Research question(s)

Good luck finding the right road bike for you! I recently made the transition from my friends mtn bike to buying my own road bike. I was averaging about 16-17mph when i got of the mountain bike and jumped up over 17+mph when i got the road bike. One of the major differences i noticed was the ability to hit higher speeds in a friendly sprints due to the gearing on the bike. The weight reduction by losing 15lbs of bike was noticeable for me too. I could ride a little bit further on the same effort. For longer road rides i really feel like the geometry(shape) of the bike gives a more comfortable ride as well. The seat on a road bike will definitely take some getting used to so just make sure you get some decent shorts and try and ride it out.

I'm sure others would agree with me but seeing you are only 14 you will be outgrowing your bike so keep that into consideration when youre setting a price range. Enjoy riding! 🙂

Hazy said:

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to road biking. I currently am riding my 14 yr old Trek 820 hardtail bike on the road for fitness and enjoyment. I realize this bike is not made for the road but am currently researching road bikes for a possible future purchase.

First off, I am currently averaging 13-15 mph on hilly terrain with distances between 5-20 miles. What jump in average speed could I expect ( with all other things being equal ) with a change to a moderately outfitted road bike.

Next, would the comfort level increase as well?

My goals are to gain fitness levels with consistent rides of between 5-10 miles, at least 1 ride of 20 miles per week, and the occasional whole day leisure ride that takes me just wherever it takes me.

I have used this past spring and summer to get a feel for biking again and to get back into shape. I am not looking into competetive racing but might be interested in joining a club at some point and would like to be able to at least keep up.

Thanks in advance for comments and suggestions

This is a complicated issue but you should expect at least a modest speed increase because you will be riding hills with a lighter bike. OTOH your rides are short so the average is going to be harder to move. As to comfort, it may go down as you adjust to a new riding position... then it should return to normal, assuming you are comfy on your current bike. My suggestion: get a loaner bike from a friend or your local shop and try it out. This is the only way to really know. Good luck!

All things won't be equal since the only two generally static factors are you and maybe the route you ride.
Aerodynamics change as well as rolling resistance and power transfer if you change pedals and shoes.
If you are riding a hardtail with knobbies you can generally see a 2-3 mph gain going to a road bike.