Why don't more roadies MTB and vice versa?

[Volant]

Only one of my road riding buddies will mt. bike and none of my mt. biking buddies will road ride (even when I offer to lend them a bike if they don't have one).
I find that people tend to stick to one or the other with many roadies taking on cross as their off-road endeavor. The roadies tell me mt. biking is too dangerous, yet I only know of one fellow rider who was seriously injured mt. biking and I've lost 4 friends to being KILLED on the road (all separate accidents).
I know this forum is predominantly road-oriented. So, is this true across the board, or do the majority of you enjoy both sports? If not, why?

[GearsSchme]

I wouldn't doubt that its mainly because they just probably haven't tried mtbiking. Everyone I know who used to road bike religiously and have since tried mtbiking now spend all of their riding time mtbiking, including me. My Merckx AXM gets no love because mountain biking is just that much more fun to me at least. Also, its a much better all body work out as every part of the body is used and the cardio is just as intense as road riding if you are mtbiking right.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and just feel safer on the road, notwithstanding all the usual hazards of inattentive drivers, potholes, etc. I have a mountain bike and a cross bike and ride both on gravel roads or open trails if I have the chance, but I avoid highly technical stuff. I just don't like jumping over things, picking my way through firleds of roots, and going reeeeeaaaaalllll ssslllooowww on the MTB.

BBD

[jdoiv]

I know where your coming from. I ride both but spend more time on the road. Mtb'ng means I have to pack everything up and drive to the trail head. I can ride my road bike right from my house. I also don't like mtb'ng in the summer. Too hot and muggy and I don't go fast enough to keep cool. I do however love to mtb in the fall and winter. But I don't have any friends that do both like me. I'm thinking of heading to Tsali for my b-day in November. I've got the itch.

[johnnymossville]

It's about time for me. I have a hard enough time getting a couple hours a day on the road let alone more time away from my wife and kids riding mountain bike. I love riding mtb though when I do get the chance.

[Satellite]

If you want to be a good Mountain Biker you have to ride the road. Road riding makes you a stronger rider period. I have been riding the road more and more due to injuries I have gotten while Mountain Biking mostly going over the bars. Road Bikes crash less but when they do it is usually much worse than Mountain Biking injuries.

Mountain Biking holds more enjoyment for me personally I just can’t take the beatings any longer so it is the Road Bike 3:1.

Satellite

[Ken Robb]

neither side likes the other's outfits. :)

[Blue Jays]

"...I ride both but spend more time on the road. Mountainbiking means I have to pack everything up and drive to the trailhead. I can ride my roadbike right from my house..."My exact sentiments. I love mountainbiking as much as the road, it's just more of an "event" to make it happen. This is especially the case given the powerful equestrian/hiking enthusiasts who have effectively lobbied to close all nearby trails. How they've managed to convince the general populace that a 23-pound bike + rider is harmful to trails yet a 2000-pound horse + rider is gentle is truly admirable.

Roadbiking definitely improves mountainbiking skills and mountainbiking clearly enhances roadbiking skills.

[skyflash]

Mtb'ng means I have to pack everything up and drive to the trail head. I can ride my road bike right from my house.

This hits the nail on the head for me. Went mtbing with my brother once a couple years ago and had a great time. I keep on thinking of getting one, but don't know how often I would go through the time to get to a trailhead as opposed to just biking off on the road from my house...

[Ken Robb]

If you want to be a good Mountain Biker you have to ride the road. Road riding makes you a stronger rider period. I have been riding the road more and more due to injuries I have gotten while Mountain Biking mostly going over the bars. Road Bikes crash less but when they do it is usually much worse than Mountain Biking injuries.

Mountain Biking holds more enjoyment for me personally I just can’t take the beatings any longer so it is the Road Bike 3:1.

Satellite

I still do both but I'm a pretty conservative rider. I like single tracks in the woods and try to avoid rock gardens, etc. The scary part of my mtn. bike rides are when I have to go faster than I'd really like to have the momentum to carry me up the next climb. We have a few wide gullies that require that technique or I have to walk up. I'm not shy aboutn riding one of my road bikes on easy single track and my Hampsten Strada Bianca with 700x32 tires is more capable than me by far off road--and on truth be known.

