Road bike: Will it survive Dublin roads?

daymobrew

I currently have a mountain bike (Specialized Rockhopper with aluminium frame) for my 9 mile each way commute to work (Dublin 15 to Dublin 3). I cycle the Navan Road through Phibsborough. Reasonably good surfaces but I've broken a number of spokes on my rear wheel.

I am thinking of getting a road bike (or maybe a hybrid) to make my commute faster. It would also be nice if I enter a triathlon or duathlon.

My mountain bike has high pressure slicks (26x1.3) and clipless pedals so I'm getting what I think are good times (though it would take me longer than 57 mins to do 31km http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=191034)

Questions:
* Will a road bike survive my commute or will it be ruined by potholes?
* Will my times improve much on a road bike?
* What bikes would you recommend? My budget would be about 1k. I'd like to have mudguards, to keep me reasonably dry when the roads aren't.

Titan_soul

MTB is slower on road than hybrid.

I have a cannondale mtb with specialized enduro tyres for off road and specialized armidillos for road.

The cannondale is no way near as fast on road as the specialized sirrus hybrid.

Hybrid tyres are 28 inch and MTB are 26 inch

If your journeys are on rough roads go for a dawes discovery ,they come with slightly fatter tyres than the specialized and the start price on the dawes is cheaper aslo.
http://www.Dawes-cycles.co.uk
You should have a good chance of getting a dawes second hand.
I never had a discovery but it would be my second choice ,especially for panniers etc.

uberwolf

surviving the potholes? - depends on your commute TBH, if you're teeth are vibrating on the way in so are your wheels

faster - won't believe how much so till you've tried it, I'd say an easy 2 miles per hour minimum.

What to get? - you're options open up at that threshold. Your best bet is to post a few options and let us run the rule over them

stanbowles

Wholeheartedly endorse the recommendation of the Dawes Discovery ... with the indicated budget, you should go for the top-of-range 701 model.

To start commuting Kimmage/Terenure-Loughlinstown, I bought a 701 a few weeks ago. Was a bit worried about whether the bike would survive urban commute, bumps, potholes etc as it is light with thin racing wheels. Thus far, it has held up v.well. Guy in the bikeshop said 'don't skip curbs too often' but aside from that it seems robust on the road and is bugger fast compared to anything I've ever ridden before (managing my trip in 35m, which I can just about manage in a car but only in summer, during school hols ... otherwise 40-50m with occasional nightmare hour journeys).

Re where to buy, both Commuting Solutions, Rathmines and Cyclelogical in town recommended btw ... I ended up buying in Commuting Solutions because it's reasonably local and where I will go if I have any problems (great staff) but pricewise Cyclelogical in town may be able to do a better deal .... apparently they had some 2004 701s for sale at 700 euro recently which really is a steal. Both allow you to go in and take the bike of your choice out for a spin.

One final comment / plea: cycle lanes are great in principle but 1. need to be made of flat, smooth surface 2. need to be well maintained and regularly swept (many of the cyclepaths in Sth Dublin are just brokenglass traps ). I'm sure many more people will convert to bike commuting if the facilities are extended and maintained properly.

cyclopath2001

I ride a road bike with 700x25s with a good tread and kevlar reinforcement. I use 36 spoke hand-built wheels.

I used to use a MTB but found the brake pads wore out real quick & I got more punctures too becuase of the extra rubber on the road.

Find routes that avoid cycle lanes, they're mostly crap.

Forget about racing the route, it's too dangerous in the city. Above a certain speed, (25 kph approx), neither pedestrians nor motorists will see you & you'll just have lots near misses.

Titan_soul

Just a note on the road bikes

If you decide to go for a hybrid ,make sure if it's a race frame that you can put bigger tyres on it.

I nearly bought a lapierre hybrid ,but discovered it only took 25mm tires.
try and get as big a tyre as possible at the start just to get use to the bike.
The tyres on a road bike are ROCK HARD and should be for good rolling.

I got up to traffic speed on the howth coast cycle path with my bike when i went out on it first ,a great feeling when your use to being on a mountain bike.
Helmet is essential,you'll forget your wearing it.

Victor

daymobrew wrote:

My mountain bike has high pressure slicks (26x1.3) and clipless pedals

My last bike was the first I had clips with. I found them difficult in the city, because no matter how hard you try, there is constant stop-start and taking your foot off the pedal.