This question pops up quite often before riding a mountain bike myself for the very first time I had a similar query as well if the mountain bikes are more comfortable than a road bike while riding myself and from my experience, I came to the conclusion that
Mountain bikes are more comfortable than road bikes the main advantage lies in the forks and also hardtails because their lightweight provides enough speed for one to commute easily as well, and are good for little adventurous off-road rides as well.
While they can be harder to pedal due to their bigger tires and wide gear ratios they are more comfortable than road bikes on any given day and from time to time you can enjoy little adventurous rides through the woods or pick a shortcut that was otherwise almost impossible with a road bike.
How mountain bikes add extra comfort :
Mountain bikes simply provide extra cushy rides than road bikes simply because of the purpose they were made for (off-roading) Key features.
- suspensions
- Higher gear ratios for climbing smoothly.
- bigger/wider tires
- better braking.
On-road bikes, you can feel every bump in the road the tires are slick and the frame is rigid there are no suspensions. wider tires add extra to that comfort having a higher ratio of gears you will not find yourself struggling on climbs, unlike road bikes.
Also, braking power is a big factor well mountain bikes use disc brakes which are more reliable and better than any v-brakes and provide more confidence while riding fast.
but road bikes are not altogether useless either they beat mountain bikes in terms of providing more seating positions.
the main advantage of road bikes is their handle you can grab on, and seat yourself in 6-8 different positions which play a major role in riding long distances, like six to seven hours or more ride while on the other hand mountain bikes have only 2 or 3 holding positions and their’s lesser room for adjusting to new positions.
can mountain bikes be converted into a road bike:
No, but you can swap knobby tires with slicker one’s and maybe even swap handlebars in some cases they should reduce a lot of weight and the forks/suspensions could still provide enough comfort and you can still use those higher gears to help you on high climbs and also brakes will be more reliable as well.
All in all-mountain bikes when converted into road bikes are still better than road bikes that are still only my opinion you should go with what best suits your needs and interest.
Which is more comfortable for urban riding :
For urban riding road bikes are more efficient in terms of being more faster and quicker while mountain bikes can be a little slower and draggy.
Which is more comfortable for long rides :
If we are talking six to even or 8 hours of rides road bikes are the way to go because they provide higher speed more positioning and more positions to adjust yourselves in, but the faster you will be going the more bumps you will be feeling on the way that may lead to more discomfort.
Mountain bikes on the other hand can be advantageous if there are more climbs on the way and if you don’t mind traveling a bit slower and you are more into comfort than riding faster. also assuming you have heavier luggage on your road bikes will get you there fine if the road is smoother and there are not many climbs either but if there are mountain bikes are the way to go.
Are mountain bikes good for commuting :
Yes mountain bikes are great for commuting especially if you have put on some weight due to their heavier design they can be beneficial to you, they are a little harder to pedal on the roads but that could work to your advantage as well, you could get to home/office and in the process of burning some calories as well.
They are better in terms of general exercising as well they can transport you from one point to another while you can get a light exercise out of it as well not to mention saving time and enjoying it as well they are certainly better than any gym that’s a given.
Why mountain bikes are heavier :
Mountain bikes are made for off-roading from their frames to gears and tires they are made to endure heavy shocks, rough-riding, and for rough mountains/forest trails.
they use tubeless wide tires for more traction on loose ground and they have suspensions for providing more comfort the frames can be made of steel all of these things add to their weight.
Hybrid bikes :
if you are having a hard time choosing between mountain bikes and road bikes, Maybe hybrid bikes are the way to go they are closer to both mountain bikes and road bikes and they provide both comfort and speed.
while I don’t recommend hybrid bike types it’s not that I have something against them, they provide what they promise but that may not be the case if you want that.
Surely going hybrid may seem like a better option to go for now but no matter what you go with either a mountain bike or a road bike you will eventually choose what suits best your circumstances and what to get I recommend choosing one from each.
In the end, it’s just my opinion and I will mention how to choose what suits you best at the end of this article but still if hybrid seems more of an option to you go for them they are great with their own perspectives as well.
Are mountain bikes faster than road bikes :
No, mountain bikes are not faster than road bikes since both mountain bikes and road bikes were built to serve different purposes.
Mountain bikes are heavier and slower on roads compared to road bikes but they will be faster than road bikes on hill climbing or general climb, due to their vast numbers of gears and general geometry.
which is better to handle any situation :
Assuming you are looking for the best option to go with which can be more reliable and at the same time can get you through any kind of situation.
Well, mountain bikes are the way to go they can pretty much handle any situation since they were made keeping this in mind they are more comfortable and even if you decide to take the shortcut and things didn’t work out in your favor you can always count on them to get you through these uncalled circumstances.
How to choose what will you most benefit from (road bike or mountain bike) :
Making a choice at the moment may seem hard but it’s not that big of a deal it’s not the end of the world and you are not choosing between life and death here.
But here are things to help you shortlist what you need.
What kind of purpose are you thinking your bike should serve.
Where are you thinking of riding
Will you be using your bike for general everyday travels or you are thinking of doing some fun stuff with it as well.
What kind of track do you most use.
If you want something cheaper to travel and get you from office to home and the roads are pretty smooth road bikes are better.
If you are an outdoor person and a nature lover then mountain bikes are for you.
If your way to work or general route involves rough terrain and comfort is an issue then mountain bikes are for you.
You can easily shortlist what is your requirement by deciding what purpose you are thinking of your bike to perform and go with that.
as for comfort over speed or vice versa, you know better than anyone what you want and it’s best to decide that yourself rather than anyone telling you what you want.
Both road and mountain bikes have their own respective advantages and disadvantages and you can always sell them if your needs or interests shift over time. So don’t worry too much about little things and just make a choice.
Conclusion :
Either mountain or road bikes both serve the same purpose of transporting while
mountain bikes are undoubtedly more comfortable road bikes are no less in terms of fast travel and general commuting.
The best advice that I could offer you is to see which better suits your need and what kind of track you use mostly and just go for any of them they are great for exercise and they don’t run your pockets dry either.
Let me know if this article was useful to you and what did you decide to get?