I posted this over on road***************, but wanted to see what this group has to say. I recently had both my road and mountain bike stolen. The insurance money will only pay for one bike right now, but I will probably get the other next spring. Right now in Maryland, the century season is getting going and I would like to do a couple, but I also love to ride the trails in the fall. I have narrowed the search to a Lemond Buenos Aires and a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert. I realize I can throw slicks on the MTB and ride it on the road, but if I go with the road bike, I'm going to miss out on some great trail riding this fall. By the way, I just moved here from Florida, but I'm a Minnesota native, and am looking forward to the fall again. This really sucks. Any opinions will be appreciated.
Mountain bike or Road bike, can only buy one?
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If you are not into the commaradire of group rides then the MB is the obvious choice. Personally i gave up road riding. Just thought i'd lose the oppurtunity to become a hood ornament . Give me something to ride which allows me to go just about anywhere and really get away from it all.
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17,234 Posts
Tough choice...
Perhaps most important to me as a deciding factor, I have had 2 friends die while road biking. Both were avid cyclists and great people. Sure you may crash and get some boo-boos while mountain biking but in general, if you crash, it is your fault. On the road, you can be as safe as you want and some idiot may take you out. Life is too short to do an inferior sport that carries such risk, in my humble opinion......
Cheers
I think this is a tough choice as both are great sports. I too at one point was faced with this question. I chose the mountain bike since I live amongst great riding. I have never looked back.....Mountain biking is at least ten-fold more enjoyable to me since being in the middle of nature while enjoying a sport simply cannot be described and can only be experienced. When describing the cult-like obsession that many of us mountain-bikers experience, I describe it as similar to the culture amongst hard-core surfers in that it truly becomes a major part of your identity (though I am sure road biking has similar aspects). Road biking, the few times I have since done it, is not enjoyable to me outside the physical gratification I get from it. I actually do not even own a road bike nor do I ever want one since for me, I have only have time for one outlet and there is no comparison on many levels. In fact, I have gone from getting my first Price Club (now COSTCO of course) mountain bike.....to the point now where I have a general use mountain bike (ie, my trailbike), a big-hit mountain bike, and I just now purchased a Titanium hardtail frame that I am currently building up since i want to start racing.roger027 said:
Perhaps most important to me as a deciding factor, I have had 2 friends die while road biking. Both were avid cyclists and great people. Sure you may crash and get some boo-boos while mountain biking but in general, if you crash, it is your fault. On the road, you can be as safe as you want and some idiot may take you out. Life is too short to do an inferior sport that carries such risk, in my humble opinion......
Cheers
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9,014 Posts
I can't tell you what to do, but being I ride both road and Moutain bikes I have an idea. If I had to only have one bike it would be the mountain bike. The Mountain bike can be pressed into road service but the road bike cannot be used as a mountain bike.
I'd put my dough into a mountain bike if I had to choose.
My roadie ride is something I picked up at the Salvation Army store for $60. It's an 90's Centurion Accordo and I spent $70 upgrading the cassette and chainrings (got rid of the Biopace) and one new tires and tubes.
Done! A cheap but effective road bike. Not very glamorous, but all the while effective.
My roadie ride is something I picked up at the Salvation Army store for $60. It's an 90's Centurion Accordo and I spent $70 upgrading the cassette and chainrings (got rid of the Biopace) and one new tires and tubes.
Done! A cheap but effective road bike. Not very glamorous, but all the while effective.
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3,000 Posts
Mountain bikes are CHEAPER than road bikes ...
A pair of slicks and higher stem will make a mountain bike competent on the road. No amount of work will make a $1000 Trek road bike capable of riding well on single-track.
If you REALLY want the best of both worlds, you may want to try a 29er. Gary Fisher has a few "dual-sport" bikes that are as cheap as $800. They come with slicks, so in that case, you'd have to buy a few 29er knobby tires to do your off-roading. But you will get the larger wheels that help you perform well both on AND off road.
If you have the cash, a dual sport (or X-Caliber if your willing to spend $1050) are probably just what the doctor ordered. You will probably find you won't even NEED a road bike after that.
And there is a REASON for that. They are ALL-TERRAIN bikes. They are more versatile and can be used on or off road. They sell a LOT more than single purpose road bikes. That drives the cost down.roger027 said:
A pair of slicks and higher stem will make a mountain bike competent on the road. No amount of work will make a $1000 Trek road bike capable of riding well on single-track.
