Who's a converted roadie??

[dutch]

Just read some roadie hate in a pretty active post on here. It got me wondering, who's a converted roadie???

I got my start in cycling riding road bikes, I thought that was one of the most fun things I'd ever done, but a bunch of guys at the shop I work at kept harassing me to start mountain biking.

My first few dirt rides scared the hell out of me, I was on borrowed bikes, freaked out about bumps, but generally loved the thrill.

Now, about two years down the line, I've sold my road bike, chuckle at overly-serious road racer types (the dudes who come into my shop and just grill me on all the new gear and never buy a thing, just a few), and was pretty bored on my last really long road ride.

Mountain biking has exponentially increased my bike handling skills both on and off the road, and I find it way more fun than road riding. I wouldn't say my typical mountain bike ride is as good a work out as a hard road ride, but the fun totally outweighs the shortage in brutal exercise.

Who else is a convert???? And that includes all who still ride road, but are on here because of their passion for dirt.

[mtnbikerdude87]

Already studying for finals dutch?

Ive been mountain biking for about 6 years now and I love evey moment of it. It is definitely a lot more interesting than road riding. But recently Ive been riding road a lot more. I dont have a road bike (yet) so Ive been running slicks on the mtb. I find road riding to be something different. its a bit boring but I can get in a lot more miles and I dont have to travel far to get to my trail. I will always keep my mtbs but I want to use road riding to stay in shape. I think I lost about 10 lbs just from road riding. Also with gas prices on the rise, Ive been commuting 13 miles to work with my mtb. I think a road bike will make the ride a little faster.

[steviebfromtheoc]

I know some mountain bike riders that have converted into roadies , there even thinking about rockin the lycra

[SheDevil]

I am...I admit it....and the guy above me with his cute lil group were out shopping lycra last night if I do understand right. I think one is even a part of a well known LBS thats VERY pro mtb.....I may have to jump their ride and post photos Could be worthy of at least a small blackmail discount

[El Salt]

After 20 years of, "I'd never ride the road", about 5 years ago I got into it. I'd say I'm about 40/60 road to Mtn these days. I find that each helps me perform better in the other. The roadie hate (and sometimes the MTBer hate) that I read sometimes really bothers me. I say, if you're on a bike having a good time, who cares if its fat or skinny tires?

[DBD]

I really do not consider my self a mountain biker or a roadie, I am a cyclist and enjoy both forms of the sport equally as well as BMX. I would also include trials and flatland but I really stink at that stuff.

Although I do wear baggy/loose fitting gear and a Camelbak even on the road bike.

[Pain Freak]

When I got back into riding I started out mountain biking and road dirt for a couple years. But as a kid I'd ride long distances on my Schwinn Varsity and I remembered it fondly so I bought a road bike to see if it'd still be fun and I enjoyed it a lot. I love both types but mountain I really like the most. But I do both and I never get bored. If you're getting bored your not riding hard enough . I can see most the same terrain from the road and I do look a lot, but both can be dangerous if you take your eyes away from your intended path. There are challenges in both and I find them both extremely enjoyable.

[MTBMaven]

I agree with DBD. I am a cyclist, I ride a MTB, a full carbon road bike, and a steel lugged fixed bike. I am selling the carbon road bike and having a full custom road bike made. I would love to have a BMX, unicycle, freeride bike, and probably a few other bikes as well.

These days I would guess I get more time on the road bike than the MTB. I just find it more enjoyable. As crazy as that sounds I know. I wouldn't have thought it myself until I started doing it. It is a different experience all together. The speed is addicting. I love spending hours on end pedaling down the road. Looking for that next stretch of pavement. The physical challenge is far greater to me doing a 100 or 200 mile bike ride that the rides I used to do on a MTB. Sure it's not a technically challenging, but then again there were no big technical challenges left for me on my local trails when I switched to road biking.

Now I'm interested in multi day road biking challenges (375 miles, 750 miles, etc.) and 2-5 day tours. If you are in shape, eat, and drink enough you can ride all day with little down time.

Like El Salt said, road biking has the potential to significantly elevate you power and endurance on a MTB. I became a much stronger rider after one year of road biking. Pushing the larger gears up steep hills really built power.

Before MTBers knock road biking and all that goes with it I highly recommend trying it. If you like, scratch that, if you love riding bikes you owe it to yourself to try it for a while.

[DirtymikeTDB]

I am a Mtn bikerm at heart, but I ride road as well. probably about 75% mtn. I love both, mand would not give up either unless It was impossible for me to continue

[Von-Skipp]

I started out mtn biking but recently got into road riding.

