Viewing 40 posts - 81 through 120 (of 125 total)
  • Why am I not enjoying the Dark side?
  • molgrips
    Free Member

    Cos it’s simpler? It’s not automatically better exercise cos there’s tarmac in it.

    mindmap3
    Free Member

    I don’t get the one is better than the other attitude, what I have found is that mixing it up keeps both fresh and interesting although if the trails are dry and dusty I’ll normally grab the MTB if I have time.

    I’ve found that the road bike has got me fitter because there’s much less coasting and because it kept me riding when the trails were trashed. They’re also bloody fast which is fun.

    samuri
    Free Member

    I like it all me. Road, touring, CX, MTB. I’m awesome at all of them.

    That’s why I’m awesome though, because I embrace them all instead of thinking one is better than the other. You’ll all always be rubbish if you don’t do that.

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    DT78
    Free Member

    Yeah, if your training plan involves constant HR or power efforts. If you want a series of short max efforts then I reckon MTB is actually better.

    It contains both, interval stuff is probably most effective on the turbo…but super dull. I prefer intervals on the road

    In fact most of my low effort endurance sessions are done on the mountain bike. I find it very very hard to ride slow on a ride bike. Bimbling along for 3 hours at z2 on the mountain bike looking at the scenary and concentrating on tech/line choice much easier.

    Horse for courses, but majority of people I know who are primarily mountain bikers and have started road riding have seen significant gains in fitness (and therefore race results…)

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Roadies are bikers that can’t MTB.

    I resemble that remark.

    But seriously embrace both. MTB’ing is a welcome break from the road for me, I have to have a fix each week.
    Next week I’ve got another road race, and three days later a 3hour XC race, it’s great.

    Clover
    Full Member

    I went on a weeks road bike riding in Spain. I loved being able to do 80 – 120 km per day – ‘wow, we went that far on the map’ kind of thing. But by the end of the week I was missing being on my mountain bike – not how you ride but what you see. I decided it was about scale – on trails you see all sorts of smaller things; the texture of the trail, trailside oddities, little things that stick in your mind. And you also get great views. On the road, it’s all the bigger picture.

    I don’t mind road riding and will do if I need to go further afield but I decided that I prefer the granularity of mountain biking.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    We rode up Pudsey Road/Pudding Lane tonight – 😐
    There was PLENTY of time to admire the views 😀

    I don’t mind road riding and will do if I need to go further afield but I decided that I prefer the granularity of mountain biking.

    I know what you mean, but sometimes, road riding is just the best way to see somewhere – Angelsey, for example, or the Llyn – the back roads help you to get a feel of the place like little else can.

    Cycling on main roads is something I only do to get to work.
    But backroad pootles can be done on the same ‘scale’ as a trail ride.
    At least at the speeds we go anyway. 🙂

    I don’t really think I have that much of a different a mindset between the different disciplines, tbh.

    endurancenut
    Free Member

    Cos it’s simpler? It’s not automatically better exercise cos there’s tarmac in it.

    The reason they do is that it is much easier to target specific training intensities when doing tempo and interval efforts. Get yourself a power meter and you’ll soon realize how hopeless trying to target specific zones are when riding off-road.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    OP I haven’t spotted this mentioned yet but setup on a roadie really really matters. About 3 weeks back I made a fundamental set up change and I am now faster, comfier and enjoying it ten times more.

    I ride solo mostly to take in the views and for the pleasure of riding. Climbing, flat, descending all good. I ride hard enough it feels like i am driving the pedals hard but not blood vessel busting.

    Fwiw I ride a £550 road bike with the addition of a rolls saddle and £50 worth of conti tyres (25mm) and it feels just fine for my kind of riding.

    Setup wise I have saddle a long way back and relatively low and a decent long reach with bars raised so the drop isnt too much. This is a comfy position for getting and staying on top of a moderate gear for me. Put out 60-90rpm i would guess.

    I.am not an expert at all just as a returning to road rider i wondered if my experience might help.

    The thing I like most about road riding is that feeling of smooth rhythm, silent progress and rush of scenery.

    garage-dweller
    Full Member

    ^^^ i really love my mtb too and i want a touring bike in the collection soon. Basically riding a bike is almost the best thing ever. Only my family and closest friends can bring more joy (although not the same peace and quiet).

    molgrips
    Free Member

    The reason they do is that it is much easier to target specific training intensities when doing tempo and interval efforts. Get yourself a power meter and you’ll soon realize how hopeless trying to target specific zones are when riding off-road.

    Got a power meter, spent several years using it too. It has its place in a training programme, but I was never able to put the same intensity in on road as off. Road helped my endurance because I was training with power, but it did nothing for my speed really. Both are very important for an MTBer imo.

    Rockplough
    Free Member

    Road makes you better at MTB makes you better at road makes you better at MTB…

    etc.

