I've dabbled in The Dark Art since before you guys were born, when roadies laughed at fat tires then got all butthurt when you got off the paved path, rode across the creek then hit the singletrack on the opposite bank. Who was having more fun then? Don't start with the 'roadies vs. mountain bikers' junk again; you're 30 years too late to start up that ugly trope once more, and roadies got a bad name for that the first time around. You're better than that, guys!🙄
I'd return with the old XC bike or the fatbike, but then again, I'm nowhere near any trails, within a 30km radius. I'm just under half an hour away from easily flooded (and days-long half-a-leg deep flooded) roads, though, and there's never a week where at least floods would stay at least a couple of days... shame that the said roads are the safest for riding bicycles, these days -- but the rainy season, and high tide, definitely have their way.
I ride Road, XC and Gravel. They all have their place, Road is fun to go fast and build fitness/ endurance. Gravel allows you to explore areas that are less populated and garners a much needed change from riding road. XC allows you to go beyond where the road ends. I found the endurance and fitness built up from road riding translates directly to Gravel and XC riding. they KEY word here is MODERATION.
Growing up in Canada mountain biking has been the dominant cycling sport my whole life. I’ve been a mountain biker for over 30 years and still love it. I tried road riding for the first time 2 years ago and discovered I love it too. Now I own both types of bike and enjoy both immensely. Hardest part is just decided which to do because they are both such great fun.
It's all bikes at the end of the day! Great to hear that you still have the love for riding 🙌 If you had to keep one, would it be the MTB or the roadie?
@@gcn GCN with the hard hitting questions…. Well if I could only have one bike I’d probably have to stick with my Mountain bike. Where I live we spend 6 months of the year with snow on the ground and realistically my roadie just would’t be fun or safe in the snow. My mountain bike is great fun all year round regardless of weather or terrain. Fortunately my wife isn’t making me sell one so I get to keep both!
Hey Lads! MTBer here. Just recently started road cycling and I think the one thing doesn’t deter the other. I like the climbs and fun downhill runs I have with my MTB during the weekends, while also enjoying the many KM long road rides for my health’s sake just before I go to work in the weekday evenings. I think that, as long as we are on bikes, we should just have fun with it. 🙂👍
I ride them all, mtb, road, gravel and fat (in the winter) and I believe I’m a better all round biker from it. But what I love is taking a roadie out on some smooth, turnie, easy single track for the first time. They love it and can’t believe how much fun it is. They are not so happy if it’s rocky, rooty and technical.😉
Truth Steve. I am much the same in that all the different "types" of cycling I have tried I have really enjoyed. That is why I have a variety of 41 bicycles to choose from. It can, however, become a bit of an addiction. Cheers - M
The difference between road riding and proper MTB is huge and I love both. I was staunchly in the MTB camp and didn't get the appeal of road cycling until last year when a mate finally broke me down. Now I am 95% road simply due to time constraints. Still love MTB and the two disciplines scratch different itches.
I lol’d when I saw your segment on Gravel leading to MTB because I just rode my MTB for the first time in a long time because I’ve re-discovered my love for dirt through riding my Gravel bike.
My gravel rides include about 25% dirt roads. The gravel bike handles the dirt just fine…unless it’s recently rained. I don’t need a different bike for dirt.
I am primarily a road cyclist, but very much appreciate and like riding my mountain or trail bike is a 29 er with front suspension. To me it’s the right tool for the job. Give me a bumpy gravelly dirt road and I wanna be on a flat bar, makes more sense to me at least than trying to do it on an adapted Roadbike! a.k.a. gravel bike.
Got a gravel bike as flexible 2nd road bike, almost immediately realised I preferred the single track to the actual gravel. Went on a "gravel" bike ride with some MTBer's and feared for my life on the downhill sections and immediately went out and bought a full sus. Still love the road bike but it's little too one dimensional (Ex Cat 2 so it was always about the speed for me) but age catching up (so less fast) and learning new skills means I spend more time MTBing now. This all happened in the last couple of years.
