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Question for those that train on both a mountain bike AND a road bike...

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  BruceBrown 
#1 ·
I do most of my endurance type training on roads and paved bike paths. Currently I only have a mountain bike so thats what I train on, but I'm considering getting a cyclocross type bike like a Kona Jake the Snake or Slingshot DD-X.

I'm just wondering how much "faster" I will be on the cyclocross bike, if at all. Its got skinnier tires and different gearing, so it should be faster, right?

Just as a hypothetical, for those of you that train on both types of bikes, if you do a road ride of 15 miles in an hour on your mountain bike, how long do you think it would take you to do that same 15 miles on the road bike?
 
#2 ·
ajoc_prez said:
I do most of my endurance type training on roads and paved bike paths. Currently I only have a mountain bike so thats what I train on, but I'm considering getting a cyclocross type bike like a Kona Jake the Snake or Slingshot DD-X.

I'm just wondering how much "faster" I will be on the cyclocross bike, if at all. Its got skinnier tires and different gearing, so it should be faster, right?

Just as a hypothetical, for those of you that train on both types of bikes, if you do a road ride of 15 miles in an hour on your mountain bike, how long do you think it would take you to do that same 15 miles on the road bike?
I just got a Scott AL1 CX bike with 700x35 tires.

I average about 4 - 5 MPH faster on my CX bike than my Stumpjumper for the same path.
 
#3 ·
Get it! Get it! Better yet, get a road bike(why do mtbers always want cx bikes?).

I too, trained on the road for a season with a mountain bike. Then I got a road bike, and I can see the difference. For one thing, you go faster, which is fun! The other(and more important) is that with a bike with 700x23 tires and drop handlebars makes it easier to keep up on hard group rides. And those are the best for training.

To answer your question? About 45 minutes. And think about a road bike, unless you want to race cx.
 
#5 ·
ajoc_prez said:
I do most of my endurance type training on roads and paved bike paths. Currently I only have a mountain bike so thats what I train on, but I'm considering getting a cyclocross type bike like a Kona Jake the Snake or Slingshot DD-X.

I'm just wondering how much "faster" I will be on the cyclocross bike, if at all. Its got skinnier tires and different gearing, so it should be faster, right?

Just as a hypothetical, for those of you that train on both types of bikes, if you do a road ride of 15 miles in an hour on your mountain bike, how long do you think it would take you to do that same 15 miles on the road bike?
If you run disc brakes on your mountain bike, you can get a set of Mavic Speed City wheels which allow you to run 700c road tires on your 26" mountain bike for road training. No go if you are using V brakes (unless you have a 29"er....). I've had a pair for 4 years now and simply swap out the entire wheelset when I want to go "road training" on a mountain bike.

http://www.speedgoat.com/product.asp?part=82030&cat=360&brand=155

You could also have a similar wheelset built that would be less expensive than the $429 Mavics. Maybe Deore disc hubs, a decent road rim and flavor of the month spokes. Might come in around $200 - 250. Or check the eBay market for used Speet City's.

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