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I know there is a fair few roadies on here so I'd just like to express a few words to those that do and those that don't ride roads.
I've not been on here long but I've been riding bikes for as long as I can remember, recently I took the decision to ride more, having that app on my phone seemed like a great way to record my progress so I set myself a goal, that was to ride twice as many miles this year as I did last year, the problem with that was driving 3 hours to Wales each way and riding for 25 miles was going to be costly in fuel and time away from the family leaving the tally to click up slowly week by week. It's not been easy, I've had this typecast archetypal image in my head of the weirdo's who ride road. The weather although mild has been wet and more recently cold and wet. I've had discussions on here about Lycra or Anti Lycra to be more honest.
I'm now at the point where I'm looking at dropping some pretty descent money on a road going bike,
First of all rewind to October last year, I took my prized possession out of the garage and checked it over jumped on it and completed 18 miles all on road at an average of 12MPH. Don't forget I'm a MTBer so I'm fit.......... Imagine my disgust when I got stitch? This eventually subsided and I was knocking out 14MPH inside a few weeks and a few hundred miles.
Naturally I wanted to go faster so the knobbly tyres came off and on went some touring tyres, I was now knocking on the door of 1,000 miles and I was racking up my average speed to 15-16 MPH.
Faster still I put some full on road tyres on and increased my weekly mileage, at this point I was getting some friend requests off roadies on STRAVA, this didn't go un noticed by my long standing MTBing mates who I'd been riding with for nearly 2 decades. Absent now for nearly 4 months they were pissed off with my increased mileage and taunted me with constant abuse re my new found pass time.
This weekend saw the culmination of the winters riding, a local ride covering some of the TdY route, invited by a dad on the school run who you could call obsessive about riding, races regularly around the country and competes in the National Series. 85 Miles covered in a group of 45 riders riding at an alarming pace where I really struggled to hold on, eventually nearing the end the elastic snapped and I got spat off the back. About 15 riders had dropped off already because the pace was too high. Under 2 miles from the end I had dropped off and just couldn't get back on, one of the riders dropped off and came back to assist me with a steady hand on my hip but by this time we were inside the 1KM to go marker and these nutters were flat out, I rolled over the finishing line and nearly had a gripper. As I turned round I thought I recognised a figure to my front, dressed in Lycra from head to foot in club gear, before I could open my mouth the voice of my MTBing buddy scoffed ROADIE SCUM, followed by a if you can't beat em join em,
He had completed the same route from Otley to Doncaster just minutes earlier with a club he has become associated with, I'd never ridden in a group before and experienced that tempo and the noise that a few dozen riders make hammering through a village in the middle of nowhere with sound resonating off the walls and houses.
It's safe to say that I'm hooked, once I'd succumbed to Lycra I don't think there was any denying I was hooked,
We caught up this morning discussing the Alps trip in July, it's gone from a full on descending holiday to a shared Road Biking trip away. How has that bappened.
I suppose the morale to the story is don't knock it till you've tried it. And if you want to increase fitness and loose weight ride a road bike. It certainly worked for me.
Nope.
Next.
Great stuff, sounds like you're enjoying your cycling. I have yet to find a type of cycling that isn't fun.
Roadies are scum yes. Sullen faced, lycra wearing, bottom lathering competitive bum holes.
I tried it. It sucked big balls.
I have yet to find a type of cycling that isn't fun.
Recycling?
They tell you it's fun but it just isn't.
Yep, two wheels good!
I don't think I'll ever enjoy it as much as mtb'ing but being part of a group zooming through the countryside is a great feeling.
INRTS can someone do a cliff notes version?
too long. can this be summarised in a handy meme please.
He used to be a MTB'er, now he's a roadie.
The end.
In simple terms:
Miles (on a bike) = Smiles
Did anyone actually read all that!
@op - are you aware it's Sunday as in day of rest.
You either enjoy the roadie pain or you don't.
