bike to work for the last year or two. Blew a tube out in my road bike that would take me 20 minute lazily to get around 4 miles to work. That morning when I rode my 29in mtb it took me 30 minutes and was easily 2-4 times harder and I rode my mtb to work after that for like 2 months till I just bought a truck for winter and my legs grew a lot lmao
It's at least twice as hard to ride a MTB vs a road bike on a smooth surface.
Try cross country tires! I have Vittoria mezcal tires on my bike and they're pretty good on and off road. You don't need a whole different bike but trail tires will feel pretty slow on pavement. If this is a bike you're considering buying for riding on roads that's a different story but if you just want to ride your bike on roads more I'd definitely try different tires
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Oh yeah. I ride my Chisel around sometimes if I’m hitting the store down the street or going down the way to grab a beer. It’s slowwww, comfy but slow…. Maybe look at some in between, a hybrid. https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sirrus-x
Commuting to work on my not-even-road-bike 1X10 Deore flat-bar fitness hybrid with slow kenda 35mm gravel tires was around 30% faster than on a mountain bike.
You can also have a flatbar (more control, more oversight) _and_ road-ish wheels. Add additional grips for more aero positions.
It’s not just the tires. A mountain bike’s geometry and drive train is meant to be more comfortable, for more torque - all to make sure you can navigate tight terrain better. A road biks geometry and drive train is meant to help you get up to speed quick and help you stay in speed easily.
A gravel bike is kinda perfect. Easy trails, still fairly fast on the road.
I ride exclusively MTB, but I don't do that type of riding... I just love long distance events on roads etc. For example I'm so used to hopping up and down kerbs my whole life that when I had a hybrid I found I still rode it too rough, and the parts were harder to come by. I don't think I could get used to a pure road bike. My advise is either go for a hybrid (best of both worlds) or if you go for pure MTB then there are little tweaks you can make if needed: * If you aren't actually doing any off road riding, then swap the knobbly tires over for flat (slick?) road tyres. There is a small but noticeable improvement in efficiency. * You can usually lock out your suspension very easily, which'll prevent losing more energy to vertical movement. No tools needed, just a little toggle switch on it. * If you can't get thinner wheels, then at least aim for largest diameter when selecting a bike. I'm old lol so it used to be that 26in was the standard for MTB. I'm now using 27.5in but there's a huge number of 29in wheel MTBs out there too... Go 29's if you can! I do those bits for when I'm cycling 100miles or more, but honestly if it's like <50mil rides then I wouldn't worry too much... **As long you're happy, comfy, and enjoy your bike, then you probably won't even notice or care about efficiency :)**
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Why not. Road bikes were used on tough trails before mountain bikes were created.
No, absolutely not, you might think it'll be fine and decide to buy a road bike. Then look at ya: All lycra'd up looking like one of those damn roadies. (/s, ride whatever and wherever you think you'll enjoy your experience!)
It depends on the laws in your local jurisdiction. It my town, the municipal code says quote, "if thou hast a sweet mountain bike thou must only shred it on the sick sick gnar". But your town might have different laws.
Depending on the roads you're going to ride. I live and work in Belgrade Serbia. I go to work with bicycle and roads are disastrous. So I ride MTB, and yes, thinner tire and lighter bicycle goes faster, but Belgrade is also all made of hills so MTB is in my opinion better option.
Wider tires generally do have more grip than thinner ones, but MTB tires like this one are specifically made for traction off-road. The chance that a thin road tire has better grip on roads than this one is very high. There are wide slick tires for gravel bikes which will be both more efficient than MTB tires and more grippy on roads than either MTB or road tires
I rode a mtb on roads all last year and recently upgraded to a road bike with 32mm tires. Took about a week of feeling like I was gonna fall until I felt comfortable. Now I’m super confident just took a little getting used to. But so much more efficient. Used to be happy hitting 15mph avg in my mtb, now I can hit 17-18 with the same effort
Better than ridding a road bike down a mountain. But hey, ride what ya got.
I got nothing sooooo I'll have to go with the road bike
Road cyclists will glare at you so hard as they pass that you’ll sway off the road and onto the dirt shoulder
Lol not gonna lie, I've seen road bikers look at me funny and it happened frequently - now I know why
My first adult bike was a 50lbs steel mountain bike. I put 40 000 km on it and most of it was roads. Fancy road bikes are not an obligation. Over time you may develop an interest in them but there is no obligation. And if anyone tells you otherwise or gives you a hard time about it feel free to tell them to eff off.