[Spinner]

... however during the last +/- 3 years my mtb has been hanging from the rafters, until last weekend. i went to a newly developed trail here in the cleveland area and whoa, my riding skills were really shaky. it took me 3 - 4 hours to regain my ability doing the simplest of things, like staying on the trail when the landscape falls away, going over narrow bridges above ravines, etc. i really needed to work on the "where you look is where you will go" thing.

that said, mtbing requires a lot more concentration for me. the jumps, logs and general navigation demand a lot more body english and balance. but i really dig the difference.

[Ozz]

This hits the nail on the head for me. Went mtbing with my brother once a couple years ago and had a great time. I keep on thinking of getting one, but don't know how often I would go through the time to get to a trailhead as opposed to just biking off on the road from my house...
+2

I don't have time to drive to trail to ride....I want to get dressed, fill my water bottle, pump my tires, and get on my bike and ride.

MTBiking is fun, no doubt. It just takes up too much time for me. Kinda like golf. ;)

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE=Blue Jays]My exact sentiments. I love mountainbiking as much as the road, it's just more of an "event" to make it happen. This is especially the case given the powerful equestrian/hiking enthusiasts who have effectively lobbied to close all nearby trails. How they've managed to convince the general populace that a 23-pound bike + rider is harmful to trails yet a 2000-pound horse + rider is gentle is truly admirable.

In San Diego Penasquitos Reserve is under an advisory panel of 4 people. Three of them are partners in a nearby stable/equestrian center so the fourth vote doesn't count. Guess who has access to ALL the trails and who gets stuck on the fire road?

[slowgoing]

I like road riding but love MTBing. Road ride more because it is closer, but take weekend jaunts and week long trips to Moab, Fruita, etc. Can’t beat the views on the MTB trails. I also find MTBing harder on the legs because you can’t keep up any type of consistent cadence on the cranks when the terrain varies so much. Advil is a staple on these trips or the pain in my legs woudn't allow me to sleep at night.

[benb]

"I don't have time to MTB" just sounds like an excuse.. if you've got time to ride road you've got time for MTB.

Unless you live in total urban/suburban hell you can probably find a trailhead along your road ride.. so you just ride the bike there like you normally do and then take a turn onto the trail. Pretty easy.

A lot of my friends over the years who refuse to try MTB tend to have pretty horrible bike handling skills and would have saved a lot of skin if they had tried mountain biking. (Especially funny when you watch them crash on cross courses) Or they think all mountain bikers ride the lift and smoke weed & just jump off things.

I don't know.. I tend to ride road most of the year but by the end of August every year I'm very very ready to go ride in the woods. And riding in the woods tends to be very good recovery riding for me.. it's way more fun to ride at a moderate pace in a fairly flat trail system then to ride slow on the road.

[Steelhead]

I went MTBing last night with some guys and loved it. I hadn't been in over a year and it was such an awesome ride I wanted to cry... I run hot and cold, either all road for 6 months to a year or all off road. I am going to finish up this season of road riding and then go to MTB until spring, maybe do a fall series MTB race. I'm lucky cause there are 20+ miles of public trails < 3 miles from my front door. :)

[vqdriver]

i have been going back and forth over the years and currently am more roadie than mtb biker.

for most of us tho, the deciding factors will be enjoyment and practicality.
if the payoff is good enough, people will pack up and drive to do anything. look at the hordes of people who go skiing every year. surfers, kayakers, backpackers. they all do it, sometimes annually, sometimes weekly. they're not all jobless or single. in fact, you'll find more and more families on the trails these days. at least in los angeles.

i do crash more frequently on the trails tho. but that's kind of the fun of it. you'll occasionally run into tricky sections with people lined up to ride until you can clean it. it's very rewarding. and fun with people, friends or strangers, watching and cheering you on.

altho i ride predominantly road right now, the community of roadies can't really compare to that of mountain bikers. much more chill. forumites excepted of course :D

[SadieKate]

"I don't have time to MTB" just sounds like an excuse.. if you've got time to ride road you've got time for MTB.Not true at all. My last residence was in a small college town surrounded by miles and miles of farmers' fields. Unless you were willing to trespass and ride the farm roads in those exteremely flat fields, there was only one mile of singletrack which was only accessible during the summer when the creek was down and the poison oak was rampant. Whoopee. Anything offroad was an hour's drive away.

