80km sportive on mountain bike - waste of time?

RonanCFD

My road bike has been out of action (cracked frame) for the last month, and I'm entered into my first sportive, the Tour de Conamara, this weekend. I've been training on my old mountain bike for the last month - would I be daft to do the event this weekend on it?

I'm (fortunately in hindsight) only entered in the 80km, I've done 3 rides on the mountain bike of about this distance so I know I should be able to get round. Last ride was 76km, windy & lashing rain all the way, average 24km/h. I would like to still do the event, but am I just going to trail around on my own miles behind everyone else and have a rubbish day?

Any advice welcome!

Cheers,
Ronan

lennymc

you would be daft, but doing daft things is the best part of cycling, especially when you get that 'your daft' expression from people when you tell them about the daft thing you did. Go for it!

TheBlaaMan

RonanCFD wrote: »

My road bike has been out of action (cracked frame) for the last month, and I'm entered into my first sportive, the Tour de Conamara, this weekend. I've been training on my old mountain bike for the last month - would I be daft to do the event this weekend on it?

I'm (fortunately in hindsight) only entered in the 80km, I've done 3 rides on the mountain bike of about this distance so I know I should be able to get round. Last ride was 76km, windy & lashing rain all the way, average 24km/h. I would like to still do the event, but am I just going to trail around on my own miles behind everyone else and have a rubbish day?

Any advice welcome!

Cheers,
Ronan

You are very unlikely to "trail around on my own miles behind everyone else" if you can maintain 24kmph over 80km.
Not ideal on a MTB perhaps, but no real reason not to do it, IMO.

theholyghost

A guy I know did a tough 100k one on an MTB while I did it on my road bike. He wasn't even all that fit or strong, you can absolutely do it, you'll just have to make a bit more effort than everyone else.

Bigus

Put your road bike wheels on it .

McTigs

putting road or slick tyres on it would make it much easier. Before i got a road bike i used to regularly put in that kind of distance and speed on my mtb (hardtail with slicks).

For some reason i can't imagine doing it now mind

yop

Based on the route you will be "a while" getting around it! Can you not borrow a bike or rent one in the town you are from? Not sure how hilly the 80km is but the 140km had a few nice inclines, on an MTB I would be eating my own nails with that fun

Its doable, but if you are used to a roadbike for long spins its going to be torture

Lumen

Bigus wrote: »

Put your road bike wheels on it .

This is an excellent idea without any obvious flaws.

triggermortis

If you know you can do that distance on that bike, why wouldn't you do the event? There's going to be all ages and levels at this so I doubt you'll be at the back. If it was me, I'd do it

ford2600

Put on the narrowest tyres your rims will take and inflate to the max rated pressure.
Enjoy, nice country for cycling

triggermortis wrote: »

If you know you can do that distance on that bike, why wouldn't you do the event? There's going to be all ages and levels at this so I doubt you'll be at the back. If it was me, I'd do it

RonanCFD

Thanks for all the encouragement, must admit I quite like the daftness of it. I've tried to rent a bike, but all I can get locally are hybrids and to be honest I'd rather be on my trusty mtb. I'll try and get some slicks, would this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?

I don't think the 80k route (other direction to the link) is nearly as bumpy as the 140 , just a cat5 at the end which looks no worse than my local hill that comes at the end of my usual 75k route.

yop

The cat5 is grand, the lad on the single gear last year flew up it and 130k odd in his legs
I must keep an eye out for you on that bike

RonanCFD

yop wrote: »

I must keep an eye out for you on that bike

Are you doing the 140k? You'll probably catch me as I wheeze up the last hill I'll be the one looking daft in full road gear on an ancient black Scott (unless my new frameset arrives in time )

McTigs

RonanCFD wrote: »

this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?

.

Yup, something just like that

on_the_nickel

RonanCFD wrote: »

Thanks for all the encouragement, must admit I quite like the daftness of it. I've tried to rent a bike, but all I can get locally are hybrids and to be honest I'd rather be on my trusty mtb. I'll try and get some slicks, would this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?

I don't think the 80k route (other direction to the link) is nearly as bumpy as the 140 , just a cat5 at the end which looks no worse than my local hill that comes at the end of my usual 75k route.

Go for it. Have you seen the bikes some people do the ROK on (and seem to enjoy it!)?

IM0

RonanCFD wrote: »

I'll try and get some slicks, would this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?
.

yes. the main thing is to have a slick in the middle of thread. as for size well we can tell without knowing what size your wheels are. are they 700 or 650 ect.

