Do you: Road? Mtn? Commute?

[Ana]

I was wondering how many of you participate in different kinds of biking :) I would love to hear stories of which one you love the most and which one you fell in love with first (but will settle for the types you ride) ;)

I suspect many of you do more than one kind of biking and I'm considering trying mountain biking (I currently have a road bike and commute on my Trek 830 and although do not have the space or finances to purchase a new mountain bike, am very interested to try it :))

[Biciclista]

Hi Ana, that's a pretty steep order, but most of us commuters are riding on the road, right?
I guess you'd say my "love" is really commuting, believe it or not. I like to go on pretty country rides too, but when the weather is better (not so cold) I feel so good about myself riding to and from work every day. It does wonders for my spirit. I count up my commutes, I track how many miles i drive my car and how many times I fill the tank (3 times last summer). It really is my favorite thing about being on the bike.

[Ana]

I know it's a lot to ask but responding is voluntary ;) You can just answer the parts which interest you most if you like :) ;)

I very much enjoy hearing about other people's experiences :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Until last year, I mostly rode for pleasure and exercise (not competing). I put in quite a few miles. Last year I found myself using my bike additionally more and more for errands and shopping as well. I got a second bike for fun riding and I then fixed up my original bike with grocery panniers and rack so I can use it more for practical errands and shopping. I work at home, so commuting to work is not part of my biking lifestyle.

[smilingcat]

I don't trust myself so I'm a strict roadie. Mtn bike... Very bad mix for me. The first and only time I tried mtn bike, I tried to fly like a superman. didn't happen. Although I did become the green monster. lots of grass all around. Snow Mass Colo. pretty place.

I used to commute when I lived closer to work. And last year, I was going to start commuting again but then I couldn't find a gang land free route. :( Thought about using public transit to go through the gang land but even that's dicey. Just not worth it.

[gnarwhal]

I 'commute' to work but to be honest that's a bit of a joke, my work is one mile down a very steep hill from my house. Although on the way home it's one mile up a steep hill to get back again.

I ride a lot with my son who's just learnt to go his own bike at 6, he enjoys going visiting to his grans (on the cycle path on the pavement), riding on the disused railway paths (a bit like wide flat fireroads really) and also riding in the forest on some green/blue runs.

I also ride with my other half (who's better than me) in the forest and we tend toward red and black but i'm often struggling, especially with the hills and the more technical sections.

I love...hmmm i was going to say i love mtn best but i don't know i think what i love is riding. I get the same rush of fun and utility whenever or wherever i ride. I'm getting stuff done, getting groceries or having fun with my son or challenging myself on a tech red but still having fun no matter what.

The one kind of riding i'm not able to do is endless road riding, on those scary skinny tyre bikes with the bull handlebars - petrifying!!! I admire those who can, i just don't have the stamina or the thighs to manage it.

[pinkbikes]

Hi. My name is pinkbikes and I'm an addict!:eek: I'll try anything if it involves a bike.


I learnt to ride a bike when I was a kid and rode it to school. After that was a hiatus while I went to a boarding school where you didn't ride bikes! I headed off to university and was a decent sort of swimmer and a patchy kind of runner (but ok over distances) so somebody convinced me to do a triathlon. I borrowed a bike from my cousin for the race and was instantly converted. I have not been without bike(s) since.

So I mainly have a background in triathlon and road. When DH and I had our child I bought a hybrid and did the "family biking" thing (child seat and a tagalong) and a bit of commuting to work when necessary. But mostly it wasn't too serious.

Then two years ago I got a bit of money that wasn't expected or budgeted for, so I went and replaced my ancient roadie. This was like opening pandora's box. I LOVED brifters. I LOVED carbon bling. I LOVED singing along at speed on a nice light bike with super-skinny tyres. I am back in love with riding a roadie, and shock of all shocks I am doing the 40km ride in a triathlon team in two weeks in one of Australia's bigger triathlons. I am both excited and terrified. Excited to be back into tri's and knowing I've got the legs for the distance, but terrified that I'll be old and slower than my expectations.

But when I bought the roadie, my DH also bought a mountain bike. This was the cracking open of the dam wall! The next thing you know I'd been introduced to mtn biking and was throwing myself over things (including the handlebars) and enjoying something that is the biggest thrill since downhill skiing!:D I just LOVE mtn biking too!

All this riding resulted in more bikes, more commuting to stay fit for the other biking, and then finally a tandem so our sweet 10 y.o. daughter could come on a 9day supported tour with us.

So I guess you could say "all sorts and for all sorts of reasons." As far as I'm concerned, if it has wheels, pedals and a seat, I'm THERE!!:D

[redrhodie]

Road for me. Even my commutes are really just road rides, since I don't carry anything, and I ride about the same distance as a regular ride. The only difference is scenery and traffic.

