bvelo
09-13-01, 02:48 PM
I've been cycling for a while, but only recently on the road. I'm doing ok, but I feel weak on long hills and long flats. As long as the terain keeps changing I am ok. Any tips on training for the long haul?
Road Cycling - MTB Convert
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.View Full Version : MTB Convert
nebill
09-13-01, 04:27 PM
Just keep at it! It will come! One of my big problems has always been wanting to do too much too quickly!
Interval training can help, and keeping your cadence up will help, too. I'm just a new rider myself (and old, too!), and I find if I can maintain a cadence of 72 to 80, I can go for a long way! Younger, more fit riders can maintain 80 to 100+ for great distances. Don't worry about how fast you go, but keep your cadence in a rapid but comfortable range for you, and you will be surprised at how well your stamina will build up. Keeping the legs moving will help build your cardio system, whereas if you are pedalling too slow, you will build up some great leg muscles (and risk hurting your knees!)....but not the system to support them!
This is pretty general info...ask more questions! I am sure that the many fine folks on this forum will give you more help than I can!
Welcome to the wonderful world of the roadie!!
Interval training can help, and keeping your cadence up will help, too. I'm just a new rider myself (and old, too!), and I find if I can maintain a cadence of 72 to 80, I can go for a long way! Younger, more fit riders can maintain 80 to 100+ for great distances. Don't worry about how fast you go, but keep your cadence in a rapid but comfortable range for you, and you will be surprised at how well your stamina will build up. Keeping the legs moving will help build your cardio system, whereas if you are pedalling too slow, you will build up some great leg muscles (and risk hurting your knees!)....but not the system to support them!
This is pretty general info...ask more questions! I am sure that the many fine folks on this forum will give you more help than I can!
Welcome to the wonderful world of the roadie!!
bvelo
09-13-01, 04:34 PM
Thanks Nebill. I really like it. I like MTB and will keep doing it, but this is great. I had no idea it could be this cool, I really didn't. I am ashamed to say, I thought roadies were just afraid of the dirt. I had no idea how strong you guys really are. I'll be riding a road bike for many years to come.
nebill
09-13-01, 05:55 PM
To be honest with you, I took my first ride on a mountain bike last Sunday, and I will try it again, too! But, I love my road bike!
Other than the fact that mountain bikes and road bikes are both chain driven and have two wheels, they are both very different breeds! Even though I fell down a lot, I enjoyed the "technical" aspect of the mountain bike....even though I never spend that much time out of the saddle on my road bike. However, on the road bike, when I get into my zone, I feel so great that I sometimes laugh out loud! I used to listen to music when I rode, but as I started spending more time in the saddle, I found that it was such a rush, I didn't need it any more!
I guess that is one of the many things I love about the sport of cycling. Most of the time, I am a commuter....then on the weekends, I am a roadie, or newbie mountain biker! I am doing things now that a year ago I would not have believed possible, and I am still learning and expanding my horizons.
Ride on!
Other than the fact that mountain bikes and road bikes are both chain driven and have two wheels, they are both very different breeds! Even though I fell down a lot, I enjoyed the "technical" aspect of the mountain bike....even though I never spend that much time out of the saddle on my road bike. However, on the road bike, when I get into my zone, I feel so great that I sometimes laugh out loud! I used to listen to music when I rode, but as I started spending more time in the saddle, I found that it was such a rush, I didn't need it any more!
I guess that is one of the many things I love about the sport of cycling. Most of the time, I am a commuter....then on the weekends, I am a roadie, or newbie mountain biker! I am doing things now that a year ago I would not have believed possible, and I am still learning and expanding my horizons.
Ride on!
Buddy Hayden
09-22-01, 07:55 AM
I started out riding mtb,I just love the technical challenge it offers,and making split second descisions at speed!,this in turn carried over to when I got myself a road bike and found myself bunny hopping patches of broken glass, potholes and the like!
climin'foo
09-24-01, 01:03 PM
Bvelo, I'm in the same boat that you are. I raced mtn bikes for a couple years, but couldn't this year because I had shoulder surgery. I decided to buy a road bike for something different and have fallen in love with it.
When I started out, I found that I always wanted to be mashing the pedals and getting out of the saddle. I had to force myself to keep my cadence up around 100 and sit on the hills. Now, after getting used to the bike more; I'm still keeping my cadence up, but am spending more time out of the saddle.
It will take time, but it will take less time if you force yourself to take the long, slow rides to build your cardio. After a few weeks or a month you will have a much easier time attacking hills and keeping the speed up on the long flats.
Hope that helps.
When I started out, I found that I always wanted to be mashing the pedals and getting out of the saddle. I had to force myself to keep my cadence up around 100 and sit on the hills. Now, after getting used to the bike more; I'm still keeping my cadence up, but am spending more time out of the saddle.
It will take time, but it will take less time if you force yourself to take the long, slow rides to build your cardio. After a few weeks or a month you will have a much easier time attacking hills and keeping the speed up on the long flats.
Hope that helps.
Rich
09-28-01, 04:21 AM
I tend to use my cross bike now than my MTB when commuting and going out for rides..there's definately a difference in the speed and handling between the two.
I found that just sticking at it has improved my road strenght and endurance...something I never really had from just riding my MTB alone.
Given the choice between the two however...I probably would still go for the dirt than the tarmac!
Ride on!
Rich :thumbup:
I found that just sticking at it has improved my road strenght and endurance...something I never really had from just riding my MTB alone.
Given the choice between the two however...I probably would still go for the dirt than the tarmac!
Ride on!
Rich :thumbup: