[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by kmadhok

Do you suggest sticking with the same cycles and riding longer and harder?

Originally Posted by ebonho

Whatever is available in your size and in your budget ....

Disclaimer : I do not own a road bike so my experience is limited in that area. Though I have a fixed frame hybrid (more road inclined ) and one with shocks. Both bikes are in different places, hence 2 bikes.

From my experience with the 2 bikes, the fixed frame bike (which I assume is comparable nearer to a road bike) will definitely be lighter and go faster .. But unfortunately we all know the condition of our roads.

So really like to hear from the Road Bikers how they manage with the road buzz and bumps ? The slimmer tires and rigid forks coupled with our roads kind of tend to make your wrist go numb from my experience.
Added to that when you are riding fast those sudden tiny set of 8 - 10 rumblers you come across can really make your bike jump if you don't slow down.

[Fillmore]

No responses from my previous post, so looks like the Roadies are not interested in the trivia questions

Broadly speaking by and large I see 2 categories of cyclists.
The first category comprises of die hard exercise fans always in full gear and mostly ride road bikes. They don't mind the hard ride and vibrations that are thrown back to them from a rigid fork + slim tire combo that their bikes are made up of. For them it is mostly about clocking numbers on Strava at the end of every ride and have no issues riding on the highway.

Then you have the next segment (one which I fall into)
We are more of the "Enjoy the weekend and soak up the nature around you" types.
We also do ride in small groups and wear the necessary safety gear.
But for us comfort ranks above performance on our yard stick.
We always pedal at a steady easy cadence and our ride would include at min one coffee break.

On a weekend leisure ride we clock averages of not more than 40 - 45 km per ride..
Prefer Flatbars with suspensions (not the MTB types but with maybe a min 60mm travel, just to take the sting out of the potholes) have least 35mm wide tires. Single water bottle is more than enough, if it runs dry there is always a roadside tender-coconut guy from who we can refuel.

Here is a relaxation pic from one of the rides.

Cheers !!

[amvj]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

So really like to hear from the Road Bikers how they manage with the road buzz and bumps ? The slimmer tires and rigid forks coupled with our roads kind of tend to make your wrist go numb from my experience.
Added to that when you are riding fast those sudden tiny set of 8 - 10 rumblers you come across can really make your bike jump if you don't slow down.

Unlike hybrids, riders have three different positions to hold on a road bike. This makes long distances more manageable. I have one hybrid and one road bike. I actually find it more enjoyable to ride a road bike than the hybrid on paved roads.

It’s true, you will ride faster on a MTB over potholed roads than on a road bike. It is comfortable to ride on a MTB over potholes than on a road bike.

https://youtu.be/QvO74sZxVs4

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

No responses from my previous post, so looks like the Roadies are not interested in the trivia questions

Broadly speaking by and large I see 2 categories of cyclists.

Self-realization is the best answer to all such cycling questions.

The answer to your query is 'it depends'. Folks who put up questions (like @kmadhok's road bike query and yours and many more before) that don't realize that every rider eventually finds his own riding 'category' and not everyone has the same experience so it's debatable my personal experiences and opinion will match someone else's situation especially with such queries.

For example with regards to @kmadhok's point, my average speeds on 100km rides remain same irrespective if I ride a 10kilo racing geometry roadbike or a ~13kg relaxed geometry hybrid. But if someone else does the same experiment, I'm sure they'll have different outputs. As @doc mentioned in his post, there are a lot more factors than just the cycle. It's just the means, the (state of the) person is more relevant.

As to your query, I fit into both segments you outlined. And I use good gloves to soften those road rumblers and sorts. And I take my roadbike & hybrid on highways with rumblers as well as extremely rural dirt roads like these. So go figure

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

So really like to hear from the Road Bikers how they manage with the road buzz and bumps ? The slimmer tires and rigid forks coupled with our roads kind of tend to make your wrist go numb from my experience.

Simply put, you get used to it. People question me how I manage Fiat's ergonomics, but having used to a Punto since 2009, I'm just used to it.

As far as bad roads go, one gets just more aware of the road surface and cycle around or sometimes just hop over some portions of the road.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Broadly speaking by and large I see 2 categories of cyclists.
The first category comprises of die hard exercise fans always in full gear and mostly ride road bikes. They don't mind the hard ride and vibrations that are thrown back to them from a rigid fork + slim tire combo that their bikes are made up of.