I have, however, been contemplating trying 'cross next season. There's a great training ride that happens in my area, and it looks like I'd learn a lot, and get a great workout. The problem is, I don't have a bike for that, so we'll see.

[Aggie_Ama]

I road ride, mountain bike and sometimes will ride home if DH brings me to work but I don't consider myself a commuter.

I like road riding best especially when we can afford to travel. Like last year we went to the Davis Mountains of Texas and New Mexico for riding. When it is the same roads all the time I try to focus on the new farm animals. I like looking at houses and stuff too. :)

Mountain biking is fun but it is really hard and DH is good so it is frustrating because I want to stay on the beginner level trails but that doesn't offer much variety. I don't desire to improve rapidly which he doesn't get but that is how I am. My passion is road with a change of scenery so I hit the trails.

I found my mountain bike used on Craigslist for $200. It was a rare find of a pretty decent one in good condition but it happens. She is good enough for a beginner.

[roadie gal]

When I first moved up here I got a mountain bike so I could ride with my BF. Then I got a road bike to increase my endurance for my mountain biking. But I discovered that I really like road biking (and dumped the BF). So that took over as my main bike time. Now I mostly road and triathlon, but in the fall I tend to want to mountain bike. I just love those fall rides.

I would commute except that I live 5 miles and about 700 feet above where I work. The first hill up is a mile at a 10% grade. No thank you after a hard shift.

[katluvr]

Roadie
But I wish I did more. I think I would enjoy "off road riding" ---not serious mtn biking. I think I would hurt myself.

I have commuted off and on in teh past....I should do more. I am only 5 miles from work. It is the packing lunch and the "dress clothes" thing. I know it just takes preparation, just haven't gotten there yet.

I started biking a bit over 5 years ago....I wanted to take a bike vacation AND I needed to lose weight. Then I became addicted. Do many bike events and incorporate my biking into most vacations!

I wish I was on my bike right now!

[sfa]

Commute mostly. Some recreational/fitness riding on weekends (it hardly seems like fitness when it's so fun, though). I'm doing a couple of triathlons and a charity ride this year, too, but I'm not knocking myself out to train for them. I know I can comfortably do the distance on my bike, so I'm not worried about it, although I'll probably go so far as to take off the rack and fenders for the races!

I used to do a lot of touring half my life ago, and the bike I have is leftover from that. I'd love to get back to touring, but it's not in the cards anytime in the near (or even marginally distant) future.

Sarah

[Karma007]

When I was 5, I told my dad that I wanted to grow up and be a bicycler. I've always had the heart of an athlete, but being short, round horribly clumsy (and a giant chicken)and having poor peripheral vision, most sports escape me.

I didn't ride for years but 15 years ago, having no car, I found myself with an infant, a bike and a trailer. I figured out how to strap a carseat in the trailer, and off we went. That lasted 3 years, until I got a car. Didn't ride again for several years, then a bf got me a mtb, which I rode for fun now and then. About a year ago, I had an opportunity to commute, so after contacting a local cycling group for some info, off I went. Then I joined the group rides, and I was hooked! I love that you can ride alone, or not, and that the physical limitations (including severe clumsiness) are not so evident on the bike, like the playing fied has been cleared.
In November bf bought me my first road bike, and I ride like hell. As of TODAY, I commute again as well. I'd love to try mountain biking, but another bike isn't on the horizon, and I can live with that, for now.

[shootingstar]

I don't mountain bike nor do I compete.

So hopefully that describes the type of riding I do. :p

Whenever I hear the term "road biking", I can't help but defend that I do bike for exercise (even if I don't have a bike with dropped down handlebars), commuting and recreation/trips. I actually resent the term "recreation trips". I would not consider loaded pannier bike touring "recreational". It is not a breeze doing that type of riding since usually it requires a person to train up over several weeks/months prior.

[MartianDestiny]

I traded my horse in on a mountain bike my sophomore year in college. Mountain biked for 3 years (and even co-taught the college course) then moved to California and added a commuter road bike to the stable. I just added a dedicated "race" road bike (though I don't race, just club ride) after 2 years of commuting. Next up...either a tri bike or a cyclocross or maybe a custom steel thing (probably mountain, but maybe road, who knows). Yes, I have a bike problem.

I love mountain biking, but road biking with the club and friends is growing on me as well. I commute to keep my mileage up and do my little part of reducing the carbon footprint, but some days it just sucks!

[gnat23]

I'm with pinkbikes. Sign me up for CyclistsAnonymous or something.

