kmac27

What do you think is an equal ratio to mileage with a MTB and a Road bike? For instance how long would a 20 mile ride take on a road bike and on a mountian bike. Also if the miles are increased is the ratio increased in space? Such as riding 40 miles on a MTB will take a certain ammount longer than on a Road bike.

Machka 

On the road, I usually ride approx. 1-2 km/h slower on my mtn bike than I do on my road bicycle.

Bob Dopolina 

?

Are you talking about using an MTB on the road vs a road bike on the road? Or just how to compare the efforts of riding an MTB where it should be ridden (on the dirt) and riding a road bike on the road?

Not quite sure what you're after here.

kmac27

I am commuting with a mountian bike and I just want to know the mileage difference between the two. Basically I want to know how far riding a mountian bike would be equivelant to riding a century since I want to do one by may. Yes I am talking about riding both of them on the road.

Machka 

Riding a century on a road bicycle = 100 miles
Riding a century on a mtn bike = 100 miles
Riding a century on a recumbent = 100 miles
Riding a century on a tandem = 100 miles
Riding a century on a fixed gear = 100 miles

It doesn't matter what you ride the century distance remains 100 miles.


I've ridden numerous (125) centuries or longer rides on several different road bicycles, on my mtn bike, and on a tandem ... and the distance I cover is always at least 100 miles. Some centuries just take me longer than others.

kmac27

You don't understand they are not equivelant in effort. That is what I'm asking. I'm asking the time per miles on average. A century on a mountian bike could take easily 7 hrs and on a roadie you could easily finish it in 6 hrs if both times nonestop. I am just looking for a ratio from an expierenced rider.

Machka 

Oh believe me, I fully understand they are not equal in effort. My mtn bike centuries (100 miles) take me longer than my road bicycle centuries (100 miles).

As I said in my very first post, I ride about 1-2 km/h slower on my mtn bike than I do on my road bicycle.

kmac27

That doesn't seem like a big difference, my average on a mountian bike is 16-17 miles an hour and if I got on a road bike I think I could easily average 22 mph for a good ammount of time.

Sprocket Man

Easily? Really?

kmac27

My mountian bike weighs roughly 35 lbs going from that to 18 lbs would make a hell of a difference. Don't you think?

Machka 

It isn't a big difference ... in general, it is probably slightly closer to 2 km/h ... on my mtn bike, I'll ride 18 km/h and on my road bicycle about 20 km/h or so.

I did my first 200 km brevet on my mtn bike and finished in 12 hours. I've used my road bicycle on all my subsequent 200 km brevets, and have finished anywhere between 10 hours and 13 hours.

See with longer distances, like centuries (and longer), you have to keep in mind that it is difficult to keep up the same pace you would on a short ride. Fatigue can set in ... especially if you aren't used to riding centuries yet. Environmental conditions also play a huge part. The 12 hour brevet I did on my mtn bike had gorgeous weather ... a cyclist's dream. The 13 hour brevet I did on my road bicycle had horrendous weather. Where I live now, my 200 km brevets are about 11 hours, but they are much hillier than that 12 hour brevet on my mtn bike, so I'm sure that makes a difference too. There are a lot of factors to factor in.

Machka 

No, I don't think it would make that much of a difference. My mtn bike weighs 40 lbs, and my road bicycle weighs 27 lbs.

kmac27

I know longer distances have an effect on how fast you ride. I would have thought that a road bike with the more aerodynamic position and lighter frame with thinner wheels would be more than 1km to 2 km further in an hour. A guy on a single speed was ahead of me by a football field in 3-4 minutes including going uphill so I'm suprised that its such a small difference for you.

Machka 

But the same sort of thing has happened to me (several times) when I've been riding my road bicycle ... a guy on a mtn bike has sailed past me going up a hill like I've been standing still. You can't compare another rider to yourself ... you have no idea of the skill level (or fatigue level, or lack thereof) of the other rider.

You can only compare your own speed on different pieces of equipment under similar circumstances.

Chopper1

If you are asking what the MTB equivalent to Road miles would be, I think it is 1 mile of MTB on difficult terrain = 3 road miles - pushing it. No science, just experience. For example, I did 13 miles on the MTB on Sunday and it took almost 2 hours. I would do at least triple that on a road bike. Blast away fellas.

Machka 

And on the road? ............. Which is what the OP is asking.

kmac27

thanks for the help, The furthest I've ridden a mountian bike was 21 miles and it took me 2 and a half hours which included stoplights and various hills that probably took 4-5 minutes each. That was this summer. On thanksgiving break I'm going to try for a 30 mile ride in under 3 hrs.

kudude

100 m (more or less) /4 minutes x 60 minutes/ hour => 1500 m/h or 1.5 km/h faster than you.

JBS103

Rolling resistance plays a part, but having multiple positions for your body on the road bike seems to outweigh any other advantage when we are talking 4-6 hours in the saddle.

NaBlade

Went from 40-lb mtn bike to 20-lb road bike recently. I reduced my regular ride time on a favorite route by 12 minutes on first try (the very first ride on that road bike). That's about a difference of less than 4 mph between my mtb and my road bike on that route which was fairly flat. On a different route (longer, shorter, hillier, etc.), it will be a different story.

Sprocket Man

Have you been skipping math class?

hmto

Not to judge but 2 km/h difference is negligible. Your road bike weight does seem a bit high, but the differences I get for a 30lb MTB and a 17lb road bike is closer to 10 km/h if not more. There's more drag based upon riding position and then tires make a huge difference too.

Machka 

So your real speed on your mtn bike is 8.4 mph, and you are aiming to do 30 miles at 10 mph. Well, there's a chance that when you get on your road bicycle, you might be able to do 11 or 12 mph.

Machka 

That's what he weighs! He's not one of these feather-weight carbon things ... he's a steel sport-touring bicycle with a rear rack.

And yes, that's what I'm saying ... the difference is negligible. There is a difference, but not much. And as I said in a previous post, I completed a 200 km brevet on my mtn bike in 12 hours, and the same distance many times on my road bicycle in approx. the same time, give or take.

irish pat

I understand what the op is talking about, it is pretty clear, no need to complicate it.
I was doing a 20 mile loop on my mountain bike-30lbs-took me 1 3/4 hours. On my first road bike 1hr 10 min. However, take into account, bike handling-road bikes are meant for the road, less effort. Road bike-more aero. Mountain bike-less hand positions, you fatigue faster.
I could do 40 miles on a road bike and feel the same fatigue as after a 40 mile road ride on a mountain bike.
It's like cyclocross, it takes effort to take turns on the grass and go around obstacles, it takes a mental toll, which can lead to getting tired faster, aerobically may be the same as riding on the road, but you also have to account for the lines you take.
This is not scientific, but from personal experience.
I ride about 7000 miles a year, race on the road and cyclocross. Both wear me out in different ways. I also am of the opinion that road racing is different to time trialling, as you are focussing on different things, tactics in road racing, keeping my line, having to deal with a group of other riders, mentally it tires me out faster than just doing a TT.