bike session - road bike v MTB, and split session

[didds]

Tomorrow due to various circumstances I will "have" to cycle to the pool for my swim session and them back again. My sessions for tomorrow are 90 minutes bike "endurance" (Z2 max, maybe a little Z3) and 2000m swim endurance set.

I don't have time for 90 minutes ride, then a swim (circa 1 hr) and then a "quick" cycle home. I do have time for a split bike session with the pool in between... and I cold also make this a swim-bike "brick" to boot this way.

For the bike I can road bike it or I can MTB it.

Road would take circa 25 minutes tops each way with a steady incline on the way out for a couple of miles (if that) unless i start introducing loops etc into the route.
MTB would be a buggery hilly route on and off road up and over the Roundway (as in Battle of... FYI) and would take circa 50 minutes each way.

I WILL be doing the MTB cycle split session ie bike - swim - bike.

More for discussion that advice (cos i WILL be doing it this way cos of circumstances) what is the forum's general opinion on

1) road v MTB for sessions generally? natch my HIM is a road bike race and the MTB will not be "training" for riding a road bike. However due to the nature of MTBs and the route I will take there may be other benefits to it?

2) split session : instead of a 90 minute ride I would be having two shorter rides, albeit split by a swim. Thoughts as to whether this builds what the session is supposed to be developing, or is of general benefit ... or...

??

Debate!

didds

[simondo3333]

I jumped on my road bike for the first time ever the other evening, it seemed all too easy to blast along and took to it like a fish to water even with brand spanking new spd-sl and road shoe combo courtesy of the recent wiggle sale

I put it down to MTB background and the endurance and leg strength riding offroad has given me. I'd take the MTB route there and back..... but then I would regardless, way more fun

As for split sessions you don't have a choice but to be as close to your 90 minute endurance set then surely 2x 50 min MTB is going to be better than 2x 25 min on the road bike - in my mind at least!