Riding a mountain bike can be a fun way to improve your health by getting in some great cardio. But if you’re new to mountain biking, you might have some questions.
As a mountain biker, you might be interested in the best way to stay safe while riding on the road, whether you’re on road bikes or mountain bikes and whether you can really use your mountain bike on the road.
Here are the answers to these questions and more.
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Can a Mountain Bike Be Ridden on the Road?
Yes, you can ride a mountain bike on the road, as mountain bikes aren’t only for riding in the mountains. In fact, sometimes, mountain bikes are preferable to road bikes when riding on certain roads that consist of rough terrain and pits.
These types of roads can make riding road bikes, or other types of bikes, nearly impossible.
Many people use a mountain bike as their only means of transportation to and from work, so riding their bike on the road is unavoidable. There is nothing wrong with riding a mountain bike on the road as long as you’re cautious and follow the safety requirements.
Is Mountain Biking on the Road Ideal?
Mountain bike tires are specifically made to be ridden in the mountains and on rough and uneven terrain. Riding your mountain bike on the road can have quite a few benefits depending on why you’re riding it.
If you’re riding your mountain bike on the road for long periods of time, it’s not going to be the most comfortable ride. It may also take you longer to get to and from your destination, as mountain bikes are less efficient than road bikes when ridden on the streets—they’re a lot slower.
Mountain bikes are a lot more durable than road bikes, so this must also be taken into consideration when determining if mountain biking on the road is ideal.
If the roads you plan on riding on are bumpy, then a mountain bike is the better option. Mountain bikes absorb shocks because the suspension mountain bikes have is better, so you won’t feel like you’re careening off the road every time you hit a rock, pothole, or pebble.
Regardless if you’re riding on the streets or trail riding in the woods, a mountain bike is going to make riding on unpaved roads and up steep inclines a lot easier.
More and more people prefer mountain bikes to road bikes, even if they’re not going off-road. You can actually lock out the rear suspension of your mountain bike so that it acts like a road bike (road bikes have almost no suspension travel because vertical movement on the shocks remove forward momentum).
The traction of the tires makes climbing hills almost effortless and the beefier brakes make it easier to stop on a steep downhill. Regular road bike tires simply don’t have the same traction, regardless of the quality.
Conversely, the added weight of the frames makes mountain bikes quite heavy, so speeding uphill isn’t always easy, but the full suspension makes the ride very smooth.
You get different types of mountain bike options; if you want to ride your mountain bike on paved roads, it’s best to get a hardtail bike (a bike with front suspension and a rear-suspension lockout, such as an XC bike). This will ensure your bike absorbs surface irregularity on the road.
A cross-country bike will also allow you to do normal jumps because it has more robust features than a road bike. But mountain bikes aren’t appropriate if you’re looking for a bike that can reach high speeds—that’s what road bikes are for.
All in all, it makes perfect sense to ride your mountain bike on the streets. However, you shouldn’t expect your bike to perform like a road bike because it won’t have the same slick tires (road tires are thin tires) – it’s called a “mountain” bike for a reason.
Mountain bikes’ wider wheels provide greater rolling resistance, which means you need to expend more energy to get going. As long as you don’t have to go long distances on your mountain bike and you’re not looking to do any low-resistance racing, you should be fine riding it on the road.
You can even do a neat jump on the road with your mountain bike!
On the other hand, if you enjoy riding very long distances at high speed, you might want to rethink the type of bike you use. A road bike with road tires would be much more appropriate in such a situation.
Safety Rules While Riding a Mountain Bike on the Road
According to statistics provided by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, at least 55 bicyclists die each year as a result of accidents. However, there are things you can do to decrease your chances of becoming involved in an accident and have a more enjoyable ride.
Regardless of where you end up road biking and the type of bike you’re riding on, you should follow these safety rules:
- Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch out for other cyclists and motor vehicles on the streets at all times. Your bicycle should be equipped with a horn or bell to warn others on the road that you’re approaching.
- Wear protective gear. You never know when you might fall off your bike or get hit by a vehicle, so you should protect yourself with the correct gear to minimize injuries. In addition to wearing protective headgear, it’s a good idea to invest in gloves and knee pads.
- Familiarize yourself with your bike in advance. If you’re new to riding a mountain bike, then you need to know how to operate it before getting on the road. Riding a bike involves more than simply hopping on and pedaling.
Make sure you’re certain how the brakes and gears work before riding out in traffic. Also, it’s a good idea to ensure all your equipment, including the bike itself, is in good working condition before heading out on the road
- Use proper signals. When riding in traffic, it’s important to be knowledgeable of and actually use proper hand signals so drivers will know which way you’re going. Don’t force drivers to guess which way you’re going because that is how many accidents occur each year.
- Utilize bike lanes. Bike lanes are there for a reason – to provide bicyclists with a safe place to ride their bikes when riding on the road. If you’re a new rider, you might want to avoid roads without bike lanes, just until you become acclimated to riding in general.
- Wear reflective clothing. Nothing is worse than road rides at night while wearing dark clothing and no reflectors on your bicycle. Drivers can’t see you, which could end in disaster.
To keep safe, you should ensure that your bicycle has reflectors on the back, and you should also wear light-colored reflective clothing. This enables drivers to see you, so accidents can be avoided.
Conclusion
It’s clear that using trail bikes on the road is no big deal (especially if a mountain bike is the only bike you own) although there are some disadvantages that come with it.
If you find that it’s really not working for you, another option is to purchase a hybrid bike, which is a mix between a road bike and a mountain bike. That way, instead of having to invest in a second bike, you can just have one bike, as is, for several purposes.
A hybrid bike offers a decent ride, and it can be used for different terrain, such as hill climbing on your local trail as well as general commuting on paved roads to and from work, etc.
The roads in most cities are quite rough and sometimes even have potholes, so using a mountain bike is often the better option.
FAQs
Will riding my off-road bike on a road trip damage my bike?
Mountain bikes are specially made to withstand rough surfaces with their advanced off-road traction. If you ride on a road, or even dirt roads, it will not increase the amount of damage the bike sustains when it comes to the brakes, shocks, and gears since braking will be a lot easier on a smooth pavement or road than in the mountains.
This will actually allow these parts of your bike to last longer than average. However, since you will be riding your mountain bike on cement and concrete roads, the tires might wear out faster, increasing the frequency that they will need to be replaced.
Do mountain cyclists riding on the road have to abide by traffic laws like motor vehicles?
This is a no-brainer. If you’re cycling on the road, you absolutely must abide by all the same laws as motor vehicles.
Failure to do so could result in you receiving a ticket, or even getting hurt or killed by a vehicle.
Where can I purchase a high-quality mountain bike without exceeding my budget?
There are many places to purchase a high-quality mountain bike without spending more than you can afford. Visit some local bike shops and do research online.
You should be able to find the right bike at an affordable price. You could even search for used mountain bikes from private sellers that you can find in local newspapers and even on social media.
Can I still get a cardio workout if I purchase a mountain e-bike to ride on the road?
The simple answer is, yes, you can burn nearly as many calories riding an e-bike as you can with a traditional mountain bike. In fact, if you ride a mountain e-bike back and forth to work each day, you will improve your health as much as you would if you were doing it on a conventional mountain bike.
Are there any benefits when you ride a mountain bike on paved roads?
One definite benefit when you ride your mountain bike on the road is that you’ll get more of a workout. Since mountain bikes are a bit harder to maneuver on the streets due to their heftier weight, especially uphill, the most obvious thing you will notice is that it takes more energy to pedal.