# Not happy with bumpy ride.



## cyberstretch (25 Oct 2012)

Just started riding at 37 years old after 20 years off the saddle. I used to own a mountain bike when it was an easier decision back then - bmw, racer or a mountain bike.

After some research i decided a hybrid would suit my commute to work needs and i bought a used GIANT 21speed to get me started. It has 700c wheels which I would to call "racer" wheels due to its skinny tyres (700 x 35). My first trip to work was extremely bumpy and was not an enjoyable experience for me. The tyres were not so forgiving up and down dropped curbs and along uneven pavements and it felt like the wheels would eventually buckle.

I am not looking to change to a mountain bike and was wondering that if i changed the tyres to a 40 or 45 width and put in less air would this help alleviate the problem ? Would i need to measure my wheel width first or would this tyre sizes fit ?

Thanks all, any help would be much appreciated


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## Lee_M (25 Oct 2012)

it takes time to get used to a road bike - it will feel bumpy aqt first - but thats due to it being set up to be stiff and responsive.

you can do thinks to soften it, but if you are heading that way then maybe the bike isnt right for you?

btw 700x35 arent skinny


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## Fubar (25 Oct 2012)

Less air will make the ride far harder (for you) and make you more prone to punctures - after advice from some clever CC guys I now have my tyres at 100psi. It may be that your ass if just not used to being back in the saddle and it all seemed much easier when you were young - my wife has just bought a bike after 37 years and she is really struggling in the ass department! As you get more experienced you tend to know when to lift yourself out of the saddle (which puts less pressure on the tyres), and tend to read the road better so you are not hitting every drain cover/pothole. I would give your body more time before changing anything on your bike. Regards, Mark


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## cyberstretch (25 Oct 2012)

Lee_M said:


> it takes time to get used to a road bike - it will feel bumpy aqt first - but thats due to it being set up to be stiff and responsive.
> 
> you can do thinks to soften it, but if you are heading that way then maybe the bike isnt right for you?
> 
> btw 700x35 arent skinny


 
They are skinny compared to a mountain bike tyre which is what i am used to. But i am a novice and I know that they are wide considered to proper road/race tyres


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## cyberstretch (25 Oct 2012)

Fubar said:


> Less air will make the ride far harder (for you) and make you more prone to punctures - after advice from some clever CC guys I now have my tyres at 100psi. It may be that your ass if just not used to being back in the saddle and it all seemed much easier when you were young - my wife has just bought a bike after 37 years and she is really struggling in the ass department! As you get more experienced you tend to know when to lift yourself out of the saddle (which puts less pressure on the tyres), and tend to read the road better so you are not hitting every drain cover/pothole. I would give your body more time before changing anything on your bike. Regards, Mark


 
You could be right with the lack of recent saddle action contributing to my lack of enjoyment. I wish i was 15 again !

If i decide the 700c wheel/tyre combo is not for me, would i be wise to switch to a mountain bike and then put slicker road tyres on for my commute thus giving me the softer ride i desire ?

Thanks again


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## Beebo (25 Oct 2012)

you have to give it a bit more time.

I was in your position 2 years ago, your bum will hurt the first few times, but you will get used to it. You will find that you will start to anticpate bumps and take the impact on your legs and arms instead of your bum.


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## potsy (25 Oct 2012)

Get yourself a proper skinny tyred racer, then when you go back to your 35c tyred bike it will feel extremely comfortable 
My 2 main bikes are 25c shod and 35c, the 35c one is way more forgiving on bumps and uneven road surfaces, never ridden a mtb but they must be really comfy


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## ianrauk (25 Oct 2012)

It would also help if you stopped cycling on pavements too.


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## Rob3rt (25 Oct 2012)

ianrauk said:


> It would also help if you stopped cycling on pavements too.


 
Spot on!


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## black'n'yellow (25 Oct 2012)

Fubar said:


> Less air will make the ride far harder (for you) and make you more prone to punctures


 
on the contrary - depending on what pressure he has now, less air could make the ride _easier_ and _less_ prone to punctures.



Fubar said:


> As you get more experienced you tend to know when to lift yourself out of the saddle (which puts less pressure on the tyres)


 
how does that work then - does your body become instantly lighter when you get out of the saddle..?


