Can We Learn Anything From Road Bike Tech? [Ft. GCN Tech]

Mountain bikers have argued with Roadies forever! Because road cycling is boring 😉, but is there anything us mountain bike riders can possibly learn from road bike tech? Anna Cipullo collaborates with Ollie Bridgewood from @gcn's tech channel @gcntech to find out.

⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
00:00 - ⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ Contains Road Bikes
00:00 - Okay, now we get started
02:08 - Aero Gains
05:17 - Tyre Pressure
08:10 - Bike Fit
12:35 - Wax Chains

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Game Changer - The Big Let Down
Really Somebody (Instrumental Version) - Flux Vortex

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[AndysAverageAdventures]

Things I learnt while training on a road bike.
Waxed chains.
Nutrition.
Good bib shorts change your ride.
Being fitter is better for the mtb.

[andyarchitect]

Anna, please try and arrange an interview with Adam Kerin from Zero Friction Cycling to discuss chain lubricants for mtb use. Hopefully this doesn't conflict with any sponsorship interests. Waxing really is the way forward for mtb in my experience. All oil & dry lubes I have used result in a dirty black drivetrain and waste so much time during a periodic cleaning. Since trying imersive waxing it's like having a new chain every ride, and cleaning is as easy as hosing down the bike, popping the chain off and rinsing it in hot water before rewaxing. Overall it saves time compared to a wet lube... and your chain lasts longer 😊

[RedDaemon]

There's always things to be learned from the other side. I've recently gotten into road biking and I'm glad I have been keeping up with road cycling despite pretty much purely being a mountain biker (until recently). Fueling, cadence, pacing and aerodynamics in particular can be useful knowledge for mountain biking.

[mikekrasovec]

He was mentioning some things that I've been talking about for decades. It's a matter of time before mountain bikes get aero. The high end MTB's are already all carbon and carbon rims. Doing a redesign to allow improved aerodynamics is largely just a different mold which happens every few years. Aero wheels make a 2-3% speed improvement vs a 32° box section rim on the road. Aero MTB wheels will make a bigger difference as considerably wider tires + knobs are going to be draggier and thus more room for improvement. Aero suspension forks would be more challenging but frames would be some computer modeling and a different mold. Aero handlebars for climbs and smooth flat sections are a huge area of untapped gains. If inner bar ends can have a 5% speed gain a more elaborate thought out handlebar can offer bigger improvements. With electronic shifting it would be easy to have a remote shifter - especially given that Shimano xtr had a remote shifter for bar-ends in the late 1990's. The big factor limiting these developments is the general consumer. Just because it's better doesn't mean that people would buy it. Similar to suspension forks on gravel bikes.

[adamwilson]

I 100% agree about waxing your chains. I live in dry conditions & ever since i’ve switched over to waxing, my chains last longer and no more horrible grinding paste caused by oil based lubes.

[raff]

Holy!!!! LOL I almost choked on my coffee!!! Best opening ever!!!!
Love you Anna!!!

[yoda]

surprised ollie didn't talk about nutrition--the high-carb revolution has been a huge gain in the road/gravel space and definitely applies to all-day riding on the mountain bike whether it's just a big day on the trails or an xcm event or ultra distance bikepacking.

[nstrug]

One big difference is the club structure. In road, racing is organised by clubs on a volunteer basis. Clubs also provide social rides for non-racing members, and coaching for kids, all on a voluntary basis, with members aged from 5 to 90. Everything in the MTB world seems to be run on a for-profit basis (except for XC). The entry costs for regional enduro races are insane, and it’s not even as if they are having to pay for motorcycle escorts etc like a (much cheaper) road race does.

[doctorscoot]

Waxed chains are at the top of my list, if you’re riding in the dry or mostly dry. And I mean full wax. Strip the factory grease out. Immersive wax it. Use drip wax to replenish after cleaning. All grease and oils quickly become grinding paste when in contact with dirt, which is even more applicable to MTB than even road. The grinding paste then proceeds to grind your chain up, which grinds your expensive cassette and chain ring.

[plainuser]

I have been using "liquid wax" for chains for quite some time now - does wonders, less maintenance and easier too. I don't ride in the rain if I can help it, but wet conditions happen occasionally - wax still does better than any lube I've tried. Wax probably won't last as long in wet, but I am not racing, so it doesn't matter. When I get home, I have to clean the bike regardless of what the lubrication was - wax is easier and faster to clean.

[DonutEndurance]

Living in Oklahoma, USA and I have been waxing my chain for years. Huge game changer for drivetrain longevity.

[Bonky-wonky]

We gave them through axles, clutch derailleurs and wider tyres and what we got in return was headset cable routing🧐

[Daidc]

Aero and suspension setup, etc., aren't mutually exclusive. I think deep section wheels may be a good place to start. Aside from the aero, they will probably be stronger

[pascaladl]

Fox SpeedSuit is an example where the DH pros do take aero gains into account.

[Jayneflakes]

Interesting video, but how many of us are also owners of road bikes and in fact have other bikes too? I had a road bike until very recently, as well as being a mountain biker and even a BMX rider for a while. I have even played with recumbents too. The reason for this is that bikes are great, no matter where they are designed to be ridden. Back in 1992, I road the XC race course at Newnham Park on my cyclocross bike and had a great time. I wasn't allowed to race on my crosser in the MTB race, but MTBs were welcome in the cross races. The only thing I have not tried is triathlon, because those folks are perverted... Swimming in our sewage filled rivers and coasts? Yuk

[edmundhodgson]

Priceless! Watching the footage of Ollie's mtb riding and then going from that into aero gains. Not much to be had at walking speed I'm sure.

[BlueKnows]

Can we have a quiet word with Peaty. In fact, shout in his ear. Increase production in the all weather lube! It's sold out practically everywhere

[AmvC]

0:08 thanks for the conclusion, bye! :D what to watch next? 😂

[sccxvelo]

Long time CXer and beginner MTB level, most from lack of owning a MTB, so down the middle of the two. Tire width size plus pressure and with tread pattern. Combined with it will just get dirty anyway needed to be cleaned. Then added bike fit as in between sizes for most companies. Comfort, fit, ease of service, and handling over aero concerns.

[iansingleton]

I think cos mountain biking innovation has been at 100mph since it first started it will always be looking forward for the next best thing. And it needs to. The places, terrain and how we ride our MTBs has changed. Faster, longer, more gnarly, more extreme weather conditions. The tech has to keep up. A road racing bike does the same thing it did 100 years ago. It rides down the road fast. Therefore the gains to do that faster are getting smaller and smaller. The tech changes come around seemingly slower in the road world, not because of the "roadie mentality" to change (which gets put out there a lot) I think it's just the smaller marginal gains take a lot longer through R&D to manifest and take hold. There's a lot to lose financially in road racing if a team takes a leap of faith in something and it doesn't work. It has to be right first time. That's why there's always a huge amount of caution before something in the road world becomes the norm.