Now I live just feet away from great singletrack and road and ride both depending on my mood or training plans.

I do believe that mtbing gives roadies better handling skills and riding road gives better form and aerobic condition. They each benefit the other.

[Blue Jays]

"...'I don't have time to MTB' just sounds like an excuse.. if you've got time to ride road you've got time for MTB.
Unless you live in total urban/suburban hell you can probably find a trailhead along your road ride.. so you just ride the bike there like you normally do and then take a turn onto the trail. Pretty easy..."Sometimes it isn't always that easy. The convenient trail onto which one could turn might be private property. It might only be two miles long. Or it might be plain boring.

The closest place to me with substantial acreage, IMBA-level trails, and not subject to expensive summonses ($450.00 at last check) for pedaling on unauthorized trails is located one hour away. So that's dressing/loading, driving an hour there, riding for a few hours, and driving another hour back. As passionate as I am about mountainbiking, I'm even more passionate about saddletime. :D

[Blue Jays]

SadieKatie, holy cow, I must have been channeling your precise thoughts while I was composing my last post! :)

[benb]

The reason I said it was an excuse is the road scene seems to involve lots and lots of driving for a lot of people too.

I haven't been unlucky enough to live in a place where I couldn't find trails.. but I could see road riding being pretty crappy if I lived in certain places too.

New England Mountain Bike Association is pretty strong.. we have it fairly lucky I guess.

[chuckred]

It looks like geography is the answer.

Ask that question to most people I know out here (a skewed sample, living in the foothills of Colorado) and they'd say it's a pretty close mix of mountain and road. But, we can ride out our door to outstanding road or mountain rides...

When I lived in Philly suburbs, road was more heavily weighted.

I always laugh when I hear people say "mountain biking is too slow and boring"... 25 mph on narrow, rocky, sandy single track is every bit as "fast" as 40 mph on a road bike! Try it at night if it's still too boring. And, I'm pretty slow at both...

[vqdriver]

I always laugh when I hear people say "mountain biking is too slow and boring"... 25 mph on narrow, rocky, sandy single track is every bit as "fast" as 40 mph on a road bike! Try it at night if it's still too boring. And, I'm pretty slow at both...

+1

even 15mph thru narrow wooded singetrack won't seem that "slow" when it's your own face dodging branches. in fact, it'll seem awfully, foolishly, crazy fast, when your handlebar catches on something at 10mph. when you get home and tell your friends about it, i guarantee you won't be say " i was barely moving when..... "

[David Kirk]

I like both very much. I tend to ride the road in the spring when the offroad stuff is snow covered or muddy and in the summer when it's too hot to be in the woods. When fall comes I like to get out into the woods and use some of the fitness I've gained on the road.

It's a shame more folks don't cross over. They compliment each other so well. Time on the road builds endurance and leg speed and time offroad builds power and timing and handling.

I'm taking a few hours off this afternoon to head into the woods a bit and so some technical climbing.

See ya........

dave

[benb]

The heat is a funny thing..

If it's really hot & the bugs are bad (end of the day).. road is better.

If it's really sunny (middle of the day).. sometimes it feels cooler in the woods.

Pretty easy to stay out on the road during the peak of Lyme season too.

As politically incorrect as it is I'd rather get stuck in bad weather in the woods then on the road.

[Volant]

I haven't been unlucky enough to live in a place where I couldn't find trails.. but I could see road riding being pretty crappy if I lived in certain places too.

New England Mountain Bike Association is pretty strong.. we have it fairly lucky I guess.

