The Spark World Cup just edges out the Supercaliber by a consistent 1 second, so we give it the win in this test. Finally, investing in a quality set of tires can also help to improve your bikes speed. With a compact chainring setup, you could still be pedalling at 80rpm up a nine-per cent grade. True story one time I rode my bikes all the way from Central California to Tijuana, Mexico to enjoy some tacos with my buddy Rob. If you are looking to lose weight and get fit. This decreases the chances of the chain coming off, and eliminates the need for a heavy, expensive, and finicky front derailleur. Now I understand why its impossible toform an exact comparison between the difficulty of road and mountain bike riding! Road bikes have narrow tires and are generally easy to pedal at full speed while mountain bikes (MTB) have wider tires that can make pedaling feel What is more critically important is that you enjoy whichever type of bike you end up using. Most road bikes are 2x set-ups, which means they have two front chainrings and a front derailleur, with the classic setups being a 53/39, 52/36 or 50/34. Most road bikes are 2x set-ups, which means they have two front chainrings and a front derailleur, with the classic setups being a 53/39, 52/36 or 50/34. However, it is important to point out that if you want a mountain bike that weighs less and can go faster, then you will probably pay more for it. Some of these include: Not everyone lives near a mountain bike trail and this can make mountain biking almost impossible in the city. The difference between one speed runners compared to interval type runners is much like the roadies versus MTBers around here; mostly flat roads make great endurance bikers. More One interesting thing to note is thata lot of the speed difference in the test seemed to come in the first 10 yardsalong the test track as the bikes accelerated up to speed. Road bikes are designed for speed and efficiency, while mountain bikes are designed for stability and durability. As a result, all of these factors must be considered when determining how fast a bike can go. Beginning with the frame itself, the best road bikes are designed to be compact and aerodynamic compared to mountain bikes which are designed to be stable over rough ground. Designed to handle rocks, roots, and ruts, mountain bike wheels and tyres are made to be durable and grippy on uneven ground. Using the model on Bike Calculator, 58 watts of power would be required on a mountain bike while 34 watts would be needed for pedaling 15mph. Road Bikes work great for anyone wanting to rank up miles and covering long distances or be part of group cycling sessions where everyone assists each other. 2, Electric bikes are actually likewise surprisingly reliable. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,1050],'ciclofilia_org-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ciclofilia_org-large-leaderboard-2-0');Moreover, the lightweight frames and overall design of road bikes mean you can ride for long distances to develop endurance. So, when youre thinking about mountain bike vs road bike speed, your positioning makes a big impact.. 269-274. It all started with a BMX bike, and over the years its grown into a passion for every kind (road, mountain, cruisers). One thing to consider is that if you an advanced trail rider, throwing the bike around also requires more physical effort. Furthermore, bikes are merely vehicles that are as good as their bikers. Starting at 21mm wide, you can find road tyres all the way up to 38mm wide, but that is still significantly narrower than the narrowest mountain bike tyres, which start at around two inches. The more aired up your tires are, the less surface area your tire is covering and the more the tire holds its shape. The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Manufacturers are now making 11-speed and 12-speed mountain bike cassettes from a 10t cog to a 50t and larger, so even with a 1x set-up, you can achieve a huge range of gearing for steep singletrack climbs and fast descents. Ive been mountain biking fordecades, andas far back as I can remember, mountain bikers have alwaystaken pride inhow much more difficult MTB is compared to road riding. Comparing their speeds, generally, the average speed of a mountain bike is 10mph whereas that of a road bike, the average speed is 15 mph. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fall into two broad categories: bikes that assist the rider's pedal-power (i.e. Of course, this is starkly different from the average speed of professionals, but youve also got to consider the infamous phrase, What goes up, must come down, and apply it to mountain bike vs road bike speed. From the data set it is evident that more than 300 watts of effort that lasted between 5 and 25 seconds were needed for the mountain bike. A mountain bikes frame geometry is designed to help cushion blows and improve balance over bumpy sections, along with powerful disc brakes and massive gearing ranges for all sorts of off-road terrain. if you go at your maximum wattage both should mean the same effort really. But I had fun. They are still most commonly used for recreational riders. Trails and pavement tend to have very different characteristics which is why a very specialized bike is needed for these types of terrain. While on a mountain bike, youll be seated in a much more upright position thanks to a short reach, slacker head tube angle, and flat handlebars. To gain more perspective, we can look at the follow-up video by the Global Cycling Network (GCN). Yes, some Mtn bikes are lighter than some Rd bikes, but as stated, Rd bikes are generally lighter. Based on the factors I was able to test, I found a 51% increase in the effort needed to ride a mountain bike on a grassy, leafy trail with obstacles, compared to a road bike on a paved surface. Petersen, Grant. A majority of the decrease in speed is attributed to the mechanical limitations of the gear set. The same grade on pavement is so boring that agony is my mental state. Road bikes are meant for the road, while mountain bikes are not. Chowdhury, Harun & Alam, Firoz & Khan, Iftekhar. One reason road bikes are faster has more to do with how you ride it rather than the ride itself. The comfortable, albeit harder ride is only icing on the cake. With a road bike there is not much cleaning required and the bike does not take much of a beating which means you do not have to spend so much money maintaining the bike. Thank you for signing up to The Pick. However, road bike tires are designed to have as little friction with the ground as possible. Admittedlymy test track for this one wasnt perfect. If exploring dirt trails is a hobby for you, then mountain bikes might just be perfect for you. The suspension is another thing too, and I appreciate you would consider that separately. Some may argue that bikes are only as fast as the person who is pedaling. This