Road or Mountain... Which are you?
Poll: Road or Mountain... Which are you?
Total Members Polled: 148
Discussion
I reckon about 95% of my miles are done on tarmac, but that's only because a young family dictates that the overwhelming majority of my riding time is my commute. Given the choice however, I'll always go in search of mud and roots! 
I was prompted to think about this today, as I went out on the road bike not for a commute for the first time in months, so I thought I'd see where everyone else's proclivities lie?
I was prompted to think about this today, as I went out on the road bike not for a commute for the first time in months, so I thought I'd see where everyone else's proclivities lie?
Daveyraveygravey said:
I don't understand why you wouldn't be both? They aren't THAT different.
Now, BMX and fixies, they're weird... ;-)
Really? To me, that's like saying there's not much difference between football and rugby, as both are played on a field with a ball!Now, BMX and fixies, they're weird... ;-)
To me, road is basically about exercise. Sure, I like it if I go faster on Strava than I've been before, and I'll feel good about it afterwards because the exertion triggers endorphins, but it's totally different to mountain biking.
Mountain biking, on the other hand, is all about fun! It's about finding new ways down trails, getting covered in mud, scaring the crap out of yourself doing things you don't think you can do, then wondering why you thought you couldn't do them, and doing it all with a huge grin constantly stuck on your face! The fact is that I'll end up knackered from all the exercise it entails, but I don't generally think about that until I suddenly realise in the pub afterwards that I'm totally shattered!
yellowjack said:
I went 75% Road. But really, I like both equally. But I've been without a functioning MTB now since February, so getting on for 90% of this year's miles have been on a road bike. Ultimately, though, 'Road or MTB?' is a redundant question, as either one will put a silly grin on my face.
Now that's exactly why I went 100% MTB. If a road bike ever looks like it's putting a silly grin on my face, it's a cunningly disguised grimace! ukbabz said:
I'd say about 90% roadie but have a lot more fun on my MTB. The road bike is a lot easier in terms of going out for a ride as I just put on clothes and start at home. However I take road cycling as a fitness / distance challenge, whereas the MTB is for getting muddy / having fun (or going XC between a few pubs ;-) )
That was how I used to think until I got the Ordnance Survey maps out. My normal Friday evening MTB rides involve putting the bike in the car and heading down to the Surrey Hills, but as I didn't have anyone to ride with this last Friday, I rode a 27 mile XC loop from home instead. The first mile was on tarmac, as was about mile 9. Other than that, it's amazing just how much off road stuff you can link together with a bit of attention to a decent map. Some places, it's a narrow corridor between built up areas, and others, it's so big that you can't believe you're still barely 20 miles from the heart of London.
As an example, my ride on Friday went through Headley Heath below (with thanks to the complete stranger whose Flickr image I've borrowed). The whole time I was there, I saw no more than a couple of dog walkers. That's barely a mile or so outside the M25, yet as soon as you get more than a hundred yards away from the nearest car park, you might as well be in deepest rural Scotland for all the people you see!
Headley Heath by Andrew-M-Whitman, on FlickrI'll still keep the road bikes for commuting, as I can't do that fast enough on a mountain bike, and there's not exactly a great deal of bridleway between here and Waterloo, but other than that, my Friday adventure was enough to show me that I can keep chasing my stress-reduction mantra (a good day is a day when I get muddier than the kids!) from my own front door in Zone 6 without having to start it out in the car!
m444ttb said:
'100% road', although 20% of my commuting mileage is off-tarmac. I've seen people talk about road riding beign for fitness and MTB for fun but for me road riding it both. Perhaps that's some weird perversion born out of enjoying running too.
In terms of a "fun" comparison, I would see it something like this....MTB ----------> All those fun things you did on your stag do which stayed on your stag do.
Road ---------> But it turns out the "lady" providing the fun has a little more substance than expected between the legs...
Running -----> ...and is backing you into a corner with a power drill adapted to take a rather large dildo!
Kell said:
So over the last 16 years, the furthest off-road I've been is with my daughter through gentle forest trails.
How old is your daughter? I'm just wondering how long my window of cycling nirvana is with my kids! When they were very, very little, I couldn't ride my bike slowly enough to stay at their pace...
Then we had a few years of those gentle trails...
On the early May BH, I took the two eldest (girl 12, boy 9) round the (very easy) red route at Bedgebury, and am now looking at taking them to Bike Park Wales for a long weekend and it's all wonderfully good fun!
I suspect that within 2-3 years, I won't be able to keep up with them, and won't have the nerve to try half the trails they will!
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