Bloody roadies; a mountain bikers perspective

eastie

eastie

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Tough choice with that injury, shake weight or roadie? I hope in time you find you can find peace with your choice and that others dont judge you too severly.

(insert pom-pom hidden shake weight emoticon :cheer2: )
 
thecat

thecat

NSWMTB, Central Tableland MBC
Arrogant, self righteous gitts... You'll fit right in...:peep:

I've been doing a bit on road lately. What I find is:

* guys I leave behind on easy XC trails drop me like a bag of potatoes on the road.

* I find it much harder to stay focused and push my self up a climb knowing there isn't a fun ST descent as reward.

* If lycra nix are good for stopping chaffing why does pretty much every one who wears nix also needs an assortment of nappy cream too.

* That said I have started to wear a bum sock on occassion. Why? I've always said I don't chaff and don't need it. Well too be honest I go sick of wearing out my good shorts on the roadie and indoor trainer so I gave it a try. They are more comfortable if you get caught in the wet but they are still little more than peer pressure orientated fashion accessories

* Push bikes are fun no matter what wheel size or breed
 
B

bikeyoulongtime

Likes Dirt
Great post Dozer - dont worry, I've been on a bike with drop bars for pretty much 3 solid months now AND using strava. I have not yet had the urge to go out the door clad only in lycra...

Fortunately not due to injury - my real bike is still in parts! Fork + cashflow issues = no mtb for a little while. The fact that my roadie is actually a CX bike and has disc brakes and knobbly tyres is a small consolation.. I can still get some (slow, awkward) singletrack in here n' there :)

...and +1 to thecat.. bikes.. fun.. wherever, whatever, whenever...
 
Ivan

Ivan

Eats Squid
Good read Dozer, good luck with the recovery.

I owned a Roadie for a short time and agree with a lot of what you've written.

I enjoyed it, but riding on the road is just way too risky for me. Those 2 ton steel boxes take no prisoners.
 
Reubs

Reubs

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My roadie may be single speed and have Easton dh bars but its carbon no less and I choose to bunny hop potholes rather then swerve. Five tens are the shoe du jour, it's all about respect to my dh roots!
 
UncleFeet

UncleFeet

Likes Dirt
...as Nikmcc said, shoot your spiel into a magazine editor, it's a fun read...

...as for Lycra, I guess you're not old enough yet to not give a fuck...it's awesome...and certainly appropriate for gentleman..
 
unitec

unitec

Likes Dirt
Great post

Dozer said:
6) It is kosher to wear a hoodie, downhill shorts and run your mountain bike clips and shoes and still do the same job you would in lycra.
7) I see no point in wearing lycra. It's fucking stupid on men.
Lycra is probably more useful for roadies than gloves are for DH

9) Road riding is 100% way more dangerous than downhill mountain biking.
You were probably pretty dangerous when you started DH. After you have ridden on the road for 25 years you will be a lot safer.

15) Me catching a guy on a climb that is half my weight with shaved legs and wearing some badly colored clothes with words on it that I've seen when watching the Tour of France (that's the Australian way of saying it, we're not French so we don't say Le, we say the) is probably a sign that I'm doing okay.
a) Catching a rider that is between intervals (interval training) or spinning on a rest day (day after race) is no great achievement.
b) There are just as many (maybe more) DH riders with "all the gear & no idea" (wankers are everywhere)

19) Mountain bikers look at the furthest point ahead of them on the trail. On the roadie, I was looking just in front of my front wheel more than admiring the nice scenery that I bought the bike to enjoy. Pot holes and dodgy council work are your worst enemy!
Noobs on MTB do the same thing. (you'll learn)

20) Why did the other guys I saw on road bikes have shaved legs? Are they undie models?
Legs without hair are easier to maintain (nothing to do with wind resistance) Much easier to heal after a crash, easier to rub liniment & cleaner.
Riding with hairy legs is like having shag pile all over your bike or car. It simply sucks up the dirt. (check out how much dirt comes out in the shower)

23) Using Strava to map my ride and to find some other good spots to ride has shown me that Strava isn't a tool used by total wankers who get driven up hills to prove they are cheats. It's actually really useful and accurate!
Seek help

