Is this a crazy idea???

[Smurf]

So, I'm thinking about riding the MS150 next year....but I don't really want to invest in a roadie. Is it insane to think about throwing slicks on my Hardrock and riding that, or should I just suck it up and buy something with skinny tires?

[Trevize1138]

So, I'm thinking about riding the MS150 next year....but I don't really want to invest in a roadie. Is it insane to think about throwing slicks on my Hardrock and riding that, or should I just suck it up and buy something with skinny tires?

Not crazy at all. Plenty of folks do just that and sometimes intentionally because they're more comfortable on their mountain frame anyway.

[Kosk]

I heard Thor rode it on his old SC Bullit with a Jr.T fork and Hookworms once, doing a wheelie the whole way.

[shourtt]

In the past I have seen untrained folks riding the trail with those Target full suspension bikes that weight 50+ lbs. If they were in reasonable shape, they made it with little problems. While others would have certainly benefited from a lighter bike.

Most mountain bikes are not badly suited for the ride. I have ridden twice with a Hardrock sporting nobbies tires. Which bike you ride will depend on the pace you want to keep and if you get into a good pace line.

[syntaxjunkie]

I rode it on a rigid Raleigh mountain-bikish thing with skinny tires and had no trouble at all. You give up a little wheelbase to the folks on the road machines, but unless you're in a crew of leg-shavers that's pushing the pace all day long, you should be fine.

If you don't have 'em, I'd invest in some bar ends to give yourself some flexibility with hand positions. And if your current saddle leaves you bowlegged after a few miles in the dirt, you'll definitely want to throw on something more ergonomically forgiving.

[Pandl]

I put slicks on my Rockhopper before I had a road bike for a few years on the MS150. Also did the IronMan that way a few years.

[msquire311]

I rode this for the first time this year and will be riding again next year. There are surely people of all fitness and equipment levels. There was a guy in a pace line I was in riding a FS bike with knobby tires and platform pedals. He was having to do twice the work to keep up but he managed. You should be fine if you put some slicks on your mountain bike clipless pedals would help a lot too. Road bike is really nice however with a gel seat!!

[msquire311]

Oh, and I saw a few nuts riding SS road bikes there. With the wind and hills I don't know how they finished. They must be couriers or something. Or in much better shape than I.

[Smurf]

Thanks for the advice guys.....I guess I'm making the wife buy me clipless pedals and shoes for Xmas.....

[Paul Swenson]

Someone over on roadbikereview was asking kind of the samething:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=106802

Its been about 25 years since I did this ride but you'll be fine. They have sag wagons and lots of other assistance.

[stoneage]

Some of my friends did it on fixies. They saw a guy on a 20". Another guy rode a tandem, solo.

[steef]

Some of my friends did it on fixies. They saw a guy on a 20". Another guy rode a tandem, solo.
Ditto. I went on a Taylor's falls camping trip ride with a few of my fixie friends that rode it.

[Pandl]

I saw the guy on a tandem solo. He lost his wife to MS last year, and had a sign on the second seat for all the friends he has lost to MS.

[Cars-R-Coffins]

Is it insane to think about throwing slicks on my Hardrock and riding that

I have seen this plenty of times on the MS 150, make sure to get a gel seat.

[Rooster]

i rode the TRAM on an old diamond back sorento with fat tires, did that twice, once when i was 11 once when i was 12, ms150 you should be fine

[charliebrown]

Oh, and I saw a few nuts riding SS road bikes there. With the wind and hills I don't know how they finished. They must be couriers or something. Or in much better shape than I.

I am planning on doing it next year on a SS road bike... I am just worried about raising the money...