Summary.. Slow mtber turns to the dark side and gets fitter and faster. Nearly gets killed to death by a fast long road ride. He's happy about it.
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@preciousmetals, you weren't supposed to be anywhere on BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY were you.
Or have I just taken the bait?
psycorp - MemberHe used to be a [s]MTB'er[/s] cyclist, now he's [s]a roadie[/s] still a cyclist.
The end.
All that and the fact I've been heckled for 6 months, called all sorts of weird names, most of it in jest, to bump into a fellow MTBer not only dressed to the max in Lycra, including Lycra booty covers and one of them peaked caps, he'd been and had his VO2 Max measured, training programme and a bike fit.
So whilst I was playing at it, he'd taken it to another level completely,
And if you want to increase fitness and loose weight ride a road bike.
Or just ride your MTB more. You can do the same level of exercise/training off road on an MTB you know...
He used to be a [s]MTB'er[/s] cyclist, now he's a [s]roadie[/s] still a cyclist
I ride mountainbikes and a road bike. I'm not a cyclist.
No wonder road riding appeals if you have to drive to bloody Wales just to go for a ride on your mountain bike. Weird.
Nicely put
Is this a piss take?
Can anyone actually understand all of what is written by the OP above?
I mean, I can understand individual sentences, but as a collective mass they become entirely incomprehensible.
Something about Lycra and Otley and feeling each other's bottoms, seemed to be all I could gleen from it. Each to their own I suppose.
When I first read the title, I thought someone had seen Ray Winstone on a Raleigh Super Equipe...
came back to assist me with a steady hand on my hip but by this time we were inside the 1KM to go
So basically somebody copped a feel of your arse?
I think that was the point
I'm trying to decide which is duller - road riding, or this thread?
Definitely road riding.
This thread has Stormtroopers.
Nice, you keep riding OP & enjoy it.
psycorp - Member
He used to be a MTB'er, now he's a roadie.The end.
Or, he wasn't finding MTB enjoyable or was too much faffing, so gave up and became a roadie.
Sounds to me if the faff is driving out to Welsh trail centres, family pressures on available time, then just sort that out and find some MTB to do nearer to home and do it at times that are family friendly.
You don't need trail centres and you don't need hills or mountains to ride off road. Local woods, heaths, common lands, bridleways, cheeky footpaths, tow paths, even urban paths and parks. Most of the country has something to enjoy, and I find I get more mileage in doing what I call XC Touring (to distinguish it from the stereotype of XC lycra clad, racing around a field 😉 . Baggies, backpack, food, money for pub stop maybe, and just keep on riding/exploring, just avoiding tarmac & cars as much as possible).
Recycling?
Yup, got a trailer for the bike, so it's another excuse for a ride!
came back to assist me with a steady hand on my hip but by this time we were inside the 1KM to go
wow they have a ‘Flamme Rouge’ for club runs these days?!? next you will telling us you were ‘racing’
i expect an update in 6 months time about you ‘winning’ a gold sportive time.
🙄
And if you want to increase fitness and loose weight ride [s]a road bike[/s] faster than is comfortable for a long distance, it doesn't really matter what you are riding.
Unless it's a small goat, I suppose.
It's all just pedalling really, I consider myself a cyclist rather than an "mtber" or "roadie" or "bmxer". If its got two wheels and its human powered I'd like a go on it.
If its got two wheels and its human powered I'd like a go on it.
Fill yer boots big fella! 😉
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I use my road bike when;
I need some exercise.
When my friends want to ride (some no like mtb)
It's easier for me as the nearest decent bridleway is 5 miles from my house, my local cheeky ride two miles from my door is never dry enough to ride until June time.
I prefer mountain biking by far but it is more of a faff for me, involves driving somewhere be it trail centre or to bridleways.
Shurely that depends upon the goat?Unless it's a small goat, I suppose.
You don't need trail centres and you don't need hills or mountains to ride off road. Local woods, heaths, common lands, bridleways, cheeky footpaths, tow paths, even urban paths and parks.