Riding the roadie has opened my eyes in many ways as it was really not what I expected. I consider it even more dangerous than I originally thought only because the bikes are not as manoeuvrable as a mountain bike and many people ride them in a little too carelessly in and around massively heavier vehicles operated by careless people. Me? I'll stick to open roads with plenty of safe riding areas. ;) All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed being back on a bike and I look forward to riding four different bikes each week to cover all sorts of riding.
You are a smart man Dozer. Great to see someone looking at another type of riding with an open mind.[
Thanks for a great post.
QUOTE]
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Static 81

Static 81

Likes Bikes
Dozer said:
6) It is kosher to wear a hoodie, downhill shorts and run your mountain bike clips and shoes and still do the same job you would in lycra.
7) I see no point in wearing lycra. It's fucking stupid on men.
Click to expand...
I couldn't agree with you more on these points.
Thanks for a great read mate.

thecat said:
* Push bikes are fun no matter what wheel size or breed
Click to expand...
DAMN STRAIGHT!!!

unitec said:
Lycra is probably more useful for roadies than gloves are for DH
Click to expand...
I'm sure I'm not alone when I ask how this could be true? What purpose does Lycra serve?
Not a dig at you mate, it's a genuine question.
 
harmonix1234

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
Static 81 said:
I'm sure I'm not alone when I ask how this could be true? What purpose does Lycra serve?
Not a dig at you mate, it's a genuine question.
Click to expand...
Ever ridden 150kms in 25 degree heat non stop at an average cadence of 90rpm in baggy shorts and a hoodie?

Lycra offers the ability to stay cool, be comfortable, resist chaffing and be flexible enough that you are unrestricted in your movements.
You can wear whatever you want for shorter trips, but do the long hours in the saddle and the question answers itself.
 
wilddemon

wilddemon

Likes Dirt
Lycra for long rides an absolute must as outlined above. Shys are ok at 20 kph but ride 35-40 at 90 cadence and the flapping will not only be irritating but the legs will probably bunch up into your crotch.
Hope you recover soon Dozer. As per rule number 1 and rule number 3 I offer you the rules.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
 
Static 81

Static 81

Likes Bikes
harmonix1234 said:
Ever ridden 150kms in 25 degree heat non stop at an average cadence of 90rpm in baggy shorts and a hoodie?

Lycra offers the ability to stay cool, be comfortable, resist chaffing and be flexible enough that you are unrestricted in your movements.
You can wear whatever you want for shorter trips, but do the long hours in the saddle and the question answers itself.
Click to expand...
I know the question may have seemed quite ignorant. That is simply because I had no idea.
Now I do.
I doubt I'll ever be doing those sorts of distances. I will be sticking with my Baggies and my favourite band shirt for my 30-40k rides though. :rockon:

Cheers for the education mate!!
 
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Pastavore

Pastavore

Eats Squid
I really, really despise both those sets of rules. They epitomise all the elitist wankery that is too common in road cycling.

There is nothing better than seeing a bearded guy with hairy legs and his stem on upside down tearing the legs off a bunch of posers up a decent hill.
 
Static 81

Static 81

Likes Bikes
Pastavore said:
I really, really despise both those sets of rules. They epitomise all the elitist wankery that is too common in road cycling.

There is nothing better than seeing a bearded guy with hairy legs and his stem on upside down tearing the legs off a bunch of posers up a decent hill.
Click to expand...
I think you'll find they were on a rest day........ :behindsofa:
 
BLAKE-2234

BLAKE-2234

Likes Bikes and Dirt
haha

I ride road and you don't need to adhere to any "rules" if you think that you need to your riding a bike for all the wrong reasons I ride cause it makes me happy so what if I have hairy legs or I don't quite know all the ins and outs of bunch riding im on my bike enjoying it isn't that what we ride for? after riding mtb for the past forever I have a new found respect for roadies the shit they have endured from wanker drivers and the crap roads and cold mornings they endure, man they have balls! as im learning lol

and the fitness you gain from riding road bikes damn im a new man lol
 
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