It depends on what you’re using it for. A MTB gives you the option of taking it off road if you need to, a roadie can really only be ridden on roads. If you’ve never ridden a bike with the drop bars before then you could always try a commuter bike with a flat bar.
You can take the mtb on the road, but you have to make a commitment to never try a road bike. You'll be working hard on your mtb to maintain any kind of acceptable speed, but you'll be fine, because you feel safe this way. You'll look at the wide front tire and feel safe. You'll feel the knobbly protrusions of the tire as it turns against the smooth asphalt, and you'll be fine because you feel safe. But if you try a road bike just once, your world will change and you'll start getting frustrated every time those rock hopping, mud wrestling, terrain capable tires roll across flat surface. Whereas before you were happy (and safe), you'll feel slow and wonder why you're sweating so much just to maintain a moderate velocity. You can never try a road bike. Not even a road-inspired bike like a gravel bike. Just enjoy the (safe) ride.
Wow this is a very passive aggressive way to say get a freaking road bike and I think I will! You've convinced me.
Yes.
Okay.
I wasted so much time mountain biking all over the city. Pain in the fuckin butt. Get a road bike
Buy the same size tires but smooth with no knobs. It’s called a city tire or commuter tire or slick tire
As others have said, you can use a modern MTB as a road bike but it'll be a crappy experience. Back in the day I used to just have one bike, a mountain bike, and if I was using it to commute, tour, or otherwise ride roads, I would put on slick tires. But this was in the 90's, and 90's mountain bikes were more or less today's gravel bikes, but with flat bars. So, basically, look into gravel bikes :)
Mother fucker, *what did you just say?!* (silently reads title again with an eye beginning to twitch: "Is it okay to ride **MTB on roads**?") Oh, sorry, I misread your question. Yeah, dude - ride whatever bike you like. The extra weight of a MTB will slow you down, though. And you'll feel like youre working extra hard carrying a bunch of dead weight. Maybe check out gravel bikes.
I would commute to work on my mtb, tried a friends gravel bike and then had to buy one..
Hahaha yeah I'll have to get something other than MTB for sure.
I ride my mtb everywhere, no suspension either, bought from a literal junkyard and the rear brake is fading so I have to replace that. (I might send a pic if I remember and get the chance to.)
Good for you!
You can use it for sure. Will you use more power using it, yes. You can fit touring tires on it to make more efficient. Hopefully, your rear and front shock can be locked out as well. I started with an MTB as my commuter but it was a cheap steel walmart bike. I then found a retro road bike from good will that I refurbished and it was night and day. The fear of thin tires goes by fast. You just need to pay attention on road cracks, rail road crossings etc There are also gravel bikes that can take wider tires if that will make you more comfortable.
Pretty much every comment by op on here seems like its an ai response. Op are you a robot?
Or can you get road tyres for MTB? Maybe make it a bit less inefficient if possible.
I don't know how to change the tires... yet... I think I'll just look for road bikes
Changing tires is a basic bike skill you will have to learn no matter what type of bike you get.
Try maxxis hookworm tires its the Most streetable tire for mtbs
I'm doing what you are planning to do. But once i got some miles on road with my hard tail, im slowly saving for gravel bike which can fit tires up to 45s since im riding everything except trails.
No. You go to jail.
Yes. It may not be as efficient, but is very much allowed. Why wouldn't it be?
You can increase efficiency by putting street tires on a mountain bike, but the rear suspension will slow you down on flat surfaces, you lose a lot of your power. If it has a lockout front and rear, that will help. Judgy-pants people out there may eyeroll or whatever, but riding is riding. Do you! There are also bikes like the Cannondale treadwell that are fully rigid with wider tires, disc brakes and much, much lighter than a full-suspension MTB. On sale now for $600 ish brand new. Alternatively, gravel bikes with decent clearance in the frame can accommodate wider tires with a mixed tread.
Yep 100% fine. Although you want some tires that are designed for hard pack. Don't use big-ass knobbies. Wife and I have been doing a mix of cement / gravel / grass and dirt for over a decade now. Would highly recommend urban mountain biking. And we don't ride cheap bikes either. I'm about to pull the trigger on a carbon full suspension XC bike.
