How much energy is wasted with MTB tyres & suspension?

rubadub

blorg wrote:

Ah OK, you'll be needing full suspension in that case Seriously, I'm not sure that there is a real solution to using _those_ cycle paths other than simply going slower, I don't know that you would be able to get up to a decent speed on a hardtail.

I can get a decent speed with a front suspension MTB, probably because my momentum is not altered much. My point is not only going on a racing track with a MTB Vs roadbike, a normal commute is slowed down on a roadbike by the constant stopping and slowing down coming to obstacles you would glide over on a MTB, so in effect it could be a faster commute.

blorg wrote:

Any reason not to just use the road? I got a mirror specifically for these paths so I could use the bus lane and still see buses coming up

I dont use the road since it is so dangerous, crazy taximen and bus drivers. To get back on the path means slowing right down on a roadbike and hopping up to the kerb, too much hassle watching the roads for glass and potholes, and watching out for manic busmen, I would prefer an easy going comfy cycle. I weigh up the risk and hassle and choose the cycletracks.

blorg wrote:

What is your commute by the way?

Cabinteely to sandyford, cycletrack for about 90% of the journey, some of which is fine till you reach foxrock, then it is kerbs, glass, coppers, roadworks, wandering pedestrians all the way. I have had to get off and carry by bike over stretches of glass at times.

blorg

rubadub wrote:

Cabinteely to sandyford, cycletrack for about 90% of the journey, some of which is fine till you reach foxrock, then it is kerbs, glass, coppers, roadworks, wandering pedestrians all the way. I have had to get off and carry by bike over stretches of glass at times.

I cycle that route most days myself on my bike, 700x28s with drops. I know exactly what you mean from Foxrock church onwards (the kerb bang in the middle of the road opposite the church where the cycle track crosses a side road is nasty) and it doesn't get any better when you turn on to Leopardstown road with that crazy thing the cycle path does going up an embankment and the sudden terminations at junctions. It is indeed one of the few _truly_ unusable paths that I come across! I also only cycle in bus lanes when going flat or downhill as then I rarely actually encounter a bus, wouldn't do it along the uphill after Foxrock church (would and do on the other side though.)

What I would suggest, though, and what I do myself, is simply to turn up Westminster road before Foxrock church and then along Brighton road. These roads are pretty quiet; the worst thing you have to contend with is all the cars parked along the south side of Westminster road. The cycle path along Leopardstown road from Westmister road to the roundabout is not half as bad as the preceeding bit from the N11 although it does have this mysteriously uncomfortable surface I will grant (looks pretty flat but is sort of micro-bumpy.)

The rest of the route I would rate as pretty fine on a road bike, as Dublin's cycle paths go.

rubadub

kona wrote:

yes i never said they wernt available i said NO proper mtb comes with them.

And I agreed...

kona wrote:

eh no most people cycle on the roads to get to the trails to do off roading so the bikes are used on the road.)

Dont know what you are getting at? Are you suggesting people get slicks to cycle to the trail, then change tyres over?

kona wrote:

if i posted a thread on how great my pedals are it would get alot of replies really quick, and that would be a really stupid thread.

A lot of people post here asking what bike to get, most are saying hybrids or road bikes for the road, warning against MTBs, originally I wanted to see what the efficiency difference was, then I started listing other advantages to commuting with a MTB since so many were saying not to get one. Dunno why you are so opposed to it, and on the offensive so much.

kona wrote:

that puncture angle is bull****, it has more to do with luck, i rarely get punctures, however the lads in work have been going through a bad patch where they are getting lots. i dont think bits of glass discriminate.

Glass does not discrimate what it goes into, but if you have a thicker tyre it may not go fully through. In the 3 years or so I had my last MTB I had very few punctures. The thicker tyre will pick up more glass due to its area but it is less likely to pass through. I had 4 punctures recently on small bits of glass, I have pulled out far bigger bits from MTB tyres. I see more people on MTBs on my commute, yet I see more people on roadbikes repairing punctures and wheeling along punctured roadbikes.

kona wrote:

all bikes are close to 100% efficiency so to answer the question of the thread...

You know very well what I was asking, no need to be pedantic smart alec.

kona wrote:

read the rules of the road, as a road user cyclists dont have to use that little ****ty piece of red gutter provided, if i need to use the road i will ,

You quoted me saying cyclepath. Dont think that is defined in law. AFAIK a cycletrack is defined in law and you are legally obliged to use it. Cycleways are defined in law (the red gutter) not sure if you have to use them, I don't think so.

Cabaal

rubadub wrote:

Most people buying a proper MTB want it for MTB cycling, it would not make much sense for them to supply them with slicks as standard. Doesnt mean they are no slicks available for MTBs, as somebody else posted some shops have entire categories of them, must be some demand.

I'm sorry I def don't agree with that, the vast majority of people on the roads buy MTB because they look good and they think there the best thing for what the want.

In reality the vast majority of people never use them on anything other then roads or cycle tracks and would enjoy a better and faster ride if they actually bothered to look around and choose a better bike suited for their needs.

I've always had a MTB up untill recently when I got a Trek 7.1 FX, to be honest I have to watch out for potholes more now but my commute is far faster and I don't think I'd ever go back to a MTB unless I actually was into off road stuff.

rubadub

Cabaal wrote:

I'm sorry I def don't agree with that, the vast majority of people on the roads buy MTB because they look good and they think there the best thing for what the want.

I know what you are saying, and I would agree with it. I was saying most people buy a "proper" (inferring good quality, €1500+) MTB for mountain biking, and thats why they dont come with slicks as standard.

But the cheap ones also do not come with slicks as standard. If the ignorant layman who gets his €100 supervalu/lidl MTB saw 2 models, one with slicks and one with big beefy tyres he would probably go for the beefy ones, even though the slicks would suit him better. Slicks on a MTB look odd, I had many comments about the ones on mine, most warning me about how unsafe it was since there was no thread, others just saying it looked weird.

At the start of this I also mentioned I cycle to keep weight down, i.e. burn calories, many were suggesting I simply take a longer route!, well this would result in more mileage on the bikes components, longer in the saddle so greater risk in traffic etc. If anybody was getting a bike solely for exercise I would recommend a MTB, safer, longer lasting, comfortable, more leisurely cycles.

cunnins4

kona wrote:

howth has a light off road trail...try it, you will think roads are piss.

haha, the roads out by howth are truly awful for cycling. Even the cycle track along the coast near sutton cross is brutal.

blorg

cunnins4 wrote:

haha, the roads out by howth are truly awful for cycling. Even the cycle track along the coast near sutton cross is brutal.

If you think the roads around howth and that cycle track are bad, I can assure you, you have not seen a truly bad cycle route. I regularly cycle out from the southside and around Howth head, and excepting the East Wall it is one of the best cycle routes in Dublin! See this thread for an example of a truly bad cycle path (with photos.) Indeed, this is the very route the OP here is considering getting an MTB for.