Agreed but it doesn't suit the ego mentality as it's not [i]rad^gnaar[/i]
Anyway this dropping serious money on a road bike, can I just mention that my favourite hairy legged moment was overtaking Etape riders on a cheap sportive bike that cost less than one of their carbon fibre wheels 😆
[i] can I just mention that my favourite hairy legged moment was overtaking Etape riders on a cheap sportive bike that cost less than one of their carbon fibre wheels [/i]
Nah, I wouldn't bother.
😆 ahh good.. thanksNah, I wouldn't bother.
The point i was trying to make was that I'm bored of riding the same stuff ALL the time, Local Loops, Cheeky footpaths and bridleways, Peaks, Lakes Scotland are all a few hours away from me, So unlike most of you i cant just walk out of my front door turn Left and Ride Torridon, Right takes me across the South Downs and straight ahead i'm in the Peaks, pedal a bit Further and your in Wales. I've been riding Locally all my life. It's boring.
And whilst most trail centres are'nt full of natural mud, sludge, slurry, rocks and huge drops its still a relatively hassle free way of maintaining fitness instead of carrying your bike Around the back of Kinder Scout or pretending it wont be boggy between langsett and Fairholmes.
I generally have to pack my car up, Drive, Unload it, Get sorted out, RIDE, pack car up back, drive back stinking, Home, Admin, Wash bike, repeat. Or i could walk through to garage, grab bike ride for 4 hours return home, repeat.
It's a lot easier than getting shitted up evry day.
Like i said, it hasn't stopped raining since October. No doubt you all have individual sunshine following you around all the time, I've used an old bike i was Given 6 Years ago. I'm looking at a roud bike, They are expensive so i'm looking at a last years model preferably earlier. Everything decent seems to around the £2.5K mark, the good stuff seems to be £4.5K, the best stuff is above this. If some one has a recomdation for a good road bike that is about £350 then i'd like to see it, I think thats cheap for a bike, I think £2.5K is expensive so id consider that a fair ammount of money.
MrSmith On Saturday we rode the TdY route up to and across the finish line, i thought being an expert you would know that the Red Flame was the 1KM to go marker?
So you're bored of the same thing all the time, and have hatched a new plan to ride locally, on the roads?....
Hmmmm.....
You can do the same level of exercise/training off road on an MTB you know...
Depending on where you live, it can be much more difficult to get enough miles in off-road.
I've got my road bike with me this week in Swindon. TBH I wanted to bring my MTB really but it's forecast rain this week then dry so I might as well do road and then get the dry trails in next week. Trails here are meant to be slimy in the wet and it's no fun trying to clean a filthy bike when you're staying in a hotel.
They are expensive so i'm looking at a last years model preferably earlier. Everything decent seems to around the £2.5K mark
Nooo! Some great bikes around for £1,500 and even the £1,000 bracket looks pretty good to me.
You may be feeling the brunt of people's jokes right now, xyeti, but I know what you mean... and I live on the doorstep of some of the best mountain biking.
That said, I'm still wondering if that 'encouraging hand on the hip' isn't verging on the pronographic. 😉
That said, I'm still wondering if that 'encouraging hand on the hip' isn't verging on the pronographic
Arse-istance?
Everything decent seems to around the £2.5K mark, the good stuff seems to be £4.5K, the best stuff is above this. If some one has a recomdation for a good road bike that is about £350 then i'd like to see it, I think thats cheap for a bike, I think £2.5K is expensive so id consider that a fair ammount of money.
Depends on your definition of 'good' doesn't it. There's certainly no [i]need [/i]to spend the kind of money you're talking about if you don't want to.
Plenty of decent Sora equipped Alu frame/Carbon Forked bikes out there for very little money (~£400-£500)that are perfectly capable if you're not going to be troubling the podiums at local races. Go a small step up (~£500-£600) and current 4700 Tiagra is a flipping amazing groupset for the money, plug it into a frame you like and there's little reason to go any posher. If you really want to then the £1k - £1.5k bracket has some really great bikes in it even from the big boys who aren't always best value. And some amazing deals 2nd hand if you look around!