You haven't been to Des Moines! I understand perfectly why that is a road-riding town.
---
I totally agree with Dave (and others here). My mtb climbing skills have a LOT to do with my road riding. I'm usually waiting at the top for the rest of the group on hard/long climbs. When asked how they can climb better, I tell them to get on the road. "Nah, it's gotta be the tires," is the usual response to that statement.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . Mtb'ng means I have to pack everything up and drive to the trail head. I can ride my road bike right from my house. I also don't like mtb'ng in the summer. Too hot and muggy and I don't go fast enough to keep cool. . . .

I can ride road right out my front door. MTB and I sweat all over myself AND I don't outrun the bugs. It's bad enough spinning up a 15% slope in the dirt, but to get chewed to pieces by mosquitoes/black flies/no see'ums (or all of the above) at the same time just adds insult to injury.

BBD

[jdoiv]

"I don't have time to MTB" just sounds like an excuse.. if you've got time to ride road you've got time for MTB.

Unless you live in total urban/suburban hell you can probably find a trailhead along your road ride.. so you just ride the bike there like you normally do and then take a turn onto the trail. Pretty easy.
snip

I wish this were true. It is a little bit for me. I live right next to the largest park in Nashville. It's covered with miles and miles of single track trails. Problem is that they don't let mtbs on them. It's only for hikers and horses. I wish we could change the policy on that but the city does have a park that has some great trails on it, but it's a good 45 minute drive by car. That trail system is very technical and caused me to break my ribs a couple of years ago in a slow speed crash. It's almost too technical.

Seeing as I have a limited amount of time to ride (job, wife, kids), I just can't justify the extra time required to get to the trail head when I could spend that time riding on the road. I would definitely ride the mtb more if I could ride the trails right next to my house.

[Fixed]

they are different you can be good at one and suck at the other

imho
cheers

[WadePatton]

Forgive me for jumping in at the end without reading all the replies, BUT

I'm a mountain biker who does a dang boatload of road riding. Love 'em both.

back in a few...

[chuckroast]

To me it's a seasonal thing. Road riding in the Spring, Summer and Fall. MTB in the Winter when it's too darn cold to go fast.

[Jack Brunk]

40 plus miles tomorrow on single track/fire roads with 60 plus miles on the road Sunday. Saturday mountain bike rides have made me a much stronger road rider on Sunday. I love both days. Saturday gives me a little more wood. The Look 986 may be the best hardtail mountain bike ever made.

[Marcusaurelius]

The lack of hand positions on a mountain bike just doesn't feel right to me. I just have a natural inclination to go into the drops from time to time. I can't generate the same sort of speed on the shifter hoods or flat spot of the road handlebar. I don't like to sit upright all the time.

I suppose if I rode a lot of trails I'd ride a cyclocross rather than a mountain bike.

[dauwhe]

The lack of hand positions on a mountain bike just doesn't feel right to me. I just have a natural inclination to go into the drops from time to time. I can't generate the same sort of speed on the shifter hoods or flat spot of the road handlebar. I don't like to sit upright all the time.

I suppose if I rode a lot of trails I'd ride a cyclocross rather than a mountain bike.

I just ordered Midge bars for a mountain-ish bike. I'll report back...

Dave

[Blue Jays]

"...Saturday mountain bike rides have made me a much stronger road rider on Sunday. I love both days. Saturday gives me a little more wood...Of course there is more wood.
You're riding in a forest surrounded by twigs, trees, and fallen logs.

[toaster]

oops, double post. Edited.

[toaster]

The nail's been hit on the head over and over, MTB trails just don't start right outside your front door.

There's the loading of gear and bikes and the travel to and from to consider. Way easier to start on the road bike and when you have to turn around to get home on time you can always figure that into the ride distance and route.

Jack Brunk's got a nice area to start from for road or mountain rides, I live 20-30 miles from the Thousand Oaks area and most of my buddies aren't up for a 20 mile trip on the MTB to a trailhead for an hour of trails and then 20 more miles to get home again. I do a solo road/mountain loop on my MTB and I do a minimum of 55 total miles.

