taylor p

so true, so true

jonbth

I used to have a road bike but switched to a mountain bike because it is so much more comfortable when riding on the road.

scrublover

I started out on the road in 1987, and got my first mtb in 1991. I swapped more to dirt when the realization hit that I far, far preferred mtb riding over road riding. Still commute on the road by bike, and still hit the pavement about once a week. Dirt is just more fun for me.

That said, city riding in lots of busy downtown traffic can be a pretty damn exciting ride, too, but in an entirely different way.

Incidentally, I've had worse injuries from riding mtb than I've ever had on the road. That includes being hit once, and doored once; thankfully both a long time ago. I ride road much smarter now, and pay far more attention to what's going on around me.

BluesDawg

I've been riding road bikes and mountain bikes for a long time. I love them both and find both to be fun, relaxing and exciting. It's hard to imagine anyone finding either of them boring.
I have probably been a little more involved in road riding over the years as I think long road rides of 50 to 100 miles is about my favorite thing to do. But I also enjoy exploring dirt roads and trails or going fast on singletrack. I'm even going to try MTB racing this year for the first time - at 51.
I don't consider either to be extremely dangerous, though it is definitely possible to get hurt while doing either one. I feel that my chances of getting scratched up or bruised is much greater on my mountain bikes and my chances of getting seriously injured or killed is greater on the road. If anything, I'm more likely to get hurt a little on the mountain bike. But I think that with much knowledge, awareness, confidence, care and a little luck, I have a good chance of surviving both. Better than my chances of surviving a heart attack from being lazy and fat.

Zeggelaar

You're darn tootin right I'm afraid of the road. Try road riding in a country with little respect for traffic laws with a population density of 500/km square and 25 million people in the metro area. I'm afraid of walking let alone riding. I drive to the trailhead even if it's only a mile. On the plus side, insurance settlements happen very quickly here and you can get your bike back within a week or so with lots of upgraded parts, provided you're not too broken to ride.

Az B

It's definitely getting worse on the road. For everyone. I used to love driving, riding my motorcycle, riding my bicycle. It was all fun. Sure, every now and then some kids would yell or throw something at you, but it was rare. And kids are always doing stupid crap like that... I've been yelled/honked at while walking the dog. Some people are just bored, and easily ignored.

But just plain inattentive drivers are just getting worse and worse. And as the urban/suburban sprawl goes further and further out, it makes it harder to find nice places.

But I'm going to keep doing it because it's fun and I learned long ago how to manage risks. I don't ride during rush hour, at night or on questionable roads. (Except commuting) I spend a little more time scoping out better routes and destinations than I used to, and pay attention to what's going on around me very closely.

I am mountain biking more though. It's fun, and there are a lot of good trails around here. Although you have to drive to them, which is not nearly as much fun as it used to be.

Az

junkyard

I ride both XC and road. I just try to be aware of the risks at hand, however they may vary between the road and trail. I've banged myself up pretty good on the trail. I've also been whacked by a car's mirror on the road. I just take each situation as a new learning experience, which hopefully helps to make me safer the next time.