If you REALLY want the best of both worlds, you may want to try a 29er. Gary Fisher has a few "dual-sport" bikes that are as cheap as $800. They come with slicks, so in that case, you'd have to buy a few 29er knobby tires to do your off-roading. But you will get the larger wheels that help you perform well both on AND off road.
If you have the cash, a dual sport (or X-Caliber if your willing to spend $1050) are probably just what the doctor ordered. You will probably find you won't even NEED a road bike after that.
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215 Posts
cyclocross bike is the obvious answer
I have a Kona Jake the Snake and ride it everywhere, though I will admit its probably a tad more capable as a road bike than mtb, due to the rigid frame/fork, canti brakes and skinny knobbies. But is is definitely capable of handling some pretty serious trailwork!
I have a Kona Jake the Snake and ride it everywhere, though I will admit its probably a tad more capable as a road bike than mtb, due to the rigid frame/fork, canti brakes and skinny knobbies. But is is definitely capable of handling some pretty serious trailwork!
Although I prefer riding singletrack/doubletrack over the road, depending on the weather in your area and if you like riding in the mud, the road bike should allow you to ride more often. That being said, you can get the mountain bike and get slicks, or a 2nd set of rims with slicks and get the best (well almost the best) of both worlds. I've been riding the road for about 3 weeks now and although I like it, I really miss the dirt (waiting for 2nd set of rims, too lazy to take slicks off the current rims).
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Get The Mountain Bike
Unless you live one hour away from dirt, get the mountain bike. Sure, most optimal to get both. But, like most have said you can ride the mountain bike on the road (slicks w/ cheap extra wheelset works great. I have them for my HT), but not vice versa. Unless your into the whole Cyclocross thing.
Unless you live one hour away from dirt, get the mountain bike. Sure, most optimal to get both. But, like most have said you can ride the mountain bike on the road (slicks w/ cheap extra wheelset works great. I have them for my HT), but not vice versa. Unless your into the whole Cyclocross thing.
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4,754 Posts
Hardtail XC Mountain Bike
A light hardtail will not be as much of a problem on a road ride as an FS yet will enable you to enjoy riding trails. Prehaps a fork with a lockout would be a good idea but I'm not sure of your budget.
I like the 29er suggestion made by someone else. That may be a very practical solution.
A light hardtail will not be as much of a problem on a road ride as an FS yet will enable you to enjoy riding trails. Prehaps a fork with a lockout would be a good idea but I'm not sure of your budget.
I like the 29er suggestion made by someone else. That may be a very practical solution.
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3,000 Posts
FS ... why ????
A $100 Cane Creek Thudbuster on a hard tail will take the edge off most trails. Otherwise, you have to spend at least $1500 to get a decent soft-tail bike that doesn't bob.
Serious, you really need a good justification for dumping an extra $500 on a full suspension. If you only ride on the trail occasionally, hardtail is probably the best way to go, unless your occasional ride is down a mountain.Rev Bubba said:
A $100 Cane Creek Thudbuster on a hard tail will take the edge off most trails. Otherwise, you have to spend at least $1500 to get a decent soft-tail bike that doesn't bob.
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95 Posts
My 2 cents worth,....and IMHO
Get the Mountain bike now,.....and if the interest is still there later,....well,...get the road bike next.
Mountain bikes are more versatile
Mountain bikes are "all-Terrain"
Mountain bikes will handle nicely on pavement (with road slicks)
Mountain bikes (compairatively so) are less expensive than road bikes
No matter what you do to a road bike,...it will still be a road bike and will NEVER be able to perform off road with safety. (to yourself and the bike)
Good luck with your decision,.......
Ol' DirtDawg
Live Long,....Ride Hard
Get the Mountain bike now,.....and if the interest is still there later,....well,...get the road bike next.
Mountain bikes are more versatile
Mountain bikes are "all-Terrain"
Mountain bikes will handle nicely on pavement (with road slicks)
Mountain bikes (compairatively so) are less expensive than road bikes
No matter what you do to a road bike,...it will still be a road bike and will NEVER be able to perform off road with safety. (to yourself and the bike)
Good luck with your decision,.......
Ol' DirtDawg
Live Long,....Ride Hard
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174 Posts
get a mountain bike and buy a set of slicks.
you can ride on dirt trails as well as road, best of both worlds.
then later save up to purchase a road bike. this way you can still enjoy both road and trail riding. while saving up for a raod bike in the future.
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