    It’s all bikes and each one brings benefits to the others. I’ve even taken low speed balance/trackstanding skills from riding fixed-gear into MTB.

    stanfree
    Free Member

    Only read the first page of replies so dont know what has been typed. I bought a road bike after a broken collar bone last year purely for fitness. It’s been a revelation to be honest and has helped my mountain biking and definately my fitness.
    I suppose it depends upon where you live but try making routes on bike toaster and find big hills and see how far you can push yourself. Im lucky that I can cycle down to the Scottish borders which are as good for road biking as they are mountain biking.
    I do most of my road biking alone as like to explore and push on climbs whilst I see mountain biking as a more social thing.

    At the end of the day It’s all bikes.

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    They always know the best cake stops.

    Not always, they know some of the cheapest. The most popular cafe round here serves dire cakes made with cheap margarine. I avoid it like the plague.

    What was most interesting last week was being told “it’s a roadie only cafe mate” when I arrived scratched and bleeding! It was quiet fun listening to the bigging up of the 40 mile ride they were on while I sipped coffee and contemplated the next 35 miles of my 50 plus ride for the day. They were having fun as was I and all was good with the world. (The RAF did a flypast for me too a little later on before going on to bother a rich pensioner in London).

    sheepdip71
    Free Member

    Binners, your reply cheered me up no end on a horrible night shift.

    antigee
    Full Member

    1.5 hours pedalling with a load of chat, faff, gate, style and other stops.

    a bit of grooming maybe?

    globalti
    Free Member

    You need to find a riding buddy who is a little faster than you and very competitive, then you can go out on a summer’s evening and race the balls off each other for 90 minutes coming home absolutely beasted and very satisfied. Racing another rider makes road riding fun; it’s all about drafting, tactics and attacking hills.

    Once you’ve got your fitness built up club rides or Sunday coffee shop rides will be more enjoyable as you’ll be cruising along, chatting and enjoying the scenery.

    …..and yes, my buddy can beat me up hills but down hills I’m waaay faster thanks to my 22 years of mountain bike experience.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    That’s not intrinsic to mtbing or road biking

    shall we have a vote on people’s experiences of group riding on road and off?
    IME
    MTB group ride = someone drives into the car park 10mins after advertised ride start time, lots of piss/snack stops, stop at top of each hill to drop saddles and set suspension to squishy mode, stop at bottom to compare notes and reset saddle and suspension and generally a faffathon thoughout.
    road = leave on time, only stop for red lights and cake.
    And of course bigger groups make for faster road rides but slower mtb.
    Obviously depends on who you ride with but from all the bike blogs and articles I’ve read over the years that seems to be the case generally.

    Yes riding solo you can push yourself to ride hard no matter what sort of riding you’re doing but I find road to be much more conducive to flogging your guts out.

    antigee – Member

    1.5 hours pedalling with a load of chat, faff, gate, style and other stops.

    a bit of grooming maybe? spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    spell check is not the same as proof reading
    😳

    roverpig
    Full Member

    I find, like most things in life, it goes in cycles. Up until last year I’d ridden almost exclusively on the road for at least ten years. Mainly because the rigid steel MTBs that I was riding 15-20 years ago had stopped being fun for me. Last year I got back into off-road riding, on nice modern bikes and now the road bike hardly gets a look in. I dare say it will change again though.

    Mind you, despite doing at least 2-3 off-road rides for every road ride I’m still probably what some people would call an off-road roadie. I enjoy the physical challenge of a climb at least as much as the mental challenge of a descent.

    Funnily enough, given the comments above, I find that it is the off-road riding that has really helped my road riding. I think they tend to target different things though. Road, with its constant efforts, is good for aerobic fitness, but trying to muscle a 30lb full suss bike up a steep climb really helps your strength (as long as you don’t just get off and push when things get tough of course).

    molgrips
    Free Member

    ‘swhat I’m sayin innit. There are some really steep roads down here in the valleys but the trails are far steeper still!

    DezB
    Free Member

    Apparently you can get something that counts your cadence.
    WOW! Imagine how exciting it will be then! 😀

    _tom_
    Free Member

    And you don’t have to spend a fortune, my carbon sram force rose cost £1800

    erm… 😕

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    fat pie eaters who can’t go up hill without uplift or getting off the bike

    Oi, I resemble that remark!

    S’all bikes innit. When I ride (my road bike) on the road, its for a bit of a spin, out in the country. Not looking to set any world records or make myself sick, but like getting to the top of hills so I can raz down them. MTB wise I hate climbing but put up with it for the descents/singletrack/jumps

    davidjey
    Free Member

    ‘Sportives’ are not racing – they are Audaxes for fantasists with too much money

    I ride the occasional audax and the occasional sportive (no prizes for guessing which are more fun). Do you mind if I get this put on a T Shirt?

    And you don’t have to spend a fortune, my carbon sram force rose cost £1800

    To echo Tom, your idea of a fortune differs to mine! Road riding is a great leveller tho, equipment counts for a lot less. Bloke I rode with on Saturday is fast as anything on a ten year old Trek that cost £500 new.

    dirtygirlonabike
    Free Member

    Got a power meter, spent several years using it too. It has its place in a training programme, but I was never able to put the same intensity in on road as off. Road helped my endurance because I was training with power, but it did nothing for my speed really. Both are very important for an MTBer imo.

