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Been riding for 18 months, the initial year I would say my fitness generally improved, but havent seen much recently.
Riding with a group I know yesterday reminded me how far off I really am.
I have 2 bikes, a Bird Aeris 145 and a DMR trailstar (27.5 140mm coil fork)
The bird has a slightly lighter wheelset, and I tend to run similar tyres on both bikes.
The bird definitely doesn't climb as well as the DMR (there's a climb I have never completed on the Bird, but have a few times on the Trailstar)
Both bikes I ride in similar scenarios, but the bird is a definite get me out of trouble bike if I find myself above my pay grade, it tends to see me through..
Ive briefly ridden a couple of 29ers on nothing but the road or a simple climb, and both times I've been massively impressed on the effort involved for the return, i think one was a transition smuggler? (short travel full sus) and the other a cube acid hardtail.
So ive been looking for an N+1 with the idea of just solo riding blues and maybe red's purely for fitness, not descending fun, something with skinnier lighter wheels, short travel or full rigid.
it wants to be cheap and cheerful as possible, but pedalling efficiency paramount.
I keep going back to the planet x whippet...as the full build, as the frame kit isnt much cheaper. Although id probably grab a lighter set of wheels and a dropper for it... But i dont know how i would get on full rigid, and wonder if a bike with xc forks would be a better bet. Likewise the Kona unit x...
So i keep looking out for ebay frames, although the idea of buying a CF frame from ebay is offputting, I'm game for some used ally or steel frame that would suit, scott scale, GT triple triangle etc etc...
so, couple of questions
would i benefit from an easier pedalling bike to build fitness?
would a 29er be a good shout? or stick with 27.5, especially since i have a few wheelsets already (all through axle)
are there any cheap frames kicking around on ebay that would make a good bike for putting out laps?
Im also trying to resist putting down for credit on something like a rocky mountain element.. scalpel se etc etc
The only way to get fitter is to work harder and more often, invest in spin classes instead of a new bike.
that's not an option, i'd rather spend time in the gym than in any classes.
more often not an option, I ride as much as I can, winter makes it harder.
riding harder is an option.. but the only way I can see that working is pushing a harder gear or/and out of the seat more
a mental reward thing might be a more rewarding bike on climbs
but I agree, I should be able to achieve what I'm doing with what I've got, but its not happening. im sweating, I'm out of breath and my heart is through the roof. so maybe riding at a lower intensity is key for me to get fitter at the riding i am doing
I'm not sure it will help if you won't be riding more? You might end up going faster for the same effort.
yer, im trying to work it out too, im wondering if lower intensity will allow me to get more out of my ride, incidentally my local is qe so a fair bit of climbing every lap which is manageable to me as it is now.. although i am in the 32/52 gearing crawling along for most of the climb
How often do you ride?
It's hateful advice but if its less than 3 times a week leaping on crap turbo trainer or exercise bike and doing a few minutes of sprints will make a difference
3 years ago I made an upgrade that has revolutionised my riding, climbing specifically. It’s made me love climbs, I no longer see them as a slog and instead seek them out, it’s made me quicker than ever before, it’s made me enjoy riding so much more.
The upgrade?
I bought a pair of Nike Pegasus, started running and lost 3 over stone. Turns out if you get fit and get skinny then climbing can be great fun.
But yeah, buy a rigid 29er instead, that’ll be good fun too.
As lunge suggests, if you can't find time to ride then find time to run instead.
I guarantee it'll help you feel better when you do get on the bike.
If you can't find time to run, then it's probably 'cos you don't want to exercise anyway.
The fastest way to fitness is high-intensity intervals - doesn't even matter what bike you're riding, just that you give it maximal effort. Warm-up, 6-8 x 20 second intervals with recovery between each - so hard you feel you're gonna puke.
Single speed is the answer. I was at my fittest when I could regularly SS.
I just happen to have one listed in the classifieds too.... 😉
in the summer i was religiously riding 4 times a week
8-12 miles each time 1000-1600 feet climbing
winter has come in and the distance has fallen off and the number of rides.. struggling to get 2 in
I tried running a few years back.. it really wasn't for me at all, although it has been on my mind recently about trying a quick sprint round the block with a spare few minutes on an evening. I do want to exercise i literally feel terrible if i don't. But running.. i gave it 6 months.. and it was terrible. i've never been a runner even as a kid. not massively out of physical shape. but anything that requires endurance seems to knock me on my ass.
intervals however sounds interesting... as its essentially what i would do at the gym.. i mean.. i could run a 29er around the roads here and hit intervals on that.......
and yer singlspeed has been a temptation... but i know i couldnt use it for the climbs i ride... however, i guess it would work for intervals.. pedal for a few secs, puke, cool down do over...
They say if you train the same you stay the same, the only real way to get fitter is to train more, I've recently found that having an app that tracks my training load is quite a good motivational tool, having a graph that shows my fitness improvement (however arbitrary) over the last three years make me want to do more and I'm determined to be fitter at the end of the winter than I was at the start.
Turbo trainer, a smart one if you can find one?
Even a few 30min HIIT workouts a week would give gains for most mortals.
in the summer i was religiously riding 4 times a week
8-12 miles each time 1000-1600 feet climbing
See to me, that’s not loads, I run further than that every week.
