morgothaod

I have never been on a road bike. When switching from a mountain bike, what will my experience be like? Thanks

dougphoto

A road bike will react quicker in every way. You will probably find it a bit squirrely at first. You will ride longer and faster.

Lazyass

You'll be surprised at how smooth, quick and light it feels. And you'll either get hooked instantly or find it boring. Only one way to find out. It will make you a stronger mountain biker.

Darth Lefty 

Awkward. +4 or 5 mph. Neck pain, at first, from looking up. Maybe a little in your legs too just due to different position/fit.

It's stiff and responsive, maybe not twitchy. There's a great feeling that you are being asked for greater effort, and all your effort is being turned into forward progress.

LUW

I come from a mtb background, and before I started riding road bikes I also had this idea that a road bike was uncomfortable, fast and nervous. If you asked me some 10 years ago, I would have said that the main difference was speed. Nowadays I learned that a road bike does not need to be uncomfortable, you can have a pretty laid back ride and that it's not exactly faster, depending on the conditions. I would say that the main difference is when you come up onto obstacles; on a 29er you just go over the thing and don't think much about it, but on a road bike you have to plan ahead and negotiate the obstacle.

Of course, horses for courses, but you will be a better cyclist if you can ride both as they're intended to be ridden. *Every* rider will benefit from cross training.

Reynolds 

Smoother, more responsive, faster (but not as much as some believe). A bit twitchy at first, but OK after 2-3 rides.

catgita

Narrow.

f4rrest

It'll be like... your first time.

SpikedLemon

Hard. Unbelievably hard. Your first pothole will make you think you've shattered either your bike or yourself. (You likely won't, of course)

But the lightness, responsiveness and speed will open your eyes.

sheltonlp

As what others have said but another thing that impressed me was the sheer amount of miles you can put on a road bike. A good ride for me when I was on the trail was around 20 miles, now on a road bike I think anything less than 60 miles is too short.

Shuffleman

This is so true. I was an avid mtb rider in the 90's. I was always a runner as well but hated road bikes. 6-7 years ago I started riding my mtb on the road to supplement my running as I was running 7 days per week. I bought a hybrid and loved how much faster that was on the road than my mtb. After 2 weeks, I helped my neighbor fix his road bike. I borrowed it one morning and was blown away by how fast it was. A week later, there was a new road bike in the garage and I sold the hybrid. I still run and ride mtb as well. Running is my passion but biking is right up there. It is a different experience than mtb but in a good way. I love them both but in my area, I have to travel 45 minutes to get to any descent trails. Thus, road has taken over most of my biking. I agree with the post above though. You either love it or you do not. I must not have been ready to embrace it in the 90's but I am glad that I gave it another try. Honestly, I knew about a mile into my ride with the neighbors borrowed road bike that I was hooked. I do not find it any more or less comfortable than my mtb. I do pay more attention to my equipment though. For example, I am less inclined to try any shorts for my road bike. For my mtb, I own a pair of Zoic but I also wear whatever is on sale or sometimes I just wear regular shorts and thsirts.

cave12man

So, like warm apple pie?

Gonemad

Ever hit 40+ mph on your mt. bike? No problem on a road bike, that is given the proper conditions.

No need to drive your car to/from your ride; though I do realize there are those lucky few that have great trails a short ride away, or road riders who live in urban centers.

RPK79

You'll have to stop smoking pot and start drinking wine.

TimothyH

Cleaner.

Also accidents tend to be less frequent but more catastrophic.

doctor j

When I switched over from MTB to road, I found the steering on the road bike to be "twitchy" for a while. It required some time and miles to get accustomed to different style of brake levers/shifters. Now, I'm 100% road, 0% MTB. I enjoy the smooth miles and the scenery and to be able to ride beside a friend or friends and conduct a conversation during parts of the ride.

10speedBill

It took me a long time to feel confident cornering on those skinny road tires.

TheZip

Smoother and way more efficient. Going fast seems effortless. Went for a 30 mile ride the first time out and ended up riding 50.

Stratman351

Pretty much exactly my experience when I got my first road bike in 2005 and gradually phased out of trail riding (I'm getting older, and my kids are grown now so trail riding is no longer a family affair).

I wish I'd started a lot sooner, though. I never stopped to imagine the fun I'd have, along with the fitness effects. I'm 62 and rode 3,300 miles last year.

Trace Syd

Don't overcomplicate it. A road bike is just a bike. The biggest difference will be the geometry and shifting gears. The geometry you'll get used to. The shifting you'll figure out in minutes. Beyond that, you should have no problems going from one bike to another

beermode

More rewarding as you get smoother. Riding a MTB or even a hybrid on the road has a very utility sense to it. It's almost easy as breathing. MTB'ing isn't challenging until you hit a trail. Think of a SCORE Trophy truck just idling on a well maintained gravel road. It's just a matter of pointing in the right direction, you're not stressing your skills until you go bounding over the Baja trails.
Now get out of the off road truck and get into a near race ready Porsche or Corvette, then try to drive that on a regular road...not a track. It will feel out of the element.
You have to mind your movements at all times, even when just leisurely driving. You have to avoid and correct every undulation and pothole in the road. A flick of the steering wheel will send you into the next lane...brakes are powerful but require a lot travel because you need to modulate to be smooth.
You will get used to it in no time. Every move is more purposeful and more thought out in a road bike, it has to be so, otherwise it's clumsy.

A bit overdramatic in the analogy, but I kind of thought of getting back unto a road bike was like being strapped in a twitchy race car.

The first couple times I rode, I couldn't pull a bottle out of the cage and bring it to my face without looking clumsy as all hell.

aplcr0331

Apparently not much. Every MTB rider I've ever talked to tells me they "love passing roadies on their MTB's going uphill" so you're already faster than any of these guys.

Bikeracer123

I started road riding on a mountain bike 30-40 miles each ride then bought a road bike 3 years ago and was blown away. I was able to do 40 plus miles immediately! I have recently entered the raceing scene and bought a new bike. If you are a strong mountain bike rider you will be a very strong road bike rider!

TimothyH

I've seen MTB guys who were just getting into road bikes. They all seem to want to muscle the bike down the road with lots of upper body movement. Lots of wasted energy. Sitting still, relaxing and spinning is something they seem to have to get used to.

I wonder if the same is true in reverse, if roadies have to get used to more upper body when cycling on the trails.

DustDriver

Lighter, faster, quicker response. Wait did i say faster? Yeah, faster.