Road Cycling - Roadie Mountain Bikers. . . Am I the only one?

I love my road bike. I love my MTB. I race both.

What's not to like? The speed and efficiency of the road. The challenge of gnarly singletrack. Road riding relaxes, but I consider mountain biking recreation. . . fun.

Don't get me wrong, I've put 6 times as many miles on my road bike this season than my MTB, but when I feel stale on the road a solitary ride in the woods over rocks and roots, and preferably with lots of mud cheers me up.

Last year I raced my MTB 10 times. This year I've raced on the road 4 times and with the MTB 2 times. I can't imagine one without the other.

I'm with you.

I find that I need a mountain bike, a road touring/commuting bike, and a road racing bike at home, plus a second touring bike at the office.

Me too. I like both for very different reasons. Mountain biking is probably more pure fun, but roading is more serene. I've been doing both this summer, but I must admit that when I get down in a deep valley on my mountain bike and it's 100 degrees outside, I wonder about my sanity sometimes. The endorphins seem to flow much better on a road ride, at least to me. I can remember more than once me and my riding friends sitting on my porch for a cool down after a long road ride, and giggling like a bunch of kids for no reason. (Have any of your front tires ever stated singing to you?). Usually after a long mountain bike ride I'm looking for my wife for a massage and an aspirin... (Ha! that'll happen, maybe I'll get the aspirin if I'm lucky heheh)

Road bike riding is....like metaphysical...or a zen thing. Man, on a good ride, you get in the Zone, and life is good!
MTB riding is more intense at times, and getting up a hill that has beat you before gives you a great feeling of accomplishment.
But, the important thing, you're out there doing it on two wheels! Keep 'em spinning folks!

For a long time I only had a MTB. Part of it was because of monetary constraints and the other part was because I hadn't really ever discovered the joys of road riding in the past. I once dabbled a little bit with a roadbike and owned one for about a year in the early 90s but hardly ever rode it. Last year I finally bought a new roadbike and have been spending more time on the road than on my MTB. That's not to say I never ride my MTB. I live right next to a trailhead... literally so I get in a good offroad ride on a daily basis. It's called the Beaver Lake Trail system... or simply "The Beav". I like riding either bikes. Even though I sometimes feel foolish for taking my full suspension MTB out on the road, I still do it just for variety. I however refrain from taking the roadbike down the singletracks. |8^)

I have 1 of each, but need more. I have to dedicate one to commuting (hope to go all winter), but still need an mtb and a road bike. I just don't know which type I want to commute with. I usually like whichever bike I rode last the best!!

I had both.. I still need both but I got an amazing offer for my Mountain bike.. Basically im almost 16 years old and ride a road bike but Ive still got a lot of agression left in me as i am a teen. Killing myself in a forest or racing in the bush helps to calm me down. Its also très fun (excuse my franglais but im not in the full french mood)

Same here....I like the feeling of accomplishment after going on a helluva long ride, but I could see myself getting bored after a while. I love the constant changes that go along with mountain biking; it's more of a mental challenge for me. But the trails overall don't seem to be long enough! So I like to do both!Typical Gemini ;)

I love the outdoors, trees, woods, deer, squirrels, etc., so I returned to riding by starting MTB. Cheap bike on basic trails, a few crashes and bruises, but loved the cool woods on a hot day.

Then a buddy asked me if I wanted to ride to work on ride to work day. I said sure and joined him on my MTB. He was on a road bike. Next thing you know I gotta have a road bike. Now I ride 4-5 days a week on the road, but still hit the dirt (literally :D ) once a week at least...

Bicycling is fun regardless of the terrain...it's all good... :beer:

I've been mountain biking for 6 years, and I finally took the plunge toward road riding this year. Now, I can't imagine not riding both as each has so much to offer in its own right!