I think your best option is a turbo or similar and intervals. 30 or 40 minute blasts will up your fitness with minimal time usage.
As some tw*t once said, it's not about the bike. But new bikes are fun and if it encourages you to get out more then go for it.
I'd say get a cross bike so you can ride from the door. Then enter a race, have a great time, but come last. Then you'll have some motivation to ride more, further and faster.
I may get shot down for this but, have you considered a road bike? I never found mountain biking to be the best for fitness training, fun definitely but with the constraints of work and a young family my rides are never more than 3 hours and in that time purely from a fitness perspective i get much more out of road riding. You could also go gravel/cyclo cross for mixing it up a bit. Either that or as already suggested running is also great.
it seems to be the logical thing to get something more practical for road riding. at the moment my regular rides arent getting me much fitter..So unless i change the the route the training wont really change...
so yes.. a road/hybrid/gravel bike might be a solution. i mean i could get straight out of my door and do a couple of mile loop at speed in no time. I cant keep a constant cadence riding up and down trails and climbs. would also fit in with N+1
As stated previously running will help immensely, I also used to find riding in a group keeps you honest and trying harder.
I do ride in groups quite regularly, and yes that is sometimes an incentive to try harder... and it works
thanks for the replies.. i went off looking, was hovering over buying a marin dsx 2, then found an ex display saracen levarg flat bar in my size.. such a good discount i did a buy on it... lets see what happens... not sure how much gravel its going to see but will be adding variety to my excercise
I've got a MK1 Cotic Solaris for this exact purpose. Seen a few for sale in recent months. £600-800 depending on spec. Mine is set up 2*10 with a 44-34 chainset on the front and it's an ideal training bike for putting miles on with some trails in there as well.
Yep as Bazz says.
If you are only riding 15 miles 4 times a week at 1600 ft climbing then it's no different than a commute with some hills in it.
If its stamina you wont then it's big miles at slow and fast pace. Both are as important. Plenty of programmes to follow which are really down to you to throw everything at.
Road is easier just to clock the miles and hours but rattling 50 miles out XC is also great fun.
Singlespeeding really helped me get my fitness back after a year of next to no riding (working down in London). Several months of that got me fit again.
I’m hoping the same applies this winter as I’ve started putting many more rides on it at a higher intensity, which is working wonders so far.
Had the inaugural ride last night, didnt have a lot of time due to trying to sort bits for the kids for xmas
i only planned a loacl couple of blocks near my house, in case of any issues...
however i covered them much quicker than i could imagine, the last semi road suitable bike i would have ridden would have been some shonky mtb in the late 90's
the tektro brakes are horrible, but apprently more than enough to overpower these wtb byways on wet tarmac..
I had a blast anyway.. i was only out for about 15 minutes.... the pace was much higher, and the heart rate much lower than anything i'm familiar with, found it quite amusing being in 44/11 with a low cadence absolutely flying down the road
not too uncomfortable either, although my neck seemed to ache slightly...
going to get set up tuebless before i venture too far and head down to some coutnryside near me and ride through some fields and see how i get on when i have some daylight over christmas
Lockdown has made this a useful tool
I took a pre dawn ride up the deviation line to southdowns way and old winchester hill to watch the sun rise. Got soaked on the way back which led.. to some saddle sores...
Since then ive been doing mostly round the block rides..
building up distance while trying to keep a decnet speed.
Although i am gettign slightly out of breath and slightly sore legs.. my heart rate is staying ridiculously low... on a road ride im rarely breaking 100bpm and staying closer to 80
compared to mountain biking where my heart rate is arournd 150 peaking at 180, and the thing that kills me on MTB is heart rate and breathing, and temperature.
Ive started introducing out of the seat sections into the round the block rides, on the short hills that i have on the route. Along with picking u pthe pace and distance.
You need to ride for longer IMO, 8-10 miles is for me just getting warmed up and/or a lunch ride.
Aim for a minimum of 3 hours, whether on/off road.
that was half the point,only having a few hours daylight a week to be able to get a ride in, and being able to ride from my door, im hoping building up the pace and decnet amount of time wil lgive me what im looking for
so finding some route near me that works and getting out and doing it when i get home from work
ive got no issue doing a 25-30 mile ride, cross country gravel etc. or a couple of hours around Queen Elizebeth (excpet for hte logistics atm)
I have similar bikes the the OP as well as the PX Whippet. The Whippet is a much faster bike for XC and climbs but it wont make you fitter unless you ride more. Try using something like Strava to log rides and weekly milage, then set a milage and time target.
Little update.
So the +1 is working out nicely.. its been used for distance gravel rides, round the block loops, and ive got a few commutes in under my belt, 9.5 miles each way.
In fact, in 2 months ive only been able to ride proper mountain bikes twice.
Anyway.. it's helping..
FIrstly.. the XC position has made me sit back and analize how i had the HT set up.. compared to feeling like im pushing pedals, the HT felt like i was presssing grapes with my feet.
i also realised i was doing a lot more on the bars climbing on the +1, this has translated directly to my MTB climbing.. i was ALWAYS seated on climbs.. now im mising it up a lot more.
I through a slightly longer stem (35 to 50mm) on the HT and that change alone has made a nicer feeling bike to climb on..
Also, since my lad has been with me a little more recently, ive been running 5k loops with him riding his bike. Good for both of us