If I lived down the road in Newbury Park, CA, for instance, I'd be on a trail in about 5 miles or so. I'd also be very close to the great road riding in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Oh well.

[Jack Brunk]

Of course there is more wood.
You're riding in a forest surrounded by twigs, trees, and fallen logs.
Not much forest my friend. A lot of low vegatation with scattered oak trees throughout the mountains. I'm less than 5 miles typically from the ocean. Our trails consist of hardpack trails and a lot of granite. Also with very steep trails that go for miles. It doesn't suck and thats for sure.

[Jack Brunk]

The nail's been hit on the head over and over, MTB trails just don't start right outside your front door.

There's the loading of gear and bikes and the travel to and from to consider. Way easier to start on the road bike and when you have to turn around to get home on time you can always figure that into the ride distance and route.

Jack Brunk's got a nice area to start from for road or mountain rides, I live 20-30 miles from the Thousand Oaks area and most of my buddies aren't up for a 20 mile trip on the MTB to a trailhead for an hour of trails and then 20 more miles to get home again. I do a solo road/mountain loop on my MTB and I do a minimum of 55 total miles.

If I lived down the road in Newbury Park, CA, for instance, I'd be on a trail in about 5 miles or so. I'd also be very close to the great road riding in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Oh well.

Toaster,

PM me and come up for a day of riding in the mountains. I'll give you a tour of the Pt. Mugu state park. We can get in as much climbing and single track as you want. Let me know.

[scrooge]

Hey, anybody want to buy my Mt bike? i don't have time to use it...
No joke.

[David Kirk]

The lack of hand positions on a mountain bike just doesn't feel right to me. I just have a natural inclination to go into the drops from time to time. I can't generate the same sort of speed on the shifter hoods or flat spot of the road handlebar. I don't like to sit upright all the time.

I suppose if I rode a lot of trails I'd ride a cyclocross rather than a mountain bike.

I agree but only in part.

A mountain bike with it's limited hand positions, when used in true mountain bike terrain is just right. The same way a road bike used on the road is just right. If MTB bars don't feel right you might be on too easy a terrain. If you can picture using a road or a cross bike on the trail it's not a MTB trail and you will be wanting for more of a road position. Once on a real MTB trail it will all make sense.

Over the years a number of folks have used drop bars with varying degrees of success offroad so one can certainly make it work but it's not the best way to go for the vast majority of riders.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As an aside on this whole thing. I've heard it said that some feel that mountain biking is more dangerous than road riding so they don't do it. That makes good sense. There's more stuff to make you fall down and the ground is hard. But mountain biking keeps you out of traffic. I've never been in the middle of the woods somewhere and had some jackarse nearly run me over as he tries to text message on his phone while driving his F150 steering with his knees. Both aspects of the sport have their dangers but it feels to me that in mountain biking you are more in control of them. Don't feel safe going fast down that hill? Use the brakes. The trail more technical than your skills allow? Pick a different trail or walk for a short bit.

Where I think many roadies can get in trouble off road is they are used to going fast and getting their heart rate up on the road and want the same thing when they turn off that road. It doesn't really work that way. In fact because a strong road rider has the power and strength to go fast yet may not have the skills to handle the speed they've achieved using their great strength, they can easily get in over their heads.

The easy way to solve this is to ride slower. There will still be more than enough workout. You will be sore all over. Find the rhythm of the trail and learn to pick lines while going relatively slow. As your technical skills allow go faster. It is shocking how fast and smooth one can go through the nastiest stuff with proper use of the basic skills. It's addictive in a big way.

To the folks that have a MTB hanging on a hook in the garage - pull that thing down and go for an easy ride on a real trail. Allow your skills to limit your speed instead of your fitness. It's really fun and so good for your handling skills. Practice riding offroad and the next road ride where the guy in front of you veers suddenly as he tries to open his Clif bar sending you off into the soft stuff on the shoulder to avoid him and you'll see the real value of it........... or one of the real values. It's really fun and worth the effort to do.

