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If you want to get a suitable bicycle these days, you have to be ready to open your wallet and spend a little generously. This sacrifice is usually a necessary price to pay, considering the joy and benefits of cycling. However, after cyclers have made their first purchase, they might be more reluctant to buy another bike. This problem often occurs with different types of cycles and the kind of cycling they enjoy. For example, if I love road biking and then all of a sudden, I feel like mountain biking, my bike may not be able to make the journey, and I will have to miss out on the fun of mountain biking. Likewise, if I enjoy mountain biking and use a mountain bike, it might be complex for me to use that same bike on the road. However, except you are flushed with cash, you cannot purchase two bikes for dual purposes. If you are a mountain biker with a mountain bike, you would be happy to know that you can ride your bike on the road now and then. All you have to do is follow these essential tips that we have outlined for you below. Cheers!
Essential tips to note when taking your mountain bike on the road
Obey all traffic laws
When you want to put your mountain bike on the road, you have unique advantages. The bike is built to be rugged and robust. This means you can easily dodge potholes and even withstand them if you come in contact with these obstacles. This can lead to speeding or riding too adventurously. You could hurt yourself or someone else in this process. If you are taking your mountain bike on the road, you must follow all traffic laws and ride responsibly.
Adjust your seat and handlebar height
Mountain bikes are built for rugged terrains, and everything is optimized to help you ride aggressively and remain in control. The seat and handlebar of your mountain bike are designed with an aggressive stance, and this is because you need to take sharp turns quickly and move your body around easily. However, this will be counter-productive for road biking. You need to sit high and relax when you are road biking. This position will allow you to see the ride better and enjoy the scenery. When you want to take your mountain bike on the road, make sure you adjust your set and handlebar height by raising it higher. This will allow you to ride more comfortably.
Replace your tires
If you plan to take your mountain bike on the road once or twice, you can ignore this tip. However, if you plan to take it on the road regularly, you should replace the tires with road bike tires. Mountain bikes are made with rugged tires that can withstand the rugged bike trails, and they can soak up muddy dirt and remain effective. However, they will not do very well on the road. Therefore, if you want to enjoy your road journey with this bike, it is best to purchase slick road bike tires.
Adjust your shocks
Mountain bikes are uniquely designed for harsh terrains, and when something is not being used for its original purpose, it will not work as effectively. If you plan to go road biking with a mountain bike, you need to adjust a few things, including the shock absorption. The tires on mountain bikes are designed for rough, bumpy trails, and they are infused with many shock absorbers. When you are riding on the road, your bike does not need to have much bike absorption, and you would feel a bit uncomfortable riding this kind of bike. If you want to take your road bike on the road, you should adjust your suspension to be a little stiffer.
Ride happily
Mountain bikes might be a little funny on the road, and you might be pushed to feel a little awkward. This should not be the case. When you put your mountain bike on the road, you should ride happily and safely until you get to your destination.
Don’t adjust for temporary use
If you plan to use your mountain bike as a permanent road bike, you would want to adjust a couple of things on your bike permanently. However, if you’re going to quickly grab something down at the shop, you don’t need to adjust your bike.
Conclusion
You should not limit yourself to only one form of biking simply because your bike is not built for it. Mountain bikers can retrofit their mountain bikes with the proper guidance and adjustments to fit road movement and ride smoothly. If you want to ride on the road with your mountain bike, you should follow the essential tips outlined above. Cheers!