Now then, I’ve been riding mountain bikes since 1995 and have loved it, BUT!!
I started with a Marin pine valley(?) and moved through a GT LTS, Marin B17, Santa Cruz Heckler, GT DH1, GT Lopes, Foes Fly, Spesh HT, Spesh demo 9, Intense Tazer, Spesh Enduro, Cotic Soul and now a Spesh camber!!! And i loved it all, but now time and age (41) and family demands mean that time is of a premium! Some here may empathise with this and I don’t know how to quantify this but , some of my ride buddies seem to find riding time that I just can’t! They seem to ride when they want to but my family time is important and limited, riding to and from work is probably my only sanctuary!!
In 2011 I undertook a serious challenge (for me, a smoker!) to ride JOGLE for my friends charity, I gave up smoking and trained very hard(for me!) and rode in support of my friend(riding 600 miles), but in doing so I fell in love with road riding, the freedom, speed, the discipline, the lack of mud and dirt! I know, I know, not the right thing to say on here, butI now loathe the thought of getting dirty and riding through mud and wish I was riding on the road again! I have persevered with MTB but even a new bike can’t fire my mojo, so the question is- Should I leave my mates and persue what I believe is my favoued type of riding or should I deny my inner pleasure and carry on riding mtb for the sake of friendship and comaraderie?

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I’ve recently taken up road due to the distinct lack of mountains within a fifty mile radius of my house. I love road bikes but I will always play on my MTB as well. I find the road to be very therapeutic on my own and playing around in the woods with “the lads” to be well err fun.

It’s a phase, it’ll pass…

There is no better feeling in the world (well, maybe sex when done right) than getting out of your wet and muddy clothes and into the shower after a particularly filthy bike ride.

i used to say i was a mountain biker who happened to spend alot of time on the road, mainly commuting, however i haven’t riden the mtb for more than a month i think, and i am not really missing it either.

The mud, the cleaning, just no fun.

I guess when the trails dry out and the seasons change, the feeling may change, little beats the pleasure of getting away from it all riding through the woods.

Happy New Year!
What was the question?

The mud, the cleaning, just no fun.

Winter = basic rigid SS time… less cleaning more riding.

I’m with Cook.
You can even inflate your tyres like a mad man and use the SS as a road commuter!

Winter = basic rigid SS time… less cleaning more riding.

No, makes no difference with where i ride, it doesn’t clean clothes, i don’t have space for another bike, it would do my head in having a tiny gear on the road sections, etc etc. And crucially i don’t actually enjoy mud!

I’m the same as you; I rode MTBs for 23 years then began to grow tired of the mud, the expensive wear to parts, the posing, the pub scene, the need to drive somewhere for most of my rides.

Three years ago I got a carbon road bike and since then I have neglected the MTB apart from the odd club night ride. My fitness has rocketed and I am really regretting that I didn’t take up road riding 20 years ago as I’d have done much better in the MTB events I’ve undertaken in those years. I can ride from my front door into open countryside and enjoy the exhilaration of riding fast with a pal or two on twisty empty roads, the occasional cafe stop and the comfort and speed of a good road bike. I have even bought a CX bike as a winter trainer, which I’m enjoying a lot this year. The best thing about it is that I get home after 2-3 hours of hard riding feeling absolutely shelled and can put the bike away and go for a shower, no need to wash bike and kit and undress in a freezing garage because I’m so filthy.

If I want to go out with mountain bike mates I’m a member of a local club who do Sunday and weds night rides and I can always go out with them.

For an explanation of why road riding becomes such an obsession, read The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton; it’s an excellent little book on the lore and the appeal of road riding and there’s a tragic twist at the end.

same hear fella, everyone goes off MTBing for a while (i think). why not get a cheap/second hand road bike to start and if you end up using it more then buy a smart new bike?

I do a spot of roading on my ancient Raleigh (weighs more than my full suss 😯 ) but its just as much fun as something flash.

The other thing to try is getting out early, I usually hit the road around 6, 6.30, 35 miles back buy 8ish

Same for me, I’m loving the road bike at the moment. It’s even better on warm summer days too. The mountain bike has been little used over the past few months.

The major adavantage for me is I can ride from the door more on the road bike, so I can be out first thing, 35-50 miles and back home by 8-9am, which means I can spend the rest of the day with the other half. It just works for me really.

why is it a dilema ? it’s just riding a bike, ride on the road, ride off road who cares ? yes maintenance is higher when riding off road when it’s muddy but you also don’t have to suffer pillocks in cars/vans & lorries (though i do have to cross a roundabout on my local loop off road and i’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been cut up and undertaken). I don’t like road riding in high winds, not for the extra work envolved riding into it, but the nasty habit of being blown into the middle of the road as you past gaps in hedgerows. It’s all good.

I was a roadie in my spotty yoof days but grew tired of the monotony of tarmac, fumes, danger and abuse from motorists. I only commute on road now and haven’t ridden on open roads for pleasure for about 25 years.

If you have access to quiet, pleasant road routes and no off road options from your front door, then it may make sense. Otherwise, off road is more fun and less stressful.

Just do what you enjoy it’s a hobby not a commitment!
For me the roadbike is so much more convenient,straight out the door & away I go,mountainbike though,that requires a car journey & associated faffing about.As a result I’ve only rode the mountainbike 12 or 13 times last year,yet I was out on the roadbike loads.In fact now it’s finally stopped raining I’ll be out on the roadbike within the hour,I wo’nt be getting rid of the mountainbikes though as the most memorable & enjoyable rides from last year were on the mountainbike,good fun good company.
If your struggling to find the time just be more selective about when you go mountainbiking

I only got into the mtb last April and am loving it,, having been off the bike for 15 years. I was a rodie and to be honest i still prefer getting out on the road.

I love the trails but with 2 young kids at best i can get 1 ride a week off road as it just takes so much time. In less than 2 hrs i can get out and ride 30 miles on the road.

im fortunate that i have very quiet roads about me, if i didnt then i might feel a bit different.

Best advice is do what YOU enjoy, dont worry too much about others.

Some really really good honest opinions here. I was in a similar dilemma. I’m 40 next year, with kids aged 5 and 9 and with growing demands on my already dwindling time. At the end of day its its horses for courses. But road and mtb are both night and day. I could not part with either as they both give me such pleasure. I use the trail bike for days out with me mates and my cheap cx bike to commute on, trips out to see my mates. The way it is for me, get both, you dont need to spend the earth.

The road for fitness and the trail bike for fun. I get out when I can and I really appreciate that time. Just enjoy whatever you ride.

Do both. There is room for both… Always.

I have as much time to ride as I can be bothered doing,but if I got a ‘real’ life and had to choose, I would just ride the cx bike.I’ve done 100+ miles on road and ridden trail centres on it.It’s as close to ‘one’ bike as I can get.

with fervourdimage on that, whats the issue, ride whatever you like.

throw a cross bike, a jump bike and in indoor trainer in the mix too, its all cycling!