I'm a Mountain Biker at Heart, But I Started Road Riding this Year. My buddy talked me into doing a group ride back in April. So I borrowed another friends road Bike and did the ride. Well I'm hooked now and since then I bought my own road bike, and I am planning to do my longest ride next month (MS 150.) I still get out on the MTB at least a couple of times a week, and I won't give her up. But everyone that road rides with me knows I'm a Mtb biker because I only wear MTB gear, even on the road. I only wear Primal Wear Jerseys and my helmets are Mtb Style with the Visor and I always wear my camelback. The Roadies sometimes rag on me because of my kit but they are starting to accept me because I am able to stick with the lead group now. I have earned my place in the Group and I'm really proud of that. :D

i would actually extend to even a 3rd category:

1) Mountain Bike (XC)
2) Commuting
3) Road Bike

all 3 play a major part in my life: mountain biking being the big skill and thrill; commuting, packing in "free" training time riding to work and guaranteeing my lots of bike time even when things get busy and hectic; road cycling, also fun and good for conditioning.

i also enjoy Track Racing, but unfortunately since i left Portland i haven't hooked up with a track and club to ride here in Munich...

IF i could only have one bike, it would be my mountain bike b/c then i could still do road rides and commute (using the road-race bike for off-road would be tough)

as far as racing, i've done 3 MTB races this year, 2 MTB last year and the year before about 5 MTB and 6 road (criterium)

i also have not found a good road criterium series here in Munich (there are some far away on the weekends, but i find it not worht it to travel a long way and take a whole Saturday for a 45-60 minute race)

starting next month (but really next spring) I will be a MTB Tour Guide for weekend and week-long group MTB tours in the Alps! doesn't pay squat, but the participants are almost always great! if anyone is interested in tours in the Alps, please contact me about our tours - they are inexpensive too -- week long TransAlps tours are like $200 + $40/day for food and accomodation in mountain huts or about $450 all inclusive (from Munich, no airfare, duh) -- or see www.m97.de but it's in German...

I believe in swinging both ways! Road riding is great for long distance, speed, burning the fat, endurance, etc but I love going offroad. If I don't do both, I get bored- I need the variety. Also it's a whole different set of skills. I have a nice mountain bike but there aren't many off-road trails right around here. Now that i have the cross bike, I can get to those trails faster than I would on the mountain bike and do the dirt! It doesn't have quite the suspension, but it's a bit more mobile and you get there faster. It's been pretty dry lately but it's supposed to rain tomorrow which means that on friday, one of my favorite trails will be nice and muddy. Sploosh, splort, slop- it's great!

It's nice to know I have some company out there.

I have a roadie friend who barely acknowledges the existence of fat tires. When I tried to convince him to give MTB a try, his true colors emerged. . . he's afraid of crashing! And the mud, it's so. . . dirty. Mountain bikes weigh so much, can you even pedal them? Don't all the rocks and stuff hurt your butt? Yup, pure roadies have a million excuses, but we have all the fun.

Road bike, mtbike, motorcycle (street and mx). As long as I am on two wheels life is good.
Slainte:beer:

I am a roadie at heart!! I've been racing for the last 4 years and LOVE it!! Last march I bought my first real mtb bike, and I love it as well. Tearing up singletrack, mud, creek crossings...ect.. Nothing road riding will offer at all.

My girlfriend raced mtb and I pushed her to do her first road race this past season. We tease each other..I call the mtb racers tree-hugging hippies and she calls roadies mean and stuck up. Its all in fun, and after her race and having her be around the "roadie community" this past season, she says its all about the same, but road racing..especially crits are more intense than an mtb race. More intense with speed the closeness of the riders and the sweeping turns in a pack of 20+ riders inches away.

I want to do a mtb race early next season just to expeirance the "Dark Side" :D

Although I will forever be a roadie...with major liking of mtb riding!!

Well speaking as someone who doesn't like road bikes. I don't find them technically exhausting enough. It requires far to much mental endurance for me. I am a power player. I despise (yep I do mean that) all endurance based sports. Past about the 2 hour point and I am bored, my mind wanders and then I leave. Physically I could keep going but why. I would rather destroy my body with a technically challenging ride.

