Am I on the wrong bike??

[tyred]

Just a thought but are you constantly struggling along in a too-high gear? I own a few heavy bikes and it is easier, less tiring and often faster to spin a lower gear rather to grind along in top gear.

 

[swee'pea99]

Can't help feeling you're all missing the point. NB 'a cheap 100 quid mountain bike' from the OP. It's going to be a shocker whatever you do to it. Stop throwing good money after bad - literally and metaphorically - and get a decent steel-framed racer off ebay for a hundred +/-. Sorted.

 

[Wheeledweenie]

I own a Specialized Sirrus that was £300 on sale and it's great for road commuting. If money's an issue it's worth bearing in mind that a full-on road bike with drops and all the works (and the price that comes with it) may not be necessary. A good hybrid should do it.

 

[Crankarm]

I own a Specialized Sirrus that was £300 on sale and it's great for road commuting. If money's an issue it's worth bearing in mind that a full-on road bike with drops and all the works (and the price that comes with it) may not be necessary. A good hybrid should do it.

But if you want to do any serious mileage like weekend club rides it has it's limitations as you won't be able to keep up. I much prefer riding a road bike if I'm not commuting.

 

[Browser]

Which bit of the country are you in, adventureboy?

+1. YOu might find someone on here lives near you and may consent to giving your bike a quick once-over to get you going before you commit to buying a more expensive but better-suited machine.
Stoopid questions:

1. What pressure are the tyres pumped up to? Whatever the maximum pressure is (on the sidewall of the tyre), for road use youw ant it at this pressure.
2. Is the chain oiled? It's amazing the difference this makes.
3. Are any of the brakes running? If they are the drag is horrendous.

Even on a cheapo MTB you should be able to top 7mph

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Lift the front wheel off the ground, and spin it, how long does it spin for? Can you hear or see the brake blocks rubbing against the rim? Are the bearings making a horrible noise?

If not, lift the back wheel off the ground, and give it a spin with your hands (if you use the pedals, it normally goes too quick to notice anything), and see if any of the above is happening.

I don't want to sound rude, but 7 mph is TERRIBLE, I could easily average that when I was 4, so there must be something terribly wrong with your bike!
With a tail wind the other day, I managed to go nearly 30mph with no effort!

 

[kewb]

you sound fit so it must be the bike and even a £100 mtb would surely avg more than 7mph .

 

[earth]

If you can only muster 7mph on a MTB then I suspect you will see a world of difference from a road bike. For 100 quid you will have got a poor specimin of a MTB. Even at 7mph I would be surpised if it lasts for more than 10 hours of riding.

 

[chris667]

If you give me a deposit of its secondhand value, I'll lend you my road bike for a day.

 

[Valy]

If you can only muster 7mph on a MTB then I suspect you will see a world of difference from a road bike. For 100 quid you will have got a poor specimin of a MTB. Even at 7mph I would be surpised if it lasts for more than 10 hours of riding.

Exaggerating a bit?

 

[Davidc]

Exaggerating a bit?

Not with some of them. Bits bend irreparably and bearings sieze up.

Shop bought ones will get replaced if taken back soon enough, but many are from mail order/ web, given as presents, ridden once and then left in the garage so no one notices they're junk.

I've had to give a number of friends the bad news that they've bought a heap of poo.

 

[just4fun]

I was just wondering if there have been any developments adventureboy?

 

[timmcp]

I was just wondering if there have been any developments adventureboy?

He is still cycling home from work!

 

[Valy]

Not with some of them. Bits bend irreparably and bearings sieze up.

Shop bought ones will get replaced if taken back soon enough, but many are from mail order/ web, given as presents, ridden once and then left in the garage so no one notices they're junk.

I've had to give a number of friends the bad news that they've bought a heap of poo.

I see. I have a ~£150 FS bike and it still, well, works. The front fork doesn't move though. I did fiddle with it a few times to get the gears and brakes set up, but it has been alright.

 

[steve52]

i road my mums 30 year old sit up and beg, complete with rack and basket (after pumping up tyers and oiling bits) and did a 10 mph avg so its got to be tlc for said machine thats missing?