@@gcn yup, still got the gravel bike but fitted slick 28mm tyres and stick to the road for recovery rides and also covering lazy Lost Lanes routes with my other half. Actually have you tried any of the Lost Lane routes? Amazing, low traffic routes through gorgeous countryside of the UK.
Up until recently I have always had two bikes: road and full suspension mountain bike. One for fast road riding, the other for off road trails. But now, I have been adapting to less and less suspension off road. At this point, I put a carbon rigid fork on a speedy XC bike and it has been the most fun off road I have ever had. So light for uphill, so maneuverable, so much better feeling power transfer. And yeah, if you are really going down mountains it is not going to be enough, but on the dirt and roots single-track with only smooth and reasonable jumps, it is a dream. The gravel craze has helped to blurr the categories in my mind and because of that I have only just now found my perfect off-road set up. Longer stem, 2.3in tires, flat bar, and fully rigid carbon frame has been the best go-anywhere bike I have ever had. A true "hybrid".
I have 3dprinted upper jockey wheel. It has "narrow-wide" profile and works amazing in comparison with brand new "all narrow". It fits tight, so shifting is always perfect.
I can offer some clarification on the 3D printed jockey wheel: The only reason I wanted to make it was to experiment weigh the ability and so my sister could ride the bike without having to wait for replacement parts.
It is also good to know, where the limitations of 3D printing are. Always hated that in science, failures don't get published... so they get repeated over and over again.
I think your creativity and effort are commendable Horvath Productions. It gave you a baseline to go from. It also may revile that the type of 3d printer material is curtail. I hope you keep experimenting Sir. Chees - M
I'm 58 years old now. Since my early 20's, I've been a committed roadie and a committed cross-country mountain biker. The way I see it, I have the best of both worlds! On either bike I can go to amazing places and have awesome experiences that I'd never have without my bikes.
You guys are good fun to watch. I been cycling along time, road raced in ireland in the late 1970s . Stephen Roche was a junior rider , I competed against Ray Kimmage , his brother Paul was junior category as well I think. Anyway over the years I raced cross country mountain biking early 1990s to mid 90s , and used my road cycling to get my fitness up for the mountain bike. I enjoyed the terrain technical aspect of the mountain biking. Only reason I dont mountain bike as much is I dont trust myself to behave sensible. I forget I am older (60) and dont bounce like i used to. I now like riding old geometry road bikes , also road bikes i could only dream of as a kid. I got to admit the tech has changed alot over the years , but you still got to pedal whatever your on. Its great seeing the changes and the interest in all aspects of cycling. I now ride more to smell the coffee and enjoy trying to maintain my fitness. Keep up the good work. Indoor training is not my thing but I am working at convincing myself that it may be the best way forward for the winter months.
Thanks for the headsup about MTB racing going internationally. Here in the states, at least in Wisconsin, it’s a big deal for high school teams. I know of one young lady from our community who went to Nationals this year, I believe in Virginia. She also has a MTB scholarship to U of Colorado.
Lived, breathed, and raced road bikes all thru the 1970's, 80's and into the 90's. Then got a mountain bike to use for bashing around the city streets of Chicago up to about 2005, then stopped riding. Last summer I picked up a cheep mountain bike (with front suspension, a first for me) and started exploring the single track trails in my part of the country. WOW!!! Really enjoy it. Not fast, just fun to be out in the woods exploring the trails.
