Mountain biker here that bought a Road bike earlier in the year. Had it out on a few rides in the summer and ventured onto the Dry offroad trails for a few miles. Not technical singletrack but some pretty rough tracks that were breaking up and across rutted grass tracks. Boy do these "Road" bikes sail uphills. Have a triple so a 15% uphill for 1 mile was not a problem but 30/26 on a 19lb road bike is a lot faster than 22/30 on a 26lb Hardtail MTB. Did not chance the downhills and this is a road bike.
Made me realise that I got the wrong type of Road bike. Offroading is my game so looking for a cyclocross for next year. Then I will be able to stay with the others downhill aswell as leaving them uphills. (Reverese of what my normal offroading is like on the mountain bike.)
I do a 100 mile offroad event each year and a few years ago One cyclocross was entered. Rough tracks and 10,000ft of climbing. He had a back up vehicle with him- so did we- and the only problem he had was Tyres. He shredded about 4 of them on the flints that abound in our chalk but he was not slow anywhere.
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How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan