Originally Posted by
SteveDave
I figured it was BS, but maybe I misunderstood what he meant. Possibly he was referring to technique and I took it to mean something completely different.
He's definitely wrong even if he is referring to technique. Road biking builds endurance. Mountain biking builds power. Mountain biking also improves your bike handling skills. Go over and read the road forums and look at how many people worry about spinning the rear wheel while climbing on wet stuff, not knowing how to take corners where the rear wheel may slide, not knowing how to move their bodies around so as to increase their braking ability, etc. Those are all things that even a novice mountain bike rider learns quickly. Mountain biking and mountain biking skills made Lance's little trip
across the field (see about 30 seconds in) a whole lot easier.
Ride both. It's good for you.