how different is riding a mtn bike?

hi --

i ride a road bike - about 25-30miles a time - i am pretty new - just been riding 3 months now...

i have signed up for a 300 mile in 5 days mixed on and off road trip which will be on hard tail mountain bikes through the desert...

my question is: if i train up so i can manage 50-60 miles a day on my road bike, doing some hills and stuff - will that be adequate training for doing same on a mountain bike on the trip do you think?

how different will it be?
all advice gratefully received :-)

batsheva

From what you described it sounds like the off trail section of this ride does not sound technical. Just dirt and dusty desert trails. So if you train to do 50 - 60 miles and get your saddle time in and your conditioning for heat I think you will be fine. Now if the off trail is technical that's an entirely different thing. You will have a completely different ride and would need different training. You would have to get some training rides in on trails that are technical. I don't know what type of off trails your ride has, no real description. Like I said if it's just a smooth path through the desert I think you will be ok. Just watch out for cactus needles and check your seat height. I would also check to see exactly what kind of trails the off trail section is like. Is there anyone you may know that has done this ride? If so talk to them and ask them what the off trail section is like. Also, the organization that is sponsoring the ride, maybe they can offer some info or training.

I will say this. I ride both road and mountain and when I lead mountain bike rides and road riders show up for my rides (fit riders who have done centuries) they are ready to head back to their cars 8 miles into my mountain bike ride. It is a completely different kind of riding. Lots of upper body workout and standing on your pedals. Power climbs. Technical mountain biking is hard. But once conditioned it is easy and fun! Like road riding, training and time on your bike is key.

Good luck!

I don't do any technical mtb riding, but I do ride off-road on mild singletrack and towpaths. The biggest differences I notice when switching from pavement to off-road are in the vibrations and rolling resistance. Even a relatively smooth trail is going to have more resistance than a paved road, and probably enough unevenness to cause more vibration through your hands and seat. Also, I'd guess that the hard-tail you'll be using might be heavier than your road bike. All of that could add up to more fatigue than you're used to with road riding.

Is this a supported trip? Will someone else be doing all the work to set up camp and cook so that you can relax and rest at the end of each day? If so, you may be more tired than you'd be from an equivalent distance road ride, but you could probably handle it if they feed you well :D

Speaking as someone who prefers road racing, I do have a mountain bike, and sometimes ride in the paddocks around the farm. Nothing technical... mostly flat... so I can't really help with "riding a mountain bike with others or in an event" advice.

I also have NEVER ridden (or even driven or walked) in a desert...

But... you asked about the difference between riding the two, so here's my two cents worth.

Riding the mountain bike takes longer to cover a distance, its harder work...
you have wide tyres, grass/dirt/moisture,
you have knobbly bits on the tyes,
you encounter soft patches (like sand) and suck-you-in patches (like mud)
you encounter leaves/sticks/stones...

The difference in tyes and riding surface means greater resistance which equates to harder work - even if the course was flat and straight like a road, on a grass surface with wide tyres, you will not match the speed of a road bike on a road.

The terrain, even when flat, makes it more technical because you are avoiding obstacles like bumps, stones, sticks... This all leads to more concentraion and, like Kali says, more fatigue...
Its loads of fun, but I like speed which is why I prefer the road.

Alot of elite pro-cyclists did their initiation off-road... I would suggest you try and borrow a mountain bike - they do feel different - plus the gearing can be different (espesh where you change gears on the handle bars). Miles on your road bike will of course be good, but it would be useful for you to "get a feel" for a mtn bike before you are on one in an event. Like Susan says, its quite a different work-out and you should be prepared for what to expect.

All the best - I'm sure it will be loads of fun.