MTB miles more productive.

[Brandane]

This has no doubt been mentioned before, but I used my MTB for it's intended purpose today. About 3 miles of fairly steep climbing mostly on rutted, wet, leaf covered Land Rover track, followed by a long downhill on similar surface (the track to the top of the Haylie Brae within the boundaries of Kelburn country park if anyone knows it).

Was that hard work compared to road miles or what! At several points I was actually worried that I was not going to make it; a real struggle to get enough air in the lungs. Partly down to a slip in fitness, but I did the same route in summer and it wasn't half as difficult.

Not sure what my point is, rather than to point out the obvious, that the number of miles covered is meaningless. It's the effort needed. I recently did a 70 mile flattish road ride and felt as if I'd walked to the local shops and back. But that 8 mile ride today was hard; REALLY hard. I take my hat off to all you regular MTB'ers, you make it look easy.
I intend to do it more often as a quicker route to fitness!

 

[fossyant]

I generally come back from a good ride needing pain killers. All over body bashing. You've got to remember, where you can do 20 miles in about an hour and a bit on the road, that can take 3 to 4 hours on an MTB off road.

 

[sheddy]

It's only the smiles per mile that count...
And the pies.
And photos.

 

[Brandane]

where you cn do 20 miles in about an hour and a bit on the road, that can take 3 to 4 hours on an MTB off road.

My average speed today was 7.8 mph, and only 3 miles of the 8 were proper climbing!

 

[Brandane]

And photos.

Ok, here is the only one I took!......

 

[figbat]

One thing about MTB is that the descent is often challenging as well as the climb. On the road you might choose to recover on a descent with a nice relaxing freewheel but on the MTB you don’t always get the chance as you may still have to stand while the bike moves around beneath you.

 

[Lookrider]

I know exactly what you mean
I've rd and mtb bike
I would ride the rdy well into winter at times...much to the distain of people saying I was wrecking the bike
I would say " well it's a bike and it's meant for riding "
A good mate them commented to stay on the mtb as long as possible throughout the year
That was excellent advice as I now garage the rdy from Oct till march and what a breeze it is to get back on it ...a massive difference after slogging away on a mtb bike with nobly tyres and soft compound
I look frd to getting on the rdy much more now...further ...longer ..faster

 

[ColinJ]

Not sure what my point is, rather than to point out the obvious, that the number of miles covered is meaningless. It's the effort needed. I recently did a 70 mile flattish road ride and felt as if I'd walked to the local shops and back. But that 8 mile ride today was hard; REALLY hard. I take my hat off to all you regular MTB'ers, you make it look easy.

I think that the most tired I have been was one time when I rode a local event, The Rossendale Mountain Bike Challenge. The event itself was around 45 miles, most of being it tough off-road, but I also did 12 miles to the start on-road (over a big hill) and then the same 12 miles the other way afterwards. I was absolutely wasted by the time that I limped home, my upper body having suffered even more than my legs!

 

[Archie_tect]

Time to get my old Dawes dusted down and put its 32mm tyres, stainless steel mudguards and rack back on ready for winter rides.

 

[Cathryn]

I'm brand new to MTB but I find it exhausting - you can never switch off and chill or look at the view like you can on a quiet lane. I have to concentrate on every moment. But it's also exhilarating and feels like a total body workout. My arms and abs ache the next day.

 

[bruce1530]

(the track to the top of the Haylie Brae within the boundaries of Kelburn country park if anyone knows it).

I do know it - have walked it before, never biked, don’t have the right sort of bike these days. Maybe I’ll try it on the gravel bike when it’s not as wet and muddy...

 

[cyberknight]

obviously not riding hard enough on the road
When i have done hard efforts on the road i have felt like i want to barf at times !
I think they are hard in different ways

 

[fossyant]

Hitting a downhill when tired is a recipe for disaster on a MTB. I always bear this in mind !