Originally Posted by
SlimRider
Well by your own admission, MTN bikes are slower on pavement. Now just how much slower might be debatable. However, slower is slower. Nobody mentioned just how much slower. Nonetheless, a comparative assessment can be readily deduced by our combined experience. Since we both know that dual suspension MTN bikes are slower than HT MTN bikes, and that all MTN bikes tend to be slower than road bikes, it's only logical to deduce a progression in the loss of velocity as we continue to add suspension and weight to the MTB.
Of course, it's a given that as the terrain increases in complexity, the MTB has a distinct advantage and its efficiency increases in proportion to that rise in complexity, as the road bike's efficiency decreases.
JeremyZ quantified how much slower a mountain bike is than a road bike...10 mph which I consider to be a bit of a fish tale. From personal experience, my commute along the same route by mountain bike is, roughly, 2 mph slower than my commuter bike. And often, that difference is due to me riding on the trails...i.e. dirt surfaces like Eugene_B is going to ride...rather than riding on the pavement.
All this kerfufflage about speed is somewhat superfluous for Eugene_B's needs anyway. It's a 4.5 mile commute. If he rides at 15 mph (road bike speed), he'll cover the distance in 18 minutes. If he rides at 12 mph (mountain bike speed) he'll cover the distance in 22 minutes. Is 4 minutes really all that important?
Dual suspension bikes don't necessarily need to be slower than hardtail mountain bikes nor are they necessarily heavier. How slow they are and how much energy is lost to pedaling is influenced by the suspension. I have an Epic that acts as a hardtail and, with a lockout shock, is rigid until it hits a bump of sufficient force to overcome the inertial valve on the rear shock. Then the rear shock unlocks and is active. But that is only transitory. The shock locks back down shortly after becoming active. And the bike's weight is comparable to my hardtail mountain bike or my YBB. While I wouldn't get into any races...well,
too many races...with roadies, all three bikes are perfectly adequate for long range rides. I purchased the YBB for the specific purpose of mountain bike touring.
Originally Posted by
SlimRider
I only state facts that can be easily researched and confirmed, either by experts in the field, or scientific data that is accessible by all, in the public library.
- Slim
It's not the 'facts' that you state but the incorrect conclusions that you draw from them that is the problem. Mixing myth with facts doesn't make the facts better.