The cycling world has forever tried to get people to pick sides when it comes to cycling. If you spend countless hours on trails and gravel, a mountain bike is your choice but when it comes to road bike, it is all about aerodynamics, speed and seeking mileage.
There’s a lot more preference for road biking with a lot of cycling events created around speed with the likes of Tour De France and Tour Du Mont Blanc.
It is also one of the only bikes that I started with but with rising road accidents, people are surprisingly looking for mountain bikes and even gravel bikes with higher tyre clearance.
These days a good endurance road bike can do some dirt, and a good trail bike can do stints on the road. But there are some pros and advantages when it comes to mountain bike vs road bike.
With the vast array of options when you go and buy your first bike – which one should you buy and most importantly, for what reasons should you commit?
You’d want a bike that works the best for you, just because everyone around you loves a certain type won’t make it perfect for you.
Mountain bikes and road bikes are both popular choices; this Mountain Bike vs Road Bike comparison will help you decide which one is better suited for you.
6 Reasons Why You Should Ride A Mountain Bike
Mountain bikes is a different ballgame altogether but they’re way more suited for beginners due to their thicker tyres and comfortable riding position. Here are some benefits to look upon while going mountain biking:
#1) Being in nature
Riding a bicycle through tough terrain and mountains has a lot of positive effects on one’s health.
Your ability to maintain a healthy weight is ensured, the chance of becoming obese is decreased, and your endurance and coordination are improved, all of which are important even when simply walking.
Cycling downhill also improves joint movement, muscle strength and flexibility, posture, and body coordination. Other benefits include enhanced muscular strength and flexibility and better body posture.
You will also benefit from an improved posture, which is important for the correct coordination of the body’s components. You get the feel of being on top of a mountain and swooshing through trees which somehow feel better than riding on roads next to cars!
#2) High Velocities
Many factors could make cycling more difficult for you.
On the other hand, if you ride a mountain bike, you can count on your speed. These bicycles come equipped with shock absorbers, which, when the user pulls down on the pedals, reduces the amount of force that is sent to the bike. Because of this, its movement across the terrains is slowed down.
Mountain bike tires are typically wider than those used on other types of bicycles, and their tread patterns are designed to cover more ground.
This, in turn, enables you to maintain your ground position, which allows one to slow down because a greater amount of work is required to maintain their forward position.
#3) Training Benefits
Train on a mountain bike if you want to improve your concentration and stamina while riding, as well as your power and control over the bike.
If competing in mountain or rough terrain events is something you have always dreamed of doing, then this is the perfect bike for you.
You will also gain experience in riding downhill as a result of this. Because it has bigger wheels, it helps you maintain your balance while you train. In addition to this, it can be utilized to enhance muscular fitness and strength.
#4) Wildlife Experience
If you can believe it, road bikers will run into their fair share of the local wildlife when they’re out on the open road. Life on the road can be just as unpredictable for motorcyclists, what with honking cars and confused crowds of pedestrians trying to cross the sidewalks.
However, the wildlife is not even close to being on par. There’s no debate between mountain biking and road biking, it’s a clear winner than mountain bikers get to enjoy the beauty of nature.
You get to experience wildlife and nature and see things that people don’t see! If you have been riding for a long, there is a good chance that you have seen your fair share of deer, squirrels, and even bears!
It’s not unusual to come across turtles and lizards on most of the paths in some areas because many of them run next to rivers in certain spots.
#5) Will Make You More Disciplined
Mountain biking has some surprising benefits, one of which is that it can help you become more disciplined.
Now, when I talk about a consistent riding routine, although that is a fantastic example, I am not referring to that. I am more specifically talking about the effort that must be put in to improve one’s skills on the trails.
If you ride a bike for a long period, your skills will naturally improve with time. The work you put in and the decisions you make throughout that time truly indicate what the whole story is about.
Mountain biking can, at times, present a significant challenge; to prevail despite these obstacles, one needs a great deal of motivation and determination.
#6) Expand Your Comfort Zone
It is a lot simpler to reflect on one’s life than it is to try to anticipate what will happen in the future. If you think about your life for a long enough period, you’ll become aware of the instances in which your willingness to go just a little bit outside your comfort zone led to an experience that was both satisfying and unusual.
Mountain biking presents an opportunity to challenge yourself beyond the confines of the comfort zone.
There are obstacles on the trails that will test your abilities, speeds that will make you anxious, and even collisions that could leave you with physical scars which adds to the thrill factor.
To be successful in overcoming any of these obstacles, you will need to exercise some faith and move a little bit outside of your comfort zone. This is the place where growth takes place.
6 Reasons Why A Road Bike Is Worth It
It will not be wrong to say that a road bike is more beneficial from a social perspective. When it comes to social life and social benefits, here road bike dominates over a mountain bike. Below are the reasons why you should choose a road bike if you are a social person:
#1) Far Less Expensive Than A Car
Road bikes will also get you to where you need to go without cost.
You can spend the money you saved on more important things while still having wheels that people would envy.
#2) Made To Last
Although a road bike is comprised of lightweight materials, it is built to last. Road bikes, as the name suggests, are designed for riding on the road, although they are not limited to a kilometre-long route.
They are also excellent for racing, touring, and triathlons on any firm, smooth surface. If you want to participate in any of these races, you should purchase a road bike right away.
#3) Speed Is Everything On A Road Bike
A road bike is the quickest of all bike types due to its frame and components. All riders are envious of its enormous diameter wheels and narrow tires.
Other bikes also force you to sit more upright, allowing aerodynamics to slow you down. The reach riding posture for road bikes allows the rider to cycle strongly without encountering excessive wind resistance.
#4) Built Ergonomically
Aside from the riding position found on road bikes, the bicycle has a stiff frame and fork. There is no such thing as suspension. This road bike innovation reduces weight, making it easier for the user to peddle uphill.
The same is true for the handlebars: when you lean forward, your weight does not trigger the suspension. Your power is then transformed into a tremendous acceleration.
#5) Workout Plus Vitamin D
Riding a road bike is a cardio workout that is beneficial to your health. Furthermore, it is a workout done outside, primarily in the sun.
You can get enough Vitamin D if you dress appropriately. This improves your sleep by lowering the stress hormone in your body.
#6) Good For The Society & Environment
By pedalling to work, you help in the reduction of private cars on the road. This implies less traffic, less smoke, and a lower risk of road accidents.
Riding a road bike also helps to create a more sustainable environment. Guess what, there is no carbon footprint! Don’t you believe it’s a win-win situation?
So which would you pick – road bike or mtb?
After conducting further research into the differences between road bike or mtb, it is clear that the statement that you can’t ride a road bike on a mountain bike is straight-up untrue. Due to the versatility of mountain bikes, they can also be ridden on the road.
Road bikes are far quicker than mountain bikes, and you can even ride them over tough terrain. Because they ride in different places, they tend to be favoured by most people.
The price varies owing to the difference in the quality of the two bicycles as well as the additional lightweight features; however, road bikes tend to be on the more expensive side.
In the end, it’s all up to you: get a bike that satisfies your requirements and you can do it all with most bikes. Just ride your ride!