KryptoAllez

I'm wanting to do my first training ride REALLY soon, soon as I can get the hubby to agree to watch the kiddos so I can go. I'm trying to get an idea of what I'm in for though, heh...

I've been told that the training ride I'm wanting to do, they average about 18 mph for around 40 miles, hard to tell if that's something I can do on my MOUNTAIN BIKE or not. I'll be nervous for sure, but I have been training on a spinning bike 3-4 times a week plus I am an inline speed skater currently attending speed skating practices (have been an inline speed skater for years, very used to gruelling practices). The darn display on the spinning bike though doesn't tell me how fast I'm going, not in MPH anyway. Instead it tells me RPM's, watts, and has a trip meter. During Monday's training session on the spinning bike I covered 15 miles in 30 min then in the next 9 min I picked up the pace and covered another 5 miles so that by 39 min I had covered 20 miles. Of course my total training time was only 45 min but my HR never got over 80% except during the two sprints I did. I was however starting to feel fatigue in my legs during the last 10 min. With that information does anyone have any clue if it sounds like I could keep up with the training group?

umd

Please don't, thanks.

And distance on a spin bike is meaningless.

Here is some reading to get you started:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...s-a-tip-or-two
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...om-racing-tips

KryptoAllez

So am I to understand that I shouldn't do a training ride at all on a mountain bike? And if so, can you explain why? Keep in mind, yes, I AM NEW at this so please excuse my ignorance.

Okay. Now would that be because there are no other factors involved such as wind resistance?

Already read every single thread in that first link and I read the entire thread in the second link also.

caloso

Do you recall how many watts you were putting out? Average and max.

umd

I wouldn't advise it. Unless you know that you are strong enough to keep up, a mountain bike is likely to just get in the way and/or get blown out the back. I would recommend contacting whoever organizes the training ride and ask them if they would mind it. A mountain bike, especially with knobby tires, takes significantly more effort than road bikes to go the same speed.

For starters.

LesterOfPuppets

The roadies will hate you for making them feel slow if you can keep up on MTB.

The roadies will hate you for even thinking you could keep up with them if you go OTB on your MTB.

KryptoAllez

Ah dang, I write everything down after my training sessions BUT watts. Even so, I don't think it gives an average and max unless it blinks those numbers on the display when I'm done, as there are no buttons on the display. I have glanced down during my rides and took notice of watts before and I have seen anything from the upper 100's to numbers in the low 200's. I will have to take note of the watts during tonight's training session.

Don't know if this would help at all or not but during that session I didn't drop under 100 RPM's and I averaged 110 RPM's in Gear 8 and 115 RPM's for the final 10 min. Darn bike won't read high enough for me to see what RPM's I was sprinting at, the entire display disappears at 140 RPM's and instead blinks the word "STOP" at me! LOL.

No doubt, I was worried about that when I did the Venus De Miles charity ride this past Sunday, my friends and pretty much everyone else had road bikes. I didn't have a problem though, I dropped my friends going up a hill and passed numerous others on road bikes (I know, that's really not saying much).

Muahahahahahaha!! See now that's the kind of thing I take great delight in.

mike868y

RPM doesn't really mean much in terms of the intensity of a workout. You could theoretically spin 150RPM in a very easy gear and be doing very little work and mash 50RPM in a big gear and do a lot of work. That being said, it is good to find a comfortable RPM and try to stick to it. Most people recommend 90-100RPM, but it differs from person to person.

agoodale

Seems like you have the right attitude. Buy a used road bike (or borrow one) and try out the group ride.

caloso

The reason I asked about the wattage is that it's the only truly objective measure of the work you're putting out. And that assumes that a gym spin bike is accurately measuring it, which is a huge assumption. I really have no idea if you're fit enough to keep up on a 18mph group ride on a mountain bike. Yes? No? Maybe? Who knows?

