Why cycle on the road?

jojo90

Hey,

I'm thinking about road cycling but I just don't 'get' it. As a seasoned MTB rider the worst part of my rides are the road sections.

I guess it is the traffic and lack of skills that put me off, cannot see where the adrenaline rush would come from

I have a cyclocross bike which is kinda cool as can handle singletrack and the road sections.

Perhaps I am missing the point, just wondering what attracts you lot to pure road cycling?

JoJo.

Big Red S

Riding a road bike on the road is an awful lot better than riding an mtb on the road.

It's more 'nice' than adrenaline-filled, though.

dodgy

I like many cycling disciplines. I started out mountain biking in 1990 but now I'm starting to realise that there is a certain satisfaction to be had from riding the road. You get those days where you seem to feel fitter and you pile on the miles and reach a distant cake stop (of course, that's what roadies do you know ). The post ride feeling from a long road ride is different to a hard mountain bike ride, I don't know what it is, but it is different.
There are rules to learn on the road, both in terms of your interaction with traffic and manners with riding partners, there are less such rules offroad I find.

The only way to understand what I'm babbling about is to try it.

markos1963

I don't think it matters which discipline you do , the fact you are out and about on two wheels is enough a reason I find. I started out in my youth on the road, then moved to MTB's a couple of years ago but didn't take to it(too chicken over the jumps!) and now find myself back on the road. I like the higher speeds, the fact I can ride in large groups, and the lack of maintanance in comparison to MTB's.

singlespeedexplosif

is this a serious question?!!

road riding is great fun. The speed...the distances you can cover...the simplicity...the lack of hours and hours of cleaning, replacing pivots and bearings....:)

Riding in traffic is no more daunting than trying a new downhill etc to a new mtb rider.


Adrenaline? 80,90,100kph down a hairpin descent in the alps, for instance?

andrewjoseph

jojo90 wrote:

Hey,

I'm thinking about road cycling but I just don't 'get' it. As a seasoned MTB rider the worst part of my rides are the road sections....
JoJo.

I enjoy road riding for the speed, the long climbs, the long distances.

I enjoy mtb-ing for the solitude and clean air, the anaerobic short sharp technical climbs.

get some cheap slicks, put them on your mtb and go for a longish road ride. The skills and confidence will come, just be positive and claim your road space.

After doing this my wife and I bought road bikes. We still go out mtb-ing, road riding is just a different aspect.

Bikerbaboon

im statign to use the road riding as a way of getting the mid weeks rides in with out haveing to try to wash my MTB in hte dark if i got back fomr my local trails.

jojo90

hmm some good points there I do like to ride long distances on my MTB. I ride a carbon race oriented hardtail and can easily put 40 miles underneath me.

I am hoping to buy a replacement for my tricross which is a tad too heavy to take fast on the roads. With the new crosser I should be able to whack on some slicks and keep up with local 'group' riders on their road bikes.. (or at least thats the plan... ).

Mettan

jojo90 wrote:

I guess it is the traffic and lack of skills that put me off, cannot see where the adrenaline rush would come from

Adrenaline rush 101 :idea: - one particular example - the "ease" with which you can maintain high speed (26-28 mph) on the flat for a few miles on a virtually no wind day on your favourite bit of ultra-smooth tarmac. Lack of wind is very important, road surface is vital, the riding's pure heaven.

jojo90

Would you need a reasonably light bike and lycra to maintain that speed?

ColinJ

I like riding on road and off road but they are completely different experiences. Living where I do, I have a fantastic array of bridleways to ride, and some lovely quiet hilly roads so I ride both.

I don't like riding my MTB on the road because on tarmac it feels like a tank, whereas I can really fly along on my road bike when I'm feeling energetic.

I only ride sections of road on the MTB to get from one bridleway to another.

synchronicity

Adrenaline?
Pushing my body to the absolute limits on hot days was probably the only time I've felt it on a road bike. When I was living in Sydney, I used to go out and race peak hour traffic on the M5 freeway in 38° + heat. Once I did it when it was 43 degC. Believe me, being on the verge of heat stroke gives you an awesome adrenaline rush. Better than morphine!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

I suppose I don't have a favourite (now). My first bike was a 10 speed gents racer about 20 years ago. The first true bike I bought for myself was a steel hardtail back in 93. I used that to train on the road for several years. Went and bought a proper road bike around '98 and then I turned off MTB completely. In 2006 I bought a dual sus MTB and I'm still into it. Meanwhile, I'm back on the road as well. So for the first time ever, I'm actually alternating between both...

Road cycling is more about fitness. You can see your times improve more easily (or get worse :P ) as there are fewer variables when compared to offroad trails & there is generally less stopping on road bikes.

Mettan

jojo90 wrote:

Would you need a reasonably light bike and lycra to maintain that speed?

With a suitably powerful build, regular training over a 12 month period, and "perfect conditions" (virtually no wind/smooth tarmac) it's not unreasonable to be able to Avg 26 - 28 mph over 3 - 5 miles on an ordinary Road bike (that's on the Flat) - Cardio-wise, with regular training over a 12 month period, this becomes increasingly manageable (a sense of ease) - the problem (I find) is lactic acid build-up and muscle fatigue - it always pinches you first before the cardio demands become too much (all imho).

