Tell me about … Roadie-ing

So, one slightly overweight mountain biker who rides very infrequently (and with a distinctly DH bias) has finally bought a road bike.

It’s also signed up for a charity coast to coast ride over 2 days.

So..

Will I get beaten with a carbon seat post if I wear baggies while out on the seemingly humiliating cheap road bike?

How do I go about trying SPD’s again without breaking an ankle

What sort of milage should I start off attempting (around the dark peak)

Where the flip do roadies stuff tubes, tools, food and waterproofs?!

Is there such thing as a truly “friendly” cycle club who might tolerate someone slow and beginner ish?

Is my bike too green?

Just ride it ffs!

Well that was my original plan tbh..

.. But I am genuinely intrigued as to where everything is carried!

Wear what you want, though Lycra is much more comfortable on a road bike & more efficient, plus it’s expected so as long as you never ever ever ever ever leave your bike while wearing it then its acceptable!

Try SPDs when riding slowly near a wall so if you fall you’ve something to lean against!

As for mileage…it all depends on your fitness but consistency is key, start with a 10 miler (30-45 mins) then build up steadily to 15, 20 etc, get plenty of little ones in and then after a month throw in a longer 30/40/50+ – you can’t beat time in the saddle

I store my stuff in a saddle bag – co2, tube, levers, multi tool, £10, patches
Then in my jersey pockets I stick my phone & food. Some people use modified bottles instead of saddle bags

Don’t bother pissing about with trying SPDs out next to a wall/fence.

If you know how you ride and how to clip out you’ll be fine. Ain’t rocket science.

The comedy offs will come once you get comfortable about it and know what you’re doing… Forgetting you’re clipped in.

if you’re really unhappy about spds borrow a turbo trainer and practise on that –

carrying stuff – can of worms depends riding road or roadie then the rules apply

I ride on the road so am happy with a seatbag as above phone and food in pockets
In winter screw cap replacement for bottle for waterproof jacket/hi viz in case of rain
I’ll sometimes wear baggies but for long distances lycra actually works better but ain’t essential

Build up as suggested above – if can regularly manage 15 – 20miles then upping to 40-50 isn’t a big deal just don’t forget to eat – rule of thumb is eat 40minutes before you need it*
*doesn’t apply to those who will post and say that 3 hours without eating is nothing

So, one slightly overweight mountain biker who rides very infrequently (and with a distinctly DH bias) has finally bought a road bike.

As on this basis you will be unfit, be aware that a road riding may come as a shock to the system. A crap roadie is far fitter than a crap MTBer. Basically there is nowhere to hide being unfit.

Take it easy, slowly build up the miles, be aware that setup matters far more than on a mountain bike you adopt a position for longer and don’t really move around as much. Expect some discomfort, usually shoulders and lower back from the position at first.

Find the local lanes, the main roads may get you from a to b quickly but they aren’t much fun whatever anyone says.

The local clubs may offer slow beginner rides, best contact them for advice, i know our club does various routes and various groups. Some combinations are far more novice friendly than others.

A crap roadie is far fitter than a crap MTBer. Basically there is nowhere to hide being unfit.

Are you serious? Riding a road bike is a steady effort with troughs and peaks, MTBing runs on consistently higher heart rates with no place to hide (no peleton to cruise in etc.)

Not knocking the fitness of road riders (I do it myself), but mile for mile MTBing is far more intensive!!!

Jay

I use my Osprey backpack to carry all my stuff and my water. I did consider getting a saddle bag or one of those tool bottles, but seeing as quite a lot of people seem to get wound up by it I am loathe to change.

SPD wise, just Practice riding up and down with then on frequently un-clipping and when you are out on the road just un-clip one foot as you approach somewhere you might need to stop until you get used to them.

As for what distance… Just start steady and see how you get on…

Rules are made to be broken:

Triple chainset? Check!
SPDs? Check!
Baggy shorts? Check!
Peaked helmet? Check!
Waist pack? Check!

That’s how I roll. I am shunned by certain riders. Gosh, how upsetting…

Jay – you just arnt trying hard enough on your road bike are you…

RRR it was a matter if time before someone posted this : http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Oh and you do know its obligatory to post a pic if your new bike….

