So what's the deal with endurance mountain biking? I might try it

[apple]

Generally I'm not a fan of mtb with the culture and whatnot. But endurance mtb seems to be my speed. Seems like a road race, off road, on an mtb. Still wear a bib and jersey. I'm thinking about doing a local 100k.

Any tips on training for something like this? I think it might take like 4-4.5 hours, which is totally fine as I'm used to riding my road bike in road races without issue.

[MattTuck]

I don't know a lot about it, but I do know that a bunch of the very fast guys in this area have been doing a lot more mountain biking in the last 2 years, and targeting a race called the Vermont 50.

So, it doesn't sound like you're the only one going in that direction.

[apple]

It sounds like a nice change of pace. As far as I can tell you wear all the same stuff, it's just that you're on a mtb. I have one that doesn't get much use and I'm generally a strong cyclist on the road. I just don't know if it requires a different kind of training or if there is anything I'm missing here.

I am not a good mountain bike handler, so certainly couldn't do anything that required massive mtb skill or anything. But this sounds straightforward.

[PFSLABD]

Generally I'm not a fan of mtb with the culture and whatnot. But endurance mtb seems to be my speed. Seems like a road race, off road, on an mtb. Still wear a bib and jersey. I'm thinking about doing a local 100k.

Any tips on training for something like this? I think it might take like 4-4.5 hours, which is totally fine as I'm used to riding my road bike in road races without issue.

I own a mtb but gave it up. It's a lot harder to ride a mt. bike than a road bike. Just remember that 100k is going to be even harder for you if all you have ever done is ride a road bike. Expect single track, steep hills, jumping over obstacles, even. I'd go out and practice a lot with a mt. bike before I just took on a race like that cold turkey. You might want to go out and watch one just to see if you would like it.

[apple]

I'm thinking about going out sometime soon on the course to get a feel for it. It's several loops so should be pretty easy to ride a loop or two. I would def do that before actually signing up for 100k.

[PFSLABD]

I have ridden some road rides with guys, who said they rode mt bikes, and you could tell it. These guys were real strong on the road bike. I can see a definite advantage that a mt biker would have over other road riders.

[superbowlpats]

I own a mtb but gave it up. It's a lot harder to ride a mt. bike than a road bike. Just remember that 100k is going to be even harder for you if all you have ever done is ride a road bike. Expect single track, steep hills, jumping over obstacles, even. I'd go out and practice a lot with a mt. bike before I just took on a race like that cold turkey. You might want to go out and watch one just to see if you would like it.

^this x1000. huge difference between 4 hours on a road bike and 4 on a mtn bike. the thing that will get you is your lower back, upper back, arms, hands - i.e. you whole upper body will be sore, tired, crying for you to stop if you are not used riding on trails, rocks etc for that length of time. but hey give it a shot, you might like the pain :D

[nalax]

Dirt centuries can be grueling depending on the course. If you love to mtbike as I used to before I got older and slower, it is a lot of fun. 24 hrs races sometimes have 12, 6 and 3 hr races and the the 3hr can give a taste of endurance mtb.

[azrider]

I was road guy through and through.

Every year there was a group that would go up in the mountains and race a little race called the Barn Burner MTB race. When I asked the same question you asked "What kind of training is involved", I was told just spread some dirt on your driveway and ride your back over it.

I've competed in several since and they're a blast. Not much mtb technical skills are required, and your road fitness keeps you competitive. The vibe at these races is exact opposite of crits. I was blown away at the difference in attitude and my buddy said "MTBr's are dogs......and Roadies are cats." Nailed it.....

Get yourself a HT 29er and go have fun.

[djg21]

Generally I'm not a fan of mtb with the culture and whatnot. But endurance mtb seems to be my speed. Seems like a road race, off road, on an mtb. Still wear a bib and jersey. I'm thinking about doing a local 100k.

Any tips on training for something like this? I think it might take like 4-4.5 hours, which is totally fine as I'm used to riding my road bike in road races without issue.

I have never ridden my MTB while wearing anything but a bib and jersey. I wear my road gear with the exception of my shoes, and I also wear full-finger gloves. I've never worn gloves on the road (except when I was racing in crits).

The training won't be much different than training on the road, and probably can incorporate a lot of road days. A 20 minute FTP interval is a 20 minute FTP interval irrespective of the bike you are riding, and I find it easier to get long endurance rides in on a road bike. You obviously will want to get days on the MTB too to develop your bike handling skills.

IME, it's easier to red-line on a road bike. When going really hard on an MTB, you also have to concentrate on your line and avoiding obstacles, and this gets difficult when your vision blurs and you're fatiguing.

[kingpin75s]

Generally I'm not a fan of mtb with the culture and whatnot. But endurance mtb seems to be my speed. Seems like a road race, off road, on an mtb. Still wear a bib and jersey. I'm thinking about doing a local 100k.

Any tips on training for something like this? I think it might take like 4-4.5 hours, which is totally fine as I'm used to riding my road bike in road races without issue.

I generally ride in 3 endurance events per year with 1 road, 1 gravel and 1 mountain. Last year it was my 1st Triple Bypass 120(mi) for Road, my 4th Almanzo 100(mi) for gravel and my 2nd NUE Series Hampshire 100(k).