Regards maintaining those speeds - No chance - the minute you factor in Hills, Wind, Road surface changes and many other factors you might find your after 12 months of training your 50 - 60 miler ends up around 18 - 19 mph avg.

Tailend Charlie

uses for roads

1 Boost your basic aerobic fitness
2 Gets you to work
3 gets you to the trail head
4 something to do when there's a foot and mouth outbreak

er

it's two wheel riding, and can make for a satisfying day out, no substitute for the real thing of course, but better than sitting in watching telly. dont ask me why they need to shave their legs though :roll:

BUICK

I could easily make a wish for a bit less adrenaline on my road rides to be honest!

I think that you shouldn't force yourself. IMO if road riding on a fast, purpose built bike isn't your thing, and touring isn't your thing then stick to what you like

Leaves more tarmac for the big boys to play on

trickeyja

I really enjoy road riding mainly because of the speed and the feeling that almost all my energy is going into pushing me forward. I used to ride a MTB a lot on and offroad but I realised that most of my riding was on road, and I was more interested in distances (one day I rode 92 miles on my Hardrock). So I bought a road bike. I live in a fairly scenic location though and there are some very pleasant quiet country roads and hills nearby. And descending Leckhampton Hill at nearly 50mph is always an adrenaline rush!

fossyant

Both types of bikes are so different - MTB's feel terrible on tarmac, but fly off road.....

Road bikes, it's about speed, handling, acceleration...yeh we need tarmac, but the country is pretty well served by some sort of it - it's usually pretty rubbish.....

As said, negotiating traffic, out sprinting cars (oh that gets a few looks) etc..... chasing big motorbikes down hills.......heh heh.....

I'd love another MTB - hardtail, as my old MTB is now a commuter..... can't get out with the kids on a slicked up MTB on any rough stuff - certainly not with 1.2" tyres.....

Mettan

Another Road biking pleasure - riding with a slight Tail-wind on the Flat (smooth tarmac) - you can quite comfortably keep up 33 - 35 mph for a couple of miles (without seemingly having to work hard) - its a strange sensation, as if you're being "sucked along" in a vacuum - the rythmn or cadence seems to "take care of itself" - 90 rpm in a big-ish gear becomes sort of "effortless" - admitedly, its all enabled by a slight tail-wind, but even so, it's certainly an enjoyable experience. Not easy to find a mile or two of smooth tarmac and a tailwind though.

sloboy

It's a different thing in your head, I find. For me offroad riding tends to shut down any kind of thinking. You become engaged with the trail and very focused. Road riding is almost the opposite - more like mobile meditation.

heavymental

Had this before. Plenty of other good reasons here!

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... sc&start=0

synchronicity

sloboy wrote:

It's a different thing in your head, I find. For me offroad riding tends to shut down any kind of thinking. You become engaged with the trail and very focused. Road riding is almost the opposite - more like mobile meditation.

Very well said.

wastelander

Another ex-mountain biker turned roadie here...my Enduro comp is now pretty much a garage ornament since I got hooked on the lightweight stuff.

I live right on the trans pennine trail so getting to the trails isn't a problem - maybe I just prefer the simplicity of 'where shall I go then?' and I'm off, out of the garage and end up where I end up..

I still enjoy the odd blast on the mountain bike but it's no longer my weapon of choice. I have the freedom to turn my 10 mile commute into a 50+ mile journey home if I'm in the mood, 100+ mile summer days are not unknown and there's something about spinning along a flat piece of tarmac at 20-25mph that brings a grin to my face.

I've not tired of road biking in the way that riding an MTB becase a chore, where the hassle of post-ride maintenace/cleaning overwhelmed the joy of riding in the first place.

webbhost

I think the best thing about road biking is the satisfaction when you keep up with someone elses fuel powered contraption... they need explosives, where as I only need my legs. kinda makes you feel a bit smug (until they floor it lol)

As for the adrenaline rush bit... try going 30 mph down a hill, to have a big lorry overtake you and get caught up in his slip stream..!! Scary but fun.

At the same time, I recently tried off roading - went up a local hill (Thanks Jon), and I'm tempted to get myself a decent mountain bike and go again.

I think both are fun in their own unique way... you just have to experience the pleasures on the correct equipment first (i.e. right kind of bike) to see the upsides.

If I took my road bike up bardon hill and tried off roading with it... naturally it would be an absolutely terrible experience right? Doesn't make off roading boring or not fun.

pjh

Pure meditation .... bought about by the zen like trance the road vibes create

Combined with those endo's ... it's pure heaven (except when the winds is blowin )

guv001

I've mountain biked for years now but no bit of single track can compare to the feeling of coming off the bank in a velodrome at top speed and pushing it round on the black line. Also +1 on the alpine decents such an amazing feeling at top speed overtaking cars and buses coming off the Galibier back to Bourg'd'O.