Mountain Biking - Mountain Biking or Road Biking???

This is the big question. For me number one is the mountains. However I do alot of the training on roads. Roads are great in winter (less cleaning)

What kind of answer do you expect in this forum?

Neither, ya land lubber...






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42

I hate riding my mountain bike on the road. It is so ineffecient.

I hate riding my mountain bike on the road. It is so ineffecient.

And uncomfortable and really not fun.. I use my road bike on the road which goes much faster. I don't do road all that often as compared to single track, I lose conditioning and get rusty on the skills.

Al

And uncomfortable and really not fun.. I use my road bike on the road which goes much faster. I don't do road all that often as compared to single track, I lose conditioning and get rusty on the skills.

Al

I disagree, I think it's both comfy and fun. Put some 1.4-1.9 slicks, lockout the shocks, and build up your endurace. The look on a roadie's face as you pass him/her....priceless. YMMV

Its road bike for me all the way. I have both and love the road much more then the dirt which I do like, once you become a roadie you will never go back to being a full Mt kind of biker. JMHO

burgle burgle

This is the big question. For me number one is the mountains. However I do alot of the training on roads. Roads are great in winter (less cleaning)


Water or air? For me, number one is not suffocating. However, I do a lot of drinking when I'm thirsty.

Its road bike for me all the way. I have both and love the road much more then the dirt which I do like, once you become a roadie you will never go back to being a full Mt kind of biker. JMHO

Let me reverse everything you say and add JMHO to the end. Thanks saves me typing.

I dig 'em both equally. Almost like two different sports, really.

I disagree, I think it's both comfy and fun. Put some 1.4-1.9 slicks, lockout the shocks, and build up your endurace. The look on a roadie's face as you pass him/her....priceless. YMMV


I used to ride my first ATB, an upper end bike with semi-slicks on the road. That was before suspensions and getting into single track. I could pass some roadies once in a while. I much prefer my road bike for the road and single track to pavement.

Al

I think I still prefer riding the MTB, but I love road also...

& I will get slated for this..

in competition's between road & MTB - one thing is for sure the road forum is better..

They don't have any what is better threads for a start..

one thing is for sure the road forum is better..

They don't have any what is better threads for a start..

Really? The same thread was also posted in the road forum.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=300277

hmm, that kind of weakens that argument..

I didn't mean to slate the MTB forum, I got lots of help here when I first came here.. just seems less interesting these days..

There are about 10 people on line here now and about 150 in the road forum..

Oh & MisterC, I just made an estimate of those numbers, no need to go count them....

I disagree, I think it's both comfy and fun. Put some 1.4-1.9 slicks, lockout the shocks, and build up your endurace. The look on a roadie's face as you pass him/her....priceless. YMMV

I always enjoy these comments. Is the roadie you pass aware of the race going on?

42

Are you suggesting this may be the ultimate question?:eek:

This is the big question. For me number one is the mountains. However I do alot of the training on roads. Roads are great in winter (less cleaning)
Go fast in the winter on a road bike in the cold/ice and freeze the extremities, or go slower on a MTB trail where body heat overcomes the cold within one mile. Hmmmm, that's a tough one. I think I'll go for the MTB trail.

I always enjoy these comments. Is the roadie you pass aware of the race going on?

Nah, I think he was too stoned to realized what was going on

This is the big question. For me number one is the mountains. However I do alot of the training on roads. Roads are great in winter (less cleaning)

Both, duh.

Its road bike for me all the way. I have both and love the road much more then the dirt which I do like, once you become a roadie you will never go back to being a full Mt kind of biker. JMHO

huh. whatever. i had the opposite experience. started as a road about 20 years ago. once i discovered dirt, the road has taken a backseat, by a longshot.

not even comparable.

i still hit the road bike once in a while, and commute to work on the road, but it just doesn't even compare to mountain riding.

i've never understood the point of threads like this. the hardcore devotees of either form aren't going to have their minds changed; certainly not by internet debate.

I do both and find that each makes me better at the other. It seems that my road rides have helped me to build endurance while mountain biking has helped me build power. They really seem to complement each other nicely.

If that wasn't the response you were looking for...jello!

Are you suggesting this may be the ultimate question?:eek:
Sure beats paper or plastic? :)

I like them both....Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayy *claps*

This is the big question. For me number one is the mountains. However I do alot of the training on roads. Roads are great in winter (less cleaning)

Ultimate question deserves the ultimate answer! (http://www.storyhour.org/Pictures/Flash/********_batman.swf)

Uhhhh, all three. Whenever possible. Never in competition. Always challenging.