I ride mine in baggy shorts an top an flats with 5tens lol

‘Road’ jersey’s typically have three pockets at the back. You’ll be amazed what you can cram in there but typically I’ll have a mini pump, spare tube, multi tool, repair kit and some gels or energy bars.

I’m sure someone will be along with a video of pro cyclists cramming half a dozen bottles in to these pockets to give to team mates during a race.

An a colourful giro hex lid

Waist pack? Check!

You mean a bum bag 😉

I only wear lycra because it’s more comfortable on longer rides. Generally though, do what you want and you’ll evolve what works for you and get rid of the things that don’t. I didn’t like the idea of lycra until I won a BMC pro-team kit in some twitter thing and decided to give it a shot.

I’m sure someone will be along with a video of pro cyclists cramming half a dozen bottles in to these pockets to give to team mates during a race.

I recall someone at the giro with something like 10-12 bottles. Pockets, back of jersey, front of jersey and then two for himself. Was quite impressive.

Are you serious? Riding a road bike is a steady effort with troughs and peaks, MTBing runs on consistently higher heart rates with no place to hide (no peleton to cruise in etc.)

Maybe you’ve never been on the kind of MTB rides where the group stops every five minutes for a breather and the whole-ride average is 3.5mph. Mile-for-mile the MTB may be harder, sure. But you’re doing three times more miles on the road bike!

Are you serious? Riding a road bike is a steady effort with troughs and peaks, MTBing runs on consistently higher heart rates with no place to hide (no peleton to cruise in etc.)

first note i said crap mtber and crap roadie, if your taking WC competitors then there won’t be as much in it bearing in mind that road and mtb at that level place very different demands on the body.

But lower down, mtb rides involve a lot more faffing, yes they do involve hard efforts to get up short climbs etc, but you also get more recovery time on dh sections and twisty singletrack. This is the shock a newbie will have to get used to. 20miles on the mtb will take a couple of hours, whereas on the road bike about an hour. The speed on the road bike won’t change much, on the mtb it will be all over the place.

If we use Strava as a guide, i am one of the fastest mtbers in my area, but average as a roadie.

Congratulations.
1) Nothing wrong with baggies, but a nicely fitting pair of bib shorts will be a revelation.
2) For spds, I taught my kids in the park on grass. Just keep thinking ahead as to when you may need to unclip. It’s a lot easier to think ahead on the road. I recomment flat/spd Shimano 324 pedals for beginners.
3) I carry tube, CO2 cartridges and an nanoflate micro inflator, a small multitool, some instant patches, tyre levers and some latex gloves. These fit in a small “tool bottle” in one of the bottle cages. I have more than one bike, and this makes switching easy. I also have the same kit in a pack for rear pocket on the race bike. A small saddlepack will hold the same.
4) For riding, where are you? Start with a 10-20 mile loop, which is about 45-90 minutes, then build up.
5) I’d recommend joining a club. Most have a social aspect and group rides. I run a beginners ride for ours to teach group riding. Speed will be about 16-18mph and the rides are always “no-drop” I nobody gets left behind. For many in our club, this is the limit of people’s club commitment. Whilst it can be intimidating going to the first meeting, most clubs will be very welcoming.

Hi RRR

Just started on the road myself.

I’ve a seat pack for the essentials and have one roadie type shirt. The 3 big pockets work. Also the long zip is very useful.

Currently using some inner shorts as ‘lycra’, it is better than proper MTB shorts, ‘honest’.

MTBed on flats for past 5 years, using Shimano 105 SPD setup on road bike, you’ll soon get used to it.

Running a 105 Compact double drive train with the biggest cassette it will take at the back…my first road rides were in the dark peak, you will be walking unless you have a triple setup (and be looked on as a ‘faggot’ etc.)

Still keeping the peak on my helmet, keeps the rain off my specs 😉

It is a different type of pain…

…but strangely enjoyable.

Good luck!

I am still not convinced on the roadie fitness thing…

2 hours constant XC will use far more energy than 2 hours constant road riding. The road bike covers greater distances with less resistance!

