Is a mountain bike OK?

Question

I am going to go on a 180 mile, 3 day bicycle trip through Wisconsin on country roads later this month. I have a Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike with "flat" tires rather than the nobby tires and was hoping that could do the job rather than buying a new "road" bike. Wondering what the down side is to riding a mountain bike vs. a road bike?

Answer 1

This bike should be fine. If you have a lot of dirt roads and hills, you will appreciate the wider tires and lower gears. The "slicks" you are running should be ok. You can almost certainly mount a rack to the back if you haven't yet.
The downside is that on flat pavement, you are going to be slower. If you are riding with friends on road bikes, they might have to ride slow so you can keep up. Road bikes are made to go fast-they have higher gearing, larger diameter wheels, and very skinny tires that allow more energy to go into rolling. They might have a rougher rider over dirt roads though...
So overall, if you will have any dirt roads and hills, you will be loving the mountain bike. If it is all flat pavement, you will wish you had a road bike, but you will be able to complete the trip.

Answer 2

A mountain bike will take a lot more effort, and 180 miles is a lot for 3 days. I ride 20 mi. all the time but would think twice about 60 miles in a day. The "flat" tires will help but not much. Good Luck.

Answer 3

In many respects mountain motorcycles are more secure at the roads than avenue motorcycles. I journey each varieties and the thicker tyres on my mountain motorbike leap over ruts and potholes within the avenue that would motive me disorders if I had been driving my avenue motorbike with it is extremely skinny tyres.

Answer 4

I think you can do it, but it will be difficult. See if you can't borrow a friend's road bike.