Originally Posted by sngltrackdufus
It's all a matter of opinion , I have 3 mtb's & a cyclocross. I ride nearly everyday & have done several 100 plus mile rides on the mtb's & felt very comfortable in the process .
I have many a times blasted by "roadies".
In terms of performance, it's not a matter of opinon. It's a matter of physics. A mountain bike simply cannot go the same distance as a road bike on one revolution of the pedals. Therefore, in order to go as fast as a roadie, the mountain bike has to pedal at a faster rate, just to keep up. If the "roadie" and the mtb are in the same physical condition, the roadie will leave the mtb in the dust, every single time.
Anyway, the point here isn't racing, the point is what's going to be comfortable for a beginner, and it seems to me, as a matter of opinion, that a beginner will be more comfortable if she doesn't have to pedal harder just to keep up.