Haven't heard much on fixies yet.

My first commuter was a mountain bike and I still use it for snow rides. Now, I take my short commute (2.5 miles) on a bianchi nuovo that I've converted to a fixed gear.

The bike is small, light, agile, and fast. I can blaze my way to work in a hurry with very little effort. I've also got a seat post rack, plenty of lighting, and a messenger sack that I carry all my gear in.

I ride my mountain bike on particularly nasty/snowy days, but my fixie does alright in the rain. When I take my mountain bike, I have the advantage of an early morning trail ride (there's a trail near my office), or taking shortcuts through rough terrain.

Most of my commute is just smooth pavement, though, so I really like the speed of the fixed gear. It's nice being able to flow with traffic as opposed to being passed frequently.

Yes I am It's one of the reasons I keep knobbies on my mountain bike all the time.

Ah, I kinda assumed everywhere it snowed enough to get roadies off their road bikes and mtb ppl away from trails would have cross races/trails.

It is true that the difference between a mtb and cross bike for a normal bad weather commute would be pretty small. Though everytime I swap from my mtb to my cross bike it feels like flying. Even with just regular knobbies on my cross bike. My mtb seems to float over snow where my cross bike seems to dig better. It's probably all in my bike setup though.

I commute on one of my 4 (soon 5) road bikes. I have, however, put studded tires on my MTB and used it on the unplowed MUP I take to work. I've found the MTB is much slower than my road bikes, averaging 9 - 10 mph versus 15 - 19 mph. On the hills the lower gearing results in a much longer climb that seems just as painful.
I'm about to buy an electric assist MTB (non suspension) that I'll transfer the snow tires to. I expect that the extra help will make all the difference pushing through the crusted snow. If it proves fast/easy enough I'll use it for commutes when I'm recovering from a cold or run down.

I got a MTB as my first bike because it was the cheapest bike in the bike shop.

My guess would be because 'designed for' commuters are expensive and many folks do not even know they exist. In the 50's and 60's I rode 3-speeds, in the 70's and 80's road bikes, in the 90's I bought a mid range cross-bike and converted into a serious commuter, that even today the only real change I would make to it is an 8-speed internal hub instead of the derailler system and replace the lighting system which was never really satisfactory and has been abandoned . However, I do not need a commuter any longer. I could ride it into town only I am philosophically opposed to their helmet law, what I get for moving out into the boonies.

I think it all depends on what winter is like in your area.Here in Ontario,Canada a road bike would be out of the question(except for the rare days the roads are clear and dry)A mountain bike comes with "snow tires" already.Sure there's a lot more road friction from the tires but if you're an avid cyclist you should have the legs to push the extra weight.Just a little slower.With me it's also economics,generic mountain bikes are everywhere for free.They're rugged and if rebuilt properly will last a few winters.I just keep swapping the good parts to the "new"bike.
I ride a pos mountain bike I found in the trash this year.I converted it with cruiser(upright)handlebars to get some of the weight off of the front wheel because I find most crashes occur when the front wheel slides out on you.With a lighter front end it seems easier to recover.I usually wipe out at least 4-5 times a winter.Nothing serious,I wear elbow and knee pads,my old knees and elbows can't take it anymore.I've been winter commuting for 13 years).Since switching to the upright style bars I haven't crashed yet,last 3 winters(knock wood).It doesn't "go down" so quickly when you hit those frozen ruts in the ice.
So,it all boils down to what winter deals you.If you only get a dusting of snow every now and then and only have to worry about the cold, then a road bike might make sense.There's a foot of snow on the ground and we're expecting a big blast tonight(maybe another foot )There's no way I'd take my road bike out this winter.Not yet anyway

I commuted for years on a MTB before buying my cross check. Why? It is what I had. I always tell folks to start commuting on what you have. Put off the big purchases until you have a better idea what will fit your needs.

I commute on a Gary Fisher Tarpon because it's the bike that was in my shed when I decided to bike commute. I replaced the knobby tires with smooth rolling no-names from Nashbar, but I'd like to be a little more zippy. In the Spring, I'm going to buy a road bike.

My Thin Blue Line

Bomb proof in the winter and I can ride stairs!!

i already owned that same mtb for years and decided to commute, got some slicks and I was good.

Wicked quick with the slicks on it.

I think most commuters don't go out and buy a new bike to commute on. They ride the bike that is in the garage. After more than a decade of MTB craze, there are a lot of MTB's in garages. Ride what you got.

I'm not dragging some 30 pound Mt bike up my hilly commute.Forget it.

All conditions? Tougher? Those are some of my ideas. I've started using my MTB outside of trails in winter. I do use my touring bike most of the time.