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## Fubar (25 Oct 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> You could be right with the lack of recent saddle action contributing to my lack of enjoyment. I wish i was 15 again !
> 
> If i decide the 700c wheel/tyre combo is not for me, would i be wise to switch to a mountain bike and then put slicker road tyres on for my commute thus giving me the softer ride i desire ?
> 
> Thanks again


 
I started out on a cheap MTB (no real suspension) and once I knew I could do a decent distance I bought a road bike and the difference is amazing though it took time to get used to the different position - you have to consider what is best for you, do you really want a MTB just to put slicks on, or would a hybrid/roadie/touring bike suit you better?

I would persevere with the bike for the time being, have you considered padded shorts/undercrackers? They can make a big difference to the comfort, you can also get padded gel/memory foam saddles that can help.


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## Rob3rt (25 Oct 2012)

black'n'yellow said:


> on the contrary - depending on what pressure he has now, less air could make the ride _easier_ and _less_ prone to punctures.
> 
> 
> 
> *how does that work then - does your body become instantly lighter when you get out of the saddle..?*


 
Put's less pressure on your arse for sure  Might save you a winding!


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## cyberstretch (25 Oct 2012)

ianrauk said:


> It would also help if you stopped cycling on pavements too.


 
An obvious and valid point. My commute involves part road then up dropped curbs to a cycle path and then a subway and back to some uneven cycle paths. Thats to quickest route, coulped with my hesitation to navigate busy roundabouts and also the need to ride the opposite side of the road due to a central reservation which would stop me turning into work. And no i dont want a microlight !  haha


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## Fubar (25 Oct 2012)

black'n'yellow said:


> on the contrary - depending on what pressure he has now, less air could make the ride _easier_ and _less_ prone to punctures.


 
Ok, not what I've been told but I'm not going to argue with you.

[/quote] how does that work then - does your body become instantly lighter when you get out of the saddle..? [/quote]

Never said it did, though in my experience lifting yourself out the saddle puts less pressure on the tyres _*when*_ bumping up onto pavements which is what the OP was referring to - I probably didn't make that explicitly clear.


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## Rob3rt (25 Oct 2012)

Fubar said:


> *Ok, not what I've been told but I'm not going to argue with you.*


 
Basically what B'n'Y is saying that harder tyres don't necessarily roll better.


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## cyberstretch (25 Oct 2012)

Fubar said:


> I started out on a cheap MTB (no real suspension) and once I knew I could do a decent distance I bought a road bike and the difference is amazing though it took time to get used to the different position - you have to consider what is best for you, do you really want a MTB just to put slicks on, or would a hybrid/roadie/touring bike suit you better?
> 
> I would persevere with the bike for the time being, have you considered padded shorts/undercrackers? They can make a big difference to the comfort, you can also get padded gel/memory foam saddles that can help.


 
Its not so much a seat issue as more the issue of the bikes front wheel hitting every lump and bump to the point i think it could over time damage the rim. I am careful up and down curbs mind.

I guess you are all right and its just getting used to the bike and different style of position and ride. I will persevere before whinging again !


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## Fubar (25 Oct 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> Its not so much a seat issue as more the issue of the bikes front wheel hitting every lump and bump to the point i think it could over time damage the rim. I am careful up and down curbs mind.
> 
> I guess you are all right and its just getting used to the bike and different style of position and ride. I will persevere before whinging again !


 
It's never whinging it's discussing  and that's what the forum is for - you need to be comfortable and if you are not you're right to think about changing things - sometimes though it's just worth persevering before spending loads to try and fix a problem that may just be physical and sort itself out in time, if not you always have the option to make changes later. No matter what anyone says on here do what suits you. Regards, Mark


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## ianrauk (25 Oct 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> An obvious and valid point. My commute involves part road then up dropped curbs to a cycle path and then a subway and back to some uneven cycle paths. Thats to quickest route, coulped with my hesitation to navigate busy roundabouts and also the need to ride the opposite side of the road due to a central reservation which would stop me turning into work. And no i dont want a microlight !  haha


 

Hokey Kokey


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## Cyclist33 (25 Oct 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> They are skinny compared to a mountain bike tyre which is what i am used to. But i am a novice and I know that they are wide considered to proper road/race tyres


 
1. Notwithstanding the advice already given, don't be going putting 100psi into those 700x35 tyres. That will be too much in an unsafe meaning of the word. It may be that you've already got too much air in the tyre, this could be causing the bumpy sensation. There is a lot of stock advice saying pump tyres to the max (ie at or near the maximum pressure printed on the side of the tyre), but actually it depends on your weight distribution. There is probably a "sweet spot" or range of pressures that will be right for you, ie give you efficient but comfortable riding. Eg for me, I'm around the 11 stone mark and run pressures of 110-100psi at rear and 85-95psi up front - that's on 23mm tyres. My 28s I run at 80/65. A lot of people (myself included) run a lower pressure at the front because you don't need as much air at the lighter end of the bike. This makes it more comfortable. My guess is 35mm tyres should have no more than 75psi in them to be comfy but as I say it depends on you. One thing to ask is, what make are the tyres? Continentals tend to come in small so for instance my 32mm tyres are actually 28mm, therefore what you think ought to be x amount of comfy is actually x minus a bit.

2. My own experience of road cycling on a mountain bike with slicks is, it's no more comfortable than using a hybrid with slicks. Sure, if you had front suspension this would lever you up kerbs more softly, but assuming you have the right pressure in whichever tyre you've got, the general ride feel I find smoother on a stiffer bike because it isn't bobbing around all over the place. Certainly I find mtb tyres most uncomfortable on roads because the knobbles on the tyres really transmit through the frame to my ass and hands.


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## MrJamie (25 Oct 2012)

Maybe your frame is more rigid than you're used to. If the tyres are really rock solid, maybe try a little less air - mine are rather jarring when pumped up to max on my hybrid  I usually have the front tyre a bit softer than the rear because theirs much less weight on it and it might help with grip or something


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## fossyant (25 Oct 2012)

You will get used to it, but a hybrid is no-where near a road bike for 'harshness'. Your body adapts to take the shocks quite quickly, and as you said, you haven't ridden for a long while. AVOID sitting up straight, you need an arched back to one degree ot another to absorb the shocks


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## cyberstretch (27 Oct 2012)

Cyclist33 said:


> 1. Notwithstanding the advice already given, don't be going putting 100psi into those 700x35 tyres. That will be too much in an unsafe meaning of the word. It may be that you've already got too much air in the tyre, this could be causing the bumpy sensation. There is a lot of stock advice saying pump tyres to the max (ie at or near the maximum pressure printed on the side of the tyre), but actually it depends on your weight distribution. There is probably a "sweet spot" or range of pressures that will be right for you, ie give you efficient but comfortable riding. Eg for me, I'm around the 11 stone mark and run pressures of 110-100psi at rear and 85-95psi up front - that's on 23mm tyres. My 28s I run at 80/65. A lot of people (myself included) run a lower pressure at the front because you don't need as much air at the lighter end of the bike. This makes it more comfortable. My guess is 35mm tyres should have no more than 75psi in them to be comfy but as I say it depends on you. One thing to ask is, what make are the tyres? Continentals tend to come in small so for instance my 32mm tyres are actually 28mm, therefore what you think ought to be x amount of comfy is actually x minus a bit.
> 
> 2. My own experience of road cycling on a mountain bike with slicks is, it's no more comfortable than using a hybrid with slicks. Sure, if you had front suspension this would lever you up kerbs more softly, but assuming you have the right pressure in whichever tyre you've got, the general ride feel I find smoother on a stiffer bike because it isn't bobbing around all over the place. Certainly I find mtb tyres most uncomfortable on roads because the knobbles on the tyres really transmit through the frame to my ass and hands.


 
A lot of useful help and info from everyone on here.

I have only just bought the bike so i am unaware of the exact pressures until i purchase a pump to check. The tyres the bike came with are 'Bontranger Select Invert hard case' and seem to have reasonable reviews especially with puncture protection. The tyres do feel very hard indeed and next on my list is to check them.

I am 6.5 and a slim 15 stone so i guess adjusting the pressure to suit my weight will help alot. I must say that after 10 days of riding i am getting used to the ride and the correct pressure may well put a smile on my face


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## Cyclist33 (27 Oct 2012)

You could always try letting out a little bit anyway - just depress the valve for 2-3 seconds... see what difference it makes.


