Road Bikes Are Cheating

Veronica Bottoms

So I took my new road bike out for a spin today. It roughly weighs just over 8kg. Having previously ridden a 16kg mountain bike I couldn't believe the difference. I took it to a hill near me which I used to conquer most days on my mountain bike and didn't even break sweat. I was also able to stay seated the whole way. Normally I'd have to ride the top of the hill standing and when I got to the top I'd feel is if I was about to have a heart attack.

I did the same route (26 miles) I normally do on my mountain bike and when I came home, it felt like I hadn't done any exercise. The only part of me aching was my arse as the new seat is a lot harder than my gel seat on the mtb. I also pushed myself hard most of the way.

It feels like cheating. Those big calf muscles I've built up on the mtb are now rendered useless.

CarleyB

yay i felt like that. I used to dread the slightest incline lol

Swap your saddles over!

Veronica Bottoms

CarleyB wrote:

yay i felt like that. I used to dread the slightest incline lol

Swap your saddles over!

I thought about that but I reckon I'll bare it out. I had the same problem on my gel seat when I got back into cycling. It soon went away.

The only downside is I've fallen over twice in slow motion whilst still clipped in. It was so embarrassing. Luckily I've fallen properly and not injured myself or scratched the bike bar a little nick in the pedal. I've really got to get used to them as my brain tells me to lift my foot. :oops:

edhornby

simple, go faster and ride further :-)

fnegroni

edhornby wrote:

simple, go faster and ride further :-)

What he said.

Rich Hcp

fnegroni wrote:

edhornby wrote:

simple, go faster and ride further :-)

What he said.

What he said 2

Mountain bikes are for off road, so go off road on it road bikes are for roads....

A MTB is like a Land Rover, you can go on or off the road, its brilliant off road. On the road it is slow, noisy, uncomfortable and uses a lot of energy or fuel.

A roadie is like a Lotus Elise, light ,fast, agile hates bumps, can't go off road, is more efficient fuel wise

Both brilliant for what they are designed for

I'd like both

MattC59

A 16kg mountain bike ?.......... that's a monster, no wonder you've been struggling !!! I'm guessing it's either a halfords special, or a pretty tasty freeride / DH rig. If it's the latter, fiar play, that's got to be tough dragging it around the roads !!

Have fun on the road bike

TwistedSpirit

MattC59 wrote:

A 16kg mountain bike ?.......... that's a monster

I have a mtb somewhere that weighs more than a sack of spuds!

El Diego

Riding a road bike is such a pleasure that it encourages you to ride faster and further, which will burn more calories and get you fitter.

The slim anatomical saddles are actually much more comfortable than 'gel' saddles over longer distances (less rubbing).

jellybellywmb

My daughters (3 year old) buzzy bee bike weighs more than my road bike

ireland57

My roadie is 4kg lighter than my mtn bike and much better and easier to ride on road.

Unless I ride the hills.

Try some hills. I think you'll have a change of heart.

Flasheart

At last weekends L2B I lifted my road bike over a barrier so we could cross the road eaiser on the way to the start. I then turned around and lifted my girlfriend's MTB over, it nearly did my back in as I wasn't ready for that weight :shock:

Bunneh

THey're certainly not light. The old one I have is twice the weight of the road bike and you do notice it on the roads.

ConsciousPilot

Flasheart wrote:

I then turned around and lifted my girlfriend's MTB over, it nearly did my back in as I wasn't ready for that weight :shock:

Should have told her to get off first

Stuy-b

ConsciousPilot wrote:

Flasheart wrote:

I then turned around and lifted my girlfriend's MTB over, it nearly did my back in as I wasn't ready for that weight :shock:

Should have told her to get off first

HA!

Flasheart

Stuy-b wrote:

ConsciousPilot wrote:

Flasheart wrote:

I then turned around and lifted my girlfriend's MTB over, it nearly did my back in as I wasn't ready for that weight :shock:

Should have told her to get off first

HA!

LOL now why didn't I think of that at the time?

paul64

I have been MTBing with a group for a month now and I was amazed how fast they are. I have had to learn to ride hard to keep up with them in terms of fitness and that's without touching techniques and skills that I simply don't possess yet. The differences between the two are not just weight as the MTBers posting here will know. It's the difference between cardio machines at the gym and an assault course with a barking seargent major.

When we get on tarmac I am happy to find a cadence and stick with them in true roadie style despite the fact I'm on a 13kg bike instead of a 8 or 9 kg bike. However off-roading is stop start, constant changing of effort, gears and pedalling and hits/builds core body strength. So, it's not just the legs that have to work hard off-roading. Since I mixed 2 off-road sessions with 2 road sessions each week I am getting faster and stronger on the road. My preconceptions about off-roading were blown away and I suspect many others would be the same.

Hill climbing technique different, sitting on the front of the saddle, altering the saddle during the ride for the terrain, pedalling hard to take you down descents and half or all the way up the climb using the same momentum, pedalling hard slightly off the saddle to soak the bumps of roots or flint trails.

So, getting back on the road bike is a luxury of speed, efficiency and economy of effort but if you haven't seen what off-roaders go through ride after ride it would make you cry to see your road bikes go through it. They share the basics of a frame, two wheels and a groupset but are like different animals beyond that.

unixnerd

I find the difference is that with a road bike you can always put in lots of effort. Off road there are times when the trail means you have to ease off a bit. I find road biking a far better work out, but if I'm on a low energy day I'll go off road :-)

I don't have a cycle computer on my mtb, I tend to watch the scenery instead. I'm much more competitive on the road.