Then you have the next segment (one which I fall into)
On a weekend leisure ride we clock averages of not more than 40 - 45 km per ride..
Prefer Flatbars with suspensions (not the MTB types but with maybe a min 60mm travel, just to take the sting out of the potholes) have least 35mm wide tires.

You need a 3rd category, to which very aptly named "hybrid" bikes cater to. I have one - it does not have 35 tyres or suspension or relaxed geometry like a city stroller but it does have flatbar which can be called as a moderate comfort feature.

Apart from that though, it is pretty much like a roadie with 25c tyres. It sends back every adulteration in the road to you and is fast. It is a good compromise between two extremes. You can feel leisurely or you can keep up with roadies if need be. In a few encounters with mud and gravel, the cycle held well.

There is also an interesting type called gravel bike which has drop bars but slightly relaxed angles and has 35-40 tyres. Having never ridden one, I find it rather intriguing.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

So really like to hear from the Road Bikers how they manage with the road buzz and bumps ? The slimmer tires and rigid forks coupled with our roads kind of tend to make your wrist go numb from my experience.
Added to that when you are riding fast those sudden tiny set of 8 - 10 rumblers you come across can really make your bike jump if you don't slow down.

It's a very subjective question so really difficult to give an answer without first getting into your body and sussing out your threshold of comfort and preferences as a rider (speed, handling, connect with the tarmac, etc).

The internet is full of gyaanis who claim the KTM Duke is miserably uncomfortable and not a tourer and committed riding ergos and how more than 100 km on it is impossible bla bla bla.

I have done 6000+ km tours on it on no roads and just rocks as well as highways as well as rural backroads just fine. In fact I've said more than once how much better and faster and less fatiguing a tourer it is than my Bullets (long and widely accepted as a great/est Indian tourer).

I love my road bike. I love my hybrid. I ride both the same way I ride my Bullet and my KTM. The hybrid I can ride harder and more carefree over bad roads and on my road bike I need to choose my lines abd where my wheels go more carefully. On both however I would never ever contemplate having a front bobbing suspension. That just kills the rode and the road connect for aggressive riding in my opinion. When you hit an obstacle, the best suspension that is way superior to any Rockshox or Fox big dollar one is your body ... your spine, and hips, and knees and elbows. Lift yourself off the saddle, and leave your body loose enough to flex with the road.

Like surfing waves.

If you sit hard and rigid, or like a sack of potatoes on the couch, then no suspension or fat tyre on earth can protect you from the thuds that come up through the frame. And it's the same on fully sprung motorcycles as well.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. Over the years I've discovered that gloves give me numb fingers, so I never wear gloves anymore. Hybrid or roadie.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

So really like to hear from the Road Bikers how they manage with the road buzz and bumps ? The slimmer tires and rigid forks coupled with our roads kind of tend to make your wrist go numb from my experience.
Added to that when you are riding fast those sudden tiny set of 8 - 10 rumblers you come across can really make your bike jump if you don't slow down.

I am not road bike rider (yet), and I did not have kind of comfort issues so far with my current bike or the previous one, both the bikes with rigid forks. The current one (BMC) is with alloy fork and 35C tyres, and the previous Trek FX3 had carbon fork and 32C tyres (tyres topped to 80 PSI on both bikes). Did not have any issues of heavy road buzz or wrist-numbing scenarios so far in my limited riding experience.

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Broadly speaking by and large I see 2 categories of cyclists.

I think I fall into a third category (or a hybrid category)

I am not a fast rider by roadie standards and not into creating speed/distance records. With my current bike my average speed on a good day is around 21.5 kmph, and the maximum I covered in one ride is around 105km (usual weekend rides vary between 50 to 80 km). I ride on public roads normally in the early morning rides, the route and scenery are important, and I do stop for photos, coffee etc. Even with all these I prefer to ride a bike that is relatively light and feels sporty to ride. In fact, I feel the 35C tyres are a bit of an overkill for my bike, but the continentals roll pretty nicely, and the road connection is decent. And to go further on my preferences I will be looking to add a roadie in the near future.

Its all personal preferences, I guess. I few months ago I tried the Trek Dual Sport 3 (effectively a FX3 with suspension fork and fatter tyres) but couldn’t get on terms with the overall heaviness and front-end pitching. It had suspension lock but then getting a FX3 made more sense (for my preferences). My friend moved from a Trek FX2 to a Giant Roam, and she think that was a wonderful decision to change – to each their own

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I use good gloves to soften those road rumblers and sorts. And I take my roadbike & hybrid on highways with rumblers as well as extremely rural dirt roads like these.

Originally Posted by ebonho

Over the years I've discovered that gloves give me numb fingers, so I never wear gloves anymore. Hybrid or roadie.

Not sure if it’s the quality of the gloves I have, or need more time to get used to – as of now I find riding with gloves quite uncomfortable over long distances

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Its all personal preferences, I guess. I few months ago I tried the Trek Dual Sport 3 (effectively a FX3 with suspension fork and fatter tyres) but couldn’t get on terms with the overall heaviness and front-end pitching. It had suspension lock but then getting a FX3 made more sense (for my preferences).

Not sure if it’s the quality of the gloves I have, or need more time to get used to – as of now I find riding with gloves quite uncomfortable over long distances

A suspension fork with a lockout is very very different from riding a rigid fork in terms of the comfort and "give" designed into a rigid fork that is totally absent in a locked out suspension fork.

Secondly the rake and angles and geometry is totally different. That why you get after market "suspension compensated" rigid carbon forks fir people who want to convert their sprung MTB's or Hybrids into rigid fork setups.

The issue with gloves, no matter the quality is that they age, and even when new on a ride with sweat they start moving around a d often even slight bunching up of the padding in the wrong area is enough to put pressure on your nerves causing tingling and numbness.

They are great for absorbing and wiping away sweat, also for grip, and of course padding (which you can get from your bars and grips/tape as well), and protection in a fall.

But you cannot ride with numb hands, so that's priority number 1.

Cheers, Doc

[kmadhok]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Broadly speaking by and large I see 2 categories of cyclists.

Perspective really matters.
If you look closer there is an entire range of cyclists. I personally started off with cycling to work, because that ensured me constant travel time in Bangalore, irrespective of the weather.
I then started doing longer distances (ie 50Kms) as fun rides. This gives me a way to step out of city traffic and be in the greenery of the villages. Gives me my 'me' time. At the same time, I am trying to push myself to be quicker and stronger. I record as many rides on strava and compare my efforts. I tend to repeat the same circuit week after week. The longest ride I have to date is 100kms, which I have done thrice. I hope to be inspired by the folks here and to eventually take part in some events (not necessarily races, but if I think I am quick then why not).
I have absolutely no knowledge of a cycle geometry or maintenance. I am hoping to learn that from this forum, and take up cycling as a proper hobby may be develop into a passion.

[Fillmore]

Well I do know there is no precise answer or solution to what I asked.
But for anyone who wants to soften the ride on a rigid fork there is this ShockStop suspension stem by Redshift

It is a bit pricy and not easy to source currently here. I did see it but decided to give it a pass.
The reviews are mostly positive though, many available on Youtube. Gives you a 100 to 200 mm of cushioning.

[greyhound82]

Am facing this paint chipping issue with my Trek. The friction between frame and cables are chipping away the paint. It seems I have to repaint again else rust will form. Kindly suggest a solution. This is purchased in 2020 March

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

Am facing this paint chipping issue with my Trek. The friction between frame and cables are chipping away the paint. It seems I have to repaint again else rust will form. Kindly suggest a solution. This is purchased in 2020 March

Use same body colored red electrical insulation tape on the scuff areas for protection.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. It's an alloy frame. It's not going to rust.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

Am facing this paint chipping issue with my Trek. The friction between frame and cables are chipping away the paint. It seems I have to repaint again else rust will form. Kindly suggest a solution.

I had the same problem with my FX3, noticed early and I remember posting in this thread a few months ago.

Trek had this set of contact-point stickers which they gave me and that helped to cover the marks (not fully) and allay further damages.

[narayanang76]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

Am facing this paint chipping issue with my Trek. The friction between frame and cables are chipping away the paint. It seems I have to repaint again else rust will form. Kindly suggest a solution. This is purchased in 2020 March
Attachment 2243274

Attachment 2243275

This rubber protections have worked out for me and I have found them on most of my bikes so far.