I started out on a road bike- commuting then triathalons and generally loving speed. Then my dh got me a mt. bike and I hardly ride the road anymore. I love riding without cars and having to use my bike and body together to get up & down hills or around/over obstacles. Speed is good and it is hard to beat going fast whilst having to navigate the trail. We just came back from a great mt. biking trip in San Diego. If there are any road riders in S.D. who want to try mt. biking, we found some great spots. I still use the road bike for training during the winter and will hopefully pull it out this summer. A key part of mt. biking is having a bike that works well (shifts easily and brakes swiftly) beg, borrow or steal the best bike you can and give it another go!