    You just weren’t trying hard enough then on the road!! 😛

    Join a club, learn how to chaingang and race = most fun you can have on a road bike. Ever. 8)

    cookeaa
    Full Member

    I just like cycling, and there are all sorts of forms of cycling.

    Some days a head down charge for a KOM on your road bike suit your mood, sometimes a bimble, other times a long XC ride and at other times booking on an uplift and having a day of DH.

    If you cannot find any enjoyment in riding a road bike whether bimbling or racing then just jack it in… life’s too short to be miserable

    molgrips
    Free Member

    You just weren’t trying hard enough then on the road!!

    Believe me, I was. My point is that using HR or power means picking a particular level and a time and working at that. For me, at least, ignoring the power and just attacking it was a lot more productive in speed terms. Of course this is possible on the road, but it tends not to happen when you’re out for a longer spin. However when MTBing, if you are going for it, it happens all the time. Around me almost every MTB climb requires you to really batter yourself simply to keep going.

    I find this is a lot more natural off-road, and consequently I get better quality high intensity training.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Around me almost every MTB climb requires you to really batter yourself simply to keep going

    wish I had some local trails like that, whenever we go to the lakes or other big hill places I’m jiggered coz I’m not used to constantly redlining just to keep moving.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I should add most of mine are short, so the efforts are anaerobic. I have to go 10 or 20 miles to get long slogs.

    binners
    Full Member

    I live half way up a hill with a 25% gradient. Bikes without granny rings get pushed

    This thread has made me reappraise my opinion of roadies generally though.

    Previously I’d assumed they were all humourless, pompous, self-important, masochistic pedants, able to suck the joy out of any situation. To take a fun, celebratory and spontaneous activity, and stamp up and down on its head with mindless rules, and irrational etiquette, until its very spirit lies beaten and bleeding in the gutter.

    To spend their weekends Obsessing over utterly meaningless performance figures, and miniscule weight differences. Who dress unashamedly like circus clowns whose outfits have shrunk in the wash. And beast themselves senseless, like a benedictine monk who has been caught with a hooker, for no other good reason than they could never really accept that they weren’t ever going to be a tour winner, yet deep down there’s a horrible realisation dawning in the yawning void where their soul should be.

    How wrong I was 😉

    jamiea
    Free Member

    Give riding at night a try, I rode 18 miles to the pub and back last night. It gives a different dimension to it, I felt it ‘flowed’ more and I was able to keep a more constant cadence.

    Average speed wasn’t too much different (considering I’d commuted 12 miles earlier and had 3 pints and a gert big dinner in the pub!)- 18.6 going out and 17.7 coming home. I’d recommend a decent light tho, a commuter light with half dead batteries doesn’t quite cut the mustard!

    Cheers,
    Jamie

    no_eyed_deer
    Free Member

    @ binners 😆

    ransos
    Free Member

    I find this is a lot more natural off-road, and consequently I get better quality high intensity training.

    Professional XC mtbers train on the road. I expect they know something about what works best for fitness.

    Anyway, like cookeaa says, it’s all cycling so it’s all good. I like fast road blasts, I like Sunday pootles with a cafe stop, I like touring across the country, I like blasting man-made mtb then going to the pub, I like exploring bridleways, I like track riding…

    wors
    Full Member

    Anyway, like cookeaa says, it’s all cycling so it’s all good. I like fast road blasts, I like Sunday pootles with a cafe stop, I like touring across the country, I like blasting man-made mtb then going to the pub, I like exploring bridleways, I like track riding…

    You’ve stolen my identity you bastard 😆

    ransos
    Free Member

    I live half way up a hill with a 25% gradient. Bikes without granny rings get pushed

    Only if you’re fat and lazy. 😉

    binners
    Full Member

    Guilty as charged your honour

    nickc
    Full Member

    I generally have to drive for decent MTB so the roadie is a great ‘ from the door’ solution for me, also on days were the conditions are going to be so shit, you just can’t face off road, then generally speaking roadie can be a ‘cleaner’ alternative, plus where else could I work on my nickc wins the TdF again fantasies!! LOL.

    I sort of know where Molly and dirty girl are coming from, I’ve got off road climbs that are instant redline, but Molly if you can’t get a proper ‘vomit-on’ on a road bike, then you ain’t pushing hard enough

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Get seriously into “training” only if you want to suck all the fun out of (any form of) cycling.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Professional XC mtbers train on the road. I expect they know something about what works best for fitness.

    Yep, but I bet they don’t ONLY train on road.

    My point was that riding on road doens’t automatically make you fitter just because it’s road. Quality training of the type you need is what makes you fitter.

    Molly if you can’t get a proper ‘vomit-on’ on a road bike, then you ain’t pushing hard enough

    Road generally means longer hills that are less steep. So I get more leg pain and less exploding chest, if you want to put it in laymans terms 🙂

    mrmo
    Free Member

    Get seriously into “training” only if you want to suck all the fun out of (any form of) cycling.

    define fun. Some people enjoy racing.

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