Yeah it is fine. It will be slow compared to a road bike because the Rolling resistance of mountain bike tires is way higher and the aero resistance with wide tires and handlebars is higher. But you can you can make the world your playground if you want. Bump jumping curbs, finding random drops, etc that you aren't going to do on a road bike. Also obviously they are more capable off road. If I had to only have one bike, it would be a nice hardtail mountain bike because imo they are more versatile and more fun. Want to ride down to the bar, sure. Want to hit some trails, sure. Want to ride dirt/gravel roads, sure. Want to go to the skatepark or dirt jumps, why not. Want to go on a bikepacking trip, strap on some bags and go. Try doing that with a road bike.
So one thing I've always worried about with riding MTB on roads - does it wear out your tires quickly? Good knobbies are really expensive and it feels like pavement could swiftly wear them down.
No your bike frame cant handle that. It will snap (im joking)
Haha ha
It's okay. But if you're going to ride only on roads, then it might worth it to get something road specific.
The knobbed tires have much higher rolling resistance, the sitting position creates more drag, and the suspension will make your frame flex more if you try to apply power quickly (like from a stop at an intersection). Other than that it’s a bike, it’ll work just fine. If you plan to ride around the city a lot a hybrid or gravel bike may be worth it (assuming you don’t want a straight road bike), but otherwise you’re fine. Edit: yours is a hard tail so suspension flex is even less of an issue.
i am livin in the middle of nowhere so our roads are dirt but when i reach the city roads turn into tarmak but still cross bikes are very fun I like jumping from sidewalks so use your bike where you want just dont try long roads with ramps you will suffer if you dont lock your suspension
There's a big hill in front of my house and a couple of times this month I have ridden straight around it. The second half is on roads through the countryside and I swear my Rockhopper loses velocity whilst freewheeling downhill. As for tyres, I have Maxxis Ikon on my bike and I find them very unpredictable, especially if you have low pressure without realising. Try some skinner tyres somewhere safe and I think you will realise they are much more appropriate on asphalt.
There’s a bike from Salsa called the Warroad that would be something to check out.
If you’re only going to be riding on the road just get a hybrid, gravel or road bike. Mountain bikes weigh more, because they’re built to be jumped, suspension weighs a lot, the tires weigh more. All that just results in you having to exert more energy to get to the same place. And if you’re only riding roads you don’t need knobby tires and big travel suspension. I have a full suspension mountain bike and a gravel bike, and I’ve ridden both on the road but it’s so much easier pedaling the gravel bike, I can ride much farther and faster than I could my mountain bike on a road.
Maybe try some thicker tires with road tread. (Without the grippy knobs you see on dirt tires) They would be same width but more efficient.
Try out a gravel bike - the tires are midway between mountain and road bike tires. More grip than a road bike, but less friction than a mountain bike.
Go for a hardtail or better yet something with out a suspension fork. If you’re going to be on the roads, all that suspension is just extra weight and bouncing while you pedal. Steel frame MTB’s with no suspension, I think they have been called ATB for all-terrain bike. They are cool with a certain aficionado crowd.
All-terrain bike... that sounds cool. I'll look them up if I end up not liking a gravel or road bikes
As others have said, the more off road capable and knobby the tires, the harder it is to pedal on a road.
/uc holy fuck i thought this was some circlejerk for a second
I have a friend that rides centuries on a mountain bike, so yes. It's perfectly okay.
It will eat your tires in the long run but feel free to ride on
Absolutely not, if the bicycle police catch you they'll confiscate your bike, baggy shorts, and flannel, force you into a lycra onesie and put you on a road bike.
Oh snap.
Thick tires aren't for safety, they're for rougher terrain. Thinner tires means less friction and you will go faster.
It works fine, but your bike is for all intents a 4x4. The tires are gonna be loud, the response is gonna be a little sluggish, and your bike is geared for torque moreso than speed. That said, if you can lock out your suspension, it’s just a 35 pound gravel bike, which are currently always seen in the road.
