seenoweevil

I got home yesterday morning after work and got the new bike out. I've already worked up to 15 miles a day on a 2.5 mile course around my subdivision. So I'm on round #4, on the leg that has a slight rise(can't even qualify it as a hill at all), 2 gears down for the incline and spinning comfortably, and this guy comes around me on a road bike like I'm backing up, hollers "Morning!" and he's gone....just like that. Really took the wind out of my sails! I was so proud to be averaging 15mph each lap (finished the 15 miles in 59 minutes), and also quite pleased with the MTB's ride after the X-Mart pos I'd been riding. Sorry for the whining, I just wanted to vent a minute, because now I've got to figure out how to get a road bike!

daintonj

When you overtake anyone you've got to make it look as easy as possible even if it isn't. After a while you'll be overtaking people up hill while riding one handed so you can eat an ice cream.

Also if you haven't ridden a road bike before you'd be suprised at how little effort it is to cruise at 20mph on flats. I rode my MTB to work this morning as it was in the way of my commuter and decided to put in what felt like the same amount of effort in, I was doing 10 where I'd normally do 18.

ilmooz

Ride for your own enjoyment and purpose, keep being proud of the accomplishments you've achieved, and think nothing of what the next guy is out doing. You can't have too many bikes though so go ahead and get that road bike anyway.

st0ut

If you want to go from point a to point b and all there is is pavement. you want a road bike.

seenoweevil

Ha Ha! Now THAT is a goal worth pursuing! I haven't been on a road bike since the 70's, but I bought this hard frame mtb with the express purpose of making it my commuter, figuring the road tires (michelin country rocks) would help the ride without losing too much. But like I say, I love the bike to death, I was just amazed at how fast the road bike was. It was a rude awakening, but it sure won't stop me from riding!

seenoweevil

Oh, I've already got a road bike in my sites! I have a friend that's willing to sell me one that's just a couple of years old very cheap, and I like the thought of very cheap when I have to explain it to the wife!
I've been thinking of joining a local bike club after I get in a bit better shape, thinking I could use the mtb. Perhaps that's the rudest awakening, realizing there's no way I could hang with a group ride on my new pride and joy.

jakereed

15 mph average is fantastic!
Try not to compare yourself to others on other type bikes, just track your own progress, we are all operating at different fitness levels and capabilities.

Alathea

What is the difference? Is it just weight and gearing? Tire diameter? or combination? (im dreading buying a speedometer-I don't want to know how slows I goes)

seenoweevil

Thanks bunches! I am really happy with my progress so far, even in such a short amount of time(5 weeks), and the new bike just begs to be ridden...just a little farther! It's about time to order the bike shorts I swore I'd never be seen in. I'm now convinced that would greatly increase my mileage through increased comfort!

bab2000

I understand your feelings on this. I did a 47 mile plus ride yesterday on my upright hybrid. One of legs offered as a tour organized by local Velo club as part of major festival event in the area. (22, 47, 67, 100)

There are limits to certain bikes that must be accepted. On my ride, a Specialized Crossroads Sport, and my comfortable cadence, with at lowest gears, I can obtain 20 MPH on flats.

This day, I was fighting headwinds, and lots of hills, and was passed numerous times. These riders were averaging 20 - 24 MPH (my guess), compared to my 14 MPH in same conditions.

After the first SAG and about 5 miles beyond the hills started, I then knew I was on the wrong bike for the leg I selected. I continued and found lowering my elbows to the bar grips on hills helped and also into the wind as well. Still my average pace for the entire ride was 12 MPH. This was well below the 18 MPH the others were indicating to report.

There will always be a faster rider on the course, yet it is more important to enjoy the ride, and at my (our) pace, we enjoy it that much longer

Will also mention drop bars do offer your hands more positions and also will allow you more leg leverage on hills, even if bar position is level or slightly higher than the seat. Overall comfort is most important.

Neil_B

+1.

mkadam68

+1

In the interim, you could get slick tires. It'll help. Alot. Good job, though, with what you got.

JoelS

15mph average is great! I did a long ride yesterday (65mi) and averaged 14.5. And that was on a road bike.

Hill-Pumper

Just one word of caution here, make sure that the bike is your size first before you buy. You will not gain the full benefit of a road bike that is no the right size. A trip down to a good LBS that specializes in road bike can do the fitting for for a reasonable fee. It would be well worth the money in the end to do so.