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## Fab Foodie (27 Oct 2012)

Agree about finding the right tyre pressure and have a few less psi in the front one (I usualy have about 5psi less on a road bike). The other thing is that if your tyres are anything like standard Bonty Hardcase race lights, they're durable and roll well but they are hard/harsh riding at high psi.
37 is young compared to many who start biking around, here waaay younger.


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## cyberstretch (27 Oct 2012)

Fab Foodie said:


> Agree about finding the right tyre pressure and have a few less psi in the front one (I usualy have about 5psi less on a road bike). The other thing is that if your tyres are anything like standard Bonty Hardcase race lights, they're durable and roll well but they are hard/harsh riding at high psi.
> 37 is young compared to many who start biking around, here waaay younger.[/quote
> 
> Definitely think I should be checking the pressures before anything else. Not sure 37 and young goes together though


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## Fab Foodie (27 Oct 2012)

When 50's your next Birthday, 37's young ....


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## cyberstretch (27 Oct 2012)

Fab Foodie said:


> When 50's your next Birthday, 37's young ....


 
Half a century , thats a lot of biking knowledge you possess. ! Just what i need as a newbie


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## kedab (27 Oct 2012)

cyberstretch said:


> You could be right with the lack of recent saddle action contributing to my lack of enjoyment. I wish i was 15 again !
> 
> If i decide the 700c wheel/tyre combo is not for me, would i be wise to switch to a mountain bike and then put slicker road tyres on for my commute thus giving me the softer ride i desire ?
> 
> Thanks again


 
padded pants/shorts/tights will help massively with the sore butt issue - i had the same problem in similar circumstances: 20 years or so out of the saddle, got a hybrid for the commute in early 2011, butt hurt for a month or two, got easier, got padded shorts, got loads easier - my hybrid runs 28s though  found a love for cycling again for so many reasons and earlier this year bought a full on road bike - took to it like a duck to water, slick super skinny tires and all...beware! the same may happen to you, i am now well over 3k lighter in the bank thanks to my obession!

oh and yeh, you could buy an mtb and put road tires on it...plenty of people do that.


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## Widge (27 Oct 2012)

Interesting Thread.

I have been happily riding a a full sus MTB round the lanes and b-roads of Devon off and on for the last 10 yrs or so. Not 'till I got my Triban Road bike with skinny '23' tyres did I realise just HOW shattering the general road surface can be....even the (few) bits that aren't obviously potholed. Potholes are everywhere but even bits I thought were smooth enough are scoured and rutted with cracks, bumps and ('round our way) whole chunks of subsidence.

What the hell has happened to our roads over the last few years!?

Anyway....I wasted anxious thoughts the other day on a bumpy route home about whether my Triban could actually stand up to this sort of poor road surface for long without dented rims, punctures, buckling or catastrophic failure...and like you...wondered whether a few less PSI would help?

Exactly HOW STRONG are road bike wheels? I guess that's dependent on a lot of factors (Triban wheels came true 'n tight out of the box -32 spoke- pretty chunky and heavy, but clearly NOT the 'best' quality money can buy) so it would be good to get some sort of reassurance.

I'm VERY lightwieght (barely 9 stone) so I know I am not stressing the bike...and I'm only riding the 'Queens Highways'...but my God, is it ever rough!

Best
w


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## I like Skol (28 Oct 2012)

Widge said:


> Exactly HOW STRONG are road bike wheels? I guess that's dependent on a lot of factors (Triban wheels came true 'n tight out of the box -32 spoke- pretty chunky and heavy, but clearly NOT the 'best' quality money can buy) so it would be good to get some sort of reassurance.
> 
> I'm VERY lightwieght (barely 9 stone) so I know I am not stressing the bike...and I'm only riding the 'Queens Highways'...but my God, is it ever rough!
> 
> ...


 
Well, a 32 spoke wheel should be more than man enough to carry your insignificant bulk over some rough terrain. I am 14 stone and ride my road bike with 32 spoke wheels without a worry. I ride down flights of steps occassionally (very carefully), bunny hop up/down/over obstacles when needed, endo and small wheelies when I am larking about and the wheels are still as true as the day I bought the bike nearly 1000 miles ago. The only concern I have with rough road surfaces would be pinch punctures on the edge of bad potholes, other than that it is only a question of comfort. I'm not saying you should ride rough shod over all surfaces but IMO if you keep an eye out to avoid the worst holes then almost everything else can be ridden across just by lifting your weight off the saddle and keeping the legs slightly bent (cranks horizontal). This allows your bike to roll over the defects rather than being wedged between your body weight and the rough surface.