Only one way to find out, I guess. Make sure you know your way home.

mollusk

Average speeds only mean something for average riders doing a ride close to the average speed on the same terrain with the same wind conditions. Racing or even "competitive" group rides will be very different experiences. I could pontificate for a while on this subject, but some things are better learned by doing. Just do the group ride and report back. I bet you learn a thing or two.

LesterOfPuppets

Tough call, to be sure, especially taking into consideration the wide array of MTB setups there are.

I could easily handle an 18 mph average for 2 hours on my Mongoose in it's current configuration. I'd not like it as much on the KHS. If I had my el cheepo suspension fork on either rig, I'd be hating it.

Just bring a map in case you get dropped and tell them not to wait for you (if it's a no-drop ride).

EventServices

Your skating is helping you more than your spinning.

I concur with the Senator from Santa Barbara. Don't take the MTB.

Don't over-think it. Just ride.

KryptoAllez

No doubt. I use RPM's and my HR as guides as to how to train, so when I worked up to being able to spin a steady 110-115 RPM's on Gear 7 with a HR of between 70-74%, I moved up to Gear 8. I figure if I can keep up high RPM's on higher gear, then that is progress, should equal stronger legs as well as improving VO2 max.

Along those lines, I'm curious... does anyone know what RPM's the top sprinters spin out?

Yeah, I figured that out as soon as I read your post. So from now on I'm going to write down what my watts were. Unfortunately the spinning bikes at the gym don't give you an average or a max, only real time data is displayed. But that's okay, I can still use that.

Understood, I actually figured that was the answer I would get when I originally typed the post but eh, it was just a way to talk racing and perhaps get a feel for where I need to be for group rides and to eventually race.

I hope so, that is another one of my objectives besides just getting more fit for racing.

Great point about the MTB's, mine's a big 'ole heavy GT, from my research it is supposedly about the heaviest MTB out there, heh. I bought it back in 1996 for $350 if that tells you anything. It has no suspension, has big knobby tires and bottom of the line Shimano gearing with a sprocket that has very worn down teeth which is why it doesn't want to stay in some gears. I love it and have ridden it hard but it just may be time to "retire" it.

The training ride I'm planning on going on is a "ride for conditioned riders with regrouping", sounds pretty good to me, as I wouldn't want to be holding anyone back, wouldn't want anyone waiting on me, yet with regrouping I should be able to catch back up so as not to end up doing the ride all by myself, that is what I'm assuming anyway. I'll get confirmation on that before I actually go.

Well, normally it probably would be... however, right now we are working mainly on technique so we aren't getting much conditioning work, it's REALLY low intensity, so low that it's driving me nuts. This is a new team I am on now since I just moved to Colorado in May so I am still learning how they run things (perhaps there is some sort of rhyme & reason to it?). I am baffled by the fact that when doing some of the technique drills I was told to slow down. Now I could understand that if I was rushing it and not doing the drill correctly but that was not the case. During one drill it was just right foot push-outs and I would think one should work on not only getting the push correct but also practicing getting as much power into that push as possible, but when I put my power into it and naturally picked up speed, I was told to slow down!! It was frustrating actually. My average HR during that entire 2 hour practice was only 62%!!! Gah!

Easier said than done, I don't have any other bike and don't have the money right now to go buy something else. I will have to ask other members what they think I guess. I mean I really want to start training, besides just training on the spinning bike at the gym, and I think it would be foolish for me to go out and buy another bike at this point in time. I would like to start learning about road racing bikes from the other club members, solicit their advice and help before actually buying one. I actually did the same thing when I first got into inline speed skating, I started out on recreational Rollerblade Lightnings, big 'ole clompy inline skates with four 72mm wheels while everybody else on the team was on speed boots with five 80mm wheels. Of course EVERYONE blew me away at first but I knew enough to stick with it a bit and see if I actually got faster after a while and if I was actually going to like it and continue before going out and buying a new pair of speed skates. Lo and behold I DID indeed get faster and was even beating some of the other members with my crappy rec skates. The rest is history...

