Doing Sportives on a MTB?

320DMsport
320DMsport Posts: 306
edited October 2008 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Hi all,

I kow this prob isn't the done thing but do you get many people doing friendly sportives on bike other than super lean road machines?

I am a MTB rider as a rule and race a little XC and thought i'd give this 60 miles route a bash for winter training to get some road miles in my legs.

I was thinking of using my Carbon hardtail but on slicks, it weighs about 23 pounds but it rides well on the road.

I've never done a road sportive but is is it frowned upon to do these on off road machines?

Just want to get round and have some fun and crack really.

Comments

  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    I have seen people on MTB's on the couple of smaller friendly sportives. I don't think it is an issue to be honest, just go and enjoy yourself.
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    I did hear someone did the Fred Witton on a MTB on off road tyres but i don't think i'd goto those lenghs.

    May just go and have a go!
  • fizz
    fizz Posts: 483
    I've seen a few people on MTB's on the Tour of Wessex last year and also this.

    I dont think it really matters TBH.
  • GrogerG
    GrogerG Posts: 9
    60 Miles is 'do-able' on an MTB - But I think you're nuts!!! :wink:

    Seriously, good on you for attempting this. Rather you than me though! :)

    Best of Luck and have a great day.
  • Hornetto
    Hornetto Posts: 141
    The 2 sportives I've done (Test Valley Tour and Southdowns Challenge) have had people on MTBs, not many but a reasonable amount. Nobody frowned on them. In fact on the TVT I rode alongside a friend who had a slicked MTB.

    To be honest, just go and do it and have fun - if anyone frowns on you then that's their issue not yours.
    Never argue with an idiot - they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    Thanks for the input, quite looking forward to this now!

    3 other mates are planning to do it on there road bikes so i'll tag along!

    I'm not to worried about the distance as such......hmmmm, i did 72 miles off road on a 10 hour endurance event with 350 metres of climbing every lap, so kind of figured if i'm on tarmac with slicks 60 miles is doable?

    Or am i way off the mark and just nuts!! :o

    What the heck if it all goes wrong i'll call the missus to collect me!
  • wakemalcolm
    wakemalcolm Posts: 679
    320DM I've done all of my sportives on a bike with straight bars and slicks, the majority of which are in the 90-100 mile range. It's never done me any harm; you just need to be sure that there's enough hand positions where you can get comfortable.
    ================================
    Cake is just weakness entering the body
  • nasahapley
    nasahapley Posts: 717
    You'll be fine DM; before I got my road bike I regularly did 70+ mile rides on my not-very-high-tech mtb with slicks and to be honest, the difference in speed isn't that huge. If you're used to banging out similar distances off road then I reckon you could make a few people with fancy road bikes look a bit silly! Wakemalcolm's right about the hand positions; I enjoyed my long rides on the mtb much more once I got some bar ends.

    Have fun!
  • pjm-84
    pjm-84 Posts: 819
    I've done a few on my Cross bike with knobblies which always raises eyebrows.
    Paul
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    Cheers for the feedback,

    I do 35 miles often off road in tough terrain so should be ok, did the 10 hour and a 24 hour in a team this year where i covered more than the sportive.

    I think it will be fun turning up on the MTB flat bars and all!

    The bar ends could be a good idea as it would put me in a better position for climbing and change of grip will be welcome, i've been thinking about them for XC too.

    I put my slicks on today and had a quick 15 mile spin to try it, WOW what a difference on the road, so fast and smooth, i was grinning away, bike looks weird though!

    Front forks have lockout and are only 80mm travel so front is low.

    Felt a big diff though, i normally average 14.2mph on my off road tyres on the road and with the slicks on my average went to 15.7mph, quite happily sat at 16.7mph on the flat.

    I have about 8 weeks before i'll start tapering off for the event, some i'm going to get some road miles in before the event, want to beat some road bikes hehe.

    I live in the Lakes so i'll do a hilly 35 miles on Monday and build up from there.

    One roadie mate seemed abit bemused as to why i would want to do it but why not?

    Hell on a cross bike with knobblies would be great, bet you got some looks.

    I heard last year someone did the Fred Witton on a MTB with off road tyres on....that's respect!