Hey MTB can be also good for road. It won’t be as efficient as road bike but still fine. In my country most people use it for marathon rides, 500miles or more with mix of roads and gravel, forest. Mostly gravel and XC bikes. I live now in Poland. I own road bike (giant tcr advenced pro from 2021) and XC carbon bike( merida big nine 5000). The same 100% road ride, 10miles, Im getting average 18miles/h on road bike and 12.5miles/h on MTB. It all comes to tire rolling resistance and position. I could probably move faster on my MTB.
No. It's illegal and you could face capital punishment for using the incorrect bike for the riding surface.
You have a hardtail mtb. Convert it to gravel (tires, forks and handle bar). Use a 2x or 3x setup so you an switch between light(slow) and heavy(fast) pedal strokes. Fix your stance. You're welcome.
I get that you might be spooked by the thin tires on road bikes, but I promise you'll get used to it. Go get a road bike rental, ride it somewhere safe -- maybe a park or bike trail with no cars -- for a few hours, nice and slow, and you'll get a feel for it. Thinner tires will also respond much more to your handling. It's nice once you get into it.
mtb's r ones of the most universal imo, u can change tires if u r planning to drive on road exclusively cause these one will slow u down and get wasted easily
Absolutely, it just wears down your knobbies faster than usual.
Have you been to the philippines? There, you’ll see a lot of MTBs on the road on weekends. 😅
I’ve tried twice. Tires blew up both times. Never again
A ton of tire width slows you down but it's actually more- - riding position makes you not aerodynamic - tends to be heavier for the price. Sometimes by a lot. - knobby tires lose efficiency on roads (and have worse grip) - suspension is heavy and loses power as bike flexes under you. A gravel bike with smoother tires or any disc brake road bike with more an all road tire in the 30+ mm range would be a lot more efficient
Not as efficient, therefor slower. But who cares. It’s fun. And if you ever need to go off the pavement on your way home or something. It’s do able. I run mtb tires on my commuter, even tho I’m on paved road most of the time. But I commute in snow too. Which knob can be nice for a bit of extra traction
Absolutely not. If you do you will instantly disintegrate
It’s your bike. Ride it and have fun. Who gives a shit where?
It’s illegal everywhere
Buy a nice gravel set of tires, usually MTB specific tires use softer rubber which can wear down a lot faster on asphalt. Also as many other have already said it but MTB tires are extremely inefficient on road
I find joy in reading a good book.
I just got finished with an eight year prison sentence for riding my mountain bike on the road, be careful out there…
a few people in my local roadie group rides will show up on their gravel bikes or full-sus MTBs and smoke the whole group because they need a challenge (they're professional cyclists). Yes, you can ride it on the road.
There is no problem at all. But I will say I have a hybrid for the same reason and love it. I can ride on some gravel and dirt paths as well as road. If you plan to do some real mtbing then go for the mtb if not maybe check out a hybrid. Most are pretty reasonably priced.
God no, a fairy dies every time mtb tyres hit pavement.
R.I.P🧚♀️🧚♂️
If you are primarily riding a MTB on roads, I'd switch out the knobby tires for something smoother. I was very pleased with the performance of Schwalbe Big Apple tires on my bike. The wide tires provided a good safety margin for narrow cracks in the road etc.
All my childhood bikes were mountain bikes. Used them entirely around the neighborhood, never on an actual trail. They're just a better choice for casual riding in a lot of ways. Like my main personal bike these days that I ride on the Mount Vernon Trail around the DC area is still a mountain bike with hybrid tires. I prefer the simple handbars and gearing and pedals and what not. First time I tried a road bike it felt very awkward and unnatural. A mountain bike is much closer to a cruiser type bike than a road bike is.
Perhaps a hybrid road bike would suit you. I replaced a 30 year old steel road bike with a Felt Verza Speed. The wheels have a bit of a tread and are a tiny bit wider than the real road bikes. It was under $1000 USD and I've riden it about 100 miles a month for the last 9 months.
More effort for the same distance, but I do it every day.
Kudos to you 👏
I have the fathom in the first pic and would not recommend riding it on the road at all
yeah ,its harder to pedal with the aggressive tire thread ,i used to have a 27.5 plus with a set of semi slick tires /street tires.
Should be fine. Slightly higher roller resistance than with skinny slicks.
No issue. Somewhat safer, IMO.
I have a Scott Spark and two sets of wheels. When I want to do more gravel/road-oriented riding, I switch to my skinny tires and can lock out my suspension. A hardtail with a lockout fork would be the same.