Ha ha, another one easier said than done... I know what you mean though... I'm already driving my husband nuts with all the bike racing talk. I have to say though, it's only because I am not able just yet to get out there and do it like I want to. I have family obligations that are preventing me from getting out there and riding. So the next best thing is talking about it. Plus it's something new to me. I was all over inline speed skating boards talking about speed skating when I first got into it too, same thing with bodybuilding, now days I rarely get on those boards, heh. Also when I first get into a sport I just want to learn everything there is to know about it. And yes, I am the type to over-analyze things.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who took the time to post a response, I really appreciate it!

davids0507

I always think people should just try and see. See if you can find out the route beforehand, or even ride it once yourself before you do it with a group. That way it won't matter if you fall behind since you'll already know where you're going. Also, be self-sufficient (water, food, helmet, spare tube, hand pump).

As far as whether you will be able to keep up, 18mph on a mountain bike on flat ground sounds like it would be tough but possible, especially if you can stay in the draft well. But I think you should try it anyway and see, it'll be a learning experience either way.

But I echo the previous comments, make sure they're ok with you bringing a mountain bike. If they consider it to be a serious ride they might have problems with it, but if it's more of a social thing it'll be fine.

Dean V

I would pump the tires up to the max allowable pressure (written on the sidewall) and go for a ride by yourself for 15 or 20 miles. Do it a few times and you will get familiar with how fast you can go, improve your bike handling skills, and also riding outside is far more enjoyable.
I tend to think that the group ride you mention could be a bit much at this stage. A bit too far, too fast, and also requires you to ride the bike safely (for you and those around you) in a bunch of cyclists.

Homebrew01

I don't think you want suspension if riding on the road ... would just add weight. Put on narrow slicks and pump them up.

All these numbers don't really mean anything. And watts is only useful as watts/kg over a specific amount of time.

Just get out and ride, learn the roads, tackle the hills etc....

merlinextraligh

If you're going to race, you're going to have to get a road bike. That doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money. You can get a serviceable used road bike for $400 or so. Or a nice new one for about $1,000.

If your concerned about getting the wrong bike, if you buy used for $300-400 or so, you should be able to get most of your money back when you sell it and buy something nicer.

SpongeDad

How about this as an alternative?

You want to race, you have a mtb, you live in CO and it's fall. Try going to a cyclocross practice. A mtb isn't the perfect instrument for cross either, but it's a lot closer and you'll definitely see a few mtbs in the newbie class races.

badhat

RPM on a spin bike means even less than it means on the road too. the nature of the flywheel means it carries momentum through and makes it really easy to spin gears that are very challenging in the real world.

KryptoAllez

Thanks again everyone for your responses, I appreciate it!

The good news is that there are actually two groups that do this training ride I'm wanting to go on, there is a beginner group and a performance group. We all meet up at the same place and leave at the same time but then the beginner group breaks off and the policy is that it's a mentoring type of ride with no riders left behind, sounds like that's probably my ticket at least for the first time til I see what it's like. Obviously if I feel like I'm having to hold back too much then I will move up to the performance group. I will have to report back once I finally get to go! I CAN'T WAIT to go! But family comes first. Until then I guess I'll be riding the spinning bike in the gym, anybody got any opinions or recommendations on spinning bike training? I'm all "ears".

caloso

My advice is to ride your bike outside as much as possible. Riding a bike is a lot more than sitting and spinning your feet. There are a lot of us in the Racing subforum with jobs and families and the things I've noticed that everyone has in common are spousal communication and creativity in getting in your rides whenever possible. That includes commuting, lunch rides, late night and early morning rides.

Creakyknees

this. show up and pedal. get better, learn, repeat.

jfmckenna

Get some road tires for the MTB. Just Google, Mountain Bike Slicks. You will never be able to stay with a road group on a mountain bike unless you are running slicks and even then it may be very difficult especially if you are all squishy with the suspension.

Homebrew01

+100 .... get good lights for those dusk or dawn rides .... there's a separate forum just on lighting.