The stump is free for the next person.

dave

[Jack Brunk]

I agree but only in part.

A mountain bike with it's limited hand positions, when used in true mountain bike terrain is just right. The same way a road bike used on the road is just right. If MTB bars don't feel right you might be on too easy a terrain. If you can picture using a road or a cross bike on the trail it's not a MTB trail and you will be wanting for more of a road position. Once on a real MTB trail it will all make sense.

Over the years a number of folks have used drop bars with varying degrees of success offroad so one can certainly make it work but it's not the best way to go for the vast majority of riders.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As an aside on this whole thing. I've heard it said that some feel that mountain biking is more dangerous than road riding so they don't do it. That makes good sense. There's more stuff to make you fall down and the ground is hard. But mountain biking keeps you out of traffic. I've never been in the middle of the woods somewhere and had some jackarse nearly run me over as he tries to text message on his phone while driving his F150 steering with his knees. Both aspects of the sport have their dangers but it feels to me that in mountain biking you are more in control of them. Don't feel safe going fast down that hill? Use the brakes. The trail more technical than your skills allow? Pick a different trail or walk for a short bit.

Where I think many roadies can get in trouble off road is they are used to going fast and getting their heart rate up on the road and want the same thing when they turn off that road. It doesn't really work that way. In fact because a strong road rider has the power and strength to go fast yet may not have the skills to handle the speed they've achieved using their great strength, they can easily get in over their heads.

The easy way to solve this is to ride slower. There will still be more than enough workout. You will be sore all over. Find the rhythm of the trail and learn to pick lines while going relatively slow. As your technical skills allow go faster. It is shocking how fast and smooth one can go through the nastiest stuff with proper use of the basic skills. It's addictive in a big way.

To the folks that have a MTB hanging on a hook in the garage - pull that thing down and go for an easy ride on a real trail. Allow your skills to limit your speed instead of your fitness. It's really fun and so good for your handling skills. Practice riding offroad and the next road ride where the guy in front of you veers suddenly as he tries to open his Clif bar sending you off into the soft stuff on the shoulder to avoid him and you'll see the real value of it........... or one of the real values. It's really fun and worth the effort to do.

The stump is free for the next person.

dave
DK for president! :beer: :banana: :)

[Blue Jays]

/\/\ Nice stuff, DK!

[toaster]

You can probably get a roadie on a mountain bike for a trail ride easier than getting a mountain biker in a pair of tight shorts for a group road ride.


The roadie will have trouble descending trails fast and having balance skills on singletrack, the mountain biker will complain about riding with others in close proximity on the group ride.


My model is and always has been the cyclist who can do both.

[OtayBW]

I just plain ole don't enjoy it as much as the other!

Anything other questions?

[SadieKate]

DK said it so well. Roadies get so used to not only going fast, but thinking they have to ride everything. As he said, stay in control of the risk and walk periodically or slow down for some obstacles or see how slowly you can ride something. It's amazing how much faster you'll ride something later for knowing how to brake properly, something many roadies don't learn for a long time because they don't have to.

I'll add just one other thing about the mental aspect: riding technical mtb absorbs your entire brain. At the end of the ride, you've thought only of mtbiking. Road riding leaves your mind open to so many other things like work or family stress, bills and physical pain that it can be much harder to find euphoria.

Road rides are fun, but I've never ended one with the same kind of disappointed "is it over already?" feeling.

[WadePatton]

As before, I have some catching up to do on the posts in this thread, BUT I'll say that yesterday's 35th annual Elk River Valley was a BLAST. Great climb in there and I ran in to many ATB rider/racer buds on the event. May be that there is more crossover around here. But then the "local" club is heavily slanted toward road riding and I'm probably going to wind up being the ATB "ride guy" there--keeping them abreast of ATB events and making sure that they have plenty of chances to try the dirty side of the tracks.

Of course it would be much easier if there were truly local trails. Topography and enthusiasm are running against that.

Personally I do know more roadies who just aren't interesting in off-road than ATB riders who refuse to do the skinnies...and that's (Stewart Smiley voice) OH KAY. Just ride and enjoy.

