mountain biking instead of road for training?

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2004-06-15 1:29 PM

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Subject: mountain biking instead of road for training?
So my sprint tri in august has a 12 mi (very flat) bike section and I've been training on my road bike on flat roads. I really love mountain biking tho, so can I do that instead or is it not as beneficial for tris as road biking would be? I guess my question is will I get faster doing this, or is road biking the only way? The trails I ride are smooth with moderate hills but not a lot of technical or rocky parts. There's no traffic and it's much more interesting for me.


2004-06-15 1:50 PM
in reply to: #31549

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Champion
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Subject: RE: mountain biking instead of road for training?
I can't see that it would hamper you in any way to ride a mountain bike. Hey, if it helps do more cycle training then it is a good thing indeed. I just did a sprint tri and more than half the bikes on the racks were mountain bikes.
2004-06-15 1:54 PM
in reply to: #31549

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Subject: RE: mountain biking instead of road for training?
Can trail running make you faster for road running? Sure. Same for biking. Just make sure you've got a reasonably similar fit between your mtb and road, and you'll be fine. As Machiavello said, anything to get you out on the bike is a good thing.

I would try to get one road ride per week, though. Other than that, have fun!
2004-06-15 2:52 PM
in reply to: #31549

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Subject: Shhhhh! that's supposed to be a secret.
If you ride hard on the mtb
your road cycling will improve
My opinion only

Road cycling training, as it is practiced by many,
probably most
amateur riders consists of trying to spin at the most efficient cadence.
That's all well and good, and you need to be able to do that, because that's how
you win time trials (essentially what a triathlon bike leg is)

But

That's not all there is to it.......

You will find yourself in a wrong gear
you will find yourself on a hill steeper than it looked
you will find your self on rolling roads

  • ...and the days go by, water rolling under....

    • what all these things have in common i
    s that you will not be immediately able
    to have that butter cadence
    you will have to improvise and
    spin like Wile E. Coyote
    or stomp like the
    fee-fi-fo-fum
    I smell the blood of an Englishman giant

    That's what mountain biking (particularly the more technical kind) can teach you

    And don't even get into the handling skills bling-bling....girlfriend :-)

    peas

    Edited by ride_like_u_stole_it 2004-06-15 2:52 PM
    2004-06-15 5:36 PM
    in reply to: #31549

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    Expert
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    Subject: RE: mountain biking instead of road for training?

    Great question as i just bought myself a new mountain bike after 10 years away from it, to supplement my road miles with some fun trail riding. I did my first serious 90 min session last weekend and found:

    1. I really enjoyed it so am more likely to get more miles in over the summer

    2. Where I rode had some great short steep hills as well as fast singletrack, so I got to really burn the quads up a few hills, which can only help on the road as well?

    3. Where I rode was largely sandy soils and a ranger told me its great for winter biking as it doesn't get tooooo muddy (very rare in the UK for 9 months of the year!) so I can get some winter miles in when I am too chicken to get on the roads

    4. The more undulating nature of the trails meant i could almost do interval training - short explosive blasts with some coasting and downhill sections to recover etc. Seemed easier to do than on the roads?

    My full-sus bike is a little different to my flat-back racing bike but no doubt there is a reasonable cross-over and training benefit. I reckon just getting my mileage up will be a great benefit anyway. Hope I'm not disappointed!

    2004-06-15 5:46 PM
    in reply to: #31549

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    Subject: RE: mountain biking instead of road for training?
    I was concerned that I was not getting the proper intensity from my road bike training - ave. 108 bpm - so I decided to get the mountain bike out and do some trails last week. On Sunday I did 6.2 miles in 1:30, my average heart rate was 148 and I felt great. I definitely did not worry about the intensity be too low. I have decided to add at least one if not two mtb rides a week to the schedule to supplement the 2 road rides. I think it will work for me and keeps the scenery fresh.

    2004-06-15 7:02 PM
    in reply to: #31549

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    Subject: RE: mountain biking instead of road for training?
    Any time in the saddle can only be good for you....Trail runnin g and hiking are great for condition and endurance so the same should apply to the mountain biking....Enjoy!
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