# Just curious, mtb vs road bike over a set course.



## fenlandpsychocyclist (13 Aug 2012)

Running a Raleigh AT20 mountain bike with slick tyres and mudguards.
Rig weighs 16.5kgs, i weigh 90kgs @ 5' 6" (obese for my height).

I managed a personal best of 29.90 miles in 1hour 58 mins this morning, flat roads, three
minor climbs over flyovers, little wind, etc.

What time difference over the same course would you expect if i was on a mid-range road bike of
around 10-11kgs?


----------



## fenlandpsychocyclist (13 Aug 2012)

[QUOTE 1981992, member: 76"]Much quicker. Unless you don't pedal as hard or are more tired or it's really windy, then you'll be quite a bit slower.[/quote]

Haha very funny!

I'll put it another way ... if i can produce an average of 15mph on my mtb, why the hell can't i ever get more than 16.1mph average out of my trek road bike? 
And my coyote road bike, that IS always slower than the mtb. 

(I'm speaking from cycling the same 29.90 mile route 44 times so far on all the bikes shown in my signature).

Maybe i'm such a lard ass narrow rims are no good.


----------



## MrJamie (13 Aug 2012)

Maybe you could compare your moving speed on straight flat roads rather than the overall average, if your route is very stop/start id imagine that would keep the average down regardless of bike. Id guess the main benefit of the road bike on the flat apart from slightly better efficiency would be the aerodynamic position which counts for more the faster youre going.

Ive been wondering how much faster Id be on a road bike too, I sat on an older one and i think my oversized 6 pack  would be in the way on the drops.


----------



## fenlandpsychocyclist (13 Aug 2012)

MrJamie said:


> Maybe you could compare your moving speed on straight flat roads rather than the overall average, if your route is very stop/start id imagine that would keep the average down regardless of bike. Id guess the main benefit of the road bike on the flat apart from slightly better efficiency would be the aerodynamic position which counts for more the faster youre going.
> Ive been wondering how much faster Id be on a road bike too, I sat on an older one and i think my oversized 6 pack  would be in the way on the drops.


 
Its a pretty open 30 mile route with probably 100 meters of "messy corners" the rest is fenlands finest straight roads! 
I'm amazed at so little difference between a sit up and beg mountain bike and aerodynamic road bike.
Around town the mountain bike wins hands down, but then you can't crash 700c wheels into a 4" kerb more than once.

I should add that all three bikes have the same length cranks and bottom bracket centre > seat top measurements are identical.

Reckon i shoud get an aero helmet and try to crack 17mph on the mtb.


----------



## lulubel (13 Aug 2012)

I average about 4mph quicker on my road bike than on my MTB, which has front suspension with no lockout and knobbly tyres. When I rode a Trek 1.2 with the original components, the difference was more like 2mph.


----------



## fenlandpsychocyclist (13 Aug 2012)

lulubel said:


> I average about 4mph quicker on my road bike than on my MTB, which has front suspension with no lockout and knobbly tyres. When I rode a Trek 1.2 with the original components, the difference was more like 2mph.


 
In other threads i've been discussing rim/tyre changes on the trek, which may increase its speed over my mtb. Will do this in a month or two
and report back.


----------



## Bodhbh (13 Aug 2012)

I think you would feel the weight difference alot more if you weren't cycling around the bloody fens. It says it all you count a flyover as a 'climb'


----------



## CopperCyclist (14 Aug 2012)

Completely unscientifically, I normally get about 15mph average on my mtb, with knobblies on the road on the odd occasion when a breakdown forces me to leave the other bikes at home.

Same commute on the road bike or cx shows 18-19 average.

I therefore proclaim your increase would be about 3-4 mph.


----------



## Finnjävel (14 Aug 2012)

I agree with the above, I've had my speeds increase about 5km/h with a road bike vs. a mtb with slicks.

Sent from a fancy doohickey, so excuse the spellign.


----------



## fenlandpsychocyclist (14 Aug 2012)

Bodhbh said:


> I think you would feel the weight difference alot more if you weren't cycling around the bloody fens. It says it all you count a flyover as a 'climb'


 
I can find a -8 feet to 140 feet climb if i head 8 miles east of wisbech into norfolk. 

No shelter from the wind round these parts, several times i've been down on the drops pushing into a
head wind @6mph over a 9 mile section of my ride.

Seriously though, i enjoyed cycling the pass of llanberis in wales without a stop last year ... straight
from fens to that must count for something?


----------



## SR7492 (14 Aug 2012)

Interestingly I did a back to back MTB vs Road bike test when I got my new roadie.

A week before I got the road bike, I planned a journey of 19.8 miles which took me 1 hr and 40 mins (pretty decent pace).

Did the exact same route with the roadie (again pretty decent pace) and chopped the time of by 20 mins @ 1hr 19mins 50 secs

I did feel so much easier with roadie when I did the above (I can probably go faster by another 5 mins now having been used to the roadie)


----------



## Bodhbh (14 Aug 2012)

fenlandpsychocyclist said:


> I can find a -8 feet to 140 feet climb if i head 8 miles east of wisbech into norfolk.
> 
> No shelter from the wind round these parts, several times i've been down on the drops pushing into a
> head wind @6mph over a 9 mile section of my ride.
> ...


 
I sometimes ride thru the fens on the way up to my parents in Grimsby and I know what it like with the wind. On the other hand, if it's blowing at your back... 

I think generally and particularly on the flat the tires are the main difference. Commuting on a heavy MTB with fairly aggressive touring tires I tend to get overtaken mostly on the flat, generally on the hills I can hold my own, so it's the tires.


----------



## billy1561 (17 Aug 2012)

Interesting comparisons to be had. Will have to give it a go when my mtb turns up


----------



## Licramite (20 Aug 2012)

hi - I did a 30mile route last weekend half across country and return leg on road on my MTB and the first half appart from laserated legs (trails totaly overgrown) made good time, - but on the road it was like riding a wheelbarrow. -
If your not on trails or cross country you will do it faster on a road bike (I have a hybred tourer rather than a road - or racing bike as I call em ) which I use off road on trails allot as well.
but then I wouldn,t have liked taking it totally off track as this route took me
I did the roman road from home to Badbury rings (blandford form) on my tourer and it was hard should have used my MTB but the return journey was as all road , and glad I was of my tourer.

I must admit I see people riding MTBs with knobbly tyres on road and think , why are you making life so hard for yourself? - if most of your work is on the road, get a tourer or a racing bike. -

thats the problem, you can,t get a bike that can do both well, or can you?


----------



## Thomk (20 Aug 2012)

I gain about 2mph on my road bike (10kg, 23mm tyres) compared to my hybrid (16kg, 32mm slick(ish) tyres, no suspension).


----------



## tadpole (20 Aug 2012)

I swapped knobbles for semi slick tyres and ran the new tyres at 100psi on the back and 85 on the front, raised the seat up half an inch, and ditched one water bottle, and a heavy cable and lock, on my WDS BSO, and gained an average 45 seconds to a full minute on the same route under the same conditions. even little changes can make a difference.


----------



## Licramite (20 Aug 2012)

I,m hoping to pick up a bit lost speed by up-teething my bike from a 48chainring to a 54
its still a tourer , just won,t to extend my range.


----------

