Training on commute.... On MTB?

dizzydane
dizzydane Posts: 322
edited January 2009 in Training, fitness and health
Hey guys,

Current commuter bike is in need of replacement and as usual, I’m looking for another MTB.

Am I right in thinking that commuting 7miles on an MTB is better for my training than taking my road bike? Some mornings I’ll take a diverted route and do a few hill reps before heading off to work (and giving the roadies a hard time by keeping up with them ;o)

I’ve chatted to the guys in my club and they all agree that the nobly tires ad to the resistance, especially in the wind making my ride harder, therefore better for my training.

Am I thinking correctly, or does it not make a difference what I commute on?

Comments

  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    A more upright riding position, heavier bike and knobblies will mean you expend more energy getting to work! Whether it's good training will depend on how hard you go but hill reps sound a good idea, even if a good hill is hard to find in London.

    I sometimes commute on an MTB in bad weather and there is definitely more commuter racing to be had than on a road bike. Well at least nobody tries to overtake me on a road bike. Anyhow it can provide a bit of a carrot to push yourself.
  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    I think it's a bad idea, well it was for me. I hate riding my mtb on the road and trying to train on it was a pita. For me the problem was I just go too slow and it gets depressing, I need to have that feeling of riding fast, that's where the fun is for me.
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    My question would be how structured you can be on a commute - adding some hill reps etc sounds good, but what else can you do in an organised way? For example, I have 17 sets of traffic lights in to work, not to mention tons of buses etc, which breaks up any chance of maintaining a good HR zone. All I've worked out I could do is some sprint training, but I can't do this everyday, and anyway my focus is on base at this time of the year. Worse, going too hard but inconsistently seems to screw up my turbo sessions... Therefore, I try to control myself and just spin... doesn't usually work... :wink:
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • dizzydane
    dizzydane Posts: 322
    Thanks guys!

    After numerous discussions with the guys in my club, I’ve got a new MTB that’s due to be delivered this week – Yay!

    I can hit the hills in Wimbledon (James) before making my way to work. I haven’t counted the traffic lights on my route yet (like mclarent has), but if I time it right, I can manage not stopping at most of them. I agree, sprinting is usually the only benefit by training on the commute and trying to spin only lasts until someone passes you. I’m lucky enough to cycle the A3 bus lanes for a long stretch, therefore I can get my heart rate up to 200 BPM...

    - I do get a kick out of being a chick on a MTB that can stick with the big boys in their club gear on a good day! (And I can do the odd off road session should I feel like it... ;o)

    We are slowly getting more daylight hours – pretty soon it’ll be laps in Richmond Park before work!
  • mclarent
    mclarent Posts: 784
    I'm reeling from the 200bpm heart rate! I can't get past the mid 180s!
    "And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
    - eccolafilosofiadelpedale
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    Sustaining 200bpm sounds like decent training (as well as being over my max!).... How long is that bus lane?! I'm guessing if you count yourself lucky to ride in the bus lane it doesn't contain too many 18m bendy buses?!

    Sounds like you should be racing if you're not already! :-) Check out the Winter Series at Hillingdon - www.imperialracingteam.com
  • dizzydane
    dizzydane Posts: 322
    Woman are lucky enough to be able to push their heart rates higher than men. But face it… You guys are much stronger than us physically. That’s why we have to work damn hard at keeping up with you ;o)
    James_London wrote:
    Sustaining 200bpm sounds like decent training (as well as being over my max!).... How long is that bus lane?! I'm guessing if you count yourself lucky to ride in the bus lane it doesn't contain too many 18m bendy buses?!

    Sounds like you should be racing if you're not already! :-) Check out the Winter Series at Hillingdon - www.imperialracingteam.com

    Ride from Wimbledon to Elephant & Castle on the A3…. Starts as a cycle lane and becomes a bus lane. If you time it right and leave latest 6.30am, the roads are pretty clear and there’s no people around at that time pushing little buttons at traffic lights to stop the traffic.

    Thanks for the link. Did a few sportives last year; plan to get graded and race propery this year.

    ;o)
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    I've used commuting on an MTB for training for a while now 10 miles each way. I tend to turn them into a 2x20 by doing a bit of a warm up and down and sandwiching a single 20 minute threshold effort in the middle. I don't do this everyday of course, I do take the ride in easy every other day.

    I've also previously got home and then taken the road bike out to do a 30 mile loop at a good tempo to turn the day into a 50 miler. Usually manage this once a week.

    Over two years this has improved my climbing no end despite there being no hills on the commute whatsoever. I don't commute in the winter currently, but when I did I took it easy in the dark, wet and cold just using it for aerobic easy rides.

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