26" ride on a roadie ride?

[Skynet]

Generally speaking the biggest thing isn't the bike, gearing or even tyres it's who you ride with. I've been out with road groups who will happily drop people and not wait up, not fun for them and sort of a wasted ride. A "decent" group of people ride at a pace the slowest of the group can manage. You might get dropped on a hill for example but they'll wait up at the top for things to re-group. I've always been like that, not every ride needs to be flat out. There's more to cycling than speed and distance but things like Strava and most have a bike computer has made it all about numbers rather than the ride for many on the road side of things. Even if it feels fairly pedestrian to me I'm not bothered. To me, if you're not prepared to do that, then only ride with people of equal ability (whether that's physical and/or equipment) .

As it's someone you know you'd think it would be OK on that front though.

On a mtb vs a roadie spinning isn't really optional plus it's less tiring, better for you knees and it's proven to be faster up hills than grinding anyway. I used to use as big a gear as I could but these days am definitely more of a spinner.

 

[ach1000]

'Road bike'

Get some skibar ends. Depending on time constraints you might want to use different block. Skinny tyres, you'll be fine.

 

[dirttorpedo]

I’ve ridden up to 165km in my titanium 700c wunderbike and toured up to 90km on an old retro mountain bike. I’ve also built various monster cross conversations and gravel bikes. My short answer is use a road bike.

Unlike many I feel the main factor here is rider position. I have found that the road bike position provides the best aerodynamics and places the rider in a position to best utilize their power. The added weight and higher rolling resistance of the mountain bike will just add to your misery if everyone else is riding roadie. Particularly over 150 miles - that’s randonneuring distance and will magnify all the gross things about riding a mountain bike long distance. Another point is the extra positions on the drop bars will be very welcome too.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Wrong wheels and bike geometry (low trail on an mtb) will take away the pleasure of the ride. Any old, well tuned road or touring bike w/ good tires will be much much better.

 

[Fatal Swan]

Really interested in this thread, arriving at it late. I did the coast to coast solo in a day a few years back on a 7kg road bike, albeit a different route. There's so much to take in to account on an unusual one-off ride like this and I agree with a lot of the things that have been said so far, even where they are contradictory! I don't think it's really about whether a suitably fitted MTB can keep up with modern road bikes (with that amount of climbing it's going to be relatively slow average speeds for the roadies too), I think it's just about what gives you the best chance of completing 150 miles on the kind of route you're looking at. Although you said the aim is just survival, survival alone is pretty ambitious target on a 150 mile ride and a good proportion of the roadies will be well outside their comfort zone too on a ride like this and realistically aiming just to make it to the end.

Also that route demands quite a lot of respect. 15,000ft of climbing in a day is a hard, hard day by anyone's standards. Hardknott and Wynrose are genuinely among of the toughest climbs in England and when you aim to ride a whole day from dawn to dark then you really have to look after yourself so carefully to keep enough in your legs. I can't help thinking that the weight of an old mountain bike will be a killer on the climbs in particular, and I completely agree with dirttorpedo that everydisadvantage the road bike has over the converted MTB, however slight, is going to be amplified on this kind of ride.

So my thinking would be to give yourself the best possible chance of completing by making the right preparations (there are quite a lot of things that can very quickly ruin your big day), which for me would include as light and comfortable a road bike as you can get your hands on. It also definitely needs to bike you know you're comfortable on from the outset, which you've already done all your positioning adjustments on.

 

[xtaffa]

Well, all academic now - just read the not so small print...!

Bikes on the ride​

The following bikes are NOT allowed to take part in this event

• 26″ or small wheel (MTB’s)
• Bikes fitted with tri-bars
• Electric bikes
• Single speed bikes

In addition Hybrid bikes are not generally allowed. If you think you should be exempt you should contact us before entering, if having entered we will not make any exception to requests less than 2 months prior to the event. To be clear if the reason for using the bike is “its the only bike I have” or “we are doing it for charity”, it will be refused. Any persons looking for an exception will have to provide evidence of a 100 mile+ ride on the bike in question. WE would regard any bike without drop handlebars as in the hybrid bike category. Please do not make assumptions, if in doubt contact us for clarity

 

[xtaffa]

Seems they're very much in the drops or be dropped camp!

Need to either hope the monoc still lives, and get it compatible with me, or wander over to the road bike forum in hope of a bargain!

Or just stick to the dirt, of course.

 

[Jamesbike]

You can often pick up a decent road bike (sti + carbon forks) for just north of £100 which compared to a tank of unleaded is a bargain.

You an sell it if you don't need it afterwards?

Cheers James

 

[doctor-bond]

There‘s something about the no-nonsense low-grade-snidery of their comms that makes me want to bust out an old clunker and do it anyway, on the same day, same route with a bold “26” displayed instead of an official ’race’ number. What do you get for the 95 notes entry fee anyway?

 

[CassidyAce]

There‘s something about the no-nonsense low-grade-snidery of their comms that makes me want to bust out an old clunker and do it anyway, on the same day, same route with a bold “26” displayed instead of an official ’race’ number. What do you get for the 95 notes entry fee anyway?

Aching legs, a sore back and bragging rights would be my guess.