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Road with the regulars

Old 09-12-08, 09:20 AM
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Road with the regulars

HI,
Well I learned something today my mountian bike may not be suitable for keeping up with the roadies, on a average ride.
I road down to fat frogs bike shop, 7.2 mile from my house, and just caught the (C) group leaving the shop, so I raced to catch up, Now this group is supposed to ride at around 14-16 MPH, About 3 miles into the ride I noticed that my cat eye says we were around 18MPH's and I was having alittle trouble keeping up.
I wanted to see this 20 mile loop in the country so I can quit riding the same old route .
Well things were not going well for me today, I noticed that my chain was making sounds(maybe cause it was starting to rust a bit after that rainy day I rode 2 days ago).
Someone mentioned my clip on fenders are a little like air brakes, so I thought well that not good.
I did make the ride got back to the shop and my trusty cat eye said 26 miles total. And I thought wow longest ride to date, and then I remembered I lived about 7 miles from the Bike shop.
The really good news is I had a 12 knot tail wind and it helped push me home.
I feel a little wipped at the moment , but I ve learned something about endurance and pace.
And roadie bikes are made for speed and mountian bikes are great for trails..
So I await my roadie bike this week from ebay and hope that things will be a little easier on my next jaunt with the regular bikers. With my tail alittle droopy and between my legs..
Doug



This second bike should roll alot easier than the mountian,,, I'll be back you roadies.and wellsee who canPush that 20 mph cruising speed ...




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Old 09-12-08, 10:32 AM
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Mountain bike tires have bigger rolling resistance, the mountain bike is proly heavier too.
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Old 09-12-08, 10:45 AM
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Another thing that many roadie types don't tell you, is that it takes years for most people to be able to ride above 18 mph average. It takes time to build up aerobic conditioning and technique enough to go that fast. The people that can do it faster, are exceptions to this rule.

I try to ride hard enough to get that endorphin high, but still have a good time, see the scenery, and be able to enjoy the rest of my day. If the roadies that I ride with once or twice per week get a wild hair up their butts and blast off like bats out of hell, and I can't keep up with them, then I let them go. They always wait for me at the top of the next big hill. No biggie. I can tell that most of them really needed the rest after that push, anyway.

You have been riding for a while, though, so I think that after a couple of weeks of getting used to the road bike, you will be staying with these guys with no problem.

Have fun!
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Old 09-12-08, 01:14 PM
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Anytime your bike gets wet from rain or other sources, you owe it to your friend to clean & lube the chain/drive system. Otherwise, it will rust on you.
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Old 09-12-08, 04:39 PM
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You did Great!! How did you like the ride thru Pungo? Did you have a chance to talk w/ the ride leader before you started the ride? It has been my experience that the weekday rides from Fat Frogs are often on the upper end of "C" pace almost a low "B" unless there is someone who is a true C pace rider -- I've never been dropped (they always waited at a stop sign/intersection), even when I told them to go ahead. Usually on Saturdays, there are many more riders and a true C pace group in the 14-16 range.
Also, if it fits you schedule, I've heard that the Tuesday Taco Ride from Kempsville Shopping Plaza is a fun "C" ride. (See the schedule on tbarides.org )
I'm going to try & ride with Fat Frogs tomorrow. Hope to see ya on the road!!

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Old 09-12-08, 04:57 PM
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Rode
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Old 09-12-08, 04:57 PM
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Looks like a nice bike but a little beat in that condition. Make sure to ge new tires or your attempt to keep up with the roadies will be spent repairing flats on the side of the road!

Roadie does make a huge difference in speed. Don't get to excited on the ride. Pace yourself. Pushing 20 for the entire distance is different than pushing 20 for a mile.
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Old 09-12-08, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by scrapmetal
Mountain bike tires have bigger rolling resistance, the mountain bike is proly heavier too.
There are a number of factors, first is tires, those fat knobbie tires that go woe woe woe, are using up a lot of energy making noise, but even with high pressure slicks there are issues. Gearing is one, few mountain bikes go much beyond about 7.6 metres development, where it's not uncommon to see road bikes with gear ratios of 9 metres development or more.... The geometry is typically more suited for the road, and drop bars do help, much of the time, as well. It's also not uncommon to see road bikes at under 9kg, where many mountain bikes are 14kg or more. All other factors being even you will be faster on a road bike....
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Old 09-12-08, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Wogsterca
Gearing is one, few mountain bikes go much beyond about 7.6 metres development, where it's not uncommon to see road bikes with gear ratios of 9 metres development or more.... The geometry is typically more suited for the road, and drop bars do help, much of the time, as well. It's also not uncommon to see road bikes at under 9kg, where many mountain bikes are 14kg or more. All other factors being even you will be faster on a road bike....
Where do you get your info? Smaller gears means nothing unless you're descending at 40 mph. I'm spinning at the front of our group in my 39 ring at about 95-100 at 20 mph while the others are in their 53's. Now that I know I can't keep up in a smaller gear, I'll drop to the back!


