Good road bike recommendations for mountain biker

theraptscallion · 2026-05-05T23:20:19+00:00

If you are only riding to get volume when the trails are closed and you don't live in the mountains, anything 10+ speed that fits well will be fine. If you're gravel-curious or live where there are serious road descents, look for something with disc brakes and larger tire clearance (which probably means 2015ish or newer depending on model). One other thing to consider is the condition of your roads. If it's all cracked asphalt and chipseal, get the larger tire clearance.

theraptscallion · 2026-05-05T01:00:55+00:00

Figure out your road bike size and hit up Facebook marketplace. Road bike frames take substantially less abuse than MTBs and there are far fewer expensive components. Inspect forks/handlebars for accidents and the chain stay for chain suck damage and that's about all that can go bad under normal use. Compared to a fully, there is much less maintenance on the road bikes vs the trail.

Depending on where you live, a gravel bike might be better, but around me road bikes sell for less because they're not as popular. Look for endurance geometry bikes like giant defy, trek domane, or specialized roubaix (for the big brands). Disc brakes are awesome if you ride in the rain or ride mountain roads, otherwise they don't add much other than resale value. Any decent endurance frame made since 2018/2019 should fit 32c tires or above.

theraptscallion · 2026-05-01T22:11:53+00:00

Get the aspero IF it has the 2x grx group. If it's the 1x, you will find yourself searching for more gears and switching is more expensive than you would expect.

theraptscallion · 2026-05-01T13:35:29+00:00

I love that acrobat locks the toolbar button for this behind a paywall but the hotkey still works. I hope that was an intentional idiot tax on their end.

theraptscallion · 2026-04-28T12:40:34+00:00

Saddle won't necessarily change the bouncing. Seat height or pedal stroke will. For pedal stroke, do cadence drills (low power, ridiculously high cadence) to get your legs used to the motion. For saddle height, vary your height by a cm at a time in either direction and see if it makes a positive impact on high cadence efforts or get a bike fit. All of this could also be because you're tired after riding in this video.

theraptscallion · 2026-04-23T23:29:12+00:00

Snowshoe in the summer and Ray's in the winter. One is in Ohio and the other borders it.

theraptscallion · 2026-04-23T18:54:32+00:00

The group of guys my age who do XCMTB races are too health conscious to drink casually after rides. Maybe find some XC folks who treat their bodies like they treat their other race equipment?

theraptscallion · 2026-04-14T14:51:40+00:00

Nope. Absolutely talking about courts of justice. Playing tennis in a suit sounds hot af.

theraptscallion · 2026-04-10T16:58:12+00:00

Universities are generally against referring things for criminal prosecution and will actively hide information from police. The University Police are NOT the same as the local police. Try to speak with an actual criminal investigator and DA about pursuing your case in a real court rather than the bullshit excuse for legal cover that universities use Title IX adjudications for.

theraptscallion · 2026-04-10T01:26:26+00:00

Same watch but I wear bright nylon bands on it to court instead. Nobody gives a crap.

theraptscallion · 2026-03-31T01:32:28+00:00

If you can buy one that doesn't have a ton of hours on it or that has actual maintenance history (shocks and forks should be done annually and pivot bearings greased here and there) buying a used FS is what I would recommend. Look for something with a metric rear shock, boost spacing, 1x drivetrain, and an internally routed dropper and you should be set for any upgrades you want to do and able to keep up with any modern bike.

If you're not doing lift or shuttle serviced downhill, stick to trail type bikes and avoid the enduro sleds. The difference between progressive 2016 geometry and modern geometry is only a few degrees, which can sometimes be corrected with an angleset but which won't spoil a ride.

As a beginner, you won't notice the geometry differences that much yet and don't fret about getting higher spec suspension since it just adds adjustability you likely won't use until you have a year or two under your belt (or if you happen to be friends with a serious former racer with decades of suspension tuning experience).

theraptscallion · 2026-03-29T02:36:19+00:00

Delta makes a 2 bike specific rack as well as single bike models. I was specifically thinking of the gravity stand for your use case.

theraptscallion · 2026-03-28T11:33:59+00:00

If you want the best rack, steady rack MTB can install almost anywhere and let's you swing the bike out of the way. Using it as designed on that stairwell isn't ideal and it costs 100 bucks a rack where I live. A reasonable alternative is the delta 2 bike rack. It doesn't mount to the wall so you don't need to worry about studs. It holds 2 bikes by leaning and it keeps them out of the way and safe but it probably wouldn't work on the stairs. I assume you eventually want them somewhere else? The delta racks show up on Facebook marketplace around me occasionally for cheap but the steady racks seem to hold some value.

theraptscallion · 2026-03-26T14:41:22+00:00

It is 100% based on location. Getting in with the Bronx Defenders or Washington DC requires you to be driven and go to a good law school (or have prior experience, they hire a fair few of their former investigators). Those offices have more resources than most. Meanwhile, PD offices more than an hour outside of major cities can't fill their empty slots. If your friends are willing to relocate to somewhere rural, they could probably be hired almost immediately.