I think the better question is have you been on all of your bikes this week?

I prefer riding off road hands down.

I find the road boring after about 2 hrs of riding. However, I could ride all day long off road.

I disagree, I think it's both comfy and fun. Put some 1.4-1.9 slicks, lockout the shocks, and build up your endurace. The look on a roadie's face as you pass him/her....priceless. YMMV

Yep.

Most of my riding was always on the road, and still is as I'm getting back into it. It's a great workout. I left the knobbies on... it was born as a mtb and it will stay that way. ;)

Ultimate question deserves the ultimate answer! (http://www.storyhour.org/Pictures/Flash/********_batman.swf)

+1

You have appropriately answered this deep philosophical question.

Now I am going to the "Bicycle Commuting" forum and ask them what they prefer:

Unleaded gas OR diesel?

I like both. however I think that MTB has more fun invovled where as Road Cycling is more " calculated" and workout specific. This is my opinion. My wife for example thinks road cycling is boring and MTB to be fun.

they certainly both help improve eachother.

I, no real surprise here, like the taste of fried chicken. To quote a very funny man, " All this time I thought I liked chicken 'cause it tasted good, turns out I genetically predisposed to like chicken!"

I like both for different reasons.

Its road bike for me all the way. I have both and love the road much more then the dirt which I do like, once you become a roadie you will never go back to being a full Mt kind of biker. JMHO

Road = Boring ...

The joy off-road cycling is the irregularity of the terrain and the skill that you build in order to traverse it efficiently. The tranquility of the woods helps as well. Riding in the shade during summer also helps.

Ooooh, last thing. Trees don't suddenly jump in your way and knock you off your bike. They never back up over you.

There's nothing I love more than riding a fast singletrack. Although, I have been eyeing a few of those sexy road machines. It's all good if you ask me.

Road = Boring ...

The joy off-road cycling is the irregularity of the terrain and the skill that you build in order to traverse it efficiently. The tranquility of the woods helps as well. Riding in the shade during summer also helps.

Ooooh, last thing. Trees don't suddenly jump in your way and knock you off your bike. They never back up over you.

Flying down a hill with a long sweeping left curve at the bottom before switching back for a sudden right is fun on a roadie, and riding at close quarters with others is fun too.

If i could only do one it'd probably be mtn, but over the last couple of months ive come to see that road riding is different, but still a lot of fun in its own right.

Flying down a hill with a long sweeping left curve at the bottom before switching back for a sudden right is fun on a roadie, and riding at close quarters with others is fun too.

If i could only do one it'd probably be mtn, but over the last couple of months ive come to see that road riding is different, but still a lot of fun in its own right.


+1

I'll go mtn .. never tried road riding except on bike paths and the isolated gravel country road by my home. I don't want to get on the road with the drivers around here. In alabama noone has seem a bike on the road before. I'll stick to the trails.. less exhaust fumes and cell phone talkers there.

I tried the road........it sucks!

I like road riding, really like commuting, but LOVE mountain biking. It's; more fun, challenging, and gives me a bigger sense of accomplishment when I conquer a new obstacle or improve on my technique in some way. Whenever I out-climb, out-sprint, out-handle another roadie/commuter I realize that I owe it to mountain riding-I just think that mountain biking is more more challenging and builds better skills and conditioning (I know that comment will catch me some heat).

I'll let you know if I ever become so poor that I can only afford one bike. Until then, why should I have to choose?

I just think that mountain biking is more more challenging and builds better skills and conditioning (I know that comment will catch me some heat).

It is what you make of it...the challenges and skills are not the same. If you think road biking is less challenging you are not trying hard enough.

42
fo-10, fo-10.

I disagree, I think it's both comfy and fun. Put some 1.4-1.9 slicks, lockout the shocks, and build up your endurace. The look on a roadie's face as you pass him/her....priceless. YMMV
:beer:

I'll let you know if I ever become so poor that I can only afford one bike. Until then, why should I have to choose?

:beer:

I did choose, but I have 3 mountain bikes so I understand...my next purchase in a future not so far away. probabnly a road bike

I like both, and do both with my one bike, a single speed 29er...no hills in south Louisiana
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