As for

If we use Strava as a guide, i am one of the fastest mtbers in my area, but average as a roadie.

simply because there are excellent riders in your area who don’t ride MTB.

I use the road bike to enhance my endurance fitness (what there is of it) as I know I will sustain a steadier HR for longer.

I am not knocking Roadies or their fitness, I think it is a different kind of fitness, and even Boardman commentating at the olympics waxed lyrical about how fit the XC racers were as they rode with consistently higher heartrates.

As for the OP wear what you like, ride what you like, joining a club will get you fitter quicker and most clubs encourage beginners no matter who they are!

You mean a bum bag

Or fanny pack?

It’s not a race. Those who pretend it is are very, very sad indeed – and enjoy yourself – that’s the only rule worth following. 🙂

2 hours constant XC will use far more energy than 2 hours constant road riding. The road bike covers greater distances with less resistance!

Que??

If I ride XC on my MTB for 2 hours at an average 200w, I burn exactly the same amount of energy as riding my road bike for 2 hours at 200w. Problem is, given the more variation in terrain on a MTB it’s a lot harder to average 200w.

Rules are made to be broken:

hear! hear!

Triple chainset? Check!
SPDs? Check!
Baggy shorts? Check!
Peaked helmet? Check!

Saddle pack? Check!
Frame mounted mini pump (not C02)? Check!

Sod the rules. Practicality comes first.

Well there’s a bit more energy used as you move around more on a mountain bike but I’d guess that’s probably balanced out that the road bike can put the power out more consistently.

Baggies are absolutely fine. Wear lycra shorts underneath then you have the best of both worlds.
Road jerseys have pockets, everything goes in there although I normally have a saddle bag under my seat. Bottle on the frame for water. Pumps come with mounts to fit them to the same bolts.

It is *so* a race. If that makes me sad then so be it but I get a huge amount of enjoyment from treating every single road ride as a race so bite me. 😉

I am not knocking Roadies or their fitness, I think it is a different kind of fitness, and even Boardman commentating at the olympics waxed lyrical about how fit the XC racers were as they rode with consistently higher heartrates.

maybe one of them mountainbikers should get in the tour and smash them all. Easily.

Get out and ride, it’s all good.

Classic newbie roadie error: ride the uphills too hard and the downhills too easy

maybe one of them mountainbikers should get in the tour and smash them all. Easily.

Cadel Evans 😉

I think we’re getting carried away, I just disagreed with the initial crap roadie being fitter than a crap mtber statement.

Yes if I use 200w on both rides I will be expending the same amount of energy that’s not the point I’m trying to make.

Because of the radical difference in terrain and the difference in the vehicles to traverse it, my belief was that the average 2 hour consistent mtb ride would likely expend more energy than an “average” 2 hour consistent road ride.

The tour statement is not even relevant.

I find it much easier get higher heart rates on the road bike. It’s hard to maintain sufficient effort across mtb terrain.

If you prefer to expend minimal effort I agree mtb is harder though.

Also agree roadies are generally fitter – in mtb events they always blitz you on the fire roads then mince down the singletrack!

1 – wear what you want…but lycra is far more comfy and no flapping, rubbing etc. But to start with – just wear what you have already.
2 – There’s far less clipping in and out. I’d practise a bit somewhere on grass then just go for it. On a road bike you can usually anticipate when to unclip – eg you can see the junction coming up, so can get ready to unclip a few seconds earlier. Not many ’emergency unclips’!
3 – Start with whatever you are comfy with. Tbh – forget mileage for a bit and think time. Eg if you are good for 30mins continuous on the mtb, then start at 30mins. Gradually increase till a couple of hours or so before you start to worry about miles, av speeds etc. ‘Miles’ aren’t that important to start with – its about time in the saddle, getting used to the position, continuous effort – that kind of thing.
4 – If you’ve got a 3 drop-pocket jersey, then it all usually fits in there, or it should for short rides at least. Long all-day rides where you need a lot of food and you aren’t stopping much might need a saddlepack or similar to free the jersey up for food.
5 – Would have thought so. Most places have a club with beginners rides.
6 – Pics please! Normally green can’t be green enough!