The views about tyre pressures are almost as bipolar as the discussion over tyre sections. There are plenty of people who stick religously to the skinny tyre/high pressure mantra but IME the 35c tyres of my hybrid at 70psi roll just as efficiently as the 23c tyres of my road bike at 110psi. It also allways amazes me when I have neglected to top up tyre pressures for a little while and find the road bike tyres at 'only' 60-70psi or the hybrid tyres at a fraction under 40 psi as I discovered only last week. The funny thing is I never notice the difference or the extra effort theoretically needed by the softer tyres but god I do notice the increase in harshness when I return the tyres to the higher pressures.

As a cyclist who has spent most of my cycling life largely as a mountain biker and only came to road riding in the last few years I reckon the range of useable tyre pressures is much wider for road riding than with off-road MTB's. The MTB tyres probably have a 10 psi window where the tyre pressure is not so high that you bounce and jolt off every stone or so low that you get repeated pinch punctures off the exact same stones. 23c road bike tyres seem to perform well with anything from around 60psi-120psi


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## HLaB (28 Oct 2012)

Widge said:


> Exactly HOW STRONG are road bike wheels? I guess that's dependent on a lot of factors (Triban wheels came true 'n tight out of the box -32 spoke- pretty chunky and heavy, but clearly NOT the 'best' quality money can buy) so it would be good to get some sort of reassurance.
> 
> I'm VERY lightwieght (barely 9 stone) so I know I am not stressing the bike...and I'm only riding the 'Queens Highways'...but my God, is it ever rough!
> 
> ...


Road wheels are stronger than you think they are and a 9st you'll have no problem. I'm not a heavy rider either (circa 9.5st) and I've not been disappointed with any road wheels I've had.


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## snorri (28 Oct 2012)

It sounds as if you may have jumped in at the deep end with the commuting and are suffering accordingly.
It may be too late now, but for most people going back to cycling after a long break it is usually advisable to start off with short cycle trips, say 20 - 30 minute duration, certainly not so long as brings on any discomfort. Get out for as many short journies as you feel comfortable with and you will gradually find you can cycle for longer periods without pain.
Only after finding yourself able to cycle say twice your commute distance would I consider actually cycling the commute.on a regular basis.
Bending the elbows and transferring more weight to your feet to ease weight on the seat when going over bumps helps to ease the shocks to your body and make the ride more comfortable.


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## Fab Foodie (28 Oct 2012)

HLaB said:


> Road wheels are stronger than you think they are and a 9st you'll have no problem. I'm not a heavy rider either (circa 9.5st) and I've not been disappointed with any road wheels I've had.


 
Agreed. I'm 14st and after 7 years of abuse my rear wheel rim gave out last week (small crack around the eyelet) after a very hefty pothole at speed, not bad going at all. Keep an occasional eye out for the occasional slack spoke and they'll last a while even on the worst of Britains roads. My lad has a Triban with 650 wheels and they're impressively made for the price, not the last word in lightness but should last.


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## Boon 51 (28 Oct 2012)

My bobs worth.. I let a little air out of my tyres on my 23s withh good effect.. its less harsh.


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## Rickshaw Phil (28 Oct 2012)

Widge said:


> Exactly HOW STRONG are road bike wheels? ................ it would be good to get some sort of reassurance.


You haven't seen the video contained in this thread then? LINK


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## Widge (28 Oct 2012)

Well.....Rickshaw Phil..............My Ghast is well and truly Flabbered!

Teach me to ask silly questions ?

Seems the most dangerous thing you can do to a road bike is go anywhere near it with WD40. Whoops!

Thanks

w


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## Rickshaw Phil (28 Oct 2012)

Widge said:


> Seems the most dangerous thing you can do to a road bike is go anywhere near it with WD40. Whoops!


Yeah, there have been a few comments about that. The rest of the film though is amazing and just shows how road bikes aren't quite as flimsy as a lot of people think.

I love the "Wall of Death" section. I went to one for the first time this summer (I think it may possibly have been the one in the film - same motorbikes) and it's quite a spectacle.


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