Roadies

mtnbiker5

mtnbiker5

Active Member
Hi all. I know this is a mtn bike site however I'm just curious to know how many of you have a road bike and if so how often you ride. I mtn bike at least 4 days a week in ringwood, muchy, LM however I'm seriously considering taking the plunge on a road bike just to break things up. I dont want to start a new thread on types of bikes to buy, where to ride, etc. I'm just curious to see how many roadies there are here. Thanks.
 
There are many people on this site with Road bikes.
I am one of them.....

This is what I just got...

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Road riding is riding. In fact an hour road riding will more often than not, do more for your mt biking than an hour of mt biking.

Get one.


Some aspects of road riding can suck, but in the end it will make you stronger and faster in the woods.
 
mtnbiker5 said:
Thanks guys. One more question, during the summer months, how often would you say you road ride?
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Personally, I use my road bike in the summer only when the trails are swamped out from heavy rain. Given a choice between road or dirt, the trails win every time.

Many others in this forum will disagree.
 
mtbdawgJeff said:
Given a choice between road or dirt, the trails win every time.
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I agree. Since I got my Top Fuel last year I hardly ride my rode bike much. I commute to work a few times a month, but now that I got a better light I'm looking to try a commute more to work.
 

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I love both, road and MTB. When you ride on the road, you have to worry about car and other hazards. When riding on the trails not that much to worry about other than the norm. Lose rocks, horses and people who are walking or running on the trail. Oh and a ninja or a bear...😀
 
We also do both road and trail. On the road we sometimes ride singles but mostly the tandem. On the trail the tandem is the bike of choice. We enjoy the road much more with a group. On the trail we don't mind riding by ourselves but a group is also fun. Lately our milage has been about 60% trail and 40% road. I agree with J that the consistency of road riding would definately help your trail riding fitness.
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem
 
I agree w/ Jdog. I started road riding last summer and noticed big improvements in my mtn biking. Since I have to drive a bit to get to most of the parks in this state it was easier for me to walk out my front door and jump on the road bike a couple times a week after work and ride the mtn bike during the weekend.
 
On average, probably a third of my training is on the road. But that can be misleading - my training on volume on the road as a percentage of total riding is probably informed more by how late into the night I am riding off-road. I may do an off-road ride for six hours and finish by 11 or midnight -- there's no way I can do that on the road. So if I ride two days a week on the road, it's still not as much as a single ride off-road. But depending on how often I am racing, what kind of races I'm doing and the time of the season, it can be quite a bit more. I know there are a lot of opinions on this, but I find that for me, road riding is better training when you need training volume and I sometimes go out for a day-long road ride on a weekend in the spring even if the trails are calling. It doesn't beat your body up nearly as much so you can do it day after day. I really enjoy riding on the road in good weather, but if I have to train in slop and rain, i'll always do that off-road.
 
Jdog is always right, so buy one and make sure you get properly fitted. I took the plunge last year for my fitness after much internal debate. When I ride, I ride with my mtb friends and it is almost as much fun as riding dirt. I didn't think it would be, but it is....there, I said it. I still feel like Happy Gilmore though, I'm a mountain biker who rides the road with baggy shorts and visored helmet. 🙂
Have fun, that's the most important part.
 
RonC said:
When riding on the trails not that much to worry about other than the norm.
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I wouldn't worry much about Norm, he's gentle.

But seriously, get a road bike or a cross bike or something you can ride when the trails are in this current state. Your fitness will improve, you will see new places, and it will make you love your mtb even more.
 
mtnbiker5 said:
I mtn bike at least 4 days a week in ringwood, muchy, LM however I'm seriously considering taking the plunge on a road bike just to break things up.
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Getting a road bike will help you make gains in mtbing.

I used to mtb 4-5 days a week, after awhile it beat me up and my riding flattened out and even regressed. Riding a road bike will not only break things up mentally but allows you to put in volume with regards to aerobic & anaerobic capacity without burning you out...if done properly.
 
gt2brew said:
Jdog is always right, so buy one and make sure you get properly fitted. I took the plunge last year for my fitness after much internal debate. When I ride, I ride with my mtb friends and it is almost as much fun as riding dirt. I didn't think it would be, but it is....there, I said it. I still feel like Happy Gilmore though, I'm a mountain biker who rides the road with baggy shorts and visored helmet. 🙂
Have fun, that's the most important part.
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Yes but the helmet helped with the storm last year....
I do both also they compliment each other quite well...
 
Riding road will help your mountain biking tremendously. Can't emphasize that enough. I've never broken it apart but I spend significantly more time on the road than in the woods for sure. Usually I can only get into the woods twice a week so the rest is road. However, even though I'm on the road, I still spend most of my time on the mountain bike. Last year of the 6,500 miles I did, over 4,000 of them were on the mountain bike:popcorn:

-Jim.
 
I will complicate things here a bit by introducing an additional variable:

Up until this fall I never biked on roads nor owned a road bike. In preparation for the snow and with the intention of reducing my injury to fitness level, I bought a new bike that I have been very happily been using on the roads for a couple months now, the twist here is that the bike I bought and could not be happier with is a cross bike not a road bike.

Pros:
- Will happily ride on dirt roads/fire roads as well as paved roads.
- VERY forgiving on poorly maintained paved roads even with 32c tires

Cons:
- Less existing inventory I would assume means higher $$$ for new/used bike.

The 2010 Specialized Tricross I have has worked out great, hitting the roads has pushed me in terms of cardio and leg strength.

PS: Longer term I need to determine if the 2x10 gearing ( rather than 3x10 ) low gear is low enough for overall comfort on big hills ( 34Front->27Rear ) but right now it makes for a great workout and gets my ass out of the saddle on any real gradient.
 
Long time roadie with a stable of road and cross bikes. Most of my riding is on the road, and I plan to ride (1st yr back to a mtb) in the winter and fall.

A cross bike is a great all-rounder. You can ride many trails around here on it with knobbies, fire roads and fast road rides (with a set of slick tires). Many come with eyelets for fenders and racks, so it can do light touring as well.

You can also get studded cross tires and ride on winter roads without worry about black ice. I just got a single speed/fixed All-City cross bike (http://allcitycycles.com/bikes/nature_boy1/) for winter riding, as it is easier to clean. Plus I have a Giant TCX, Serotta Cross and Kish Titanium cross/tour.

Competitive Cyclist had a nice new Ridley Crosswind frameset (aluminum with carbon fork) for $499 but the only sizes left are 54 and 56cm. Nearly every mfr makes a cross bike these days.
 
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Roadie

I think this is why I get smoked on the trails by guys on SS bikes. They gotta be road riding as well. I remember this rider last year who was so fast on his mtn bike he was almost non human. Told me after I ran into him in parking lot he trains alot on a roadbike. Lbs by me carries Specialized. Sweet rides indeed. I'll wait til some of this snow melts to demo a few. Thanks everyone, appreciate the feedback.:cry:
 
Get a road bike, you will see gains in speed and endurance must faster than just riding the mtb alone. Careful though, the convience of the road bike addicting. Even though I don't get on the mtb nearly enough, when I do get out there, I can concentrate on riding and not my lungs and legs exploding.
 
stb222 said:
Get a road bike, you will see gains in speed and endurance must faster than just riding the mtb alone. Careful though, the convience of the road bike addicting. Even though I don't get on the mtb nearly enough, when I do get out there, I can concentrate on riding and not my lungs and legs exploding.
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I will agree much faster is a must....😉
 
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