Road Bike or Mountain Bike

[jack cameron]

Hello Everybody, I am new here and would like a wee bit of advice.I have a Mountain Bike,a pretty heavy one at that and cycle betwen 25 and 30 miles 5 days per week.And yes! it is hard work,but i enjoy every minute of it.I have been cycling for just over a year and have benefited from my cycle routine.Fit as an old Fiddle.Could anyone tell me the benefits of changing from the mountain bike to a road bike,if any.I do know that when cycling on the road it can be hard work on the mountain bike,would it be far easier on the road bike and would i be able to up my mileage?
Thank You

 

[RedBike]

A road bike would be a lot easier and a lot quicker. Also if you go for the right type of road bike it might even be more comfortable too.

If your current route takes you say 3 hours (10mph av) then you might be able to achieve 15mph on a road bike so in 3 hours you'd cover 45miles instead

 

[jack cameron]

Thank you Redbike for your advice...much appreciated

 

[marinyork]

If you're really passionate about longer rides and extending distances a road bike is definitely for you. Even if you weren't, it's still a lot easier.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

if you don't ride off road much get a road bike. you'll love it. (I ride both - horses for courses)

 

[JtB]

My road bike is an ancient 30 odd year old Carlton and even that's miles faster on the road than my mountain bike, so just think how much better a modern road bike will be. Even putting road tyres on a mountain bike and locking its front suspension doesn't bring it anywhere close to the performance of my old road bike. There's just something about the riding position on a mountain bike that doesn't let you convert all that built up energy into speed on the road (I find this especially noticeable on hills).

 

[just4fun]

25-30 miles a day on a MTB, fit as a fiddle indeed! Seriously im sure you wont look back, i cycle much less than you but the diferance i found after making the swap is huge! i can only imagine how much greater it will be with your increased fitness/ endurance. For me my road bike is faster and more comfy and just so much more fun!

 

[Globalti]

Even just swopping from a 1990 steel road bike, considered good at that time, to a modern carbon bike I was amazed at the difference. The carbon bike is faster, lighter and more comfortable by a mile. It really is quite amazingly fast and efficient for covering road miles.

 

[gf1959]

Compared to a mtb a road bike will feel like it's got an engine,obviously this is mostly down to the thinner tyres but for the same money you'll probably a road bike with a lighter frame. Chalk and cheese really,the difference will probably amaze you,my Giant is great to ride and is not considered a high-end bike.

 

[gbb]

As everyone says, the difference is remarkable. My hybrid with thinner tyres than a MTB cannot even remotely live with my roadbike.
Do you know anyone you can test ride or borrow one from ? Even an old 80s / 90s Raleigh will do to let you see the difference, you'll be amazed.

 

[Globalti]

Where in the country are you, Jack?

 

[nosherduke996]

I have gone the other route. I have got a carbon road bike which i love riding, but have just bought a full suspension Marin so that i can do both as the need takes me.
The difference is like chalk and cheese but if i had to choose one then it would still be my roadie.

 

[jack cameron]

Cheers for all the feed back...really appreciated