I cant remember what the equivilant for 700mm rim is in mtb inches, but once someone says that then you are sorted, but dont go beyond the narrowest tyre suggested for your rim, again someone on here can chime in on how you figure that I cant remember

lennymc

you could try something like this

:eek:

Dermot Illogical

lennymc wrote: »

you could try something like this

:eek:

That is beyond awesome. Love it.

Lumen

I just stuck some "Schwalbe Durano Performance Folding MTB Tyre Black 26x1.10" on my "mountain bike".

They seem fast.

RonanCFD

My rims are 26" - they say 26x1.75 on them - does that mean I can't go below 1.75" on tyre width? Don't know much about MTB tyres...

Lumen

RonanCFD wrote: »

My rims are 26" - they say 26x1.75 on them - does that mean I can't go below 1.75" on tyre width? Don't know much about MTB tyres...

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#width

yop

lennymc wrote: »

you could try something like this

:eek:

And he still wouldn't use the cycle lane.

yop

RonanCFD wrote: »

Are you doing the 140k? You'll probably catch me as I wheeze up the last hill I'll be the one looking daft in full road gear on an ancient black Scott (unless my new frameset arrives in time )

No, have to leave it and do the 80k. Back/hip issues are ruining my cycling all year.
I'll be in a yellow jersey with 1LifeCycle on it. If you pass me dont laugh

RonanCFD

OK, I'll look out for you. Very much doubt I'll be passing anyone!

Surinam

You'll be grand. On the tour of Meath last year (100k) I saw an aul lad complete it on a specialized mtb, wasn't a bother on him. Although there's probably more hills in your sportive.

thesimpsons

did one recently on MTB before I got my roadbike - 90km. maintained average of 23km and wasn't the last man in and even passed some people. I'd say go for it and enjoy watching people struggling around, see you and go " WTF "

com1

RonanCFD wrote: »

Thanks for all the encouragement, must admit I quite like the daftness of it. I've tried to rent a bike, but all I can get locally are hybrids and to be honest I'd rather be on my trusty mtb. I'll try and get some slicks, would this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?

I don't think the 80k route (other direction to the link) is nearly as bumpy as the 140 , just a cat5 at the end which looks no worse than my local hill that comes at the end of my usual 75k route.

I put a set of those tyres on my mtb for commuting and would highly recommend. You can pump them up to 80psi

BailMeOut

I cycled up Moll's gap alongside a guy on a mountain bike who was doing his 11th ROK. I chatted with him for the whole climb and no exaggeration but and we passed every other cyclist on way up to top as I kept up with him. He said he pumps the tyres up well beyond their recommenced pressure and finds it easier than a using road bike. I was in bits at the top whereas he was grand.

I say go for it on your MTB!

Laundry_Hamper

RonanCFD wrote: »

I'll try and get some slicks, would this be the sort of thing I could look at putting on?

These're half the weight and only a couple of euros more.

RonanCFD

Thanks, everyone - I'm now fully motivated to use the mtb if I have to! Funnily enough, my long-delayed frameset has at last been dispatched from Germany, so maybe it will be here on time although I'm a bit nervous about going straight into the event with a newly bolted together bike - especially as I'm the one who will be bolting it together.

Re: the tyres, I think I'll have to source them from the LBS at this stage so my choices might be limited, but those duranos look really good. Almost tempted to order some and use the mtb for training on really foul days in the winter.

RonanCFD

So I made it, average 24.5 which I was pretty pleased with. The climb at the end was slow, a combination of tired legs, headwind and being soaked through I think.

I started near the front and about 50 road bikes went past me very quickly, but after that things seemed to stabilise a bit. Was a bit of a slog for a while after the first feed station - I only stopped for a couple of minutes which was probably a mistake as I lost contact with the riders going at my pace. Was passed by a couple of biggish groups in club kit, but wasn't fast enough to tag on the back.

Got pretty cold after finishing so didn't hang around, sorry I missed you, yop!

Should be back on a road bike next week, what a relief! Thanks for all the encouragement, glad I made the effort to do it.

yop

well done buck. I was keeping an eye out for you. I had a pair of Westport CC shorts on so you may or may not have seen me. Had the jacket on so no yellow jersey!

Well done again

MungoMan

Lumen wrote: »

This is an excellent idea without any obvious flaws.

everone else got the sarcasm in the reply (except me)

why is putting roadbike wheels on a mtb flawed ?