Mtb or road biking?

I've been biking now for about 3 years,I started with road biking and after getting my fitness to a reasonable standard entered a few sportives and totally enjoyed them.i decided last winter to get a mtb to keep up my fitness during the cold months and became totally hooked,selling my carbon Trek and buying a 29 er Giant in its place.I have since spent a fortune in up-grades (namely Sram XX 1).i have now reached a point where I am think that giving up road biking was a mistake and am now longing to get back out on the road.My quandary is should I concentrate on one discipline,and if so,which one.just wondered if anyone else out there has had this predicament,thoughts please.
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Nice to have the choice.
Giant Defy Advanced 2 (2013)
Giant Revel 1 Ltd (2013)
Strava
but then I love getting out on the road after days of bad weather and riding in mud and being wet all the time.
Burls Ti Tourer for Tarmac, Saracen aluminium full suss for trails
I've been road biking all summer, but my friend who has a MTB has just declared that it's now too cold for cycling and will be too cold until next Spring at the earliest, so I'm thinking it's a shame for that bike to be sitting there doing nothing
You do mountain biking in the summer and road riding in the winter? The opposite of the usual then!
A couple of winters ago, we had a foot of snow overnight so my mate and I headed south offroad towards the North Downs. As we crossed a minor road there was a 4x4 in a ditch and a police car - the Surrey policeman suggested it was too dangerous to be on bikes - he didn't realise we had studded tyres. We just laughed and headed off up the bridleway...
what's usual?
Ride both all year round. Not sure why anyone thinks the two are mutually exclusive!
- @ddraver
Usual is road riding in summer and MTB in the winter, often because there's more tyre options in MTB's.
Again, why are the two mutually exclusive?
- @ddraver
hehe, my point is that MTB is a year round thing, whereas roadies are scared of the winter
I think more mountain bikers should spend some time on road bikes. Then maybe they wouldn't have to stop after each section of single track or climb :roll:
Mainly because my Ultegra brakes don't work in the wet
and also because the speed road bikes move at. You get alot colder on a road bike because your doing 20mph compared to half that on the mountain bike trail
- @ddraver
I used to MTB all year round but got fed up of continually cleaning the bike in the wetter months. As soon as the clay trails near us turn to sludge I just go on my road bike now. Until then I use both but mainly the mountain bike , as I am not wasting the dry fast trails
Kuota Kharma Evo Rival 22 - fair weather
Moda Chord with drop bars and Rival shifters - foul weather
Intense Spider 29er - mud
That always used to be one of my pet hates, and something I could never get my head around, the environment both areas sometimes create where trying or enjoying the other discipline is 'going over to the dark side' and that you can only do one - utter nonsense! They are both bikes, if you still like them both, and have the cash, time and money then fill your boots.
*This is categorically not a rant at the op, just a rant in general :-)
The other bonus is that you get to buy loads more kit too!
And as has been mentioned, I think they complement each other nicely in terms of fitness.
And relax......
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18
I recently borrowed a road bike off a friend, and really enjoy the feeling of all the power going into the tarmac!!
So I got one for myself! I use the XC bike for commuting in Winter, and the MTB for summer, as in summer I ride cross country too and from work, but in winter it's far too dark.
It would be like trying to decide between a full on roast dinner and a fabulous curry. Both excellent, both food. But I couldn't be without either.
I do kind of disagree with MTB as a winter thing though. It's massively muddy round here already, so the last few weeks I have been avoiding the post ride ritual of trying to find my bike in the midst of the roughly bike shaped mud sculpture.... and gone out on the road bike instead
www.philwinterbourne.co.uk
It was a great ride too
Giant Defy Advanced 2 (2013)
Giant Revel 1 Ltd (2013)
Strava