[Jack Brunk]

As before, I have some catching up to do on the posts in this thread, BUT I'll say that yesterday's 35th annual Elk River Valley was a BLAST. Great climb in there and I ran in to many ATB rider/racer buds on the event. May be that there is more crossover around here. But then the "local" club is heavily slanted toward road riding and I'm probably going to wind up being the ATB "ride guy" there--keeping them abreast of ATB events and making sure that they have plenty of chances to try the dirty side of the tracks.

Of course it would be much easier if there were truly local trails. Topography and enthusiasm are running against that.

Personally I do know more roadies who just aren't interesting in off-road than ATB riders who refuse to do the skinnies...and that's (Stewart Smiley voice) OH KAY. Just ride and enjoy.
Too bad as your buds are missing out on some great riding. There's nothing like riding in the "coffin" for 4 plus hours and your left seeing nothing but your inner guts hanging out. But after hosing yourself off, your wishing that the ride hadn't ended.

[Bob Ross]

10 - 15 years ago, before I was an avid roadie, I did a bit of mountain biking. (I figured I had a mountain bike for my commuting & utility riding, might as well try it on trails). It was fun. I enjoyed it.

But the fun & enjoyment was nothing compared to what I get from road biking. For me it's just orders of magnitude more enjoyable riding on a road bike on the road than riding on a mountain bike on a mountain. Not sure why that is, but I can't deny the difference is substantial & visceral.

[link]

I really thought that there would be more cross-over response.

I'm one of the few who does both ...right out my front door. Sometimes a cross bike for a little of both in one ride. I can't imagine it any other way.

[jdoiv]

I will say one of the things I like about road riding is the feeling of having gone somewhere. Sort of an adventure. Find some small community on some back road.

I don't get that kind of feeling with the trails around here. They tend to be developed in a very small space so they wind back and forth through the same little section of woods. I'm not climbing up some mountain and back down the other side. I'm just trying to avoid a bunch of obstacles and not hang a bar end on some little twig of a tree. I have to drive to the smokies or the Big South fork to get that kind of ride in.

So, I ride the road bike more than the mtb.

[vqdriver]

I'll add just one other thing about the mental aspect: riding technical mtb absorbs your entire brain. At the end of the ride, you've thought only of mtbiking. Road riding leaves your mind open to so many other things like work or family stress, bills and physical pain that it can be much harder to find euphoria.

Road rides are fun, but I've never ended one with the same kind of disappointed "is it over already?" feeling.


+1

[T.J.]

Interesting thread with some interesting replies. My riding career has pretty much covered every form of cycling. I raced BMX from the time I was 5 until around 13. Once in high school I fell in love with running and ran cross country and track all 4 years. Didn't touch a bike for years and then got back into it and raced downhill for several years. Finally had to give that up as I stayed injured more than I cared for and the expense was unbelievable. One weekend of racing could end up costing you a set of wheels, a derailluer etc etc. Moved on to mtb'n and started racing and enjoyed it. I started to train on the road for the mtb and decided to dabble in road racing. Did rather well in the road races and after a few upgrades found myself on a good team. With that came free kits,entry fees, below cost bikes, drive trains, glasses , etc etc. Winning some decent money ain't bad either. For comparison I did a mtb race this year and got 2nd in the short track and 5th in the xc, the weekend before got 4th in a road race and 5th in the crit. The road check tripled the mtb check.

[andy mac]

i love them both but the smell of the forest vs car fumes, fatalities and road rage...

and if you don't think you can't go fast on a mountain bike, ummm, maybe try riding faster. or, pointing it down a bigger hill!

:beer:

andy

[rwsaunders]

My exact sentiments. I love mountainbiking as much as the road, it's just more of an "event" to make it happen. This is especially the case given the powerful equestrian/hiking enthusiasts who have effectively lobbied to close all nearby trails. How they've managed to convince the general populace that a 23-pound bike + rider is harmful to trails yet a 2000-pound horse + rider is gentle is truly admirable.

