Mountain Biking - Why do you like MTB better than road?

*opens huge can of worms*

lmao .... Let's hear it!

The road is boredom occasionally punctuated by scary-dangerous automobile action.

The rush! The excitement! The creativity of building differnet trails! The fact I can build huge senders, and than hit them!

Because at -20C, it's warmer in the woods.

I prefer MTB, but I like riding the road bike - good to switch it around & road good for training in winter..

The massive downside for me is cars on the road - a traffic quiet undulataing road ride with a good group can be as good as MTB for different reasons..

The road is boredom occasionally punctuated by scary-dangerous automobile action.

agreed except for when I am on my fixie on the road. anything but boring.

i can do drops






by drops i mean alex' definiton of a drop
aka rolling off the curb

I can carve and get sideways.... jumps, drops, rock gardens.... OOOOOOHHHHHHH ROCK GARDENS MMMMMMMMMM that tastes good to my 7inches..... MMMMMMMM nothin like blasting a line through some gnarly lookin trails.....

The road is boredom occasionally punctuated by scary-dangerous automobile action.

I got a road bike last year and I just use it to get from A to B on a tarmac surface- Gets boring and its dangerous. Also don't get a work out as I do on the MTB. Nothing like a 15% hill on loose surface for 1 mile to get the legs and lungs working. 15% on a road bike and I hardly break into a sweat unless it goes on for a lot longer- and Our hills aren't that tall. Then the rush of downhills offroad.
The challenge you get offroad is enough. Road riding does not do it for me.

Mind you- Going to France on holiday this year and I don't fancy Mt. Ventoux on the MTB.

Personally i enjoy both. Each has its own pro's/con's. I enjoy the speed/efficiency of a road bike, but sometimes it gets boring riding on the streets if its always hills. I enjoy the drops and ripping up trails in my mountain bike but it gets tiring having to remove the layer of mud from my body/bike whenever i finish riding (i live in Vancouver BC). Its fun to switch it up depending on while type of riding is the most convenient at the time.

I love being in the woods. MTB is a logical extension of my hiking/backpacking and wilderness canoeing interests. It requires constant agility and mind-to-body co-ordination, with the result that it keeps your reflexes, reaction time and ballance in good shape as these functions decrease rapidly with age otherwise.

It's more of a total body work-out and it's just more fun. The peace and quiet is also more enjoyable than traffic noise.

Al

i don't. they each have their pros and cons.

I like being in nature, I like the control it takes to go slow over uneven terrain around a 35 degree turn uphill, and I like dirt and rocks and stuff like that.

i don't. they each have their pros and cons.

Uh huh. Each has it's time and place.

bombing down winding single track on an MTB is pretty cool.

Bombing down winding mountain roads on a road bike is also pretty cool.

Also don't get a work out as I do on the MTB. :rolleyes:

erm, pedal harder. there, solved that.

Becuse I have hundreds of miles of trails just right outside my door. I love being out in the woods and I really like the challenge of the trail(drops,roots rocks). I get to spend lots of time with my son and my buds.

I can carve and get sideways.... jumps, drops, rock gardens.... OOOOOOHHHHHHH ROCK GARDENS MMMMMMMMMM that tastes good to my 7inches..... MMMMMMMM nothin like blasting a line through some gnarly lookin trails.....

Who says you can't do this stuff on a road bike? Okay, the rock garden stuff could get yucky, but as far as carving, jumps, and drops, I've done it all on my roady. Probably isn't the smartest thing, and probably voids the warranty, but...stairs, jumps, and 4 foot drops are part of my daily commute. And Yes, I commute on my roady. Grow a pair and quit relying on your 7 inches.

Who says you can't do this stuff on a road bike? Okay, the rock garden stuff could get yucky, but as far as carving, jumps, and drops, I've done it all on my roady. Probably isn't the smartest thing, and probably voids the warranty, but...stairs, jumps, and 4 foot drops are part of my daily commute. And Yes, I commute on my roady. Grow a pair and quit relying on your 7 inches.

You're awesome!

Who says you can't do this stuff on a road bike? Okay, the rock garden stuff could get yucky, but as far as carving, jumps, and drops, I've done it all on my roady. Probably isn't the smartest thing, and probably voids the warranty, but...stairs, jumps, and 4 foot drops are part of my daily commute. And Yes, I commute on my roady. Grow a pair and quit relying on your 7 inches.

:roflmao: Why would I want do that stuff on my road bike.

4 foot drops are part of my daily commute. And Yes, I commute on my roady.

Do you hit the 4-footers in the drops, or do you use aerobars?


Just want to refine my technique...

Do you hit the 4-footers in the drops, or do you use aerobars?


Just want to refine my technique...

he probably does them no handed

Road riding is boring.