Have fun! Its quite additive as improvement is usually quite quick and measurable.

Classic newbie roadie error: ride the uphills too hard and the downhills too easy

Do you know me? 🙂

Working on going faster on downhills and the flat.

even Boardman commentating at the olympics waxed lyrical about how fit the XC racers were as they rode with consistently higher heartrates.

they “only” race for an hour or two though, rather than 5 or 6

(IANAroadieORxcracer – my HR does go high though, mostly outside cake shops)

Forgot to say, green bikes are fast. Fact. Mine has hint of green and is very fast (well it is when ridden by a pro). Post a pic. It’s the rules – see previous thread.

Baggy clothes are not fine on a road bike; within a few minutes you will be driven mad by the flapping and rubbing. There’s a good reason why roadies wear tight-fitting clothes, it’s called streamlining and comfort.

Having mountain biked for 22 years then gone over to the road for the last 4, I can tell you that road riding will make you considerably fitter in the cardio department thanks to the sustained effort. However you may lose muscle tone in your upper body because you’re not heaving the bike around as much but this will be counterbalanced by muscle gain in the thigh department.

A helmet peak will annoy you because of the lower riding position. A small saddle bag is OK for multi-tool, spare tube and tyre levers and you’ll need to decide between mounting a small pump on the frame or carrying it in a jersey pocket – I prefer the frame so that the pump is always with the bike. A small, cheap light phone wrapped in plastic is better than carrying your best phone, which may get condensation inside it from being cold while in contact with your sweaty body. I got one for £2.99 from Carphone Warehouse, for cycling only. Saddle setup is more important thanks to longer periods of time in the saddle. You will spend more time thinking about the balance between warm wind-resistant clothing and staying cool and will begin to acquire odd roadie stuff like arm-warmers, overshoes, lightweight, snug fitting boil-in-the bag waterproof jackets and something to protect your eyes from the slipstream. You will begin to understand the importance of aerodynamics and drafting, especially as speeds increase. You’ll be able to ride straight from your door and will begin to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of the coffee stops within a 25 mile radius and what hills are in between you and them.

dark peak roadie-ing is a hard way to learn – in a year, you’ll have either given up, or become a monster (in a good way).

what gears do you have? – a triple is good, a compact is ok, a ‘normal’ can be hard work. A larger cassette may make some of the hills a little less hard.

i recommend a neat little saddle-bag, my pump is held next to my bottle. Put your food in your pockets so you can munch on the go – if you’ll be out for 2 hours, you should be ok, if you’ll be out for more, take food, start eating after 1 hour. jelly babies are nice, i don’t know if they’re any good, but i like them and they don’t need too much chewing – which is surprisingly hard when you’re trying to breath through your ears 🙂

you will get used to the drops, definitely use them for descending, you may even find yourself using them when climbing…

the back roads around hathersage are lovely; quiet, interesting, challenging, good tarmac, never too far from the caff.

take your peak off, you’ll be able to see – but you may be able to get away with it if your not tall.

experiment with tyre pressure, don’t just pump them up to 120psi and forget about it for 40 years.

embrace lycra, and close-fitting softshells.

you don’t need to stop at the top of every climb, and the bottom of every descent: 4 hours of roadie-ing means 4 hours of riding. 4 hours of mtb’ing means 2 hours of riding, and 2 hours of fixing punctures + taking photo’s + stopping for gates + ‘sessioning’ + clearing brambles (at this time of year)

as for clubs, no idea, if you find a nice one, let us know…

(shef-rec about as friendly as frozen corpse)

MTB is the wrong sort of fitness. I have just done a small conversion to road riding and Strava tells the story, in the top 20% off road, just scraping into the bottom 20% on the road.
Much fitter now, and my riding buddies are getting left behind on the climbs.

@ globalti – you probably just wrote the most accurate and sensible post on STW this week.

Chapeau to you sir….

Apart from the bit about baggy clothing. I’ve been road riding for over 30 years in baggy clothing and it’s never bothered me. Seems to bother other people a lot more.