Road training on MB?

i commute on both my mtb and a hybrid. it's about 10-15mins difference in travel time, and i reckon i use about the same effort. i haven't used the road bike for this yet, but it's a far smoother and faster ride than the other two, so i'll wager that i'll be reducing travel time further and with less effort.

flbikergirl said:

Hello all. Currently I am riding my mb on road. I am delaying buying a road bike because I think that when I get the road bike I would be able to go further and faster due to the difficulty and less efficiency of the mb on road. Plus it's not really a good mb and I am buying a good road bike. Also I will be upgrading to clip in pedals. So do you think my theory is correct? Will I be better on the road bike? Even when I do get my road bike would it benefit to continue training with my mb? Currently I am trying to do 30 miles in 2 hours on mixed hills and flat. That is my goal for now. Any advice/suggestions would be great.

Kind of. You'll be faster, but "better" is a subjective term. The energy it takes to move a heavier, less efficient bike is more than what it takes to move a more efficent road bike. There is also the added advantage of aerodynamics on a road bike.

Do you have knobbies or slicks on your MTB? That alone will make a big difference.

Welcome aboard....
L

flbikergirl said:

Hello all. Currently I am riding my mb on road. I am delaying buying a road bike because I think that when I get the road bike I would be able to go further and faster due to the difficulty and less efficiency of the mb on road. Plus it's not really a good mb and I am buying a good road bike. Also I will be upgrading to clip in pedals. So do you think my theory is correct? Will I be better on the road bike? Even when I do get my road bike would it benefit to continue training with my mb? Currently I am trying to do 30 miles in 2 hours on mixed hills and flat. That is my goal for now. Any advice/suggestions would be great.

I don't see any harm in riding an MTB, even if it is for road use. If you use a heart rate monitor to gauge your effort levels, then two hours at 75% MaxHR is the same whether you are on a road bike or an MTB. Work is work. The only difference is you will go faster on the road bike due to aerodynamics, a lower rolling resistance and gearing.

Many riders prefer the feel of a road bike, but it really comes down to one's preference. I like road bikes too, but if for some reason I could only have one bike it would be a hard tail MTB with a couple of wheelsets (one for skinny slicks and one for knobbies). Mountian bikes are extremely versatile. Many on this board have a stable of different bikes for different typs of rides. It's kind of addictive.

Take your time in searching for the right bike. Be sure to get one that is a good fit. You may also be able to find some good sales when the 2007 models come out. Be sure to practice getting in and out of those clipless pedals when you get them. Definitely don't go out on a busy street until you are comfortable with them.

My bike has knobbies. Also I don't use a heart rate monitor I just push until my breathing is more difficult. I have a distance/speed monitor so I try to keep a certain speed throughout the ride. I want to be able to ride with the roadies when I get mine that is why I'm trying to guage the transition.

As doc morbius said riding on a road bike is just as hard as a mountain bike except you go faster. Personally I believe in riding on a slow training bike with same geometry and angles of your race bike, then when you switch to the race bike you will notice the difference between the two and "appreciate" the extra efficiency...and you dont wear out your good bike!

On the other hand if you want to be a faster road biker then ride road bikes! Switching between a mtn bike and a road bike for race day is not a good idea. One word: Injury.

I'm stuck with a dillema like this and I think you can train on any bike because when your training its more about the ammount of effort that goes in than average speed. That said I seem to get more fun out of a road bike so thats what I use but the trouble I find with road bikes is the number of low gears.

Go clipless now! I have found new mountain style clipless pedals for as little as $20 and they'll still be a good choice for road touring when you get your road bike, as opposed to "real" road shoes/pedals.

Maybe it's because I revised my poor pedaling habits at the same time as I got clipless pedals, but it seems you train different when you got 'em- a better workout for your hams especially when climbing or sprinting.

Plus, it's just fun on an MTB... you double your power, at least until oxygen debt kicks in and you have to catch your breath.

flbikergirl said:

My bike has knobbies. Also I don't use a heart rate monitor I just push until my breathing is more difficult. I have a distance/speed monitor so I try to keep a certain speed throughout the ride. I want to be able to ride with the roadies when I get mine that is why I'm trying to guage the transition.

The more I ride the less I worry about how getting better at riding on the road might affect my abilities on the trail or vice versa. One thing I'm learning is that improvement is mostly about the miles/km/time spent riding.

You can improve at cycling for years and years. Your body doesn't seem to care much what type of cycling you do. Any type of cycling accrues benefit to your performance on all your bikes.

Get the road bike when you're ready. In the mean time ride the MTB. When you do take the RB plunge you'll be amazed at the differences.

I liked the clipless pedal suggestion it makes it feel more road like and they will transfer to your road bike once you get one. Plus MTB's accesories like commuter semislicks, fenders, racks panniers, studded snow tires etc really make it a blast....A road bike will make it easier to go for rides with people who are serious cyclists or at least semiserious and thats a motivator but if you have plenty of motivation without a road bike thats great.

You WILL have to buy clipless pedals sooner or later, I think the low end road bikes come with platforms or clips & straps, and high end bikes don't come with pedals a-tall.