Having spent a good twenty plus years cycling up and down the various trails and back roads of both coasts, I’ve become intimately acquainted with the ins and outs of mountain biking versus riding on the road. And though the pleasure I take in riding my road bike is immense, I take equal if not more pleasure in riding my mountain bike. Mountain biking offers up a good many experiences that simply can’t be had whilst riding on paved roads. That said if you’re in the market for a bike and find yourself uncertain about what kind to buy, mountain or road, consider these five good reasons for taking your ride off-road.
First and foremost, riding a road bike by definition requires that one ride on the road and where there’s road, there too shall be found all manner of motor vehicles that you’ll be required to share it with. And though the level of comfort one feels whilst riding within close proximity to a succession of cars, trucks, busses, motorcycles and eighteen wheelers inevitably varies, one thing is for certain: riding on the road requires at the very least dealing with the occasional irate driver and at the worst being hit by an unsuspecting motorist. Not so with riding off-road. If the prospect of riding on the shoulder of a busy highway or winding country road just plain makes you feel uncomfortable, a mountain bike may well be right up your alley.
Secondly, mountain biking also offers a welcome retreat into nature, affording one the opportunity to investigate one’s local landscape and cross paths with it’s vast variety of indigenous species, plant, animal or otherwise. Of the many mountain bikes rides I’ve been on over the years I’ve seen foxes, coyotes, wild turkeys, herds of deer, snakes, turtles, lizards, hawks, owls and even the occasional human, not to mention the kind of pristine and virgin landscape that can only be found when travelling well off the beaten path. In terms of getting down and dirty and close to the earth, there’s no better way to do so on two wheels than by riding a mountain bike.
Third, with the growing popularity of mountain biking over the past couple of decades, more and more parks and trails dedicated to the use of mountain bikes are cropping up all over the place. Sites like www.singletrack.com and www.dirtworld.com have directories for mountain bike trails in all 50 states and there’s sure to be one located within driving distance of your immediate area. Alternately, if you’re fortunate enough to live in a rural setting, chances are you needn’t look far to find an adequate stretch of dirt road or logging trail upon which to let your inner mountain biker loose.
Fourth, mountain biking is more dynamic than cycling on the road. With it’s varied terrain, it’s often rocky uphill segments and it’s narrow, twisting descents, mountain biking will develop your bike handling skills in a way that road riding just can’t compete with. This will not only prove useful as you progress in your mountain biking endeavors, allowing you to ride more technically demanding trails, but it will also enhance your skills on the road, should you wish to test your skills there as well.
And finally the fifth good reason for taking your ride off-road is that you can do things on a mountain bike that you just can’t get away with on the road. Road bikes are delicate, nimble machines, designed with speed and agility in mind. Mountain bikes on the other hand are sturdy as all get out and built to take a beating. They’re designed with the express purpose of stump jumping, boulder beating and creek crossing, all of which offer the express opportunity to engage in an afternoon of good old fashioned guilt free fun. Try any of these things on a road bike and you’re either in for a few costly repairs to your bike, or worse yet, yourself.
So, there you have it. If at this point you’ve decided you’re ready for a little off-road excursion, you’re halfway there. What’s next on the agenda? Well, not simply the purchase of a mountain bike, but the purchase of one that will meet all of your needs and then some: a bike that is both well built and equipped with a rock solid set of components, a bike with a frame that fits your own and a high quality machine that will afford you years of pleasurable without simultaneously breaking the bank, or your back for that matter. Where to start? Well, that’s what we’ll discuss in the next section on selecting the right mountain bike. Until then, feel free to indulge your imagination in an off-road extravaganza of epic proportions. You’re in for a hell of a ride.
