Road Riding Good Training For MTB Rider?

[RocknRolla]

oooohhhhhh!!!!!

 

a MTB vs Roadie Pedalstroke debate!!!!!

 

my contribution:

 

Pedalstroke is not prevailent in either MTB or Road cycling as a discipline, but rather a skill that one has to concentrate on applying while riding one's bicycle.

 

not in the mood for popcorn - but pizza and beers sounds good....

[HDW]

I disagree, I think road cyclists have a "smoother" more consistent pedal stroke. See the link BigBen posted.

I hear your point, and the article makes sense. But a quick Google search can get an article stating the exact opposite .

 

All in all, I have to agree with Tubehunter. It's a personal thing, and varies from rider to rider. If you don't focus on pedal stroke, and don't train with it in mind, you probably won't develop it, no matter what bike you ride.

 

To the OP: my final point - I agree with the last sentence of the mentioned article. Just ride both, and enjoy if you will. Otherwise just ride whichever one you enjoy. Both will increase fitness and benefit you.

Edited October 3, 2012 by HDW

[TNT1]

I don't know how serious you are, but let me state the following: most professional and otherwise good MTBers spend 80%+ time doing training on the road.

 

I was going to say something similar.

 

Awesome minds think alike.

[andydude]

I was going to say something similar.

 

Awesome minds think alike.

 

 

TNT - From what I hear it's closer to 90% road training, but I gave 10% as statisical error and added the +.

 

Everyone - Regarding the pedal stroke debate, just imagine for yourself how smooth the pedal stroke is on a MTB ride (and no, road MTBing doesn't count) compared to a road ride. It's really not rocket science.

[P.A.K.]

For me, its easier and quicker to find a suitable tar road to put time in the saddle than a gravel road - as much as I prefer MTB.

[G-Unit]

2 reasons why to train for MTB on a road bike:

 

1. It's cheaper. You don't go through drive trains and suspension components.

2. It's much easier to accurately control your HR during interval training.

 

Main reason to not do it - you'll get dead when a taxi eventually collects you.

[G-Unit]

2 reasons why to train for MTB on a road bike:

 

1. It's cheaper. You don't go through drive trains and suspension components.

2. It's much easier to accurately control your HR during interval training.

 

Main reason to not do it - you'll get dead when a taxi eventually collects you.

 

Edit - how do I delete a double post like this? Stupid phone...

Edited October 3, 2012 by G-Unit

[leaboy]

2 reasons why to train for MTB on a road bike:

 

1. It's cheaper. You don't go through drive trains and suspension components.

2. It's much easier to accurately control your HR during interval training.

 

Main reason to not do it - you'll get dead when a taxi eventually collects you.

 

Yip, Taxi's the most off putting thing about hitting the road :/

[Andro]

I was going to say something similar.

 

Awesome minds think alike.

Fools never differ....

lol... dont take it personal .. just a saying

[TNT1]

Fools never differ....

lol... dont take it personal .. just a saying

 

Dude, I ride my mtb on the indoor trainer...

[HappyMartin]

You want to learn a good clean pedal stroke then that's what you need to practice. I find it easier to focus on pedal stroke on the road as there is usually a lot less going on and so that is where I try to build efficiency skills.

 

I started riding road to build strength. Mountain bikers on a climb look like my granny trying to shake doggy poo off her bed socks the way they spin up a little hill with a cadence around 110 rpm. Not sure where the control comes from with the bum rolling side to side and the back shock doing a rapid little pogo.

 

You want to really work on pedal stroke get on the track. Strength and endurance from road, skills from MTB. I love it all

[TNT1]

 

 

You want to really work on pedal stroke get on the track.

 

Nothing like spinning a gear to train your legs to make circles.

[V12man]

Nothing like spinning a gear to train your legs to make circles.

 

Time for a Singlespeed MTB and associated gearing ... just ride it with a road bunch and peddalling round circles will be a cinch.

 

I think road and MTB riding are complimentary - the skills learned off road have saved some skin on the road from time to time, and the concentration required in road bunch riding definately helps on the MTB.

 

From a fitness point of view rdiding on the road always seems easer to achieve more hours training - less time washing and fixing bikes, and TITS makes the biggest difference to performance in either (aside from genetics).

[SwissVan]

I dont get this good clean smooth pedal stroke thing, are we talking about mountain biking or ballet?

Your feet only have one option and thats around and around or unless you got those oval shaped things its oval and oval.... when the bridge calls for more power you stomp on them pedals, when the bridge says slow ahead you pedal with less stomp...

Edited October 3, 2012 by SwissVan

[rpedro]

I only use to ride mtb for training, and my results were not so good.

Since I started training with roadbike results has improved in leaps and bounds.

With a road bike you can do intervals long endurance rides and it's less maintenance.

Also cheapeer on the wallet.

I can definately recomend training wirth road bike, just try and do at least two mountainbike rides before a mtb race to get use to the bike before the race.

 

+1

[rpedro]

I don't know how serious you are, but let me state the following: most professional and otherwise good MTBers spend 80%+ time doing training on the road.

 

++2