Road Bike VS Mountain Bike, Which One is Best?

When we want to buy a bike for exercise, we often hesitate to decide whether to choose a road bike or a mountain bike. when we try to find answers on internet,we often found that road bikes can ride on smooth road,while mountain bike can ride on any terrain road surface. Acturally,this idea is unilateral and prejudiced.

ROAD BIKE AND MONTAIN BIKE DEFINITION

ROAD BIKE

As the name suggests, a road bike is a bicycle specially designed for road riding. It is characterized by simplicity and lightness, and all designs are oriented to road riding.

Recent years, road bikes have gotten closer and closer to a balance of rigidness, comfort, weight, and aerodynamics, and there are some models with corresponding weights, but in general, they are all designed to let you ride on concrete, asphalt, etc. Ride with greater efficiency on pavement—and with greater efficiency, you go faster, further, and more comfortably.

If you're not going to be out riding on loose backcountry roads, a well-sized and well-configured road bike can meet your needs absolutely.

MTB BIKE

A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling.

Riding on concrete and asphalt roads, mountain bikes not only have very high resistance, but the pedaling efficiency brought by riding posture bult by shock absorber device and frame geometry is not as good as that of road bikes,because they are born for off-road bicycle.The mountains and forests are the suitable stage for them.

If you've decided to get into the mountains on a bike,using the tires touch on raw dirt, boulders, and even try some jumps in the woods or thees, then a mountain bike with wide tires and suspension will be the right choice.

SPEED,SAFETY,COMFORT,WHICH ONE IS MORE FASTER,SAFE AND COMFORTABLE?

If you want to ride on paved roads, maybe a road bike is more suitable for you.Road bikes are designed with a balance between efficiency and comfort to help you go faster and farther on concrete or asphalt. Its simple mechanical structure is destined to turn your strength into forward momentum more efficiently and help you conquer mountains with lower weight; its thinner tires have lower rolling resistance; its frame geometry This tends to steer you into a position where it's easier to generate power and less drag on the wind - which is why road bikes allow you to go faster and farther on paved roads.

If you ride on trails in the mountains, maybe a mountain bike is more suitable for you.No matter in the mountains or in the man-made mountain bike park, you may encounter unexpected ruggedness and obstacles. If you want to ride fast and safely on trails full of rocks, roots and potholes, then the suspension ability of the bicycle is indispensable.

All the wide tires, fork,and the rear shock on mountain bike's can filter vibrations, keeping you on a relatively flat ride. Of course, when mountain biking, your limbs are also part of the overall suspension system. The handlebars and even the frame geometry of mountain bikes are better suited to allow you to easily move your center of gravity on the bike, so that use your limbs to absorb shock.

The toothed tires used in mountain bikes are also a very important part of mountain biking. This kind of tires can increase the grip on soft soil and allow you to control the vehicle with confidence in the mountains and forests.

When you know the above information, but are still not sure about the environment you are riding in, or think that you may ride in both environments. Well, if it wasn't for racing, we'd certainly like to just buy one bike that does both.

Then a gravel road bike can meet above requirements,due that is a very adaptable bicycle.

We all know that road bikes have a frame geometry suitable for long-distance road riding, a simple and lightweight structure, and handlebars that can switch between different postures; while mountain bikes have the strong wide-toothed tires that can absorb the vibration on non-paved roads. The Gravel road bike combines both attributes, so that you get a road bike capable of light off-road riding on unpaved surfaces like gravel roads.

However, it must be noted that although the gravel road bike has strong road adaptability, its general purpose and adaptability make it less prominent on the above two types of roads.

In short, every style of bike has its own advantages and corresponding limitations,  when choosing a bicycle, you have to consider your basic needs.