Patchelicious Posted November 30, 2015 Share Patch, you're preaching to the converted here mate! I only race road events on the carbon weight weenie bike with carbon everything. I feel like a mighty road racer when I wheel her out of the house before the event! 'Racing' a MTB at a road race will never make sense to anyone who has done a road race on a road bike. More so at the sharp end of the field. But therein lies both the answer and reason for this anomaly. It clearly is someone who has put in plenty training hours and got properly strong riding off road and now wants to do a road event. They will not have much clue about what to do in group racing situations. Speak to them there in the race and tell them why it is dangerous, rather than just, "HEEEEEEYYYYY, MOUNTAINBIKER, YOU'RE RDING LIKE A TJOP!!!!!!!!!" I would suggest that before anyone petitions to have MTB bikes excluded from road races, you rather petition racetec and other similar timing companies to give a road seeding penalty of sorts to people who only have mountain bike race results to compensate for the lack of tight, road, bunch riding dynamics they will have been exposed too! Then you wont have these riding beasts racing on their limit amongst people prepared to take bigger risks to get every little margin and advantage they can get, as happens in the front groups! Hopefully they will then get the real world experience of how and why group riding is so important in road racing and perhaps be inspired to get a road bike...I know I know, I'm just saying for those who don't think like that. There are many possible solutions to this "problem". Banning MTBs from races is not the answer, too many guys ride them for pleasure and that's good, we need it as a community! Banning them from front groups is also not a solution, which group, what threshold etc. Creating more animosity between MTBer and Roadies is also not solution, so let's not fuel that fire too much. You are right that multiple seedlings is an answer. This I believe is a medium term solution to this and some "dirty roadie" in MTB races problems. Another could be to have dedicated MTB groups or catagories in road events, maybe that will lure the guys riding MTBs bikes for ego reasons to a batch with more like minded people and they can race each other But as usual the real solution starts with us, ourselves, at home, if you ride a MTB in road race you must make an extra effort to be courteous, in the same way that if you are a dirt roadie, be extra courteous when doing single track sections in a MTB race... It's simple, but we far prefer to blame others for our behavior. There is never a reason to ride like a knobhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room Service Posted November 30, 2015 Share I ride a hardtail that weighs is at 7.4kg.as light or lighter than many road bikes on Sunday. I weigh 92kg. Started I'm c1 Sunday. Got to top of hels in 15min20secs. Broke a spoke at the prison, stopped to fix it, snapped my chain on the left turn into hels, hit the deck hard. Ran last km to finish. Did all of that in 2hr57. Did a lot of pulling up front for those that could hang onto my wheel. Raced subvets in the past and did track racing. I'm a 42 year old ballie. There are many of us that can ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room Service Posted November 30, 2015 Share I ride a hardtail that weighs is at 7.4kg.as light or lighter than many road bikes on Sunday. I weigh 92kg. Started I'm c1 Sunday. Got to top of hels in 15min20secs. Broke a spoke at the prison, stopped to fix it, snapped my chain on the left turn into hels, hit the deck hard. Ran last km to finish. Did all of that in 2hr57. Did a lot of pulling up front for those that could hang onto my wheel. Raced subvets in the past and did track racing. I'm a 42 year old ballie. There are many of us that can ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubehunter Posted November 30, 2015 Share I know I know, I'm just saying for those who don't think like that. There are many possible solutions to this "problem". Banning MTBs from races is not the answer, too many guys ride them for pleasure and that's good, we need it as a community! Banning them from front groups is also not a solution, which group, what threshold etc. Creating more animosity between MTBer and Roadies is also not solution, so let's not fuel that fire too much. You are right that multiple seedlings is an answer. This I believe is a medium term solution to this and some "dirty roadie" in MTB races problems. Another could be to have dedicated MTB groups or catagories in road events, maybe that will lure the guys riding MTBs bikes for ego reasons to a batch with more like minded people and they can race each other But as usual the real solution starts with us, ourselves, at home, if you ride a MTB in road race you must make an extra effort to be courteous, in the same way that if you are a dirt roadie, be extra courteous when doing single track sections in a MTB race... It's simple, but we far prefer to blame others for our behavior. There is never a reason to ride like a knobhead. Just like that! Riding a bike, any bike and being a dwis is an oxymoron! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted November 30, 2015 Share But as usual the real solution starts with us, ourselves, at home, if you ride a MTB in road race you must make an extra effort to be courteous, in the same way that if you are a dirt roadie, be extra courteous when doing single track sections in a MTB race... It's simple, but we far prefer to blame others for our behavior. There is never a reason to ride like a knobhead. dude sometimes you just make to much sense.