Originally Posted by
CrankyOne
There's a reason that just about nobody outside of the US uses road bikes for transportation and instead mostly ride upright Dutch geometry. As you pointed out, the overall time diff is often between zero and negligible. Even on my 9 mile each way commute the difference is 5 minutes ride time (though road or mountain then require considerable more time getting ready at each end).
MAMIL culture is largely limited to a US phenomenon for a reason.
I don't know what that last sentence means. For me, the road bike is just way more comfortable to ride long distance. I have a 24 mile one way commute, and the difference can be up to 15 minutes. Also I get to the end of a 50 mile day feeling a lot less worn out on the road bike than on the upright. That's mainly because the upright weighs a good 20 pounds more which I really feel on hills, but if there's a significant wind, it can be murder. I have spots on my route where from now through about May I'm facing a prevailing westerly wind that's ripping across almost a mile of bare farm fields 5 miles from the end of my route. Pushing against that in an upright posture, I've been down in my lowest gear on level ground, growling and swearing. I've actually stopped and walked. Never on the road bike though.
Prep/end ride times are identical between my bikes. Prep on both = cram ID, wallet and food into the bag, suit up (same for both), grab whichever bike, move Fly6 if I took the other bike last time, plug in and turn on all lights, slide the bag onto the rack, roll. About 60 seconds, either way. I can be rolling 15 minutes after crawling out of bed but it's usually 25.