I just made the switch to a road bike and can tell you there is quite a difference in effort needed to cover the same about of distance. The road bike has skinny slick tires which reduces rolling resistance verses a MTB with knobbys. The road bike does weigh less, but as a Clyde, the biggest weight removal that will us is around out bellies. Also, the geometry of the road bike is more efficient with a more forward riding position that lays you down to cut down wind resistance. The gearing is different too, the big difference is the bigger front ring that help out in carrying out higher speeds. I have noticed that my speed up hills is not that much faster, but that is changing as I am learning the technique of "spinning" the hills. Where I really see the difference is in the flats. My MTB likes to get up to about 15- 16 mph and hang right there, but the road bike will keep creeping up faster until I am doing around 20 mph with the same amount of effort. I hope that helps !!!!

Brando_T.

let me quote you something from a local paper, about a local charity ride for cancer that Lance Armstong attended last month:

there's always someone faster.

bab2000

+1, that is very true.

tabnlu

On my ride last weekend, I spotted a guy about 3/4 of a mile ahead of me. I decided to try and catch him so I cranked it up and was making progress. I noticed that I would gain everytime we hit a hill. Finally I caught him going up the last of the climbs and passed him. By the time I got to the top I was completely spent and that guy was just as steady as he was when I first saw him and he passed me and never looked back. Did I feel like a moron. I spent all of that energy and it basically killed the rest of my ride.

CACycling

I was riding yesterday (first time on a bike in almost 2 weeks as we'd just returned from vacation) and on my homeward leg, fighting a moderate headwind, I came up on another cyclist. He was a lot younger (and thinner) than me riding a full-suspension MTB (in full MTB kit) and I was on my road bike. My riding position let me battle the wind better than he and my bike is a heck of a lot more efficient on pavement than his. I just said "Howdy" as I zipped past. I'm sure he was surprised to see my big, spandex-clad butt pulling away from him. It felt so good to be back in the saddle!

But as others have said, ride for yourself at your own pace. Enjoy the ride, ride more & ride farther, get stronger, get faster, get fit!

wrk101

Always best to compare yourself with yourself. Are you making progress? It sure sounds like you are making great progress!! It doesn't matter that someone else is faster (or slower for that matter).

This rule works with everything. There are always people that are wealthier (unless you are Bill Gates), faster, younger, make more money, yadda, yadda. It really does not matter.

Keeping up with others is a losers game. Self improvement is where it is at.

brewster1972

That sort of reminds me of one of the first rides I did in over 10 years.

Things were tough. The hills seemed bigger, my legs had lost their tone, and I was having trouble getting my breathing under control.

Then I came to one part of my route which had a wee bit of a tailwind and I was able to shift into the big ring on the front. "I'm really flying now" I though. No sooner had that thought entered my head when a middle age lady riding a hybrid with saddle bags (paniers) turning a cadence of about 20 blew past me like I was standing still.

While I did manage to pass her on the next hill it was a bit of an eye-opener.

Tex_Arcana

a road bike isn't everything. Just think of how you are putting so much good effort into the bike you have. You're basicly tuning up your bikes engine. Riding a road bike now might be too easy, cause laziness, blah, blah blah.

Okay, go for it. Road bikes are great but it's really still no substitute for hard work. After all, if Lance Armstrong showed up on your morning ride on his best bike and suggested that the two of you switch bikes and race....well....as soon as he got around a corner where he couldn't see you anymore you could have a pretty decent bike I suppose...

Then again he might turn around and catch you.

Stujoe

This is why I never pass anyone. Well, that and the fact that I am slow. lol

kenseth03

Don't even worry about being passed by anyone. I have been pretty excited about finally tackling this hill that always got the best of me. Well now I ride it with no problem. The other day I was riding this hill and was feeling good when I here the words "on your left". This person blew by me on this hill. It was a girl who was just more fit and more advanced. She looked like the female version of Lance Armstrong. I never even felt bad about it. I know one day I will get there to. The only person to compare yourself to is yourself. Set small personal goals and don't worry about the other people. They had to start somewhere to.

seenoweevil

Ok, even snickering or laughing while you said that: that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in a long time! Thanks for that(ever so brief) benefit of the doubt! lol!
Well, update time: I got a road bike, a Novara Strada from a longtime friend. It's a good fit, and I took it out a few days ago and rode with a friend. Yes, it's much more efficient, yes , it's much faster and I rode it for about 3 hours wishing I was on the Fisher the whole time. Go figure. Last night took the fisher out for an evening ride, ended up riding 18-1/2 miles of 19 and pushing the bike back to the house the last half mile after the right pedal completely stripped out the crank arm and fell off! The only lbs in town is more of a mower shop with a bike afterthought, but I left it there this morning in desperation to get it repaired quickly. So maybe I'll have some more time to bond with the road bike after all!
Thanks for all the encouragement folks, you have no idea how much it's appreciated. And hey, now I have my commuter AND a bike to ride on the group rides when I finally take the plunge and contact the bike club I've looked up!

Stujoe

And I forgot to add...at 15mph average, you'd be passing me. Everything is relative.