# Mountain bike too slow!



## Stuartaw11 (8 Aug 2011)

Hi I'm new to this forum so be gentle with me! Ha

I have recently returned to cycling after a long break, I am saving for a hybrid or possibly a road bike but is there anything I can do to my old Raleigh mountain bike to make it a bit quicker without spending a fortune? Yesterday I had a great ride to Matlock but I want to go faster, on a flat I can maintain 20mph and did hit 36mph down hill through crich in a brain out moment, but at these speeds my legs are going so fast I can barely feel the pedals, is it possible to change the gearing or should I just wait till I can afford a better bike?

Thanks stuart


----------



## Banjo (8 Aug 2011)

You may be able to replace the rear cassette block with one with a smaller smallest cog. This would let you pedal a bit faster. 

Changing the knobbly tyres for road slicks will have a big effect as well.


----------



## Zoiders (8 Aug 2011)

Surprisingly a lot of MTB's with cassette wheels in fact have an 11t smallest sprocket so that it doesn't rub/jam on the more sharply angled chain stays, one smaller than the usual 12 found on road bike's.

Change your tyres, it's the quick fix and you will see/feel the difference straight away.


----------



## Stuartaw11 (8 Aug 2011)

Cheers for the replys, I have changed the tyres to schwalbe city jets which are excellent


----------



## sabian92 (8 Aug 2011)

If it has suspension it'll be slow as well, but the tyres a quick fix for now. If you're looking at speed, I'd definitely look at a road bike. Nothing else will come close (because everything else has fat tyres which slow it down, basically).


----------



## lesley_x (8 Aug 2011)

20mph on the flat on an old MTB?

If you get a road bike you'll be overtaking cars with ease!!


----------



## Stuartaw11 (8 Aug 2011)

lesley_x said:


> 20mph on the flat on an old MTB?
> 
> If you get a road bike you'll be overtaking cars with ease!!



haha that would be nice, i dont average 20mph (sadly) average over most rides is between 12-15mph depends on the route of course, riding up through crich yesterday i was barely moving up the hills but coming down the other side was fantastic fun, i think i am just stupidly competative, if someone passes me i think how dare you over take me!! must be small man syndrome! lol


----------



## Angelfishsolo (8 Aug 2011)

Has you have found. Tyres make the single biggest difference. If the bike has lock out suspension then use it as that will also improve speed. Next you could fit a larger chain set on the front (may need a new mech as well) so you have larger gears to push on the flat. Makes it less useful off road though!


----------



## TobyM (8 Aug 2011)

Be careful you don't get carried away making your mountain bike quicker though (like I did) you'll soon find you've spent half the price of a reasonable road bike which would serve you much better!


----------



## Leaway2 (8 Aug 2011)

TobyM said:


> Be careful you don't get carried away making your mountain bike quicker though (like I did) you'll soon find you've spent half the price of a reasonable road bike which would serve you much better!




+1 The weight and riding position make such a difference, especially in head winds.


----------



## Stuartaw11 (8 Aug 2011)

thanks for all the advice, think i might end up buying a new bike sooner rather than later, theres just such a huge range available i might have a ride to evans tomorrow to pick there brains, either that or get some faster legs! ha


----------



## lejogger (8 Aug 2011)

There's nothing wrong with tarting up a mtb... I was given an old Claud Butler mtb and put some slick tyres on, a racing block at the back, and a set of aero tri bars at the front... With some Look delta pedals it was a mish mash of the highest order, but it got me from LE to JOG in 9 days, so i'll love it forever! To be fair those changes hardly cost much at all in comparison to a brand new bike.

Only devastated that my Pace forks died and have been replaced with some rigid things that are frankly terrible. I've bought 2 new bikes since as I have a solid belief in n+1, but Claud was the bike that took me from non-cyclist to obsessed-cyclist and for that I will always be thankful.


----------



## Stuartaw11 (9 Aug 2011)

This is one reason for wanting to upgrade bits on my bike rather than change it, I am strangely attached to the old thing, it was the first thing I bought after leaving a job of nearly 10 years, I also kind of like being the under dog, u know the plucky terrier that always try's to keep up with the bigger dogs, getting a cheeky nod from the Lycra clad warrier who overtakes you going up a hill only for him to find you right behind him at the next junction, maybe once I get a better bike I won't be any faster? Maybe it is better to look good on a scruffy old bike than bad on a sparkly new one? who knows eh


----------



## Angelfishsolo (9 Aug 2011)

Stuartaw11 said:


> This is one reason for wanting to upgrade bits on my bike rather than change it, I am strangely attached to the old thing, it was the first thing I bought after leaving a job of nearly 10 years, I also kind of like being the under dog, u know the plucky terrier that always try's to keep up with the bigger dogs, getting a cheeky nod from the Lycra clad warrier who overtakes you going up a hill only for him to find you right behind him at the next junction, maybe once I get a better bike I won't be any faster? Maybe it is better to look good on a scruffy old bike than bad on a sparkly new one? who knows eh



I know exactly what you mean. All I would say is don't spend more money than the cost of a new bike or YOU WILL hate yourself sometime down the line.


----------



## Stuartaw11 (10 Aug 2011)

Well a decision has been made after starting looking at bikes like the trek 7.2 my head has agreed with my heart that what I really need is a cannondale quick 3! Now I just need to find the required 700 quid to get one!


----------



## Leaway2 (10 Aug 2011)

Stuartaw11 said:


> Well a decision has been made after starting looking at bikes like the trek 7.2 my head has agreed with my heart that what I really need is a cannondale quick 3! Now I just need to find the required 700 quid to get one!




Nice. I upgraded to a road bike from a hybrid (Claud Butler) I use the hybrid for shopping now and still enjoy riding it, especially the 700c 45 tyres at 40 psi.


----------