MTB gears don't have a thing to do with it at 18-20 mph ride. The weight and the resistance like the other posters stated do!
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Old 09-12-08, 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
Where do you get your info? Smaller gears means nothing unless you're descending at 40 mph. I'm spinning at the front of our group in my 39 ring at about 95-100 at 20 mph while the others are in their 53's. Now that I know I can't keep up in a smaller gear, I'll drop to the back!


MTB gears don't have a thing to do with it at 18-20 mph ride. The weight and the resistance like the other posters stated do!
I don't know if you noticed, but that was one factor, never said it was most important, but it is a factor. BTW tire size and width are also factors, a 700C wheel is actually geared higher then a 26" wheel, a 700C wheel will cover about 2.2m per revolution, where a 26" wheel with 1.4" wide slicks covers about 2m per revolution, making my 42x11 just slightly higher then your 39x12, which is actually higher if you have a 39x11 the difference of course, that's my maximum gear, so I don't have the ability of a 40MPH descent, and no ride, ever is done all at one speed, unless maybe your in Saskatchewan where it's dead flat and your riding during the 5 minutes a year there is no wind.

BTW if you read ALL of my post, I also mentioned other factors, like tires, the weight of the bike, geometry, and even the kind of handlebars, thinking about it more though, rider condition and experience are also factors.....
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Old 09-12-08, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Wogsterca
BTW if you read ALL of my post, I also mentioned other factors, like tires, the weight of the bike, geometry, and even the kind of handlebars, thinking about it more though, rider condition and experience are also factors.....

Yeah, I noticed. But still the gear is not that much of a factor. Lance beats Jan and his big gears. Triathletes use 650 wheels, Tour riders now use compact cranks, TDF time trialists use bigger rings (60's) rather than 53's. Doesn't mean they will win the race.

Gearing is more a matter of being a masher or a spinner, you can win either way!. Like the others mentioned before, geo, weight, tire resistance is a big factor, gearing isn't.

The gearing excuse was made up by a guy on an mtb that couldn't keep up with a roadie! I think I met the guy. A rider that tried to keep up with my casual pace couldn't. He said it was that I was in a bigger gear. I said it was his tires and the bike weight, he disagreed! He insisted it was the gears till I pointed out that I was in my roadie 39/14 and he was maxed out in his mtb 42/12.

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Old 09-12-08, 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
Now that I know I can't keep up in a smaller gear, I'll drop to the back!
Maybe it's time you got a triple, Mr. Beanz...
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Old 09-12-08, 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Richard_Rides
Maybe it's time you got a triple, Mr. Beanz...

COUNT THEM, ONE, TWO THREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...sorry about the yelling, I get excited like Larry the Mattress King


I'm really shocked that so many riders think it's the gearing. Back in 05 I trained my arse off. 30 lbs lighter, I smoked some legend in his own mind rider on a high end carbon bike. His bike 3 times the price of mine. I waited at the top of the climb for him. Maybe 15 minutes on the 7 mile climb. He was like really shocked when he realized I was riding a triple. Cause we all know triples are for sissies!....Doesn't matter what I rode. I have a double, a triple. 52 ring, 53 ring, 72.5 cranks 175 cranks, I would have spanked his arse either way, either bike!

At the end of the ride, he had his mother of 70 out there making excuses why he was half an hour behind. It's cool Grandma, I believe you!

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Old 09-12-08, 11:49 PM
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Right-on, Beanz. It's the engine. Not the bike.
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Old 09-12-08, 11:51 PM
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Originally Posted by mkadam68
Right-on, Beanz. It's the engine. Not the bike.
Yes sir! And the other way around too, I've seen mtb'ers on slicks drop roadies like bad habits!
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Old 09-13-08, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Beanz
Yes sir! And the other way around too, I've seen mtb'ers on slicks drop roadies like bad habits!
Too Right. I was on my Mtn Bike one Day just going to the store which was about 7-8 miles away and got caught up with a bunch of riders ( i think Swamis they were all dressed in blue ) I was on my M60 MTB and just took off passing them since I was getting pushed out anyways. Caught up to the lead and kept going was doing around 17-19 mph. I actually avg the same speeds on my road bike that I was on my MTB when I was commuting to work on that. Granted its easier on the Roadie but I was able to do it on the other.
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