I have been using my MTB since the threading to the adjusting cone for the bottom bracket broke off from my hybrid. Going through alleys, deep snow, and uneven terrain is pretty great. Once you get on a smooth road again its gets slow and the knobbie tires make noise. The straight handle bar is not as comfortable as the crescent shaped bar I'm used to on the hybrid. This is definitely my last MTB of any kind.

I think its mostly the younger college age or younger crowd that rides around on the MTBs for commuting, everyone else I see uses a road bike of some sort or the occasional Cruiser.

Hey Matt Deaner,

I have to say I feel a bit vindicated in my own perception of the demographics of this forum after your poll.

I haven't managed to break a road bike yet in my years of riding. Why would I need to "jump a curb" anyway? I've never had to jump a curb when driving my car and I ride my road bike on the same roads that I drive my car on (BTW-I have hopped curbs, RR crossings, and pot holes on a road bike). I also haven't had to lay down or bail on any of my bikes so I don't really see any reason for this to weigh in heavily on my list of reasons to buy a bike either. Oh, and I defy anyone on a mtb to take a turn at the speeds I can negotiate a turn at on my road bike.

I rode a BMX when I was a kid and there's a reason I switched to a road bike...I grew up.

Jumping curbs is good fun but I agree that it's totally unnecessary. And BMX bikes grew up too, they are called mountain bikes(real ones that are used on mountains).

When I grew up, a "10 speed" road bike was what most adults and teenagers rode. I routinely took road bikes on roads like the above (minus the mountain). In fact I lived on a dirt road. The original tires on my 80's roadie were 28s, not the 23s that often comes on new ones.

It was the mid-90's before I got a mountain bike and I got it specifically for trails that were too difficult to pass on my road bike, - sand and sometimes deep mud. It wasn't because I was worried about breaking the road bike.

Reality is though that there's probably only a been a handful of times in the last decade that I've ridden in places that demanded a mountain bike, - like going down an actual alpine trail. It's fun but I don't do it all that often anymore. I've commuted on my MTB and did so exclusively for a few years. I also felt that it was better to have something more durable, - just in case.

Last spring, after 3 years of riding in the winter, road salt had taken it's toll on my MTB's drive train. Plus I had agreed to do a triathlon with my wife so I started riding the road bike again while I fixed up the MTB and for training. I'd hardly ridden it in 10 years. It felt strange at first but I quickly got spoiled with how much quicker (and fun) my commute was on even an old, relatively heavy road bike. We also got my wife an old road bike for her training. It reinvigorated her interest in cycling. For the last 15 years she'd ridden nothing but MTBs.

Now it's winter and I'm back on the MTB. My commute takes a lot longer. It's a different style of riding and I agree there's a sort of bomb-proof appeal that the MTB has. In the winter I enjoy riding on hard-packed snow more than bare pavement. Overall though, a road bike will be my commuting bike for choice for 8 or 9 months of the year.

I know, I've owned a MTB and ridden them in the hills and trails here in SoCal. My biggest problem with MTBs is that you have to drive an hour to ride them anywhere worthwhile. I can ride my road bike from my front door and there are endless roads I can ride around here. Not a single bit of my commute is off road so it just doesn't make sense for me to ride a heavier, slower, less-nimble bike.

Over 99.9% of commuters ride under $100 mountain bikes. I don't think they'll ever see any dirt.

I cycle-commute on my MTB because it's the only bike that can handle the +80 pounds I lug around in twin oversized pannier saddlebags. I tried the road bike once and it wasn't strong enough. Additionally, the MTB is a pretty comfortable ride with a more cushioned suspension front and there's no need to try and put the hammer down too hard. I take the long out-of-the way route that takes me on a bike-path through woods, fields, along a lake and river then feeds me off into the neighborhood to maneuver to work.

At 5:30am, it's dark and there can be path hazards in the winter (branches down; standing water). MTB is a far better choice. Does it make me look less cool commuting? You bet. Do I care? Not one bit.

what we don't look cool commuting, that the whole reason I started commuting, I thought headlights, taillight, trunks, panniers and reflective clothing made me cool????

My experience in commuting in Houston echos yours. My commute takes me from Westview & Conrad Sauer down Westview to Antione to Memorial to Shepherd to Westiemer on in to Texas Southern University about 17 miles one way. The roads even outside the 610 loop let alone in the inner city leave much to be desired. For commuting I primarily rely on my hybridized mountian bike. Even on 26X1.5 tires it has contact patch with the road twice as wide than 700C tires. Second, MTB's have a more relaxed geometry than road bikes that at least to my perception are more stable over the road.. Third my road bike is pure racing machine so I have no eyelets for racks and that is the other issue that favors mountian bikes. The only other human powered vehicle I own that I commute on is my Schwinn Town and Country Trike which is a short range, heavy/bulky cargo & grocery hauler. In comparision it has it's own inherent problems as a commuter..