# Road bike over pot holes like?



## Ellis456 (8 Aug 2011)

Im going to get a road bike as im finding my mtb to slow highest gear I can only reach 32mph down hill and my feet cant pedal any faster, I also want to up my average road speed. It is light aluminum I think but not enough.




My question is, my mtb has front suspension, what are road bikes like on rough road with pot holes?, I live in Kent and what about in rainy weather how do they perform?, I could always dig my mtb out for snow etc I suppose.


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## Parrot of Doom (8 Aug 2011)

Honestly? Awful, which is why anyone on a road bike will avoid them at all costs.


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## liamsymonds (8 Aug 2011)

You'll end up getting crushed by a 2 tonne pollutant.


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## gaz (8 Aug 2011)

You don't really want to hit a pothole on a road bike.
You learn to read the road ahead and spot pot holes at quite some distance and avoid them.
Or just bunny hop over them.


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## sabian92 (8 Aug 2011)

They're fine but avoid them if you can. You'll shake the fillings out of your teeth, shatter your wrists and it could buckle your front wheel, or worse - throw you off.


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## ianrauk (8 Aug 2011)

Lat year on my (commute) road bike I had a double snake bite due to bloody potholes. Avoid at all costs.. being careful of course of the traffic around you.


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## dellzeqq (8 Aug 2011)

I spit at potholes. Put 140psi in your tyres and hold on tight to the bars. The rest is down to fate...............


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## Banjo (8 Aug 2011)

I hit one going fast in the dark with low battery on front light. very nearly came off was convinced the wheel or carbon forks would be wrecked but no damage to either.

Road bikes are tougher than they look but I wouldnt make a habit of it.

good idea to keep your mtb for snow and pub use though.


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## perplexed (9 Aug 2011)

I've clattered into a few (Sheffield is notorious) as no matter how careful you are, you're going to hit one from time to time.

I've winced quite a bit, and glanced down with trepidation, but all's been well thus far...

Avoid 'em, but as above, they're tougher than they look. Make sure you've got the correct pressures.


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## NormanD (9 Aug 2011)

Point of note ... never hit one while you're licking your lips, you'll talk funny for a few days afterwards


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## Angelfishsolo (9 Aug 2011)

Compared to a hard-tail a road bike will make a silk road seem like the face of an acne ridden teenager. It will be a harsher ride and as has been said you learn to read the road ahead in a different way. Cattle grids are "fun". That said the speed more than makes up for the harder ride


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## al-fresco (9 Aug 2011)

Ellis456 said:


> Im going to get a road bike as im finding my mtb to slow highest gear I can only reach 32mph down hill and my feet cant pedal any faster, I also want to up my average road speed. It is light aluminum I think but not enough.




Hmmm, my MTB is faster than my road bike going downhill. (Perhaps you need bigger hills!




) On the flat there's no contest though, and my average speed is a lot higher on the road bike. My road bike is a cyclocross and, while I try to avoid potholes, hitting one occasionally has never damaged the bike or me.


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## HLaB (9 Aug 2011)

The occasional pot hole IME isn't bad as long as you are not tense and let the bike ride up into you, letting your legs and arms absorb the impact (I'm sub 9st10ish though); I still wouldn't make the habit of seeking them out though and will avoid what I can. In rainy weather I find skinny tyres behave just as good as wider tyres and its more to do with the compound how well tyres grip IMO.


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## Willo (9 Aug 2011)

I tend to know most of routes I cycle over and most that remain post last winter tend to be in the gutter so I make sure I'm well out in the road on those stretches to avoid them. Saying that one crept up on me a few weeks back when I was going pretty fast on a downhill stretch of a busy road. Knowing I couldn't pull out, and having not perfected by bunny hopping!, I pulled a little wheelie that saved the front but the rear took a hefty whack. Didn't see any obvious damage when I got home but shortly after got my bike serviced and was only then realised the rear mech is bent a little which I suspect happened at the time. 

Anyhow, they are a 'mare but not enough to put me (or you) off a road bike!


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## Leaway2 (10 Aug 2011)

And as for cobbled streets (actually they are usually sets), oh my Lord!


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## Arsen Gere (10 Aug 2011)

You could report the potholes.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/RoadsAndStreets/DG_10026187

Our council filled one in I reported in a couple of day. Same at the neighbouring council.

These have a habit of filling with water and lifting the road in winter so they are keen to fix them now.

When the whole road is crap they just ignore you.


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