"Just" a MTBer?

El Capitano

I’m a cyclist. I ride all sorts of bikes.

By next weekend, my stable will include: Road, TT, CX, FR, XC-HT and XC-FS.

I commute on the CX bike (Focus Mares) mostly, but if the weather’s half decent, I use the TT bike (Ribble TT) and have used both the FR and XC-FS bikes.

Most of my off-road riding is done on the XC-FS bike (Giant NRS), which I race. Play time (off-road) is courtesy of the FR bike (Kona Coiler).

Don’t tend to do too many ‘epic’ road rides these days, I only managed 2 last year and the Road bike (Hand-built Reynolds 531SL) hasn’t been outside yet this year. But, the summer’s just around the corner…

I get just as much enjoyment out of all my bikes. Each has it’s own plus points and each has it’s own draw-backs (commuting on the Coiler isn’t much fun… )

Thewaylander

Mountain Biker,

Can't understand road riding, it's more boring than watching paint dry.

cgarossi

I'm going to get a road bike to improve my fitness, but it'll only be a cheapy. I too find road riding boring.

bails87

cgarossi wrote:

I'm going to get a road bike to improve my fitness, but it'll only be a cheapy. I too find road riding boring.

I'm tempted to do this too. I imagine road riding is more interesting/less terrible on a road bike.

Over the winter I got sick of the MTB, going out in the cold and the dark to ride around on flat bridleways and towpaths, knowing that you and the bike are going to be absolutely filthy afterwards isn't much fun. Whereas at least during the week I could go out for an hours blast on a road bike after work, come back clean and then go somewhere interesting (if still muddy) at the wekend on the MTB.

glauciaregina9

If I had to put myself in a particular category, I've always considered myself an MTBer
Only have one bike, which is... an MTB (surprise)

Personally, I just prefer the feel, chuckability and versatility of an MTB

I know a road-specific bike would be faster for my commute to work, but I'm not really bothered, only a short blast of 15 miles each way 2 or 3 times a week, the rest of my riding is off-road.

I've fitted a 46-36-26 chainset to my MTB, rather than the more usual 42-32-24 or whatever it is, which gives me slightly higher gearing so I'm not spinning like a maniac on the road but still low enough ratios for the hilly stuff.

cgarossi

Also, my roadie friends are always moaning about not being able to go out and ride because its raining. Thats not the case with mtb.

Also, many seem to think that being a fit as fook roadie makes you a good mountain biker. And I dont think it does. It might improve stamina but im not so sure when it comes to technique and confidence. So some tend to think if you're a good roadie you're good at all forms of cycling. :roll: Which doesn't do a lot to quash the perceived elitist attitude they seem to have.

bails87

cgarossi
I can imagine how the technical stuff catches them out. Different skills/abilities I guess.

But why can't you ride a road bike if it's wet? Bunch of big girl's blouses! I've flown down wet rocky/grassy/muddy descents, I'm sure I can ride on a wet road!

It does seem like every ride for some roadies is 'training'. As if they don't enjoy it, but they're doing it as a means to an end. I mountain bike because I enjoy it, even on the local stuff it's more fun than sitting at home or going for a jog.

cgarossi

I went for a road ride with them on a mates road bike before he sold it.

It was ok. I like the speed and the 'getting somewhere' feeling, but it shakes your bones to hell and it's generally uncomfortable.

But, from a fitness point of view, I dont think theres anything better. A mate who is doing a fitness instructor course said road biking is more aerobic while mtb is anerobic, or something. So I guess for burning the calories and getting into shape then road biking is a good thing. I just find it sooooo boring sometimes.

I'll happily mix the two disciplines though, but I will always be biased toward mountain biking.

clanton

I started life as an mtb-er, now spend more time on the road bike than anything else (but have spent 4 days on the 7 stanes and 5 days in Spain this year riding technical, downhill trails!).

Doing more than one "discipline" has great benefits. As an example being "roadie" fit I was able to cane the trails in Spain all day until the guides cried "enough" - it is simply brilliant being fit enough to ride hard all day and be at the top of your game all the time.