I tried doing no handers and x-ups and stuff on campus to impress the girls, but x-ups landed me in the ER, because you can't x-ups with drop bars. (Stupid, I told myself, why didn't I think of that before I woke up in the hospital?)

Because I don't wanna be a stuck up prick that thinks all other riders are wrong.

I like them both; they both have their pluses and minuses. They both have great people involved and they both have some pricks involved. That's how it is with any activity.

I can understand preferring mountain biking to road riding but I have to wonder about people's actual road experience if they think road riding is boring.

Hell, mountain biking can be boring at times, depending upon the trail. The same thing applies to the road.
Y'know, even though it sounds like a shot, it's a valid point. Most of my road experience recently has been a means to an end (training rides of not long duration) rather than something I've tried to experience as an end in itself. They have also been aboard an old and heavy road bike which I will not embarrass myself to identify.

Given the chance to try a modern, lightweight machine on a good, long ride with little car traffic in a particularly scenic place, I might come up with a different answer. Point taken (although I would still prefer mtn biking).

'Prick' is not a censored word.

I am not a roadie but as a kid I used to ride the bike trails a lot on my old 10-speed. I used to love the ride. Every Saturday I rode from around my parent's place from Ahuntsic, up through the middle of the city (the Plateau), through Old Montreal and the Old Port, along the Lachine Canal and back again. At my turn around point I would sit down in the park, drink some water and head back again.

These were great parts of the city to ride through and they are great memories for me. They weren't a mountain bike ride but I loved those rides.

Fast forward to fairly recently and I discovered mountain biking. I love riding through the woods and challenging myself.

Today if I had to choose between the two I would probably lean towards the mountain bike but if I could capture the feeling of the rides I used to do as a kid, I wouldn't turn down a road ride.

single track, nothing better

The scenery.
The wildlife.
The winding trails.
The chance to actually go up and down. (Hey, gimme a break, this is Florida!)
Being separated from the paved world.
The feeling of my tires, kinda plopping over the roots.
Killing a whole day on the trail(s) with my buddy and having stories to tell, instead of yammering on about my CO2max and other such nonsense.
Muscling up a climb from the saddle, the way (as a younger rider) I always thought was stupid.
The "bbbbbbbbbbbb" feeling from things much more rugged than cobblestone.
Whipping the HT around a hairpin (you just never get moments like this on a road bike).
The dirt ... nuff said.
The "baby, I think I got hurt on the trail today," when I get home.
The innumerable chances I get to have an excuse to tinker around with my bike.

Overall, just the confidence that I have on my bike as a result of learning how to manipulate it in space ... in contrast to riding my road bike, which I just go in a straight line as fast as possible for as long as possible. MTB is so much more fun in so many ways!!!!

Because i like falling down often.

I ride road to stay in shape. I ride in the woods because it's just plain fun.:)

I can understand preferring mountain biking to road riding but I have to wonder about people's actual road experience if they think road riding is boring.

Hell, mountain biking can be boring at times, depending upon the trail. The same thing applies to the road.

Well said.

I love both. Both are a lot of fun. If you find either boring, you're not doing it right.

I ride road to stay in shape. I ride in the woods because it's just plain fun.:)
+1 And I would add generally, MTBers are a more fun group of people and they are friendlier. Funny, most of the road bikers I've hit it off with, also ride mountain bikes. Must be a lesson in there somewhere.
Oh, yeah, there are way fewer posers out on a single track.

I like riding my road bike at night coming home from a bar. Beats driving my car and going to jail. I wear lot's of reflective gear. I also plan on doing a major tour sometime down the road.

nothing beats the feeling of floating through the woods down some pristine singletrack. feels like i'm a bird! infact, aside from skiing, gliding effortlessly across singletrack is probably the closest i'll ever come to feeling weightless.

I like Mountain... because of that. I like jumps, lines, pyramids, singletrack, cranking... it's like a road-ride with more freedom.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love road, hell, I am doing the Chillie Hillie this year on a 1970 Schwinn Continental. 30 Miles of steep ups and downs...

But yeah, I like gettin' down n' dirty... in the least innuendous way possible

I also plan on doing a major tour sometime down the road.

Pun intended?

I ride both, but prefer trail riding. I have yet to have a tree throw a soda, or whatever at me while I'm riding. I have had a tree or two run me off the trail and cause me to wreck, though. Still not as bad as an auto! Also, trees don't complain about having to share the trail with you!

Our roads are river rock pounded into the mud - road bikes need not apply. One trip and pretzel.

Well, I'm not a road rider yet. My roadie is on the slow boat from China, literally, as we type & read. But I can tell you that I love tight single track and trying to get around in it as fast as I can because it reminds me of auto racing (road courses) and is much cheaper and better exercise. There is nothing more fun than that.

