I was kind of brought up on road riding. My dad was a keen cyclist in his teens early 20s and though he never followed it through once us sprogs came along, he always retained a passion for it. He took me to a few of the Kelloggs one-day affairs back in the early 80s and was instrumental in me getting my first road bike etc.
I used to enjoy flying past people on their early clunky Mtb’s back in the day, with their legs spinning at 1000 revolutions a minute…however…
I lost my way due to nightclubs, girls and drink for all of the 90’s,..and never straddled a bicycle.
With cash low and Cannock Chase on my doorstep and a job, I hopped on the early, just starting to take off, mtb scene of the early 2000s, and was mtb inclusive for 10 years – only then, having moved closer to work, did i find it necessary to get back on the road, and to be honest I love it! Dodging near death every day has a certain charm, and you can get the miles in and it is less hassle and you look so refined and sharp doing it, and, of course I remember my now departed father every time I need to tame a steep rise, and imagine him saying ‘this is nothing – i used to ride to Wales and back in one day from Cradley’.
Looking back now, I feel i was always a roadie really – but mtb led to my rediscovery of all things to be enjoyed on two wheels,… and MTBing is still great too and offers things Road riding never can, and viz a viz.
Enjoy riding, whatever your bag, it’s always good.