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubbin Posted November 30, 2015 Share Im also with the n+0 brigade and do 2-3 road races per year with my mountain bike. And I did have a close encounter yesterday at the SCT due to my handlebar width. Problem is, this because a roadie tried to pass between me and another cyclist. (And yes, there was ample room on the right of us to pass us both) The idiot rode in under my right arm and we were locked for a few seconds. I had to lift my arm so he could unlatch. Luckily we both stayed upright. If everybody applied common sense, communicated and stopped taking chances, I think we would stop blaming a extra 5 cm when you overshot it by 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dgas Posted November 30, 2015 Share If there is a mountain bike in the bunch, I do give it a wide berth, they tend to be more all over the place then road bikes. The guys do ride a bit differently and do not accelerate and stop at the same rate, so there is some safety concern. Also often out of the seat and swaying the bike side to side trying to keep up. My view give them a wide berth and leave them behind. Why are mountain bikes allowed in races and tri bikes are not? There is certainly more similarity between a tri bike and a road bike than a mountain bike and a road bike. I often see a bunch of guys riding their tri bikes in a group out on a training ride. I am yet to see mountain bikers in a bunch on the road. The point being that many of the guys on tri bikes have group riding skills and I guess many of them also own road bikes. Mountain bikers, unless they do road as well, don't really get bunch riding, no matter how strong or fast they may be. On the other hand very few mountain bikers can keep up with A group, have not seen one that could. Actually can't remember ever seeing one in A group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMartin Posted November 30, 2015 Share I started out doing road races on a mtb so I have sympathy for the MTB guys on the road. Road racing is a dangerous sport. One of the first things you need to learn is spot the wobbly erratic folk and stay the hell away from them. Positioning is crucial in a road race. So if you end up down in the open groups for whatever reason and you are mixed up with MTB guys you need to make sure you are in front of them on decents and climbs. If they hinder you complaining about it is like complaining about being tackled n a rugby game. If you are in a proper racing group and encounter a mtb rider give him the respect he deserves. Those bike are awful on the road and you must be tough to be up there so hats off to you. For the guys saying they ride mtb because it's more comfortable. Rubbish. A road bike properly fitted is loads more comfortable that a mtb bike. It's like saying a MX bike is more comfortable on the road than a super bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Cycling Athletic Club Posted November 30, 2015 Share you need the organisers of road races to describe their events as a 'road bike race' and then enforce it. unfortunately here in the cape you don't have many organisers with the balls to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted November 30, 2015 Share for the guys saying they ride mtb because it's more comfortable. Rubbish. A road bike properly fitted is loads more comfortable that a mtb bike. It's like saying a MX bike is more comfortable on the road than a super bike.how does that work out ? a mx bike is very upright position (sit up & beg) where as as a superbike has an aggressive seating position... with your back cranked over .pretty much like a mnt vs road bike.Had a road bike last year and the seating position killed my back. so rubbish its not,cant agree. now i ride a rigid hardtail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikey Posted November 30, 2015 Share I'm a 42 year old ballie.damn is that considered a ballie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubehunter Posted November 30, 2015 Share damn is that considered a ballie? That harrowing moment you overhear your daughter speaking about you to someone and you hear the term, " My old man...." Then you stop and think about how cool it is that you are that to them and it's all cool by the pool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubehunter Posted November 30, 2015 Share If there is a mountain bike in the bunch, I do give it a wide berth, they tend to be more all over the place then road bikes. The guys do ride a bit differently and do not accelerate and stop at the same rate, so there is some safety concern. Also often out of the seat and swaying the bike side to side trying to keep up. My view give them a wide berth and leave them behind. Why are mountain bikes allowed in races and tri bikes are not? There is certainly more similarity between a tri bike and a road bike than a mountain bike and a road bike. I often see a bunch of guys riding their tri bikes in a group out on a training ride. I am yet to see mountain bikers in a bunch on the road. The point being that many of the guys on tri bikes have group riding skills and I guess many of them also own road bikes. Mountain bikers, unless they do road as well, don't really get bunch riding, no matter how strong or fast they may be. On the other hand very few mountain bikers can keep up with A group, have not seen one that could. Actually can't remember ever seeing one in A group. Imagine a group of 500 plus riders all with aero bars and they go down at pace at the front with all those bars ready to skewer the riders about to race into the unfolding carnage laying around waiting like a trap.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMartin Posted November 30, 2015 Share how does that work out ? a mx bike is very upright position (sit up & beg) where as as a superbike has an aggressive seating position... with your back cranked over .pretty much like a mnt vs road bike.Had a road bike last year and the seating position killed my back. so rubbish its not,cant agree. now ride a rigid hardtail. Ever ridden a off road motor bike from Durban to Joburg? I have. Also did that trio many times on a road bike. Guess which was more comfortable and pleasant. Did literally thousands and thousands of km on a Canondale M400. That's me with the bike in my avatar. Does that count as having followed your instructions to ride a rigid hardtail? Oh and my current mtb is a hardtail. Now if you are up for some maths count the number of hand positions available to you on a mtb bike. One position I am guessing. Now do the same for a road bike. I count 5 and that gives two different back angles with it. Like I say. I have done both. Most people claiming mtb to be more comfortable than road bikes have done no real time on a road bike. Of course if you have done many hours on both types of bikes you may still feel that mtb is more comfortable on the road. Different strokes and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissVan Posted November 30, 2015 Share Did anyone mention yet....Road bikes are for road riding/ racing and mtbs for offroad riding / racing and Yes i have done road races and rides on a mtb...btbh if i think about it i don't see the point, unless you cannot afford a road bike.... its not like if you a mountain biker that you have to train / race on a mtb every time, a road bike can also be used for mtb training fitness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Sanchez Posted November 30, 2015 Share The easiest solution here is to get these damn roadies off of the roads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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