drop bars on mtbs

[Licramite]

Hi , been looking at Mountain Cross ? - seeing mtbs with drop bars , what do you think.
the bikes don,t seam to have suspension on them.

just wondering if anyone has experience of them, I need something to make my mtb more roadworthy as it goes like a wheelbarrow on the roads , better riding position might help I was thinking.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Hi , been looking at Mountain Cross ? - seeing mtbs with drop bars , what do you think.
the bikes don,t seam to have suspension on them.

just wondering if anyone has experience of them, I need something to make my mtb more roadworthy as it goes like a wheelbarrow on the roads , better riding position might help I was thinking.

The two issues arising are incompatibility between a) drop bar sti indexed levers and mtb front mech if you have a Shimano triple system (since road and mtb front mech chainline and cable pull requirements are different), and b) brakes (since road and mtb brake cable pull requirements are different - unless your mtb has canti's). In other words if you have/want canti's and only want a double chainset then it is relatively easy.

Otherwise drop bar brake levers (not sti) do exist for V brakes. Similarly one can get thumb/bar-end shifters for the gears. But choice is limited in both cases, and you lose the convenience of having brifters.

Is the mtb feeling like a wheelbarrow because it hasn't got high pressure slicks? Or have you tried a) flipping the stem, b) longer stem, and/or c) bar-ends to give you a more aerodynamic posture?

 

[lulubel]

Do you mean cyclocross? I've never heard of mountain cross.

 

[Cyclist33]

Presumably by "mtbs with drop bars" and no suspension, you mean cyclocross bikes?

Which are more in the spirit of road bikes with off-road tyres than mountain bikes with drop bars.

I strongly suspect the mtb sluggishness you describe is because full off-road tyres make riding on the road sluggish in almost every make and model of tyre. So put some of these on and have done with it...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-ci..._campaign=uk&gclid=CM2owueU8LMCFWbKtAodVWEAXw

 

[Peter88]

+1 for the City Jets the 1.5's are faster but the 1.9's look better on a MTB. The 1.5's also run at a higher pressure 80psi compared to 65psi for the 1.9's. Have used then for 2 years now had 1 p******e and replaced the 1st set 2 weeks ago after wearing them out.

 

[Drago]

I used 1.9 Cityjets thinking that a 242+lb ruder and crisp country roads would make them a necessity but they're total overkill. I'll use the 1.5s next time.

 

[zizou]

I think you may mean monster cross rather than mountain cross. Basically these are mostly like cyclocross bikes with clearance for wider tyres and simply adding drop bars to a mountain bike (particularly a 26er - you might get away with it on a race orientated 29er) isnt going to make it a good ride as the geometry is going to be all wrong.

Try getting some slick tyres and a set of bar ends, that will help you with speed on the road.

 

[Licramite]

Monster cross - thats it. - what the hell is that?

yea I have knobbly tyres on the Mtb I should get a set of Off road/On road tyres
and fit the bar ends, I've fitted my clipless pedals and want to train on those , If I'm going to fall lets make it free from traffic and soft (if not spiky ) just waiting for the ground to dry out or its take the water wings with you.

last foray into the woods . I was carrying the bike past a swamp, slipped, ended up on my bum, the bike dropped and cracking me right on the nose, helmet saved me as I pushed it off it fell back so I head butted it out the way. nose bled like buggery.

 

[oliver]

My monster cross!!! - best non road bike I've ever owned! - not to many compatibility issues if you stick to shimano 9 speed

 

[dan_bo]

old news

 

[Licramite]

Hmmm maybe this is what I,m after , hazard a guess it has 27" wheels 48/42/34 chainring 18gears - or similar

allot of my longer routes pan out at 50/50 track-trail/road so the old Mtb is great for half the job and rubbish for the other half. At present I have to take my tourer/hybred which isn't ideal on the off road bits.

looking on the web it seams the classic monster cross has no suspention , which might be a bit bouncy.

cheers, shall have to check out my local bike shop.

 

[Bodhbh]

Singular do a drop barred MTB - the Gryphon. Also the Peregrine, which you can setup as a 'monster cross' bike with fat knobblies and drops.

http://www.singularcycles.com/shop/index.php/frames/singular-gryphon.html

I had a Peregrine with fat semi-slicks and drops for mixed surface riding, but it was far to big for me and had to get rid of it. Hrmm it's an expensive job sticking drops on a MTB on the off-chance it'll feel better, expecially (for me at least) it will stretch out the reach past what is comfortable. Just got into the LBS and ask for a fitting, or some free advice on the position?

 

[oliver]

If you're in the market for a fully built bike - http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2012_fargo

 

[lulubel]

If you're in the market for a fully built bike - http://salsacycles.com/bikes/2012_fargo

Oooh, nice! Now I've discovered another bike I want for no other reason than because I just want it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

surely a monster cross has 29-er / 700c wheels?

drop bars on 26-er mtbs - I quite like wtb mountain drops, and on-one have some good ones too. They make a lot of sense on paper on 29-er mtbs as they get the weight low on the front end. But they'll always be a bit of an eccentric('s) choice.