MTB vs Road why is your fave your fave?

Associate
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23 Dec 2018
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1,105
Not disputing the fact that road/racing bikes are superbly efficient, great sporting bikes and the fastest bikes out there, with many racer riders being supreme pure endurance athletes, for me it's always been MTB preference by miles.

I grew up with BMX, so MTB seems like a natural progression, I even remember when BMX were also sometimes called ET bikes (from the movie) right at the very start of the craze in the UK in the early 80s.

MTB always seemed like a easy fit from going from a BMX, and it's just my single opinion but the clothing style of BMX and MTB is a lot cooler than racer/road gear. This is controversial and I mean no offence, but I live near a ton of racer rider routes and I've never seen a single rider of either gender (though mostly blokes) in tight lycra racer gear that didn't look like some degree of a total and utter plum.

This goes from a yellow jersey wearer on the Tour De France to amateur park riders in lycra, all looking completely ridiculous, IMO of course. The baggy MTB shorts style is a lot nicer for others to look at and a lot more practical when you get off your bike, you can just blend in. I honestly think the lycra racer rider look causes road rage because it annoys a lot of drivers as well.

Also supreme professional racer athletes are usually universally very skinny and even somewhat frail looking, I think MTB riding is better for building muscle and putting on some muscle weight by dragging a heavier bike around.
 
Caporegime
Joined
20 Oct 2004
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....
Gravel bikes are great if you have the miles upon miles of fire road they're built for, unfortunately not in great supply in much of the UK. Or you're more experienced and don't mind a bit of punishment on the rough stuff.

This thankfully, living in Shropshire the place is full of them. But I'm also not scared to cycle down something a bit more punishing on it either. I honestly love it, I rode down the Long Mynd the other week. I would've been happy on my full suspension coming down it :D
 
Soldato
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25 Feb 2004
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Hampshire
This thankfully, living in Shropshire the place is full of them. But I'm also not scared to cycle down something a bit more punishing on it either. I honestly love it, I rode down the Long Mynd the other week. I would've been happy on my full suspension coming down it :D

Descents are fine as long as you haven't got anything big to knock you off like larger rocks, routes or gullies that suck you in! Unfortunately the SDW isn't great as it has 2 of 3 of these in abundance with the chalk geology. However when I do find them like I did on my ride yesterday, they're fantastic!
 
Associate
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27 Jun 2004
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Sunny Scoatland
MTB for me! Own both and enjoy the rare time out on the road bike for pure speed but my MTB is just more versatile. Saying that, I try and cycle 4 times a week and do between 80-110 miles on a full sus bike but my route is about 50/50 road and fire road so the bike is total overkill (if not completely inappropriate!) plus I can't use the safety concern argument either. I've chosen the worst of both worlds in some ways but, on the other hand, I always have the option to change the ratio of on/off road whereas I feel 'trapped' on my road bike if that makes any sense at all?! It's all exercise so it's all good really isn't it?? God I'm clipped in as well...where did it all go wrong? :D
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Aug 2003
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24,264
I think I like road best.

I've spent much more time 'seriously' riding road bikes than I have MTB, although I bought my first MTB in a fair while recently and while I haven't had enough chance to get out on it, I'm looking forward to some rides and trips. Where I live is road bike heaven and I basically have to drive to get to anywhere worth riding an MTB. I'm not even being dramatic, I live in the middle of a load of absolutely lovely lanes and there's no woods, forests or trails really for 10+ miles in any direction! I live where people are talking about when they say 'I remember when this was all fields' :D

I've got a feeling that a gravel/adventure/cross bike, or whatever the proper name is currently is probably my ideal bike. I just like getting out there.

My main problem with MTB is that I'm not very rad.
 
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