Being an mtb-er makes descending on the road bike a piece of piss - nice wide open "trails" that you can see waaaay down are great to take at the warp speeds you can get on a decent road bike.

Anyone who limits themselves to any one type of riding is losing out in my opinion. If I had more time I would love to give some 4x a go! And my mates keep wanting to take me down to the track.....

projectsome

nicklouse wrote:

I ride bikes.

i am not an 'ist.

this

+ I only have the one.

projectsome

Thewaylander wrote:

Mountain Biker,

Can't understand road riding, it's more boring than watching paint dry.

I used to do a lot of road riding on the HT. The view is great if anything and it's something different. not something I do on the FS.

Stevo_666

bails87 wrote:

cgarossi
I can imagine how the technical stuff catches them out. Different skills/abilities I guess.

But why can't you ride a road bike if it's wet? Bunch of big girl's blouses! I've flown down wet rocky/grassy/muddy descents, I'm sure I can ride on a wet road!

It does seem like every ride for some roadies is 'training'. As if they don't enjoy it, but they're doing it as a means to an end. I mountain bike because I enjoy it, even on the local stuff it's more fun than sitting at home or going for a jog.

+1 on all of that.

Roadie riding definitely helps with fitness & stamina, esp on climbs.

I've found its easier to go out on a road bike than an MTB in crap conditions, its usually lit, drained and the road starts just outside my driveway. I went on a 45 mile social ride on the last day of Feb when the roads were more like swimming pools and it was pretty easy with the right wet weather gear.

But it's still not as much fun as MTB'ing

Thewaylander

projectsome wrote:

Thewaylander wrote:

Mountain Biker,

Can't understand road riding, it's more boring than watching paint dry.

I used to do a lot of road riding on the HT. The view is great if anything and it's something different. not something I do on the FS.

But but i get prettier veiws off road.

I just can't get the idea of waiting to share my space and spare time with road traffic, as well as the excitment of smooth roads, that are over 2 cars wide. It's pure Yawn did it for a few years for fitness... never ever ever again.
Rather swim, torture people i don't know anything lol

bails87

Thewaylander
But you live in a great area for MTBing, so you can probably have a great off road ride every time you go out.

I live in a pants area for MTBing! Half the time it's just as boring as being on the roads. If I'm going to be bored, I might as well be bored but dry and moving quickly

Thewaylander

But if you find it boring why do it? i don't get it

meesterbond

clanton wrote:

Anyone who limits themselves to any one type of riding is losing out in my opinion.....

FTW

Personally, I get a different sort of pleasure from road riding than mountain biking... there's a kind of Zen-like calm on a road bike (obviously it helps if you try and stick to country roads etc rather than A-roads) with man and machine working efficiently together. Time to gather your thoughts and just zone-out, particularly if you're by yourself... and then there's the masochistic pleasure you get from hill climbing.

MTB is more about the grin factor really.

That said, I rather like how the world looks when I'm on a bike, so frankly I don't care how thick or thin the tyres are...

Northwind

cgarossi wrote:

But, from a fitness point of view, I dont think theres anything better.

Until you get osteoperosis

Tel39

bails87 wrote:

cgarossi
I can imagine how the technical stuff catches them out. Different skills/abilities I guess.

But why can't you ride a road bike if it's wet? Bunch of big girl's blouses! I've flown down wet rocky/grassy/muddy descents, I'm sure I can ride on a wet road!

It does seem like every ride for some roadies is 'training'. As if they don't enjoy it, but they're doing it as a means to an end. I mountain bike because I enjoy it, even on the local stuff it's more fun than sitting at home or going for a jog.

Hit the nail on the head for me there bails..... I work with two roadies and I too get the impression that almost every ride for them is 'training or a 'means to an end' as you say for some race or club ride in the future, and not sure they even enjoy it to be honest!

Whereas MTB'ing for me is about being on a trail off the beaten track, seeing scenery you can't view from a road bike or car, climbing to the top of that hill not because of some stopwatch but because of the view when you get there.
Each to their own anyway and I guess if it gets you outside excercising then it can't be a bad thing.