includes, but is not limited to, shifters, brake levers, front and rear calipers, chain, cassette, bottom bracket, crankset, and more (Source). These mountain bikes are available in the market with different price ranges and attractive colors. Speed was held constant over multiple trials (to get an average) and we measured work and forces using a power meter. This does depend on where youre riding though, in both road and mountain locations. When riding a mountain bike, these short bursts of effort are common. I understand the difficulty with comparing the other areas, and thus leaving them out of this test, except to land on a general 50% 150% increase vs road biking. your bike with the same cadence, 42/32/22 rings, 26x1.6" tires and an 11-32 cassette spins out at 33.3 mph. What is the factor you use to estimate the road ride equivalent of your MTB rides? Manage Settings The brake and shift levers are located on the hoods, which is the most common hand position for road cycling. HI, Effort and work done are different and understanding the extra effort is important as any of the peer reviewed publications reviewing MTB and Rd that look at rider efficiency will tell you per W that Rd rider are more efficient. When cycling upright, like most do with mountain biking, could cause you to be two times slower than a road biking position. When it comes to Road Bikes, the stiffer frames ensure that less power is lost to a suspension system, and more of it is transferred to the wheels for maximum speed. The wide tyres and suspension will keep you more comfortable on rough terrain, and you wont have to worry much about the aerodynamics on a slower mountain bike ride. You are going nowhere, and are recovering. While we envisioned that the rider would be dealing with a whole lot more vibrations (you have to dampen these to protect the central nervous system) it seems likely that drag played the biggest part. He writes about everything to do with cycling on our site. Both e-bikes offer long-range. This statistic does not take into account suspension, which would cause the number to go up to 100% to 150% for approximately the same 10 to 15-mile distance. Instead, I ended up testing in patchy grass and leaves. Probably not completely accurate or scientific but based on my fitness tracker, heart rate went down, active minutes went up and calories burned went way up. You will also need to expend more effort and energy given the weight of the bike and the fact that it is not as streamlined as the road bike. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. the benefits of disc brakes on road bikes. These bikes are significantly heavier and more expensive than hardtail mountain bikes, but they perform much better on rough trails. It is important to note that because of their weight and suspension systems, they take significantly more effort, up to 51%, to ride (Source). Suspension, even when properly tuned, sucks energy during a ride. You ride them on trails, through the countryside, up and down mountains, on tracks, and all kinds of places. Their rugged heavy builds, when paired with their large treaded tires and suspension systems, ensure that you can cover any trail comfortably. They are incredibly thin and allow riders to ride more quickly through streets and flat roads., Mountain bikes not only have wider tires, but they also have bigger treads. Terms | Privacy, Test Ride Review: Marin Mount Vision C-XM9, Turn It Up! Because of this, you can reduce tire deflection. Their frames look completely different, one has fat tyres while the other has skinny ones, the handlebars are vastly different shapes, and is that suspension? Yes, we now know that for mountain bike vs road bike speed, road bikes win. Most mountain bikes these days come with a 1x set-up, which means that there is just one front chainring. The only true way to know is to control speed and measure work and forces at a number of positions on the bike. The former is focused on speed and intense cardio-based workouts while the latter is relaxed and more prone to exploring different sites with friends. On a road bike, youll be stretched out with a longer reach, closed hip angle and forward-leaning position. This means you cannot swap them, even if you have read articles that encourage it or have heard it through friends. Another option is to add aero bars, which help to reduce drag and make pedaling more efficient. Speaking of their chains, Mountain Bikes tend to have two chainrings whereas most Road Bikes tend to have three chainrings. 3, Electric bikes are actually much safer than typical bikes. Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking, plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week. Thanks Paul. (2011). Of course, another quick way to estimate is to look at average speeds. Full suspension mountain bikes have both front and rear suspension, which improves overall comfort and handling over rough and technical terrain. But evenwithin surface types were sure to find variations. as a BMXer & MTBer i almost never sit. This gives them better traction and makes them slower on the pavement. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.--. They can easily achieve velocities of up to 25 mph, which is actually much faster than conventional bikes. On a commuter bike, itll take them 1 hour and 40 minutes to go to work. Sometimes, you will definitely see bikes coming in around the same weight! For example, sugar sand seems to add more resistance than, say, course river sand. If the ground is level, it will be easier to pedal and the bike will go faster. Bath Moreover, when road riding you can train specific aerobic systems for a great workout as opposed to mountain biking where riding for endurance is almost impossible due to the short bursts of energy and effort required. Many riders crossover and ride both (not at the same time), and there are even professional riders who compete in explosive cross-country mountain biking and six-hour road races. After earning a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science at Marian University-Indianapolis, Zach discovered a passion for writing that soon turned into a full-fledged career. Gear Ratio Mountain bikes have a lower As Ive been touching on throughout this article, we ride mountain bikes off the road. Then, apply a light coat of lubricant to help protect against corrosion. Disc brakes also allow for more tyre clearance, which is best for mountain bikes that have wide and knobbly tyres. It took a week and the tacos were ok, but the journey was totally worth it. If you're passionate about all things to do with cycling, then come on in and take a look around. Amongst the most popular types of bicycles, there is hardly a starker contrast than from road bike to mountain bike. Your email address will not be published. The difference averages out to around a 10%-30% increase in speed. 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