CTCT on a Mountain Bike

[eddy]

So you would have preferred him to sell you some expensive slicks that may or may not make a difference?? 

 

 

Any roadbike tyre fits a 29" wheel. Just buy cheap, wide ones......

[JohanDiv]

I ride in Langebaan, not much climbing. 

I average 21 kph over 40km offroad with elevation gain of 380m

 

If you find a nice bunch to pull you along, I'd say 24-27km/h will easily be possible for you 

[The Ouzo]

If you find a nice bunch to pull you along, I'd say 24-27km/h will easily be possible for you 

the bold bit is the tricky bit. The further back you start the less people work together.

[MDJ]

So you would have preferred him to sell you some expensive slicks that may or may not make a difference?? 

 

In my experience it makes a noticeable difference, it depends on what your current MTB tyres are though -  so yeah I'd like my LBS to know/tell me something more comprehensive. Generally they do i.e the guys I deal with have considerable cycling experience and share that. They would also give me a few slicks to look at with different price points with a recommendation etc.

[Andrea Fletcher 3l3v3n]

I am an average rider and will be doing my first CTCT (Cape Town Cycle Tour).

What average speed can I expect if conditions are fair? Riding a Camber Comp 2x11 29er.

 

My first CTCT was in 2009...Yes, THAT one!  On a Scott MTB with slicks.  It took me almost 7 hours to finish, but hell, who cares??  At least I was one of the 15 000 that actually finished LOL!

[Gav1]

A couple of years ago I finished with 3-15, there were 2 mtbs making a helluva noise with their knobblies. I dropped them at misty cliffs. Then on the finish straight they just flew past me.

Obviously they strong ones but I see many mtb on knobblies handing out pain in road races, those on 1x must be spinning at 200rpm.

 

 

Go for it!

 

yep, few strong okes holding their own in the bunches.....some more than willing to take their turn on the front....but these are super strong okes probably training for epic and the like....and yes, you will hear them in the bunch lol 

 

must say, if i wasnt pushing for time at this years CTCT i would have loved to do it on my mtb.....next year!

Edited January 31, 2019 by Gav1

[Allrounder]

if you are on a MTB skip the slicks and keep the nobblies and enjoy the ride. it is your first one, so enjoy the stops and views. Aim for a 17 km/h avr, and you should finish exactly on your cut-off time. 

[Robbie Stewart]

I am an average rider and will be doing my first CTCT (Cape Town Cycle Tour).

What average speed can I expect if conditions are fair? Riding a Camber Comp 2x11 29er.

 

I am also riding my 2nd and a half "Argus" on my MTB. 

 

My first outing was in 2015 when the world went up in flames, and the ride was cut short.

My next outing was in 2016, and I did it on my hard tail.

 

This year I will be attempting the feat on my Camber Comp as well. I found that (for me at least), maintaining an average speed of about 23/24 kph is feasible, and not too much hard work. Anything faster is hard work on those 2.30 Purgatory and Ground Control tyres. Also, the 2x11 seems to run out of steam way before my HT 3x10 seemed to, and I sure can't maintain the same level of speed on my Camber as on my HT.

[Robbie Stewart]

I ride in Langebaan, not much climbing. 

I average 21 kph over 40km offroad with elevation gain of 380m

 

Best advice I can give you then, is do some hill repeat sessions. Average speed over distance means nothing if you have no hills in your legs. Edinburgh Drive, Smitswinkel, Chappies and Suikerbossie combined make for some tough climbs, and will eat away at your average, especially on a MTB over the length of the race.

 

Even better, you won't go wrong to come ride the Seapoint - Noordhoek - Seapoint run (which according to my Polar V800 has around 800 meters aggregated vertical elevation over 60 odd km) between now and race day, to get some idea of the scale of ascent. It won't be precisely the same, but close enough to act as an accurate barometer of your performance expectations.  

 

The sooner you get this done, the sooner you will be able to identify areas that need work.

[JacBrand]

I have done it twice on a mtb. Both times on knobbies. Time was irrelevant in those as I rode with wife.

I found that my body hurts less on the road bike, thus I will not do CTCT on a mtb.

[Allrounder]

I have done a few on both. 

 

The world funride is 80% in your head. If you think that its not going to work, it won't. Sure the MTB has more resistance and not area and blah blah blah. 

 

But how much does that really matter if you are out to enjoy the day, and not race to be number 9530 to finish? 

[Shebeen]

mtb tyres are pricey!

do you really want to wear down your tread?

 

https://www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za/product/vee-rubber-29-x-165-slick-tyre/4702

for less than your race entry

 

 

and slicks are considerably better.

this was answered over 15 years ago already

Could you please tell me what you figure the efficiency of slicks versus knobby biking tires is? A local dealer says it is insignificant, and I figure it is ten to 15 percent. Bill Invermere, British Columbia

 

Your local dealer has been filling his tubes with something other than air, then sucking on the valves. At face value, the idea that something smooth has lower rolling resistance than something rough is so obvious that to deny there's a difference puts you in the world-is-flat camp. But, a simple empirical test I have conducted here at Gear Guy Laboratories concludes that your estimate regarding the efficiency difference is likely very accurate.

 

https://www.outsideonline.com/1780736/are-slick-bike-tires-much-faster-knobbies

[Allrounder]

tyre compound and thread pattern also plays a role. 

[NickGM]

So you would have preferred him to sell you some expensive slicks that may or may not make a difference?? 

Is that only other option? I switched to slicks for my commute and it made things a little over 10% easier. And this is not a thumbsuck, I looked at average speeds for the same effort over multiple 10km commutes. Obviously this was specific to my set of circumstances, but you definitely notice 10% faster/easier. And I'd say in an event like the CTCT this will be even more noticeable, because it will allow you to keep up with a faster bunch and potentially do less work overall for a faster time.  

[matthieup]

now quick one. I have a set of 700x35c slicks. Will they be ok on my rims with 23mm IW? (bontrager duster)

[FBSP]

if you are strong and have the right size front ring it is very possible to ride a sub 3 on knobblies. The knobblies give you a bit better control if you are in a twitchy group...(so anything from A down). Go pure and ride knobblies, much more satisfying, and you can go on the dirt/pavement if you choose.