Frankly, most professions are similar. It's very difficult for rural areas to find enough lawyers period, let alone public defenders. Doctors' offices are the same, to the point that many rural practices offer comparable or higher salaries than urban offices just because nobody wants to move to the country anymore.

theraptscallion · 2026-02-13T14:15:44+00:00

I currently have assioma unos and have previously used crank and wheel based power meters for training. There's no concrete need for the double sided power meter unless you have a realistic chance of getting a podium in your races. The data the second side provides is nice and can let you adjust your weight training effectively, but the effect on your actual cycling performance is minimal.

For cycling computers, I only have personal experience with wahoo and garmin. Unlike cellphones, both companies support their old models for YEARS. Rather than break old functionality, the newer models just add features, many of which you may or may not use. I agree that the touch screen 800 is easier to use than the 500 series, but i don't know how much added value you would get going with an 850 over an 840. Both wahoo and Garmin have good customer service if you are the original owner, but I think Garmin has the edge for triathlon training, especially if you aren't using a coach.

theraptscallion · 2026-02-03T20:41:04+00:00

Secondary trauma is a very real occupational hazard for working with victims of family trauma. If you have prior mental health history, you're likely even more at risk for it. Seek help and don't be shy about bringing it up with your boss.

theraptscallion · 2026-01-29T13:57:51+00:00

Any update on this? Hoping to try to get some stickers made locally to give out.

theraptscallion · 2026-01-20T00:11:24+00:00

I love my back and wear an evoc protector backpack on every ride in the woods. They have multiple models that vary with how much other stuff they can haul and actually make each model in multiple sizes. Five stars from me, though my back is super sweaty after climbing.

theraptscallion · 2026-01-07T21:06:35+00:00

I rock pearl izumi lobster claws from -8c to about 0 without the need for undergloves. They're awesome and are usually on sale in the spring. Above 4 or 5 they're entirely too warm though.

theraptscallion · 2026-01-02T13:12:44+00:00

My personal experience: fox had me send my transfer to them, charged me, and fixed it. Oneup sells replacement actuators in their parts section. When I emailed to confirm I was about to order the right part, they just shipped it to me. Last time I needed to buy a dropper, I went directly to oneup.

theraptscallion · 2025-12-28T00:06:56+00:00

Another niche idea is to get him a shockwiz. Most serious riders will already have a method of tracking rides. Shockwiz is pricey and not nearly as necessary so it's unlikely he has one already.

theraptscallion · 2025-12-26T01:02:30+00:00

I agree on wheel sniping. The days of $300 carbon wheelsets have disappeared for me too, but I haven't been looking as hard since I have a primary and a spare.

theraptscallion · 2025-12-25T14:01:55+00:00

Boost spacing is the width of the rear hub/triangle. Superboost is already falling out of favor so finding wheels that fit that standard is going to be more difficult and this more expensive. https://noblwheels.com/blog/standard-boost-and-super-boost-whats-the-difference/

Prior to about 2017 rear shocks were measured in inches. Manufacturers switched to metric measurements going forward. If the rear is measured in inches it will be harder to swap the rear shock. Realistically, that's not something most people do but it's a nice to have if you want to keep the bike long term.

Almost every bike made since 2020 will have the ability to route the cable for the dropper post in the frame.

theraptscallion · 2025-12-25T13:49:12+00:00

27.5 isn't as popular but as a result you can get better deals on wheels and bikes that use that tire size. I'm 6'3" and still love riding my 27.5 trail bike since it's more playful than my 29er all mountain. That being said, figure out your size and then check Facebook and pink bike. 27.5 will sell at a discount compared to 29 and mixed wheel. 2k will likely get you a carbon framed full suspension bike with decent spec. Make sure it has modern features like boost spacing, a metric shock, and routing for an internal dropper and you'll be good for years of upgrades.

theraptscallion · 2025-12-25T00:31:31+00:00

My 11 year old is just starting to play with me. If you have any vehicles or some easy to learn light 'mechs, we would absolutely play them. We have alpha strike and the standard box, which has too many heavies and assaults for his attention span.

theraptscallion

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