Mountain bike too slow!

[Stuartaw11]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[sabian92]

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]

20mph on the flat on an old MTB?

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

 

[Stuartaw11]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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!