The fact that you get to see wild life, be out in the woods with your thoughts is just a bonus. One of the highlights for me last year was riding along side a deer, at about the same pace, only a few feet from me. I don't know if it was trying to race or not but it seemed to last a long time, at least until the trail turned then it was quickly gone. Very cool.

I ride road to stay in shape. I ride in the woods because it's just plain fun.:)
Depending on what you're riding, mountain biking can definitely get you in shape as well.

I think riding on streets through neighborhoods and the city is very boring, but riding on roads in the mountains, on the dessert or any place away from civilization is quite cool. It can be more relaxing than mountain biking, even when you're pushing hard (assuming the road is in descent condition). The feeling of being able to cover 50 or more miles under your own power in just a couple of hours is pretty cool. You can really go places and see scenery in more detail than from the seat of a car.

Of course, I hate is sharing the road with cars. By their actions, a good number of motorists don't seem to mind putting your life at risk.

Some people are fortunate enough to have access near home to paved bike paths over 10 miles long, which must be so nice. If I had one of those, I'd be road biking it almost every day.

Because I don't wanna be a stuck up prick that thinks all other riders are wrong.

^:lol: :lol: :lol: :beer:
I think geography plays a big part on what you ride. I've been on road bikes for years and then had a customer give me a 2003 Airborne Liberator and I was hooked. I enjoy my hardtail as much as the Colnago.

I like riding my road bike at night coming home from a bar. Beats driving my car and going to jail. I wear lot's of reflective gear. I also plan on doing a major tour sometime down the road.

Cycling while intoxicated can still yield a DWI/DUI. sorry to be the bearer of bad news...remember that whole thing about following rules of the road while on a bike?

Road work is boring. In fact I find fireroads boring. Single track with trees flying by your head, being away from the concrete jungle. Those things excite me.

http://www.gutsploder.net/rides/fromme/ladiesonly/ladies_g.jpg
http://www.gutsploder.net/rides/fromme/DSC02719.JPG

Versus


http://www.msstate.edu/org/cycling/pictures/Monday.jpg

No contest for me. In reality, its my personality. Ask a sprinter about jogging, similar response. I enjoy power sports. On the "road" side of things, track cycling hold some interest for me. I need my brain to be active. If I get to "zone" out, I hate it.

Actually all of my favorite rides ended with a bit of a headache. Those were some of the greatest rides I have ever had. (and not headaches from pollution ;))

I can understand preferring mountain biking to road riding but I have to wonder about people's actual road experience if they think road riding is boring.

Hell, mountain biking can be boring at times, depending upon the trail. The same thing applies to the road.

Not going to disagree. My road work is definately limited. But for me its a large investment in cash on something I am not even 50% sure I would enjoy. Now, as a training tool, for sure. But really, why would I want to ride on the road when I have more single track than I can count.

If I ever moved back to onterrible, I would likely buy one in a heart beat.

I like MTB and Road both for a lot of the same reasons. I need a lot of exercise because i have hereditary high cholesterol, and can't run due to a bad ankle. So bikes and my elliptical machine is about all I get for cardio. I like the freedom it gives you. I like how it baffles people that I can get across town without using any gas, without putting money in a mass transit vehicle, and do it in a little more time than it takes a car, sometimes less time.

i like mtb for the clean woodsy air. the solitude if i go by myself, the companionship if i ride with someone. the challenge of the steeper climbs and descents, and the rough terrain. i even like the wrecks a little bit. after a wreck if nothing is broken i usually laugh. i also like mtb because it can involve road riding. a shuttle ride i intend to repeat this year had 7 miles of hilly rough singletrack, followed by 3 miles of downhill fire road, followed by 6 miles of downhill asphalt - which makes a great cool down ride.

I like road riding for the speed and efficiency. there's a MUP i ride regularly that is very empty most of the year, it's a 14 mile loop of 1yr old asphalt. it's often very windy too. its a lot of fun to start a ride with a strong headwind to fight through, then come back with a strong tailwind, have a drink of water, and do it again. Its not as exhilarating as dense woodsy singletrack, but still very fun. Last year we were having a windstorm, steady winds around 25mph with gusts up to 45mph, otherwise a very sunny day. So I took the bike out and rode into the wind as far as I could, then on my way back I didn't have to pedal at all and I could maintain 18mph. Then if I pedaled to equal the speed of the wind, it was very eerie because the wind felt like it stopped, i could be going 25mph and feel no wind at all.

If that's the sum of road riding for you then I can see why you would think it's boring.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be like that.

Its not. I was actually looking for one of those "perspective" shots of a long road. But the only one I found was protected so I didn't bother posting. That was just some random pic I googled.

Because I like 10" in the rear.

Because I like 10" in the rear.

You can get that in most prisons.