I started by biking the 3 mile commute into school from about 5th grade. By the time I got to high school, Dad would take me out for a 20-30 mile ride on Wednesday evenings. We took a trip up to Mackinac Island in Wisconsin (which is navigable only by horse and buggy, bicycle or foot), I did my first century at about 15 years old, and I tagged along for the last few days of GRABAAWR. There was one hill on the last day of that ride that destroyed me (I was technically still riding a kid's bike, all pink and purple), so in 1991 Dad upgraded me to an aluminum Trek 1100, with a triple! Woo! I made it up that hill the next year no problem.

That bike lasted me through the rest of high school, college, living in Chicago, and several years in San Francisco. I didn't buy a car until I was 29 years old. I would wax and wane on yearly mileage, but that old clunker of a bicycle was always there.

I met a boy who worked for a bike company. He convinced me to finally upgrade, and I went full carbon, Dura-Ace, clipless pedals, GPS, the whole shebang. My yearly mileage went up into the thousands. I started setting goals: go up mountains, do more centuries.

I got a mountain bike late last year, but I'm still a little scared of it. It's difficult to ramp up from too-easy fireroads to OMG DEATH! singletrack. I have a steel cruiser for groceries, errands, and getting to and from the gym. And I have an old French steel roadbike that I'm using to learn how to take apart and put back together things.

I still have the car, but it seems to be mostly used to transport the bike around. Funny, how that works. :D

-- gnat!

[AnnieBikes]

I started with a MTB so that I could ride with my three sons and hubby on Boy Scout bike trips. I did that for 5 years and then hubby invited me on a road bike trip for our 30th anniversary....in Ireland. I was hooked on road biking and bought one the day I returned from the trip. Then I met an older (well 12 years older than I am!) woman who had ridden across the country so I decided I would have to try that. With an awesomely (is that a word?) supportive husband, I did it. I am now a part of the addicted list, too! I rode across the country (Southern Tier) in 2007, and from South to North across the country in 2008. (Underground RR Route). So now my husband and I have bought touring bikes...who says you can't have three bikes!!! :) Although due to aging parent issues, we can't leave town together, he rides and I ride, and in town we ride together.

So, I guess I can say that I love road riding the most, but MTB every Wednesday night from April to October (with the time change) with a great group and I love it all. I can't wait to go on a real self supported tour. My husband is taking a month to go on a self-supported trip. My turn will come with a month long ride later this summer (supported)

YIKES!!! I love to ride!

[GLC1968]

I've been biking off and on my whole life. I actually traded a mountain bike for a pair of skiis about 15 years ago (what was I thinking!?!?) and regretted it until I bought a replacement mountain bike. That was when I lived in the Poconos and was dating a guy in Boston. We did a ton of mountain biking all over the northeast. Then I moved to FL and my biking ground to a halt. It was too hot, too buggy and too swampy for my tastes. I did bike to class fairly frequently, but only when I didn't need lights (and it wasn't love bug season). Buying a road bike never even occurred to me even though I was into fitness and exercise.

When I moved to NC, I got my first road bike (since I had a 12 speed as a kid) at the suggestion of my OB/Gyn who was an avid cyclist. My first ride was 15 miles and I was HOOKED. I had no idea how much FUN biking on the road was! I've since bought and sold many road bikes and now I'm happily settled with a lovely, light road bike that I love, a similiarly fit steel commuter that gets the most miles right now, and that same mountain bike that I bought in the early 90's. I consider myself a roadie, but I am working on becomming a more regular commuter (my commute is 20 miles though, so it's a challenge). I only mountain bike occasionally, but I still think it's 'wicked' fun!

[Aint Doody]

I do a teeny tiny bit of mt. biking. My commute to work is less than a mile. I either just walk it or ride my bicycle--or in the warmer weather when I have to go to the grocery I ride my scooter. And in the cold weather I will take my car if I have to.

But my love is road biking. My favorite part of that is organized multiple day rides.

[SheFly]

I started out as a mountain biker - my DH introduced me to it about 15 years ago. Hadn't done much cycling before that, except as desperate transportation in college.

For a number of years I only rode the MTB. Did some racing, fell out of racing, but still rode MTB. I had weekly women's rides for years.

Then a friend talked me into a double century over a weekend on the road bike. I signed up and fell in love with road riding. Loved it MORE than the MTB, although I still managed to do both. Somewhere in there I also took up downhilling (on the bike, not on skis ;) ). That really improved my MTB skills.

Three years agao, I did a time trial. First road race. I won my category and was hooked. I spent the next two years riding road with the occasional MTB ride thrown in. Then, I discovered cross. OMG - that is SO MUCH fun! Wicked hard, but it really brought together my love of road and MTB riding.

This year, I am back to racing my MTB. I will still race/train on the road as well, and will also do a full season of cross. Do I have a favorite? As long as it's on two wheels and I have to pedal, it's all good.

SheFly

p.s.
I am also a stoker on a tandem - have done MTB and road on that, and we have a specific TT tandem as well... Too many bikes and not enough time - what an excellent dilemma!