MTB On The Road

[MarkInNC]

I ride a MTB on the road. I am much more comfortable with the riding position that this provides me as apposed to a road bike. I have a KHS road bike but dont ride it anymore as it does unkind things to my back. I have changed out some of the MTB components making more of a hybrid. I have a nice set of 700 Cane Creek wheels with x32 road tires. I have a carbon fiber ridgid fork and a differant seat. I enjoy the bike which is what it is all about, I guess.

I am still unable to keep up with the roadies and am wondering how much of this is the motor and how much is the extra drag presented by my more upright position. I am middle aged and consider myself pretty much average in terms of athletic ability. I had hoped that Id be able to comfortably ride with the "slow" roadies after fixing up the bike and continuing to improve the motor. My average 2-4 times weekly rides are 15-25 miles and my computer says I avg about 14.5 mph. The local club says the fast roadies are 24mph+, medium are 18-22, and the slow folk are 16-18.

I have not joined a club ride to this point because I dont want to slow the entire group down. Anyone have any comments?

Mark

 

[cyberlegend1994]

The gearing on a MTB is also different (lower ratio) from that of a road bike, so that will also tend to make a road bike faster. Have you tried bigger chainrings on the front cranks, or smaller cassettes on the rim?

 

[Yojimbo_]

I think it's partly your engine and partly your bike.

I ride with a recreational group - I had trouble keeping up with the faster folks with my hybrid, and it became much easier when I got a road bike.

On the other hand, there is one guy who used to show up on his mountain bike and drop everyone.

 

[MarkInNC]

thanks for the replys.

Yes, the gearing is lower on the mountain bike. I gained a bit when I switched to the 700c wheels as they are a bit larger. Circumference with the x32 tire is 6% larger than the MTB set-up. I have also replace the 42 large chainring with a 44. I may go up further as I improve the motor a bit more.

I am still interested in getting a better idea about just how much my more upright seating position is slowing me down.

Likely, as in many things, basics are involved and in this case I think it comes down to the motor.

Mark

 

[Bro Deal]

Change to a tighter cassette. If you don't like a low, aerodynamic position then you are never going to be as fast as some else who does. If you have a very upright position then you could easily lose three or more miles per hour.

If you are in good shape then you can easily ride well on an MTB on the road. On occassion I have done organized centuries on mine, sometime even with big knobbies like 2.1 inch Velociraptors. It's fun to pass roadies who are all kitted out in their company's MS150 garb and think they are big time because they do a group ride at lunch two times a week. It really helps if you have good aero position on the MTB, though.

My MTB position is not all that different from my road bike position.

 

[Powerful Pete]

1. Ride the thinnest clinchers you can get your hands on, on the 700C wheels you have.

2. Change to a tighter cassette, as Bro Deal suggested.

3. Change to higher gearing on your cranks - most road bikes will have a 50 tooth minimum up front, and many riders will be pushing a 53. No matter how much you try, they will ride away from you if you are on a 44.

4. Experiment a bit with your position and see if you can get a bit more aero.

5. Train, train, train and then train some more.

 

[alfeng]

Yes, the gearing is lower on the mountain bike. I gained a bit when I switched to the 700c wheels as they are a bit larger. Circumference with the x32 tire is 6% larger than the MTB set-up. I have also replace the 42 large chainring with a 44. I may go up further as I improve the motor a bit more.

I am still interested in getting a better idea about just how much my more upright seating position is slowing me down.

Likely, as in many things, basics are involved and in this case I think it comes down to the motor.

FWIW. A few years ago, I did some informal tests by comparing the difference in COASTING speed on some long false flats & actual descents of varying pitches by moving between the tops/hoods AND drops of my ROAD handlebars.

The tops of my bars are below the top of the saddle where the top of the "flat" portion of the hoods are ~4" below the top of the saddle. The drops are about 5" below the hoods.

My recollection is that there was a 2+ MPH difference while coasting ... on a long false flat -- for example, 12 MPH with my hands on the tops & 14 MPH with my hands on the drops ...

The difference on the steeper descents (beyond pedaling speeds) was about the same ... a couple of miles per hour. Drag from clothing was probably an additional factor, too, in some instances; so, it may be coincidental that MY results were almost the same regardless of road speed -- and, as they say, your results may vary.

I reckon that if I had Flat Bars mounted on the same bike mounted at saddle height, the difference from the tops of my hood would be about ~2 MPH ... and, ~4 MPH difference from having my hands on the drops with all other circumtances being the same.

That is to say, if you are using Flat Bars, you will probably have to pedal harder to achieve the same speed than someone who is using ROAD bars.

BTW. Shimano makes a 48t 104BCD chainring ... almost "everyone" makes a 46t 104BCD chainring ... OR, you can move your ROAD crank onto your MTB.

 

[garage sale GT]

Put the mountain bar and stem on the KHS, maybe?

 

[alfeng]

Put the mountain bar and stem on the KHS, maybe?

Yes, moving the bars/stem + shifters from your MTB to your ROAD bike is definitely an option to consider as long as you realize the aerodynamic drag will create a handicap that the other riders are not going to experience.

BTW. Presuming your bike frames fit you proplerly, depending on your back problems, you may want to consider consulting a Chiropractor or Orthopedic Surgeon ... OR, doing more stretching exercises before you ride & on your off (non-riding) days.