BicycleFun436

I have been riding a mountain bicycle for eight years, but have never ridden a road bicycle before. As of recently, I have found out that there are many different types of bicycles, but in particular, I'm focusing on the differences between a road bicycle and a mountain bicycle (and might be planning on getting a road bicycle soon). How are road bicycles and mountain bicycles similar—or different—in terms of speed, gear ratios, frame weight, etc?

Kapusta

Did you try Googling “road bike vs mountain bike difference”?

Is there something more specific you want to know?

Paul Barnard

What kind of mountain bike do you have?

MRT2

Really? Just do a quick Google search and you will find hundreds of articles on the different kinds of bikes.
First things first. What are you currently riding? What does it not do that you want to do?

veganbikes

What exactly are you looking to do? There are so many ways to build up a bike and maybe a pure road bike might not be what you are after.

Maelochs

Pretty simply .... road bike works on the road the way a mountain bike works off the road.

The road bike weighs somewhat less, sometimes, because it doesn't need to deal with the stuff a mountain bike is designed for---dirt, mud, sand, bumps, jumps, bashing over rocks, ....

gearing is a little higher, as a rule, because you aren't dealing with low-traction surfaces, mud, etc. .....

Speed? A fast rider on a mountain bike is fast. A fast rider on a road bike is fast.

Road biking is similar but very different to off-road biking. The only way to know if you will enjoy it is to do it. And since you already ride, a lot of fit and fitness issues won;'t every arise---you will know how to get comfortable on a bike (judging from personal experience) and so will find it easier to find a bike that fits----and you will know how to pedal, how to ride in general, your core will be used to supporting your upper body and your legs will be used to bearing load .... so you should be able to get comfortable on a road bike more quickly than someone with no cycling experience.

if you know enough, get a cheap but decent used bike for a coupe hundred and figure out all the details---optimal size, riding position, what kind of gearing you will need for the terrain you like to ride .... and then invest in a better bike next season.

Gconan

You can go much faster and farther on pavement on a road bike. They are lighter weight than mountain bikes by many pounds. However they aren't meant to go off road unless its a gravel/adventure bike because it has larger tires and is more stable. I have all three and consider myself fortunate.
If you get a road bike, make sure it can take bigger tires than 25mm for comfort. On rougher pavement I like the 32mm tires.
Road Bike fastest.
Gravel/Adventure bike faster.
Mountain Bike slower.

BicycleFun436

Mine is a Walmart bike.

BicycleFun436

I am looking to go further in a short amount of time. Every time I do a ride on my mountain bike I can only average about 10 mph. I'm just asking because I have never experienced a road bicycle before (hence I am new to this), so I am eager to one day try one out to see how it would perform compared to a typical mountain bike. Should I get a road bicycle for long rides and then save the mountain bicycle for shorter rides (<10 miles)?

CAT7RDR

Get some slicks for that puppy. That would be your first step in increasing your average speed for the least amount of $. That is, if you plan on riding more on roads than off roads.

Maelochs

Again, there is no single answer to most of your questions but "more---or less."

If you really want to try a road bike, pick a budget, check out some manufacturers' websites,and see what it offered. Check out Bikes Direct. Re-calculate your budget. the, go to every bike shop you can reach, and test-ride. Figure out what fits, what's comfortable, and what's in your budget. Look for leftover last-year's models on discount, and always understate your budget, because the shop staff will always oversell.

if you want to ride on the road, a road bike will Probably be more fun because you will go a little faster more efficiently. Speed itself is not the whole thing (not for everyone) but it is nice to feel more wind in your face for less effort. A lighter bike will feel more responsive.

otherwise----both types of bike are geared to suit their intended uses. Weight is a function of cost .... the more you pay, the less you get. overall weight is less for a road bike because you aren't beating it up .... but you can buy a really nice 25-lb hardtail MTB or a 46-lb. Schwinn Suburban road bike.

Mainly you need to decide what you want the bike for. Pure road riding? Road riding and some dirt roads? Mostly dirt roads and unpaved bike paths? Scary steep single-track? Jeep trails?

Once you know what you really want, you need to set a budget. Then you need to go looking at what's for sale---and will probably need to revise your budget.

if you Really need general answers .... the road bike works best on the road, and the weight and gearing are suitable for road riding .... the MTB is best for off-road, and the weight and gearing reflect this.

BicycleFun436

Just googled this. You are correct — a road bike would be more efficient on the road than a mountain bike. Maybe I should get a road bicycle in the future for when I am purely riding on pavements and save the mountain bicycle for those Jeep trails. Have a nice day.

veganbikes

Well a big part of your problem is Wally-Mart bikes aren't that great at anything. Certainly cheap initially but generally are pretty heavy and clunky and certainly don't offer great performance. You might not need a road bike or might not want one what I might suggest is more of a road/gravel oriented hybrid. Unless you are set on drop bars (which are great) a hybrid could potentially give you a bit more performance without a super aggressive position. If you like drop bars I would suggest looking at one of the newer gravel/all-road bikes which will give you more clearance for wider tires meaning more comfort and potentially speed and also the ability to ride on a multitude of surfaces.

I would use the bike you currently have as intended for a disposable short distance bike to make quick trips to stores or leave locked up some place without worry of theft. Then I would use the new bike for all of your other rides.

If you are going for a road bike look for at least Tiagra 4700 and on the mountain/hybrid side Deore M6000 and be prepared to spend some decent money to get something nice. If you have a shop near you that is open, please go on in and support them. Test some bikes and find one that works well for you. Don't just look at price because a lot of times when we do that we buy a bike that doesn't work well for what we want or won't last long or do what we need it to do. Keep in mind a lot of brand new shifters and derailleurs will seem to shift OK on first use but the higher quality stuff tends to last longer with less faff so look at the cost over the long term rather than just initial cost. Also chat with the folks at the shop some of them might be quite knowledgeable especially those that care about their jobs and truly enjoy bicycles and can really help you find something great. If you develop a good relationship with your shop it can be quite beneficial to everyone including yourself.

Paul Barnard

Should have gone with KMart.

msu2001la

A road bike is going to be faster on the road than a mountain bike. A mountain bike is going to be faster on a trail than a road bike.
Should you get a road bike? Sure, if that's what you want, but just because you have a mountain bike doesn't mean you can't ride it on the road.

I pedaled my way through multiple 75 mile+ road rides on a 26" mountain bike w/ slicks before I finally decided to buy a road bike.

Pratt

Ah, the elusive El Dorado of "what bike?"
It is an unanswerable question. For every cyclist who loves his bike, and we do, there is another who wouldn't touch it with a selfie stick. It is geared wrong, made out of the wrong material, has the wrong size tires, etc. And even the bikes we love, we ride into a situation where we wish it were lighter, stiffer, quicker steering, had more relaxed geometry, wider/narrower tires, etc. Then, we change to, we get stronger, I'm told, weaker, inevitably, shorter, more/less adventuresome, etc.
And that is the glory of it. Perhaps you have noticed in members' profiles that many of us own many bikes. Fortunately, it is a pastime where promiscuity is no sin, and, perhaps a virtue in each ride can be a learning experience.
What ever you get is most likely to be a steppingstone to the bike after it, and so on.
Good luck