Roadbiking definitely improves mountainbiking skills and mountainbiking clearly enhances roadbiking skills.

+1. I haven't seen too many MTB riders dump on the trail, but I have avoided quite a few piles of horse dung on the road over the years. Like a lot of us, I too can hit the road right out the front door and knock out 40 miles, without loading up the car and burning gas. Plus I do feel the need for speed like BBDave.

There is a great park (Hartwood Acres for the locals on the Forum) with a nice variety of trails about four hilly miles from home, so I guess that I could ride a MTB there if I had to. Too little time, too many cycling choices and so many more miles to pedal. I consider that to be good problem to have.

[benb]

I crashed last week on my MTB... seems like it happens more often in the woods, but when it happens on the road, the damage is much worse.

I only have one real crash on the road in the last 8 years that couldn't be partially blamed on someone else.

Definitely lost count of the MTB crashes, but I can only remember 2 that could come close to the injuries of the road crashes...

[1happygirl]

T.B.I. (traumatic brain injuries)

Just kiddn, it's spinal (haha). I crack myself up, just because I lack bike skillz and the stomach for ortho. As a veteran of many accidents, I don't want any more so I don't try even though it's just as close to ride trails as drive to safe riding roads.

[WadePatton]

I wish this were true. It is a little bit for me. I live right next to the largest park in Nashville. It's covered with miles and miles of single track trails. Problem is that they don't let mtbs on them. It's only for hikers and horses. I wish we could change the policy on that but the city does have a park that has some great trails on it, but it's a good 45 minute drive by car. That trail system is very technical and caused me to break my ribs a couple of years ago in a slow speed crash. It's almost too technical.

Seeing as I have a limited amount of time to ride (job, wife, kids), I just can't justify the extra time required to get to the trail head when I could spend that time riding on the road. I would definitely ride the mtb more if I could ride the trails right next to my house.
I know just where you're talking about breaking ribs--I swore off that place over 10 years ago. Just not fun for me. Now--OTOH Monkey Bell is a great place to ride, but is too far for me to hit except for events. I can be in Dalton, GA or Cleveland, TN in two hours--about how long it takes to get to MB. Try MB.

And holler at me if before you go east (Tsali, etc.) I may want to go to! I'm wanting to check out some of the Ducktown and Ocoee and Tanasi trails next time I'm over there.

cheers WP

[Bruce K]

Late to this party but I sold or gave away my MTB's over the last 2 years.

I pretty much decided anywhere I wanted to go off road I could go on my cross bike, and that anywhere my cross bike couldn't go I didn't want to be.

If I want to be lying on the ground looking up at the sky, I can still do that with my cross bike. :crap:

BK

[WadePatton]

The nail's been hit on the head over and over, MTB trails just don't start right outside your front door.

There's the loading of gear and bikes and the travel to and from to consider. Way easier to start on the road bike and when you have to turn around to get home on time you can always figure that into the ride distance and route.
...
Oh well.
Yes, but I see lots and lots of road bikes on racks going somewhere when I'm driving about. Folks drive to the starting points of the local roadie rides many times each week 'round here. May as well drive to a trail methinks. Of course I unnerstand driving to events.

When the weather is perfect, I road ride from the house all week and then haul my carcass and gear to the woods on the weekends.

+++++++++++++++++++++

As the great and wise DK says--I love the intensity of offroad coupled with the fact that _I_ am in control of the hazards. My judgment, skills, and gravity pretty much determine the outcome of every atb ride. Knock on a Bell helmet, only one crash this year on muddy slick race course that was directly related to the mud and slick and riding in conditions that one normally avoids.

Give me a 2x4 and 30-minute parking lot clinic and I can have just about anybody ready for moderate trails.

[deechee]

I didn't read all the posts but I never liked getting dirty while mtn biking. And there's just too much prep for mtn when I used to do it; driving to Bromont, putting on the body armor, waiting for the chairlift, flat tires etc. Hence, I started running (right out the door) and eventually triathlon.

There was a point where I missed mountain biking, but I just don't have the time for it, nor the friends to ride with anymore.