Originally Posted by
dunningrb
Honestly, I don't understand how we can argue about this. This isn't about simple math; it's about the definition of inherently.
When people talk about a road bike being inherently faster they are really talking about efficiency, i.e. for the same level of input the road bike will be faster. It's just shorthand to refer to a road bike as being faster as most everyone assumes that the comparison is made with all else (rider, effort, riding terrain etc.) being equal.