Road Cycling to get ready for a MTB Race - Does it work?

AllezAllezAllez
AllezAllezAllez Posts: 207
edited January 2011 in Health, fitness & training
By tradition I'm normally found in the hills but last year I bought a road bike on the bike to work scheme and really love the sense of satisfaction you get chalking up the miles.

But as I prepare for the BMBS round 1 (open cat) should I put focus back on getting off road?

Any view on the best training? Slugging it out in the hills or racking up miles on the road? Time is limited so I at a weekend I normally have to choose between off and on road.

Comments

  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    the only benefit i've found from road riding is that you tend to put more miles in on the road so this boosts your endurance, but as soon as i was tackling hard technical climbs on the mtb those endurance miles didn't really seem to help :?

    i'd say stick to mtb, but that's only my opinion :D
  • xcmad
    xcmad Posts: 110
    Have often wondered this myself. Road is def good for the miles - but you need to put the miles in. You should also look for the hills. Off-road works more of the body because your moving about all the time, its more of an intense workout.
  • Jon8a
    Jon8a Posts: 235
    I do a lot of training on the road as it's convenient. You need to get out on you mtb though. Road miles get you fit but they miss out on other bits. As above, you miss out on the technical challenges of offroad riding. Also a mtb ride takes it out on more than your legs. After some rocky rides my arms hurt more than my legs.

    So if it's easier to get out on the road do it but it is only a partial substitute.
  • rock_hopper
    rock_hopper Posts: 129
    I would say keep getting some road miles in to increase your endurance, keep it steady, mixed with some mtb where you would up the intensity to get ready for racing. If time is limited go with how you feel, if your a bit tired/fatigued (for whatever reason) go out on the road, if your feeling sprightly and good, hit the trails. Sherwood is flat and fast so when your doing some intensity work try keep your cadence high, it's about out and out speed on that course..............personally never liked racing there. Good luck, hope this helps
  • AllezAllezAllez
    AllezAllezAllez Posts: 207
    thanks for the comments, from my experience I feel fit after road miles but when I hit the hills the change in pace, getting on and of the bike and change in terrain really does take it out of you.

    More miles all round required!
  • ireland57
    ireland57 Posts: 84
    I got a road bike 7 mths ago to get fit for mtn biking.

    I do all types of training on the roadie e.g. long steady rides (3 hrs); long hills (3 - 20 kms); short, very steep hills (100 metre - 3 km x 5%-20%); intervals; long rides (2.5 - 3 hr) as fast as I can, etc.
    I do a lot of standing hill efforts on the road bike as well.
    It has made me a lot stronger and fitter on the mtn bike.

    As the others have said you need to do the mtn bike stuff as well. There's nothing that I've seen in road riding that compares to having to really sprint up those technical climbs, stepups, rockfaces, creek banks, etc.

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