100k mountain races can be very different and much more difficult and 4-4.5 hours may be an underestimate for timing expectations depending on the race. The Hampshire 100 is a very hard course for a non full suspension bike and with the past 2 years having significant rain the night before, it has been rough. Average completion times have been in the 6-10 hour range for 100k and this is where the endurance factor takes effect. Any races where I have been out on a course for greater than 6 hours, food and electrolytes really come into play.

To me understanding your own body and how you can best intake fuel and electrolytes AFTER riding 5+ are the biggest challenges for endurance races and this is different/easier/harder for everyone.

[jimcav]

your time estimate is way off unless the course is just an undulating fire road. I'd allow an hour for 10 miles of "flowy" single track and go up from there on time.

Do it like a tempo ride--not a race, unless you really know the course and are familiar with the way things suddenly rise up at you on MTB in a way they don't on a road. That could be your tire sliding on a root, catching a little sand wrong, flipping something up into your eyes, whatever.

Much like overdriving a headlight, strong riders with less MTB experience often go too fast for their skills or terrain (really how those 2 intersect)

I really love MTB and the sport cat race is did were fun and we always had beer/chili/etc after. very chill

jim

[apple]

I'm going based on top 10% results from prior years, transferring the top 10% from what I generally ride at crits/road races.

[jmal]

Assuming you are not joking, I'd agree with Jimcav. If you can finish a 100k mtb race in 4 hours you would be competitive with the best in the world. I don't know the race you have in mind, but I would not expect it to be a road race on dirt. It will require mtb skills particularly once you are fatigued. Even an easy course can become difficult with fatigue. Also, the dynamics of the race will be very unlike road racing. Mtb is more of a solo effort. There may be sections where you can draft briefly but it is not the norm. And the mountain bike culture is usually great. We wear bibs and jerseys too. You might be confusing mtb in general with the subset of riders that wear baggy shorts, don't climb hills, and think riding is about dropping off of man made structures in the woods.

[apple]

Austin Rattler 100k. 478 entrants, 50th place finished right around 4:30. Top 6 finished in under 4 hours. I don't presume to be as fast as the top 6, but I don't think I've ever been outside the top 10% at something like this in my life.

https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-11915?lc=en

[gdw]

Do the field a favor and brush up on or learn some basic mountain bike handling skills. You'll have more fun and be less apt to hurt yourself or others.

[jmal]

Austin Rattler 100k. 478 entrants, 50th place finished right around 4:30. Top 6 finished in under 4 hours. I don't presume to be as fast as the top 6, but I don't think I've ever been outside the top 10% at something like this in my life.

https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-11915?lc=en

It looks like a relatively flat and non-tech course. I would still count on it being tougher than you expect, but I would not necessarily equate this race with true endurance mtb racing. It sounds much tamer than other races like those on the NUE calendar. Have fun with it if you sign up.

Gdw makes a good point too. Get comfortable off road to increase everyone's safety. With a field of 478 things can get really crazy.

[unterhausen]

your time estimate is way off unless the course is just an undulating fire road. I'd allow an hour for 10 miles of "flowy" single track and go up from there on time.
I agree with this. I have ridden past the finish of the "stupid 50" when the clock was in the 13 hour range, and they were still waiting for people. I am not sure what the time limit is, they might have been out of it. The Wilderness 101 will pull you if they think you aren't going to make it on time. We were out scouting a 200km, mostly dirt ride when we saw the Wilderness 101 stragglers at one of the points of the ride that is furthest from the finish. This was around 4 pm. Some of them looked like they were having fun, others didn't.

[ptourkin]

It looks like a relatively flat and non-tech course. I would still count on it being tougher than you expect, but I would not necessarily equate this race with true endurance mtb racing. It sounds much tamer than other races like those on the NUE calendar. Have fun with it if you sign up.

Yes, Just a long-long XC race. Even Leadville is a sub-7 hour affair for the fast. If you haven't done this before, though, you are going to be out there a while. Maybe find some XC first to get a better idea what the pace is like out there.

[apple]

Any chance a cx bike is good enough for this course?

[ptourkin]

Any chance a cx bike is good enough for this course?

The problem with doing stuff like this, is even if you can handle the course on a CX bike, if anything is technical and narrow, you're going to be taking it at a different speed than the field and could be in the way. While you can theoretically make that up on the easy flats, you may piss people off.

[Fatty]

I'm thinking about going out sometime soon on the course to get a feel for it. It's several loops so should be pretty easy to ride a loop or two. I would def do that before actually signing up for 100k.

Any chance a cx bike is good enough for this course?

Well if you go check out the course you'd have a good idea of what kind of bike would be best. Most likely it's 29er hard tail territory.
That event is a qualifier for the Leadville trail 100, so expect some very tough competition.

[MesiJezi]

Austin Rattler 100k. 478 entrants, 50th place finished right around 4:30. Top 6 finished in under 4 hours. I don't presume to be as fast as the top 6, but I don't think I've ever been outside the top 10% at something like this in my life.

https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-11915?lc=en

Let us know how it goes... ;)

[benb]

Depends on the course but I do remember riding X/C races and seeing the Pro racers just barely break 10mph for lap averages...

This sounds like a fun adventure.