    Cheers
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,272
    320DMsport wrote:
    Hi all,

    I kow this prob isn't the done thing but do you get many people doing friendly sportives on bike other than super lean road machines?

    I am a MTB rider as a rule and race a little XC and thought i'd give this 60 miles route a bash for winter training to get some road miles in my legs.

    I was thinking of using my Carbon hardtail but on slicks, it weighs about 23 pounds but it rides well on the road.

    I've never done a road sportive but is is it frowned upon to do these on off road machines?

    Just want to get round and have some fun and crack really.

    I've seen people on MTB and personally I don't have anything against it... much better than those idiots on Time Trial bikes, risking their life and those of others around them.

    TT bikes are made for going straight, not for cornering downhill
    left the forum March 2023
  • stu99
    stu99 Posts: 177
    I completed a 160km sportive in the USA with 10,000 feet of climbing. I think I was riding the only MTB in the 3,000-strong field but with slicks it wasn't too much of a problem and the gear ratio certainly helped on some of the hills. There were plenty of roadies who finished long after me.
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    stu99 wrote:
    I completed a 160km sportive in the USA with 10,000 feet of climbing. I think I was riding the only MTB in the 3,000-strong field but with slicks it wasn't too much of a problem and the gear ratio certainly helped on some of the hills. There were plenty of roadies who finished long after me.

    That's very encouraging stu!

    On MTB races i always think right get in there and do your best, but this will be a pleasent surprise if i'm not last and pass a few roadies.

    I'm riding with 4 roadies that i have never ridden with, but there are some sharp climbs which the \MTB gearing will help and i do hill repeats on those sort of hills.

    My mate is using his winter bike not his full race machine which he informs weighs 23 pounds....snap so does my MTB so it closes things up.

    We are supposed to be riding as a group but see what happens.

    I can see my training now going towards this event over next 8 weeks and end up taking it more serious than i thought, well as seroious as i can on a MTB!
  • JamesB
    JamesB Posts: 1,184
    I started off my sportive `career` riding a Ti MTB hardtail, with locked out forks (Autumn Epic being my first event); no probs, and managed the steeper stuff better than many on road bikes; although I have now got a road bike which is faster, I recently rode the Cambrian Challenge on my MTB again because of my concerrns about road conditions following the early Sept downpours; someone on the Cumberaland Challenge (100 miles) was also going strongly on an MTB with semi slicks on too!!

    Just enjoy, a few may give adverse comments but as long as you don`t expect a very top place does it really matter?
  • Fat Head
    Fat Head Posts: 765
    i passed the bloke doing the fred on knobblys at patterdale....i thought i would wisecrack him and said "there are things called slicks you know" as I passed him and he informed me that that HONESTLY wasnt the first time he heard that remark on the day :D
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Seen this ?
    http://www.everydaycycling.com/edc/news ... s_339.aspx

    The guy did Spud Riley 100miler on a MTB with slicks - and with sus forks and disc brakes.
    Eventually finished, although he did shortcut the end of the route and says he was last...
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    Hell i'm not expecting a high place at all!

    Treating it as a training ride to get some base miles in!

    I did a ride down south last weekend, went up through Cheddar Gorge, nice climb and we did 51 miles in 3hr 30 mins, i was on my hard tail with slicks on and they were on carbon road bikes, it was hard work keeping up!

    We were doing around 22 mph on the flat and even in my hardest gear which is a 44 on the front i couldn't pedal fast enough on the slight downhills.

    Good thing was though one of the lad wasn't that fit and started to die off at that pace after 35 miles or so and i was dropping him on the hills and spent my time trying to keep the other guys wheel.

    Quite fun really and a real good workout for me!

    My LBS may lend me a bike to do this sportive on but i'm thinking it could be fun doing it on the hardtail after all!

    Seeing as i've entered as a club name 'MTB Hardtail'
  • 320DMsport
    320DMsport Posts: 306
    Andy Wrx i just read that report, sounds like he had fun and a challenge!

    I would be happy finishing last as long as i finish and i've got the base training in, my legence lies with MTB racing but these events could be great for winter training.

    At the bottom of that story it said Phil past away, was that the guy that wrote the report?

    Poor chap.

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