Longer distances on a mountain bike?
Discussion
Is it possible or should i look to buy a hybrid or touring bike?
I love doing the trails with the mountain bike but its not always possible to do the 60 miles to get there. I've started going out and doing some city riding and canal paths etc and find it a real slog. Went out with a mate and even though i'm fitter than him I honestly couldn't keep up with him.
Fitness levels or style of bike likely to be the biggest issue? Strangely i do spin classes and have no problem bursting a gut on them for an hour. Talking 30-50 miles type distances - not quite tour de france stuff
I love doing the trails with the mountain bike but its not always possible to do the 60 miles to get there. I've started going out and doing some city riding and canal paths etc and find it a real slog. Went out with a mate and even though i'm fitter than him I honestly couldn't keep up with him.
Fitness levels or style of bike likely to be the biggest issue? Strangely i do spin classes and have no problem bursting a gut on them for an hour. Talking 30-50 miles type distances - not quite tour de france stuff
Lots of things going against you doing long distance on a mountain bike but the main ones are
- Weight. A high end full carbon 29er Trail bike will weigh somewhere between 11-13kg an entry level model will be at least 2KG heavier. A entry level hybrid will be around 10KG
- Aero/Drag. A MTB riding position isnt very aero and MTB tyres are draggy and less aero.
I regularly do 30-50 mile loops on my full suspension MTB on average I'm 2 MPH slower over the entire loop than I am on my gravel bike and my MTB is light for its class at around 11.5KG. To get the best out of it I have skinny tyres and my seat post is set really high and front and rear shocks locked out when on the flat to get the best pedaling efficiency and I always feel more knackered at the end.
If all you are doing is riding flats/canal paths then try some lighter, skinnier tyres. They will make a huge difference. If you can lock out the forks do this as well.
Out of interest what MTB do you have?
- Weight. A high end full carbon 29er Trail bike will weigh somewhere between 11-13kg an entry level model will be at least 2KG heavier. A entry level hybrid will be around 10KG
- Aero/Drag. A MTB riding position isnt very aero and MTB tyres are draggy and less aero.
I regularly do 30-50 mile loops on my full suspension MTB on average I'm 2 MPH slower over the entire loop than I am on my gravel bike and my MTB is light for its class at around 11.5KG. To get the best out of it I have skinny tyres and my seat post is set really high and front and rear shocks locked out when on the flat to get the best pedaling efficiency and I always feel more knackered at the end.
If all you are doing is riding flats/canal paths then try some lighter, skinnier tyres. They will make a huge difference. If you can lock out the forks do this as well.
Out of interest what MTB do you have?
I rode from Blackpool to Paris on a hard tail (and rigid fork) mountain bike so it’s definitely doable. Thinner tyres are the key. Having said that a hybrid or road bike is better suited to tarmac and will be noticeably faster if that’s important to you. It really depends on your priorities - if you’re not in a rush then a MTB is absolutely fine for those distances.
Thanks for the replies guys.
Bike is a Voodoo Bizango. Pretty standard except bottle/bottle cage and dropper post. Without getting the suitcase scales down i'd say its about 14-15kg?
The biggest issue when doing the flatter cycles is more often than not I find my legs spinning faster than the bike if that makes sense? I'm pedalling but there is no resistance, my legs spinning but not making the bike move forward. Guess thats down to how many gears it has?
Bike is a Voodoo Bizango. Pretty standard except bottle/bottle cage and dropper post. Without getting the suitcase scales down i'd say its about 14-15kg?
The biggest issue when doing the flatter cycles is more often than not I find my legs spinning faster than the bike if that makes sense? I'm pedalling but there is no resistance, my legs spinning but not making the bike move forward. Guess thats down to how many gears it has?
Edited by sbarclay62 on Saturday 19th September 10:10
sbarclay62 said:
Thanks for the replies guys.
Bike is a Voodoo Bizango. Pretty standard except bottle/bottle cage and dropper post. Without getting the suitcase scales down i'd say its about 14-15kg?
The biggest issue when doing the flatter cycles is more often than not I find my legs spinning faster than the bike if that makes sense? I'm pedalling but there is no resistance, my legs spinning but not making the bike move forward. Guess thats down to how many gears it has?
You could put a bigger chainring on the front. If you have a 32 on ATM then a 34 or 36 would give you more top speed but you would lose some climbing ability. If its a direct mount chainring then its cheap and easy solution. https://www.tredz.co.uk/.SRAM-X-Sync-2-Steel-Direc...Bike is a Voodoo Bizango. Pretty standard except bottle/bottle cage and dropper post. Without getting the suitcase scales down i'd say its about 14-15kg?