For the last few years most of my road riding was done on a 90's Steel bike that I paid £120 for as it had been sitting in a garage unused for 19.5 of it's 20 year life, new tyres and a fettle and has been out on all the normal club runs, and some audaxes and keeping up just fine.
recommenmdation for a good road bike that is about £350
As above all depends upon the definition of good - Specialized Allez can be found for ca £600, combine that with a cycle to work scheme and you're not far off
or scour your local ad's e.g. Friday-Ad for barely used 2nd hand bikes you can find some older classics that are fun to ride
If some one has a recomdation for a good road bike that is about £350
https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-performance-pr7-road-bike-2016-85148.html
well for £349 you can get this brand new:
[url= https://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-performance-pr7-road-bike-2016-85148.html ]Merlin PR7[/url]
OK, it's 'only' 8sp Claris, but they're decent proper STI's and good enough, it's a decent enough Alu frame, Carbon fork, decent rims and only a smidge over 10kg, all for three hundred and fifty quid. It's a decent reliable road bike, sure you might not win any races on it, but the engine will still be the limiting factor for most people. You could ride that until everything is worn out, and then just get another one and it'd still be decent value.
EDIT - Jam Bo beat me to it during typing!
I've been riding Locally all my life. It's boring.
Me too. When i get a bit bored with the local trails i make a new one or alter an old one. It's a bit more work than opening the wallet but it's much cheaper and others can enjoy it too.
Nothing nicer than not going out on the road bike when you know the roads will be congested, but getting out into the woods at 8am in the sunshine
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Having a balance between riding road and dirt stops either getting boring 😉
molgrips - Member
Depending on where you live, it can be much more difficult to get enough miles in off-road.
Even in flatter areas, off road miles can be worth twice that of road.
Just the rougher surfaces, roots/rocks, stops and starts, twists and turns if you're lucky, all require more muscle than just cranking a continuous pace the road.
Add some hills, and they don't have to be big, and a lot more effort.
[quote=amedias ]
EDIT - Jam Bo beat me to it during typing!
twice in one day..
*waves to Op from his mtb as Op passes on funny handlebar shaped skinny tyred thing*
*Op blanks me*
Miserable roadie scum!
Whilst xyeti is perhaps getting a bit too excitable for my liking 🙂 , I completely 100% get where he's coming from and I live on the doorstep of the Peak District!
If I'm lucky enough to have 2 - 3 hours spare to ride I have a HUGE variety of amazing road riding from my doorstep. In contrast my choices for MTB are considerably more limited, especially if the weather has been wet for a while (which it has). It's the classic thing of making the most of the limited time you have which, for many of us, is much easier on a road bike. Countless threads on here saying the same thing over the years.
Welcome to the fold. I'd recommend joining a club. Group rides, social events and possible racing if you want to have a go. And of course some roadies like to ride off road too - Shock! It;s all cycling.
TiRed, I'm looking at joining a local club, they have groups of 3 differing abilities, ,I'm doing the coast 2 coast this weekend on my full Susser so still getting out on the big bike now the weathers cheered up a bit, I had two pretty decent biking holidays last year and without sounding a bit of a dick I kinda lost my way a bit after riding late summer abroad......
Off to southern Spain at half term and taking both bikes so hoping to get a few road rides and at least 1 day descending.
Bikes I'm looking at in no particular order,
Giant Defy,
Rose,
Spesh Roubaix
Pinarello Rokha or something?
Trek
Basically an "Endurance" bike, as opposed to an all out racing bike,
It's going to replace my current thing which has SRAM Force throughout so I kinda want to keep the kit at that level and I have a pretty decent stem, seat post bars and wheels and some nice ENVE forks, looking at what there is briefly I saw most at 2 - 2:5K.
If it lasts another 6 years I'd be happy with that.