tech@auvax.UUCP (Richard Loken) (07/26/84)
urp I spoke to a lad at my favourite Edmonton bike shop (High Country) a year or so ago....he said his mountain bike is five minutes slower to work (10-15 km or so I think). His boss and owner of same shop keeps telling me how much I need one (I agree but my wallet doesn't) - he has taken his up stairs with up to three steps....I guess we need a four -oops two - wheel drive model for longer stairs. They appear to be good in traffic and would be great in this mountainous gravel pile. Richard Loken
atb@ncsu.UUCP (Andrew T Brown) (07/27/84)
>
YES! I have been riding a ROSS Mt. Hood all
terrain bike back and forth to school for about
4 months now, and I think it's the best thing
to happen to bicycles since the rubber tire.
Although admitedly my bike is bottom of the line,
the loss of efficiency is not that great. On
my trek to good ole NC State I have to cross 6
railroad tracks. In the old days I'd almost
stop to cross them, but now I just fly over them.
It's great. I remember reading in Bicycling
magazine that mountain bikes were about %10 slower.
I forget how they got their figures. They have
had a couple of really good articles on Mountain
bikes over the last year. I recomend reading them
if you are interested in buying a bike.
My bike only weighs 33 lbs (arg!); however, more
expensive bikes weigh on the order of 27 lbs. My
roomate has a Fuji (something or another) and to
be honest I can barely tell the difference in
handling and feel (Hell, to save $200 I'd nearly
walk).
You can also use your bikes off road too! (now
there's a novel idea). I have taken several all
day trips on cross country ski trails in Virginia.
Remember, the difference between riding on trails and
riding on the road is the same as hiking on trails
versus hiking on the road. I prefer woods and
trails and all of that good stuff.
Damn, didn't mean to write this much.
decvax!mcnc!atb@ncsunrh@inmet.UUCP (08/02/84)
I've had a Miyata Ridge-runner for a while now, and am very happy with it as a commuting bike. The handlebar arrangement on mountain bikes gives you considerably more power when you roll over a rock or something, and the ability to bump through a pothole (as opposed to riding around them and into the middle of the road) makes life a lot safer on Massachusetts roads. I'm REALLY looking forward to riding in winter....