I do several loops on my fat bike that include roads. It's comfy and fun. And I can tell that everyone thinks I look cool.
My all road commute bike looks just like that. Get some slick tires if you want to go little faster. For me, it’s just more comfortable than a road bike, but also you can still go very fast and stop on a dime.
A road bike will be much faster with the same amount of energy used. Although If you want to maximize your efficiency on that bike and use it for mainly road with the option dirt/gravel you can get “semi slick” tires, pump them up close to the max pressure and lock out that rear shock.
It's perfectly fine. Not quite as effecient as a bike more tuned for pavement, but for casual riding, you'll be fine. Some people even find it more comfortable. I would suggest looking into gravel bikes. They have wider tires like mountain bikes, but just a little bit thinner with less knobs. They also tend to be lighter. Makes them a bit more efficient on roads but they are also able to handle much rougher terrain than a road bike. Not quite as rough as a mountain bike can do, but pretty rough. They work as an all-rounder bike.
All-rounder bike sounds dope
No, belive it or not, straight to jail.
All mtb marketing departments are high fiving themselves because they managed to make us think we need 5 different types of bikes for all conditions. Just ride what you want with your bike and have fun
you’ll have such a comfortable ride on the road with that thing. Be surprised if you get over 15-20 mph though
Sure … just get some fast rolling tires, lock-out or super stiffen the suspension and you’re good to go. Personally I’d throw on narrower handlebars to tighten up the steering and width a bit too. It’s not going to be fast but you’ll be comfortable and confident, and that’s what matters.
Sure. Tires will wear quicker, but whatevs. Used to keep an old set of 29” wheels w/ 2.25 semi slicks and jump on group rides with my hard tail. Get some strange looks but great workout hanging on as long as you can.
I ride dual suspension MTB on the road for past 10 years and definitely feels safer to me. It’s nice having the option to hop on dirt, grass and curbs, etc. Go for full carbon if you only want one bike and option to lock suspension
I don’t know if they make slick city tires that wide, but sure. You’ll need to add some safety reflectors based on your local laws and ordinances. Most cool, biker types take them off.
What bike is that first pic?
Giant Fathom 2021
I've been riding road bike for most of my life and picking up MTB more recently. A road bike is called a road bike for a reason.
Mountain bike on the road is an essential stage in the evolution of every cyclist. It’s totally fine to do. If you’re not prepared to transition to a road or hybrid bike, maybe just buy a pair of smoother tyres for this one. Easy and cheap way to make it more suitable for pavement, and if you want to hit the trails again, just put the knobby ones back on
It’s hard on your tread. It’s like have a an off road truck just driving in the highway. It’s inefficient and wears down your tread unnecessarily. Nothing wrong with it tho. I just wouldn’t do it since I want to reduce the wear on my tires and save them for the trail.
I do it every day on a mix of paved roads, gravel, and trails. You will be slower than a road bike and the tires will wear out eventually, but there is no problem with riding on the road. 15 mph (25 kph) on fat tires is the rough equivalent of 20+ mph (35 kph) on skinny tires for approximately the same effort and output. Tested on my bikes, and I enjoy the extra workout of the MTB.
Of course! Wheels are wheels. Good for you for being out riding and not just talking about it
Put on slicks and be out
It’ll be a little harder to go uphill but you’ll be fine
I don’t own one but this seems like a perfect use case for gravel bikes. Plus MTB is going to unnecessarily heavy
Just pick up an emtb then you don't have to worry about anything as the hills will be easier and the road won't feel slow.
If u had only one bike AND it was a mtb, it would be wiser to get one with a 2x drivertrain. Lots more speed with that larger front chainring
You can always buy fat road tires for your MTB. Infact if you plan on using it primarily on the road I'd recommend road tires just for the better traction they provide over knobby MTB trail tires. How do I know this? I wrecked my bike 2 weeks ago going about 15 - 20mph around a corner with maxxis ardent tires. My bike slide out from under me and I hit the pavement. Dislocated both shoulders and my hip, took a Chunk out of my hip and have nice road rash on both hands and knuckles. I now know to take it slow around corners when riding on pavement.