I have been mountain biking for 21/2 years. Bought a road bike this spring and have ridden it twice as much as the MTB. If I had to choose I would probably ttake the.................. I agree with an earlier post that MTB is more pure fun. However,the road provides more speed and an awful lot of exhilaration. Bottom line is I love them both.
BTW got caught in the early stages of a storm yesterday. I was out 7.5 miles in an average speed of 18.35(into the wind) and returned in an average speed of 20.5. Lightening is a great motivator!

Been riding a comfort hybrid for a year - suspension fork and seatpost. Like riding fire trails, dirt roads and desert.

I got some kind of a virus from this forum at around 200 posts which could only be controlled, not cured, by the purchase of a road bike.

Love them both. When out alone I use the road bike almost exclusively. When riding the road with my wife, also on a comfort hybrid, I ride the hybrid. I am convinced that a road bike is mechanically incapable of going slow. In fact, I wonder sometimes how I get it to stop at all :p

Once in a while the trails beckon and I head out with a friend. Even with a cell phone in the pocket, I worry about going into the desert alone.

I've only had the road bike a little while, but I suspect I'll end up 70% or more road cycling.

Good question. Thanks.

Carl

I'm a MTB'er but I'm taking the plunge... I just can't wait any longer... "must have road bike now"! "Me need bike for road go fast and far"! I've watched the Tour de France the last couple of years, and this year I watched the Giro and the Vuelta too! I have so much respect for these guys, and I can't wait to join their discipline and passion... I've never even ridden a road bike, but I keep having dreams about it so I think I know what it feels like...I already shaved my legs! (no joke)!

I like to display my tricked out XC bike in the corner hanging from its workstand, and I can't wait to add a tricked out road machine to my "collection"! Damn, guess I'll have to get one of those verticle bike racks to hold them both!

Looking at the Giant TCR2... Any Oppinions?

I am jealous somewhat of anybody that can find the time to factor MTB and the road into ones schedule of fun. I just sold my MTB and bought another road racing bike, cause I was unable to get to the mtns to enjoy it's benefits along with my other time consuming sport, "golf" and still work and pay attention to my family.

Ride both.
I ride races on the roadbike. I really don't like riding my mountainbike on the road, but I do love going bush. I've got the mountainbike set up soley for offroad touring.
Went touring a few days ago in the Barrington tops area 250km NNW of Sydney , it was excellent. Camped out two nights , wildlife everywhere including big venomous snakes and the scenery was magnificent , even the big raging bushfires:(
I received news that the fires were under control and the wind changed direction so I was fairly safe.
Really I had a great time , I didn't see as much as I wanted to see so I'll go again at the end of October.

cheers

Mountain Biker at heart, Roadie as a means to an ends.

I love riding and racing (occasionally) my mtn bike. I use my road bike to train.

I ride my mtn bike when I want to go solo (even in a group situation) I feel you're more secluded in the woods on a bike, good time to hammer and just think. I feel more in tune with everything around me when I'm on my mtn bike.

When I ride my road bike, it's usually with a group of 4 or 5 and we're constantly talking, pulling through and just more social. I do ride solo on the road, but it's usually only for about an hour and it's over before I really get in my "solo" groove. When I'm on the road, I'm usually concentrating on not getting hit by a car! That, or keeping track of my speed/cadence/heartrate.

I just feel more free on my mtn bike.

L8R

I just feel more free on my mtn bike.

I would have to agree with that. When riding my road bike it feels more structured. Hold your line, keep spinning, gotta go faster, don't get hit by a car and body position.
When on my mtb I feel I have more freedom. I do not concern myself with cadence, body position or what line I am going to take. I guese it is because I use the road stricly to train although I do enjoy it. I mtb stricly for fun. My only concern on my mtb is getting through or over obsticals and trying to do bigger drops and jumps. The ride could be slow or fast it does not make a differance as long as it is fun.


Slainte:beer:

Definately more freedom on the mtb, but not as much "zone" as on the road bike.