Do you: Road? Mtn? Commute?

[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!