Newbie to the road, distance in relation to muddy fields?

[spence]

Hi everyone, please bear with me as I have a few questions. I know the answers are probably somewhere on the forum, I am trawling through all the posts but with so many it’s taking a long time.
I’ve just brought a cheap road bike to keep some mileage/fitness up while I can’t ride my MTB with a hand injury. Sounds a bit daft but I’ve found I can hold (rest) on drop bars and use the STI shifters whereas I can’t hold normal bars and use rapidfires.

My local blasts on the hard tail are all field/bridleways on Northants/Beds clay, mud fests at the best of times (ie the byways around SantaPod if you know them???). Anyway I have a few loops of between 15 to 25 miles that can take a few hours, depending the conditions.

Is there a rough conversion to road miles or is it just the time? That is, say ride for an hour turn round and ride back. I always like to have some idea where I’m going, if only to tell my wife when I’m out alone and prefer a loop rather than an there and back. Don’t know why.

Thanks for the help.
Spence

 

[gbb]

There's no direct comparison spense. If you already have some level of fitness (and it sounds as though you do)..you should be able to achieve 15mph average on the road moderately easily.
Thats not easy going.
Your first few rides will tell you what average speed your achieving. It doesnt change much ( for me anyway) With a lot of work, you can up it of course...but my average (16 - 17 mph over 35 to 40 miles) never has changed much in the last three years.

 

[sheddy]

Can't help with fitness but if you always take a phone with you you'll keep the missis happy

 

[jimboalee]

Sounds like you should be doing the straight 1320 feet as fast as you can

 

[Crackle]

Hi everyone, please bear with me as I have a few questions. I know the answers are probably somewhere on the forum, I am trawling through all the posts but with so many it’s taking a long time.
I’ve just brought a cheap road bike to keep some mileage/fitness up while I can’t ride my MTB with a hand injury. Sounds a bit daft but I’ve found I can hold (rest) on drop normal bars and use the STI shifters whereas I can’t hold normal flat bars and use rapidfires.

My local blasts on the hard tail are all field/bridleways on Northants/Beds clay, mud fests at the best of times (ie the byways around SantaPod if you know them???). Anyway I have a few loops of between 15 to 25 miles that can take a few hours, depending the conditions.

Is there a rough conversion to road miles or is it just the time? That is, say ride for an hour turn round and ride back. I always like to have some idea where I’m going, if only to tell my wife when I’m out alone and prefer a loop rather than an there and back. Don’t know why.

Thanks for the help.
Spence

I've corrected that for you

Personally I find mtn biking physically harder, so a 10 mile off-road ride feels like a 30 miles road ride but it's not truly equivalent. Off-road fitness doesn't translate to on-road stamina at speed. I would say an equivalent distance ridden faster would be your start point.

 

[spence]

Sorry Crackle, I forgot where I was.....

It's long distance stamina I'm lacking. I can do long drawn out slogs through the mub but they are very slow paced, whereas the local woods (Woburn & Chicky) are mainly short burst climbs and single track. I can (was able to) do days out in the peaks and the Welsh trail centres, again long climbs the the fun down.

I guess it'll be a suck it and see.......

 

[fossyant]

Road is more intense - no let up....MTB uses other things, like skill, and speed isn't the main emphasis. Just keep trying !