Had to laugh though the other week, one of the guys who commutes on his road bike to our workplace had all his gear on including 'spandex' and silly aerodynamic helmet ready to leave when one of the old storemen shouts to him, 'You can't go out dressed like that'



One bike for me anyway

Northwind

I ride on the road to get fit to ride mountainbikes. I ride mountainbikes despite the fact that it makes me fit

Thread8

MTB is my #1, although havent done it recently due to revision and being generally busy

I also like to pootle around on BMX's from time to time, and I ride a unicycle

thel33ter

One of my mates does dirt jumpingy stuff and bmx, he also rides a roadie a lot, and a bit of xc mtb, dirt jumping and roar just doesn't seem to mix IMHO

bails87

Thewaylander wrote:

But if you find it boring why do it? i don't get it

My local 'MTBing' is relatively boring, compared to riding at Cannock or Shropshire or Wales. But it's still better than going for a run, less painful the next day than playing football and better for me (and more fun) than sitting on my ares at home.

I do it because I enjoy it. Especially now that it's drier, I'd rather be wet and muddy on boring bridelways than sitting at home. But overall I'd rather be dry and warm on fast dusty trails.

mudslinger

Some interesting points here.

I bought a cheap road bike last summer for my commute & previous to that had never seen the point of riding a road bike. However I now find I spend more time riding the road bike & I really enjoy it. The reasons being that I live in an area that is rubbish for MTBing so any decent riding involves a car journey. Secondly I have kids so have to fit in my riding round family commitments so that often involves a quick 20 mile blast on the road. Riding a MTB on the road is a chore whereas with a road bike you can cover a lot of ground pretty quickly.

I've been out on my MTB twice this year - the last time on Sunday for a ride on my own. I really didn't enjoy it & wished I had gone out on the road bike instead. I've somehow fallen out of love with MTBing.

With carefully chosen roads you will hardly come across any cars & I live in the
densely populated south east.

At the end of the day all disciplines of cycling are great but I do think road
cycling is about fitness / speed whereas MTBing is more fun.

RealMan

For all those who don't find road riding fun, that might be because you're based in England. Crap weather, crap drivers, crap roads, all the hills are small, the views aren't that good, and not enough racing. I also think you have to have the right mindset. You have to be a bit competitive. You have to enjoy becoming fitter, and exercising for the sake of exercising. It doesn't suit people with low attention spans, so if you have to stop after every few minutes to discuss how gnarly that last root was, its probably not for you. Its a completely different sport.

Go to somewhere like France and it all suddenly starts making sense.









(Dodgy knee and still made it above the clouds..)


And god does it help with mountain biking. Climbing, flat, descending, all of it. Road cycling gets you more used to going at very high speeds. It also makes you fitter, and being fitter makes you less tired during rides. Being less tired helps you climb, descend, and do everything better.


And once you've done all that, you will fall in love with it. That's when you start going out for a sneaky hour training session. God help you if you start TTing.

tubaonwheels

Spot on Real Man, I spent 3 months in Spain and France last year, only had my mtb with me but still did (and loved) some awesome road rides in the mountains, flying round those hairpins is massive fun. And motorists are far more respectfull of bikes over there.
I only got cut up once and the car had GB plates :roll:

Also did some great off road routes mind, but variety is the spice of life. I've just got my road bike back on the road and looking forward to getting some miles in to boost the fitness - just wish I was nearer to roads like the great pics above!

RealMan

Saw a sign by the road last time I was in France, instructing motorists to give cyclists 1.5m of room when passing. I wanted to take it down and stick it in the bike bag, and bring it back to England. Waste of a sign that. You don't need to tell the French. You need to tell the English.

Northwind

Don't need to go to France...





Actually France is possibly closer to most of you lot

(that's not me in the photos, the idea of riding the bealach na ba on anything without an engine sickens me)

tubaonwheels

I've been over bealach na ba in me motorhome and enjoyed great meals at the Applecross Inn, great part of the World.

RealMan

Northwind wrote:

the idea of riding the bealach na ba on anything without an engine sickens me

You have to enjoy a bit of pain as well I think.



= fun.

Thewaylander

Roads look nice for me car may travel there muhaha see how many of you i can take out on my way lol.