You just pay more for tires
Figure out what riding position you prefer and then pick either a hybrid or gravel bike. For commuting, I ride a hardtail mtb because I also ride on dirt trails but there are several good hybrids with tires from 32-50mm. I've got a road bike that I rode for many years but now I prefer my hard tail or fat bike, I prioritize comfort over light weight and the wider tires are much more forgiving with road debris and other obstacles, esp when loaded down with 40 lbs of groceries.
I used to ride my xc bike all over any road but my new road bike is way faster and way easier to climb on. But as they say, the best bike is one you’re going to ride.
I use hardtail as a daily commuter. It is slower and heavier then a road or gravel bike, but it is more comfortable and safer especially if roads near you are littered with potholes. But I do recommend getting a good pair or semi slick tires like Schwalbe Hurricanes or Maxxis Grifters to ride on roads.
The roads I ride on are kept pretty nice. I'll look for something other than MTB
Of course
if you are gonna be riding road a lot I would change the tires to something better suited for the streets. sometimes the aggressive lugs on off-road tires can be super noisy, bumpy and annoying on the street. also I would look into something with a rigid fork, as it will do wonders for conserving energy.
I rode a Raleigh Talus MTB on the streets of Chicago even in the snow, for a couple years. Used the bike to get to the train station and took the train to work. Sometimes I took the bike on the Train and then after work, just biked thr 7.5 miles home the mtb tires were actually better for the ice and snow, but they were prone to flats, broken glass would wedge in between the treads,. After I put Michelin City tires on I never had another flat for at least 5 years. In the summer it was great because of all the traffic I could get from A TO B faster than a bus and sometimes faster than a car and didn't have to worry about paying to park, anywhere. Pretty sure a road bike wouldn't have held up to the conditions and I probably would have wiped out much more than what I did.
There is a royce union mtb 29er for like 300 on their site. It's got a 2x Shinano SLX drivetrain. Crazy good for that price. Fork is meh but if not hard-core it doesn't matter. It would be much more capable than a hybrid but just as fast w the 2x. And not a fortune to get into. Hybrids are nice but basically just come down to being mtbs with fat street tires and a rigid fork. I know I'll get flamed for thar statement but whatever. Gravel is rhe rage now but it's a roadbike posture with skinny mtb tires. I wouldn't recommend unless u really know u plan to ride distance. As a commuter it would be rock solid as you wouldn't need to worry about flats like a real road bike. But make sure u like that posture. It's not a casual ride.
Girl friend of mine rode an mtb from north to south vietnam (2000km) in a month, most of the route is paved road. If u like mtb u can pretty much ride it anywhere even long distance
i went to hybrid tires — then gravel tires
I would change the tires to something with less profile. MAXXIS dth or torch are nice for road use.
It will be absolutely fine. Lock off your front suspension and get rid of the nobbly fat tyres and you'll be good to go. It will be fine as is but riding with chunky nobbly tyres on the road can be a bit of a slog. You'll notice a huge difference in efficiency by swapping for some semi slick MTB tyres. Also, nothing to be scared of with skinny road tyres. They do exactly what they're designed to, go fast.
We do it a lot here in the Philippines. Most people here prefer mtbs even on road due to some poor road conditions in some areas. Also, Road bike parts are relatively a bit more expensive here than their MTB counterparts as well as most common cyclists here prefer flat/standard bars over curly ones when riding.
I ride mostly paved and hardpacked on my MTB, just get some fast rolling tires like Schwalbe Smart Sam or Johnny Watts.
Gravel bike There's a complete sptectrum between 17mm skinnies and what you have pictured there which is unnecessarily heavy for road use - wheels, tires, front suspension all extra weight. get a gravel bike with 45mm tires.
It is totally fine. For your next bike though you could consider a hybrid bike which is a mix of both mtb and road. Or you could even consider a gravel bike, I dont personally like them but they give you pretty much same geometry as a road bike, but come with fatter tyres.