The biggest issue when doing the flatter cycles is more often than not I find my legs spinning faster than the bike if that makes sense? I'm pedalling but there is no resistance, my legs spinning but not making the bike move forward. Guess thats down to how many gears it has?
Edited by sbarclay62 on Saturday 19th September 10:10
Edited by moonigan on Saturday 19th September 17:04
It's easily possible - I've done a few 100+ mile rides on mountain bikes (off road) across a variety of bikes from a carbon XC bike to a trail orientated full suspension.
As others have said, the amount of climbing is a major factor to consider. I've just come back from the Peak District and a 35 mile ride with 4000+ feet of climbing on tougher terrian there was probably as hard as a relatively flat 106 mile ride I did a couple of months ago down south.
As others have said, the amount of climbing is a major factor to consider. I've just come back from the Peak District and a 35 mile ride with 4000+ feet of climbing on tougher terrian there was probably as hard as a relatively flat 106 mile ride I did a couple of months ago down south.
It’s very doable (look at the Tour Divide down the length of America) and my longest is just shy of a century.
My XC bike was built for this, and whilst not the lightest it could be, it’s certainly comfortable to do it on.
It’s a 29er, with a 32t chain ring and 11 speed cassette. The keys are picking your tyres and terrain, on the bridleways around me I usually use Conti X kings. Just accept you won’t be as fast as on a road bike and enjoy it.
My XC bike was built for this, and whilst not the lightest it could be, it’s certainly comfortable to do it on.
It’s a 29er, with a 32t chain ring and 11 speed cassette. The keys are picking your tyres and terrain, on the bridleways around me I usually use Conti X kings. Just accept you won’t be as fast as on a road bike and enjoy it.
As has been said - tyres will make a huge difference.
I've done the c2c (2 1/2 days) and a 200+ miler from Loch Lomond to Inverness (4 days) on a 2016 Trek hardtail with Schwalbe Thunderburt on the back and a Bontrager XR2 on the front. Good tyres, but more suitable to track and trail.
Lockout the forks and go skinny on the tyres will make it even easier.
For my next trip I've got a pair of WTB Byways which will make a massive difference to my normal nobbly rubber.
Just had a look at your bike via google, and it looks to be single chainring. Mines double and I upgraded them to 38-24 from 36-22.
Depending on your config, you could up the chainring and fit a dinner plate cassette on it (assuming you haven't got one already) to keep your low end gears
I've done the c2c (2 1/2 days) and a 200+ miler from Loch Lomond to Inverness (4 days) on a 2016 Trek hardtail with Schwalbe Thunderburt on the back and a Bontrager XR2 on the front. Good tyres, but more suitable to track and trail.
Lockout the forks and go skinny on the tyres will make it even easier.
For my next trip I've got a pair of WTB Byways which will make a massive difference to my normal nobbly rubber.
Just had a look at your bike via google, and it looks to be single chainring. Mines double and I upgraded them to 38-24 from 36-22.
Depending on your config, you could up the chainring and fit a dinner plate cassette on it (assuming you haven't got one already) to keep your low end gears
Often have 100+km /5-6000ft days out on my MTB (Trek Fuel EX8 full sus with 2.3" tyres). Incorporating as much off road as possible but inevitably you have to add in roads to connect bits together, especially in the south east. It's not an issue its just obviously not as fast as a road bike. They tend to be all day out with your mates with a pub lunch type rides rather than smash round in 3 hours but there's no reason a MTB can't be used for long rides. I think the trouble is that "enduro" type bikes with huge suspension aqve become popular and given people the opinion that all MTBs are good for is short rides at bike parks.
I have a 29er that I bought this summer. Since it doesn't fit in the car with the family and the dog, when we go to the bike park at Haldon near Exeter I ride the 17.5 miles each way, and meet the family there.
It cruises at about 20mph in top gear on the flat, so it does the job.
It's a 1x setup, and will seemingly go from about 22mph spinning like a nutter to "not making enough forward motion to stay upright spinning like a nutter" on the current cassette. When it's a bit more worn, I'll stick a front ring with a couple more teeth and a back cassette with a little less range.
It's fine for 35 miles thrashing to and from the park, and about 10 miles cocking around with the kids once there.
It cruises at about 20mph in top gear on the flat, so it does the job.
It's a 1x setup, and will seemingly go from about 22mph spinning like a nutter to "not making enough forward motion to stay upright spinning like a nutter" on the current cassette. When it's a bit more worn, I'll stick a front ring with a couple more teeth and a back cassette with a little less range.
It's fine for 35 miles thrashing to and from the park, and about 10 miles cocking around with the kids once there.
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