New road bike....but

RandG
RandG Posts: 779
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
Today I picked up my brand new carbon frame Trek, woopy doo...Home, sort a few things out then head out. Now I'm pretty unfit and recently bought a new mtb to get going, but with all that's went on in the last month, a roadie it was as well.


Anyway, on Thursday I did a 15 miles pretty lumpy route on my mtb, with a 13.8 average, so today I thought I'd cruise that on my new stead....wrong !!

It was hell, really struggled, legs like lead on the climbs, lungs almost exploding and eventually averaged 14.3

Same route, slighly warmer, probably same about of wind (very little)

So what am I doing wrong, surely a super light roadie with same pilot on same route should go much better ??

Comments

  • d4evr
    d4evr Posts: 293
    You have just started. Give it time, it will come.
  • ALaPlage
    ALaPlage Posts: 732
    The bike will make a difference but not turn you from a novice to a pro overnight. Where you will notice the difference with a lighter road bike is initial acceleration under power or climbing hills. Over the mtb the wheels and tyres of your road bike will roll more efficiently and again add some benefit.

    Ultimately though it's always about the strength and fitness of the cyclist. You went out on a different day, same route similar conditions and the road bike improved your average speed by half of one mph. I would expect you to get close to 2 or 3 mph gain and can only summise you just weren't feeling as strong today as you were the other day and although it felt tough you weren't generating as much power.

    Keep at it and it will improve with time.
    Trek Madone 5.9
    Kinesis Crosslight T4
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    No 2 days are the same - many variables and your body can vary too.

    Do not take 1 session as THE session you need to do 10 and take the average to be more realistic.

    I started in January and can say from experience that getting hung up on averages just makes it a chore, much better to ditch the computer and ride for fun/fitness.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • houndlegs
    houndlegs Posts: 267
    smidsy wrote:
    No 2 days are the same - many variables and your body can vary too.

    Do not take 1 session as THE session you need to do 10 and take the average to be more realistic.

    I started in January and can say from experience that getting hung up on averages just makes it a chore, much better to ditch the computer and ride for fun/fitness.
    I couldn't agree more with that last statement,if you're not racing don't worry about speed,just enjoy the ride.
    I also think the more you visit forums like this,the more you get hung up on things that don't really matter.
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    I'm not so hung up on the average/speed, I am however on how much harder todays ride on a carbon road bike to a full susser mtb on the same route.
  • gloomyandy
    gloomyandy Posts: 520
    What gears did you end up using on the road bike? Perhaps the lower gears on the MTB made the hills seem easier? Were you able to keep a reasonably high cadence when climbing? Did you have to get out of the saddle more on the road bike?

    What is the gearing of the two bikes?
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    Oh jeez, so many questions I don't have answers for, roadie is 34/50 I think, was never out the seat on my mtb, but a few times on the roadie, veru slow cadence on the roadie, my legs just didn't have it.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    How much pressure did you have in your road bike tyres?

    PS A roadie is someone who rides a road bike. A road bike is called a road bike ;)
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    dodgy wrote:
    How much pressure did you have in your road bike tyres?

    PS A roadie is someone who rides a road bike. A road bike is called a road bike ;)

    110 the lad from the shop said :?


    I'll call it anything I want :lol:
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    RandG wrote:
    dodgy wrote:
    How much pressure did you have in your road bike tyres?

    PS A roadie is someone who rides a road bike. A road bike is called a road bike ;)

    110 the lad from the shop said :?


    I'll call it anything I want :lol:

    110, good, but they do go down over time. You call it what you want, nobody will care that much, including me :)
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    RandG wrote:
    Today I picked up my brand new carbon frame Trek, woopy doo...Home, sort a few things out then head out. Now I'm pretty unfit and recently bought a new mtb to get going, but with all that's went on in the last month, a roadie it was as well.


    Anyway, on Thursday I did a 15 miles pretty lumpy route on my mtb, with a 13.8 average, so today I thought I'd cruise that on my new stead....wrong !!