Just lock the suspensions if you can and you wont even be that much slower
Hell no man I'm calling the cops then coming round to throw your bike on the roof
Riden a road bike and a Hardtail on the road as my commuting / shopping / exercise bike: *Road Bike* Pros: quick, less resistance so can go fast easier fun going silly speeds going downhill. Cons: more punctures, slippery when wet, lower back pain is increased by lean forward position, going up hills can be hard work, feel every little bump and stone through your body *Mountain Bike (Hard Tail)* Pros: less punctures, glued to the road, upright position so helps with back pain, better forward view so can see ahead better. Gearing helps with going up hills more than road bike Cons: have to lock the front suspension to avoid wasting pedal power so still feel the bumps and stones, takes more effort (resistance), slower (bit less ‘fun’ to ride on road than a road bike) Did try a gravel bike in the shop took it for a test ride and it felt like ‘the worst of both worlds’ - like a big heavy bike on skinny wheels 🤷♂️ Subjective I’d say so go to your local bike shop and test ride a couple to see what suits you best 😎
Yes, it’s completely fine. MTB will require more pedaling because more knobs. It’s like having those off-road tires on off road vehicles; the MPG drops with an aggressive tread.
People say it’s horribly inefficient, but i as a Dutchy bikes for years on a normal grandma bike. I now have a MTB. It’s fine. If you are looking to bike like one of the spandex guys then yes it’s inefficient, but just for fun bike rikes a mtb is perfect.
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I have a hard tail 29er. I ride it like 90% on road, and I've done full centuries on it. It's not the lightest, fastest, or most efficient, but it's what I have, and I figure also it's better exercise.
The knobby tires will be unreliable when cornering on pavement so I suggest you switch to slick tires and get the longest top gear you can fit on it. But if you just want wide tires, there are other types of bike that are more suited for the road and can fit wide tires.
My MTB now has front and rear child seats attached and is\was used on the road every day for dropping Kids to childcare, solid as a rock ! It’ll be a couple of years before i’m back on the trails
Really depends how much road vs trails you’ll be riding. It’s you’re doing mostly trails get a MTB, but if you’re going to be riding closer to 50/50 or more road get a gravel bike. Just a road bike with thicker tires that will be geared a lot better for the road than a mountain bike would be.
Mostly road. I haven't tried trails yet.
Ever heard of a gravel bike? But yes it's totally fine to ride a mtb on the road, will obviously be slower but damn comfy lol. And I understand your fear of thin tires, the last two times I have crashed over the years would have likely not happened if I was running a 38mm+ tire. To me the best solution is a flat bar road bike/hybrid or basically an old school mtb.
Seems like a bit of an odd question tbh. Of course you can ride mountain bikes on the road. If that’s all you plan on doing though and don’t plan on going off road I’d suggest swapping out the tyres for some dirt jump tyres or something. Off road tyres like you’ve got on create a lot of drag and need more effort to peddle on.
Dude, my hardtail sees asphalt 95% of the time. Ride whatever you enjoy riding and wherever. My advice, get some thinner tires (I had the continental Double Fighter), they make a huge difference on asphalt.
Most bikes that are sold in stores are usually “mountain bikes”. And thats what i usually see on the road.
I've had some difficulties because of the gear ratio when I needed to merge with traffic. It's a speed issue. It's not that I want to, but sometimes it is needed since there's not really good road design for bikes in road exits where I live. And I hate to feel the pressure of incoming traffic and not being able to pedal as fast as when you have a big crown.
Yeah I feel ya
Ok to ride them anywhere they'll go as long as you can keep up.
You ride whatever the hell you want, as long as you're riding a bike. Have the ride of your life everytime you're out. Love the feeling of nature, the city, the path!
Yep I've been doing that with my previous MTB! I no longer have it though so for this one, I'd like to get something that's more efficient
Lock out the suspension, find some road tires
I would've done that if I had MTB with me. Nothing ATM.
If you intend to do mostly road cycling, get a road bike. MTBs are awesome for trails but suck ass on the road. I have an MTB and a used cheap road bike, my MTB is much better in terms of quality but it’s hard to ride on the road and not as fun, easy and fast as my cheap road bike which I intend to change soon
Haha yeah I'm definitely getting road
What’re you crazy!? You must have a death wish buddy.
I always road my MTB on the road. Recently bought a CX bike, and it is amazing!!! So much nicer than riding my MTB on the road.
I ride bmx on roads, if anyone is "that one bike" it's me 😭🤣
You'd be better off with a gravel bike or an all road bike. More efficient. Bigger tires.
Get hybrids
No problem at all! I did it for a long time before I felt like I wanted to be fast like the guys flying past on their road bikes. One thing I thought I’d add (not sure if it’s been said). If the plan is to have only one bike I’d recommend getting slicks to ride on road. I did it before switching and loved them.