The main reason for buying a road bike: Training and Triathlons.

I have become so much faster on the mountain due to road biking. There is not one pro mtn biker that will not train on the road.

I have also recently dipped into triathlons and will do a half Ironman this October.

I love my road bike, but my priorities this summer is mountain bike racing.

[Blue Rat]

I guess, like a lot of folks, I just like riding my bicycles but if only one type were allowed I would choose mountain bikes.

I started riding in 1967 on something that looked like this:

[1x1clyde]

Is this the thread for coverted mountain bikers?

[53-12]

Yup, I too started on the road and crossed over. In fact I was a rather late convert, most of my road riding friends were doing both for quite a while before I made the jump. Now I cant understand why it took me so long.

[Evil Chocula]

I'm a converted lycra-wearing roadie.... and I miss it! My next purchase is a road bike for sure. I miss cruising the sleepy, rolling country streets out here.

[SIK SD]

When i was 10 my parents bought me a Huffy Aerowind (1980), until that point i was all bmx, they saw me riding my Hutch BMX all over the place and thought something with gears might be appropriate. When i got on that thing and reallized that i could just sit there and pedal for hours without killing myself i was hooked. I rode that thing everywhere. That bike probably weighed 30+ pounds but to me it was "the grand enabler". Seeing how well that went over my parents bought me a Chromoly Nashbar complete 12 speed bike for my 12th birthday. That bike was about 24lbs and after riding the Huffy it felt like air on wheels. I was hooked. I put down the BMX and started racing amateur road rides, mostly metric centuries at 12 years old. No one else in my family rode bikes so sometimes they would drop me off and follow me point to point in a car because i couldnt ride enough. One time they followed me almost a hundered miles for a ride that i carefully planned out and they approved. 1984 was my first mountain bike, it was a Diamond back beast. I got on that thing and again was liberated all over again as now i could ride anywhere without limitation. Have been riding road and mountain ever since. I am addicted to bicycles, always have been and don't know how different my life would be without the tens of thousands of miles i have ridden. I will be that 80 year old fart knocker tooling around on a bike. road, mountain, it doesn't matter, it's riding on one of mans near perfect inventions, almost perfect power transfer into motion, liberation...We are all the truly blessed, we understand the glory that is the bicycle.

[Pickettt]

I convert back and forth between the road, mountain, and cyclocross on a regular basis. I started riding and racing mountain bikes, bought a road bike to train to race mountain bikes, then cyclocross so I could race a road bike in the dirt. Every discipline complements every other. Mountain bikers, if you're not riding the road, you're missing out.

[ericfoltz]

I converted to MTB from BMX back around 1989. I will always consider myself a MTBer no matter how many road miles I ride.

I used to do a lot of road riding on my Mtn bike back when I was racing XC between '92-98. The increased mileage and consistent cadence pays off. It's also easier to do intervals.

Last year I got my first road bike. I have to admit I've never been a fan of Road or Roadies, but there is something about the mileage and speed that can be addicting. I immediately saw improvements in my off-road riding. Especially in regards to improvements in endurance. I also like that I can jump on the roadie 30 minutes after it stops raining and not have to worry about trashing the trails.

As far as boring goes. Yes, it's a different type of riding. But, if I'm on my road bike, I'm working out, pushing my legs, heart and lungs. I'd rather do it out on the road than in a gym. If I need excitment, I ride PCH through Laguna during rush hour (scarier than Rattlesnake with no brakes).

I've never done a group road ride. Even on my MTB, I usually prefer to ride alone.

As for the whole Baggies vs Lycra thing. Prior to around 1997, pretty much everyone wore lycra because that was all that was available. I've even got some Fox "tighties" from back in the days when that was all they made.

I pretty much think the whole roadie vs mtb thing is ridiculous. Cycling is cycling. There are jerks in both camps.

The biggest difference I see amongst riders is not whether they are riding road or dirt, but whether they are riding for a workout or as a social event.

Riders working out are usually head down concentrating on speed, cadence, etc... They don't stop very often and barely look up let alone socialize with everyone they see on the trail/road. They will ride alone to get a workout and sometimes prefer the solitude.

Social riders are usually out there to spend time with their friends and rarely ride alone. They thrive on the comaraderie.

Some riders do both types of rides. Some only do one and don't understand the attitude of those who only do the other. It's all cycling.

[bvader]

Originally Posted by Von-Skipp