Mountain Biking: Mountain Biking vs. Road Biking

I believe determing the goal of riding may be the first reason to choose one over the other. If you desire some solitude and exploration of the path less traveled in life...mountain bike wins. If you are perhaps following doctors orders to get fit and want it to be simple and easy and start road riding- perhaps on the easies bike you find, which may be a mountain bike then the bike of choice is mountain, however, surface is road.

If you get bit and infected you buy the road bike and ride the road. I personally own both, ride both, like both, and mentally and physcially like the different challenges they offer. I have ridden over 1,500 miles this year total, so I am no stranger to the seat. I love them both please don't make me pick.

I believe that Mountain Biking is better for a few reasons......You get more burn on the legs, you gain endurance, and build leg strength.  Mountain biking teaches you how to use your gears correctly and the Mountain Ride is more exciting.  You get an adrenaline rush on every ride.  In mountain biking, you have to drive to a certain location to ride the trails.

Road biking is good for cardio and fitness if you have the time to do the long ride.  It tends to get boring, unless you are looking to ride alot of miles.  All you need to do is get on the bike from your home and ride.

They both have their benefits, but for the exciting rush and the full workout, Mountain Biking is my choice!!

I like road biking for several reasons.

There are more roads then mountain bike trails (at least around here), I can get anywhere that I want to go by road bike.

Road bikes are great for commuting (covering longer distances quickly and efficiently).

I really enjoy the speed that road bikes offer, they definitely have an advantage over mountain bikes on the road.

Climbing mountains is easier with a lighter bike.

I find long group rides to be an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Road biking can make you just as strong and as fit if you ride with the same intensity, (interval or hill workouts especially)

That said, cyclocross bikes may just be the best of both worlds, for most recreational riders.  They can be as quick and as efficient as road bikes, but with slightly bigger tires get you through the average local biking trails (rails-to-trails, crushed limestone, or gravel trails abundant in many metropolitan areas).  If I could have one bike, that would be it.  Granted, for technical off road trails, a mountain bike is necessary, but a cyclocross bike can do a whole lot.

Marten

They both have their pluses.  I love riding the road because of the speed, and the sport of racing a road bike takes nerves of steel, and a brain.  I wish I lived in a place where there weren't so many cars but really I have no problem mixing it up in traffic.  I do a majority of my riding on the road bike, I ride 200+ miles a week, and have almost 6000 miles this year on my road bike.  It is also the best way to get and stay fit for racing a bike.

I love my mountain bike because it was always my first love.  I started racing mountain bikes when I was 12 (now 28).  I love the alone time and the challenge of speed and agility.  My bike handling skills on the road are much higher than the average roadie because of my time on the mountain bike.  I race mountain bikes as well as road but I don't really "train" mountain biking.  When I ride my mountain bike it is on my days off, and I want to just have a good time.  When I race my mountain bike I use the great fitness I have gained from the road to do it.

I really see no negatives in either one, some people don't like the road because they are scared of the cars.  Some are scared of mountain bikes because they say they "will spend more time on the ground then on the bike".  But with practice both things can be mastered.  Cars bring a little flavor into cycling, and gives us roadies something to talk about on long training rides about the jack a#$ car guys.  Those scars we get from the crashes on the mountain bike are badges of courage and little nuggets of wisdom that you hopefully will learn to  not make that mistake again.  I cannot and will not choose between my two bikes, that would be like asking a parent to choose between their children.  I love them both the same, and differently.

Nick

STL MO

I grew up on a road bike, and was a real speed freak, I really disparaged mountain bikes when they first appeared in the 80s. I switched to one when I got sick of getting buckled wheels - the roads around here used to be appalling - and realised the joy of the sturdiness of a mountain bike. As others have said, being able to throw it around the urban environment is great fun (I'd never ridden a BMX as a kid so had never done that), and then when I discovered what I'd been missing with off roading!

 I live on the edge of the English Peak District and it has some of the most wonderful bike trails, as long as you like lots of hills. There are winding forest trails, incredible rocky climbs over the moors and some amazing fast and technical downhills. You can get the serious burn of a long ride with a few adrenaline hyping downhills thrown in.

Mentally I think off road is more demanding because of the focus needed on what's happening directly in front of your wheel, and this is also what makes it such a different experience. On the roads, except in heavy traffic where you just develop that 360 degree perception, I find that I go into an almost zen state, even if I'm really pushing myself hard.

I don't drive so most of my riding is a mix of on and off road.

 I'm getting my fitness back after a lay off, and I find I do miss the speed of a road bike - topping out at 40-odd mph because of my gearing and my knobbly tyres (okay, and my strength) is a little frustrating when I think of the 20 something I was being able to top 80 on my road bike screaming down a good long hill.