    It was hell, really struggled, legs like lead on the climbs, lungs almost exploding and eventually averaged 14.3

    More proof that Treks' are shite
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    RandG wrote:
    Oh jeez, so many questions I don't have answers for, roadie is 34/50 I think, was never out the seat on my mtb, but a few times on the roadie, very slow cadence on the roadie, my legs just didn't have it.
    It takes a bit of time together used to a road bike so don't get hung up on one ride.

    Re BIB that's part of it. Get the cadence up, use lower gears and get used to spinning in the 80s as a min and ideally higher. Speed will naturally follow as you improve and use bigger gears for the same cadence.

    And is it set up right? Saddle high enough, bars rotated properly? As a start point have the saddle so that your leg is fully extended with the heel on the pedal at its lowest point, and again as a starter the top of the hoods want to be parallel to the floor.

    Best idea is to keep using the bike whenever poss. Improvements will happen in leaps & bounds.
  • d4evr
    d4evr Posts: 293
    Sounds like you were just tired. Had you eaten before hand? Maybe a flatter route until you build up a bit of base fitness will help before tackling the more lumpy stuff. Head out Invergowrie, Longforgan, Errol way? Really flat out there with only the climb back up to Ninewells/Myrekirk/Lochee on the way home. Just a suggestion?!
  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,425
    It's you. just keep quiet until YOU have improved your fitness to match the bike's potential, then post how amazing the difference is, just like everyone else does :D
    my isetta is a 300cc bike
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    d4evr wrote:
    Sounds like you were just tired. Had you eaten before hand? !

    Ye I had eaten , which actually think may have been part issue, a big tuna roll half an hour beforehand probably wasn't the best, and yes, I was pretty tired and had it not been new there and then, I wouldn't have went out.
  • TheEnglishman
    TheEnglishman Posts: 587
    Give it a bit of time - I thought the same when I got a new bike but now I've settled in to training and am getting faster and stronger. It just takes time! Just enjoy it and have patience!
    Please click here to sponsor me on a 100 mile charity bike ride in aid of the MS Society
  • wishitwasallflat
    wishitwasallflat Posts: 2,927
    I posted a thread way back called - Why am I not faster on new bike

    viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=12799317&hilit=new+bike

    which was very similar but compared average speeds in my hybrod and new road bike. I got some very very helpful answers and tips - I am sure it would be worth your while reading it.

    If you do read it - getting new tyres did help but it was really just time and fitness - I can now do 50 miles at 15.5 mph regularily and get (just) above 16mph average quite often when doing 30 on solo rides - it just took time to build up = keep at it :)
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Hope you werent sucked into the 'hype' of many a description that pervades threads in 'Your Road Bikes' for instance... looks a 'fast bike'.. it will stay only looking it until you have done the transition. How long the transition..? how long is a piece of string, basically.
    Keep at it is the only thing you need to keep in your head.
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    A wee update..

    Went out for my second ride tonight with my mate, nice and canny, never looking at mileage or averages, great ride, really enjoyed it, 32 miles !! well happy with that, average was down but enjoyed the ride soo much more.
  • d4evr
    d4evr Posts: 293
    RandG wrote:
    A wee update..

    Went out for my second ride tonight with my mate, nice and canny, never looking at mileage or averages, great ride, really enjoyed it, 32 miles !! well happy with that, average was down but enjoyed the ride soo much more.

    And that is what it is all about. The rest will follow naturally. Good stuff!
  • rubyrider
    rubyrider Posts: 68
    32 miles? Well done!

    I have also just purchased a road bike and had the same experience! I was SO disappointed! It's easier to get my much heavier mountain bike up the hill outside my house ( it would be there wouldnt it?!) than my new super light roadie. It seems the gear ratio is the problem... The gears just aren't as low on the roadie.

    I've now put SPD-SL pedals on too and am worried about attempting the hill again in case I can't get my foot out if I have to stop. (Yes I've headed downhill on every ride so far :D )

    I guess it'll all improve once we get more miles under our belt and get fitter .. You're on your way already :D
  • RandG
    RandG Posts: 779
    Tackling the hills tonight was much more relaxed tonight. Think I was trying too hard at the weekend, find a nice easy gear for the climbs and cruise up, no hurry, yer not in a race, that's what done it for me tonight anyway.

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