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MTBing after a long break
Realised the other day I hadn't used my full-suss MTB (Giant Anthem XC bike) for well over a year, having got bitten by the road bug. With a new job I was sussing out new commute routes and had 3 similar distance options for my ride home (outbound is the shortest, most efficient), one of which involved 6 miles of tow path. I'd done it on a hybrid but, to be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable. Cue an excuse to dig out the MTB! I'd done the ride in on a road bike and hybrid; town, a bit of cycle path (including a smooth, non-tarmac section) and lanes of varying surface quality. Gave the MTB a 'once over' (tyres on max pressure) and set off; thought I'd jumped from a racehorse to a beach donkey! Used to love my MTB rides over long bridleways. Admittedly this wasn't MTB territory but boy did it feel like hard work. Whilst the MTB smoothed out the tow path bumps on the way home it just felt slow and I was knackered! Put the MTB away feeling a little bewildered and wondered how I'd re-capture the MTB feeling again. Anyone else experienced this? Does your brain get programmed to the speed and efficiency of the road bike?
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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4 comments
Rode my Sportster to work and back recently. 16kgs of slightly rusty hybrid... was like swimming in wellies.
Great Question Shades. Exactly where I am with my 3 steeds. What gave me and the mucky bum bike a new lease of life was to go off-road for a day whilst on holiday last week (up and down Mt Carmel in Israel ) Fantastic ride and so much fun. The mtb came into it's own, it flew down - wonderful enough for me to get back, dust off my stumpjumper and get it ready for any opportunity when I can get out of the smoke and into the trails.
Realistically, you could do worse than swap your tyres for less off road, more tow path, Some old skool twin rails by Halo would help( if they still make them) this would really speed up things.
Go and ride your MTB somewhere that would be impossible or pretty difficult / no fun on a road bike - like a rocky, rooty singletrack and then reassess it properly.
I did the same thing last weekend funnily enough. Was doing some work on my road bike and noticed my poor neglected MTB. Spent 15 minutes sorting it out and went for a spin around the block...
My lord, how heavy and slow is that thing? And the gearing! I think it's 22*32 at the lowest. You could climb a brick wall!
TBH, I'm not sure I'll ever use it much again, but you never know