Pasquale, I am sorry to hear about your wife.  I hope that riding is helping you to get through your tough times.  As for your questions

1) I have built my pace over time.  I keep track of every ride that I do and I have just watched over the last year as my pace gets a little fast every month.  I do not worry about it though, I just concetrait on staying steady and pushing as hard as I can on my hard days.

2) On good weeks I am riding over 10 hours.  I am very lucky with my job.  I am a head gymnastics coach at a great gym in the St Louis area and this allows me a lot of time to ride.  I also ride early in the morning when there is less traffic because I live down town St Louis.

It has taken me a lot of time and a lot of desire to ride like I do and I have a long way to go.  I only started riding last August 2008 but I have come a long way.  I have no kids and a great job so I consider myself very luck to be able to do what I do on the bike.  When I have kids it may not be do able any more.  If you want you can friend me and if you ever have other questions about riding I would be happy to try to help.

Nick

I'd agree, 40/80mph sounds a bit

I've clocked over 80km/h on MTB on knobbly tyres on the road. Couldn't physically pedal any faster and had a great big chunk of gravity helping down a steep hill.

Recently got to 70km/h on a dirt road (again, big hill flat out)

Clocked 42km/h on flat road, but with a decent tail wind.

Regularly pull 25-30km/h on the flat and maintain it for a while with no additional aids like wind, gravity etc.

My limited roadie experience says about another 5km/h average would be reasonable, but not 40mph without assistance let alone 80mph.

I love both and have ridden both for a long time.   My opinion is:

It depends.

 Road is about endurance, speed, love of compteting with the clock and for me long rides are like meditation.   Get in the groove and let it rip.

Road can also be about the social interractions as there are lots of big group rides and you can easily talk while riding for long periods, not my bag but it's there.

Road is a better workout for weight loss and far more accesible for most riders as you can just leave from the house.

 Mountain is technical, can be fast but usually not nearly as fast as road but feels more challenging.   Not likely to be as social while riding as road but a very good muscular and core workout.  

I find that roadies that also ride mountain can ride mountain all day but most MTB only riders cannot go the distance without rest.   Personally I find that mountain is not as good for weight loss/control.   I tend to eat more and drink more.

I track everything with a Garmin and have always used bike computers, all the way back to the Pacer 2000h in the 80's.   I have found, for me, that distance is about 2 to 1, if I average 10mph on a trail I would've averaged about 20 on the road for the same time.   So I focus more on time in the saddle than distance.

Road is more social, more consistant workout and easier to be more disciplined in your weight loss or control.   Those that enjoy competing with themselves and the clock are more likely to go road.

Mountain is more excillerating (in the woods) more technically challenging and a better whole body workout but not as good for weight loss or control.

Dangerous: I've known, and experienced, more really bad crashes on the MTB but obviously the potential for life threatening crashes is always right there on the road.   Just be careful, defensive and dress bright.

 If I had to pick one (I pray I never have to) I would pick the road.

Greig, from Augusta

As a kid, I used to have a road racing bike but speed is not my fix and the MTB couldn't be a better choice for me. I only ride MTB and I've done 4.200 Km (2,600+ mi) so far this year.

A few personal reasons why the MTB wins vs. road bikes:

1. In first place, I try to stay away from the road as it' rather dangerous in this part of the world (Torino, Italy).

2. I normally ride just out of my door to avoid hauling the bike in the car. I'm lucky to have a great choice of urban cycling paths and wilderness options for as many miles as I want for the day ride.

3. Our cycling paths are often unpaved or rough enough - cobbles in places - to make me prefer a full-suspended bike.

4. I see and use the MTB as a multipurpose machine which also proves good for long-distance touring. Just rode 1,210 Km (750+ mi) in northern Europe this past August with road tires, rack and bags. I now mounted mixed tires (slick in the middle, knobs on the sides) which are the perfect solution for all of my riding.

Whatever you ride, enjoy it!

Any negatives for MTB on road? of course...when you're on the road, you're not in the bush! Otherwise just ride.

I commute on my MTB so for weekdays it wears slicks. Weekends and when I get the chance back to the knobblies. It's a bit slower than a roadie, but not much and I can keep up with/pass most roadies I see on the road. The roadies that really try get away, MTB just doesn't have the gearing (and I haven't got the legs!)

If you're only going to ride dirt trails (fire roads) you might get away with a hybrid or cross bike. Bit more comfort, bit less weight. If you really want to get off the track and into the rough you'll need a tough bike, a proper MTB not a department store bike that looks like an MTB.