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HI I have a mtb that fits me well and is approximate 635mm to the center of the handle bar or where the stem face plate joins to the stem.
my question is
should my road bike hoods be at the same length as my mtb grips or should the flats be at the same distance ie 635mm making a longer stretch to the hoods.
Most folk will want to be longer and lower, few do direct comparisons like this...get sizing advice here or ideally from a shop (or are you buying online).
Neither; probabably somewhere in between.
In my fairly extensive experience, there's no correlation between mountain bike fit and road bike fit. I don't even have my seat the same height!
They are two completely different tools for completely different jobs. If you are a serious XC racer there may be some similarity but otherwise not.
It also depends what you want to use the road bike for. Setting up for commuting or leisure riding would be different to a set up for racing. If you want to do it properly, book in for a real bike fit. This costs a bit but at least you'll know its all set up to be as efficient and comfortable as possible.
Or like me, read a few articles, use some general experience, and be peaceful in the fact you don't know any better 😀
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Depends on what type of mtb riding you are doing? I don't agree with 40mpg that there is so correlation. When training for 24 hour solo mtb races, I do a lot of training on the road bike, so when I jump on my 29er HT on race day, I want it to feel as similar to my road bike as possible. Saddle height is most important to dial in, after that the handlebar reach and height are pretty important as long as they feel vaguely similar. I got my road and mtb both fitted so that they feel similar, but can't remember the measurements. You probably want the reach on the mtb to be somewhere between the hoods and the bars.
Yes, depends on loads of things. I've never really done any correlation on mine, and fit is something that is always evolving anyway.
My road reach is considerably longer than xc, which again is longer than trail bike. But then my road bars are 40cm wide and I'm constantly trying to push the position longer and lower for better aero. My XC bars are I think about 62cm and my trail wider still. And you need to be able to do things with your body on an mtb that you just wouldn't do on a road bike, so a more upright position is needed. So wider bars, more upright position needed, your reach is going to be considerably less.
Even saddle height and whatever the distance between the vertical through the BB and saddle is called, will likely be different. My mtb will be more setup for climbing and getting in and out of the saddle a lot. So likely a more forward saddle position. Distance from saddle to bb is about the same On the xc and road bike, but less on the trail bike as I run flats and like a bit more weight on the pedals.
So, all different 🙂
If you're all new to road then get someone who knows their stuff to do you a fit on a jig so you have some basic measurements, then buy a bike that suits.
So likely a more forward saddle position
Really? I think mine are both fairly similar (29er HT versus road bike), but horses for courses and all that.
Yeah just seems to have evolved that way. I guess on xc mtb I'm in and out the saddle a lot, climbs are steeper, cadence generally a bit lower too, all that seems to have resulted in a more forward saddle position. I doubt it's hugely different, I've not actually measured it.
Seat tubes generally seem to be a bit steeper on xc bikes than road bikes too (from a quick random sample!) so maybe that's not too surprising.
Purchased online. my riding is just slow wanderings around the country side with some tow path bridleway thrown in bike is a PX London road and i find the most comfy position is on the corners of the bars behind the hoods which roughly corresponds to my xc bike on the grips 540mm EFTT and a 90 mm stem zero rise but a lot of spacers under it.
getting a fit is not possible unless i find an English speaking bike shop.
I've found effective top tube plus stem length pretty close for both my road bike and mtb. Because being forward on the hoods feels only a little more leaning forward than on my wide mtb bars.
For example my top tube on my mtb is 610mm and I run a 40mm stem. Giving 650mm.
I like a 580mm and 80mm stem on my road bike. (It's mainly for commuting tho).