The Get fit club!

No as far as fitness goes you are right of course, I was having this discussion with Daniel yesterday who was saying I should get a MTB because you have to put more effort in so it'll get you fitter. But my point was that if you're exercise is limited by time rather than distance then it doesn't really matter if you have a MTB, hybrid or road bike as you are going to be putting in the same amount of effort over that time, but the distance you travel will be different.

But; I like traveling long distances, and there is a local cycling group most of which have road bikes that I'd like to participate in.

PS. Was out last night, all wrapped up, but it was still freezing :( . I don't think I'll be able to go out in the evenings much longer, so I'm restricted to weekends.

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Originally Posted by Mark

No as far as fitness goes you are right of course, I was having this discussion with Daniel yesterday who was saying I should get a MTB because you have to put more effort in so it'll get you fitter. But my point was that if you're exercise is limited by time rather than distance then it doesn't really matter if you have a MTB, hybrid or road bike as you are going to be putting in the same amount of effort over that time....

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I don't necessarily agree with Daniel's point. I have gone from being a pure mountain biker to more of a roady and find it far easier to ride my mountain bike since I became a roady. The strength in my legs from turning a higher gear on my road bike means that I can easily ride it in a far higher gear than I previously ever did, terrain dependant of course. I do still enjoy my mountain bike but where exactly are you going to ride it? If its still cycle ways and along canals or rivers you might as well stick with your hybrid unless the terrain is so poor. You will certainly get to your end destination quicker on a hybrid. Mountain biking is of course much more fun in my opinion. :)

Mark, you are right it was very cold last night for exercise. I certainly should have put more layers on when I went out for my run. I think being so cold did make me run faster though as I was less than 60 seconds slower than my 5km PB.

No, I don't really want a MTB, as you say where am I going to ride it, basically I'll have to put my bike in the car and drive to a forest somewhere. Whereas with my hybrid (or road bike) I can start from my house and start my ride immediately.

I have recently been focusing on my hill climbing, I've surprised myself that hills that a month or two ago I'd have to use my granny gear for, and be totally destroyed at the top - I can now do on the middle chainring (yes, it's a triple!!). I understand of course that spinning up in a lower gear is probably better for my fitness than mashing up in a high gear, I figure that since I have quite limited time it's going to give me the best return. So while I can climb that big hill, I can only manage 15 miles before I'm knacked!

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Originally Posted by GridGirl

I don't necessarily agree with Daniel's point. I have gone from being a pure mountain biker to more of a roady and find it far easier to ride my mountain bike since I became a roady. The strength in my legs from turning a higher gear on my road bike means that I can easily ride it in a far higher gear than I previously ever did, terrain dependant of course. I do still enjoy my mountain bike but where exactly are you going to ride it? If its still cycle ways and along canals or rivers you might as well stick with your hybrid unless the terrain is so poor. You will certainly get to your end destination quicker on a hybrid. Mountain biking is of course much more fun in my opinion. :)

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Indeeds on all points. :)
In a road bike you have more time to develop your pedaling technique and and stamina in longer rides with lower heart rate.
This summer I skipped long rides alltogether and had only short 11km commutes and mountain bike rides and I don't feel as fit as last year.

But mountain biking, especially in bike parks is much more fun. :D

Two entirely different disciplines of course. On my hybrid I do enjoy going down cycle paths and skipping along between the potholes etc - mostly when going down hill ;) . However there's not much better than climbing up that massive impossible hill and feeling great at the top!

Daniel was like - "try a mountain bike, you'd love it!" and he's right I would! But of course there's a big difference between that and actually purchasing one, and in my house we only really have storage space for a single bike.

For me it will always be road biking first and some off road after that.
First the fitness level that you achieve on a road bike is higher.
2nd, I prefer the speed and precision of a road bike over anything that an MTB can deliver.
I once owned a MTB for about 1 year, for the rest of my life always used a steel frame road bike with 2 sets of wheels, one for road and one for offroad riding.

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Originally Posted by Mark

Two entirely different disciplines of course. On my hybrid I do enjoy going down cycle paths and skipping along between the potholes etc - mostly when going down hill ;) . However there's not much better than climbing up that massive impossible hill and feeling great at the top!

Daniel was like - "try a mountain bike, you'd love it!" and he's right I would! But of course there's a big difference between that and actually purchasing one, and in my house we only really have storage space for a single bike.

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Yeah, but I started out with my mountain bike on the same sort of paths you're doing, now I've put some knobblier tyres on I can go off road properly, do small jumps, ride through mud etc etc. Did a red run today at Coed Llandegla and due to the headset being loose the front of the bike was rather difficult to control and I fell off 3 times, 2 of them rather nice tumbles indeed! :D I'm sore as all hell now, but in a most satisfying way. I've cycled on the road on my brothers bike a few years ago and how fast you go seems to be more down to fitness rather test of skill like mountainbiking. I must admit that I spent a good deal of my time on the brakes downhill, but I'm sure I'll become a bit more confident as time goes by :) But I guess different people like different things :)

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Originally Posted by Daniel

I've cycled on the road on my brothers bike a few years ago and how fast you go seems to be more down to fitness rather test of skill like mountainbiking. I must admit that I spent a good deal of my time on the brakes downhill, but I'm sure I'll become a bit more confident as time goes by :) B

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I see. :p
The day you'll go downhill full chat and only brake the very minimum required you will know what it means skill on a road bike.

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Originally Posted by ioan

I see. :p
The day you'll go downhill full chat and only brake the very minimum required you will know what it means skill on a road bike.

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I didn't say I had skill :p

Not all red routes require skill either. :p I haven't done Coed Llandegla although Ibby has. It's nowhere near as hard or technical as say Dalby red route but is far harder than Sherwood red route which is quite frankly not worth calling a red route as its so easy. There are big discrepancies in mountain biking in the UK in respect of riding routes which are classed under the same skill or difficulty level.