In 1985, I walked into a bike store and encountered my first mountain bike. Having saved up my summer earnings, I eagerly purchased a $400 Trek mountain bike. Growing up, I had been accustomed to riding BMX bikes and what we referred to as "10 speeds" back then, which were essentially road bikes. However, in my area, we weren't aware of the term "road bikes" at the time. I had always yearned for a versatile 10-speed bike that could handle dirt trails. Therefore, when I laid eyes on my first mountain bike, I knew I had to have it. Since that fateful year, I have owned several mountain bikes, including a Cannondale with an aluminum frame. It's worth mentioning that I broke the frame on my Trek bike, which led me to switch to a Cannondale. From there, I moved on to two GT Zaskars. In 2007, I made another purchase, acquiring a Specialized Epic, and then again in 2022. Additionally, I possess a Specialized Camper, which I bought in 2018. As a larger individual, weighing in at 235 lbs., I must admit my affinity for cross-country mountain bikes. This type of bike allows me to effortlessly ride on roads, maneuver over potholes, and also tackle various trails. Even at 57 years old, I find immense joy in riding my cross-country mountain bike three times a week, engaging in both long and short rides. Occasionally, I even participate in cross-country mountain bike races. The thrill of mountain biking still evokes the exhilaration of a youngster within me, especially when I venture onto the trails. Just a few months ago, I stumbled upon GCN and GMBN, and I instantly became enamored with their channels. The passion for mountain biking that they convey resonates with me deeply. I aspire to be part of a future global mountain bike festival, where I can join fellow enthusiasts in celebrating this incredible sport.
Our state has a massive mountain biking race scene at the the high school level. weekend races with bonkers thousands of people, and a thousand mountain bikes.
I love them all! I have 10 bikes total and I ride them all. I have a really light road bike, a gravel bike, a city bike with flat bars, a rigid mtn bike, and 6 full suspension mountain bikes (2 mullet DH bikes, a full 29er Enduro Bike, a full 27.5 bike, a mullet Enduro E-bike, and an XC bike).
Where I live in Australia they are converting disused rail tracks to gravel trails, which are well maintained. I have a spare set of wheels on my road bike and have put on a set of gravel tyres. Suddenly I can ride with my grandkids in beautiful country with no cars and trucks! Pop up cafes have appeared along these trails. Its absolutely brilliant. At 75 I think MTB is a bridge too far for me - I worry about injury. But I now understand the attraction.
I was a road and gravel cyclist mostly, but wanted a change of pace and venue. I started getting more seriously into mountain biking last year. I have a nice XC hardtail now and like spicing things up a bit. As for as I felt riding road, mountain biking really works some muscles in different ways. The fitness and skills from mountain biking has really accelerated my road and gravel abilities. It’s all good. I’m happy as long as I’m on a bicycle.
Have eleven bikes, including road, gravel, cargo, recumbent and a brand new Atherton AM130 mountain bike. (Did race local xc in the 1990's) love riding them all...your point about off road bike parks is so true, two weeks ago at 76yrs old I visited my first bike park on the AM130 at the Forest of Dean...scarred myself rigid, but great fun..loved it! ps Rachel Atherton's DH race at the weekend ..what a fantastic, brave, skilled racer she is.... exciting on the edge of your seat stuff!
When I showed interest in road cycling, I was told that age 12 is too old to start in a club so I went with mountain biking for the next 30 years. Only started road cycling 2 years ago after I started to watch GCN. Both are fun in their own way.
Suspension and a cross gravel or cycling cross is a preferred must given OFF ROAD no matter how you cut it the surface gets unpredictable. But what will survive is a thinner tire coupled with full suspension…now your talking cross bike. I’m an older male in late 50’s and I don’t want to rush prostate issues. My cross or gravel plus suspension is a must to combine with a thinner tire no doubt for me!
Had a racer in the 80’s (Raleigh Pursuit- and still own it!) but then ignored two wheels for years. Found two wheels again in the 00’s but had kids to move about on country lanes now, so went for the mountain bike. Have now discovered the gravel bike and had forgotten how fast you can move on skinnier tyres! Can’t go back to full road as love taking the path least trodden.
Started riding mtb in ‘89 then racing NORBA races in ‘92 in Ringwood, NJ (across from NYC). Have ridden around the world and fully dedicated to XC riding since then. Best sport.
I’m a downhill and enduro mountain biker turned roadie! Still getting used to descending at speed (narrow bars and skinny tire phobia) , but apart from that I love it
A gravel bike is essentially a cyclo-cross bike. A cyclo-cross bike is a modified road bike - wider wheel clearances, lower gear range, and tyres designed for off-road use. Cyclo cross was here way before mountain bikes made their appearance on the cycling scene. That's it.
We got XC MTBs for bikepacking because of the lower gears for tackling New Zealand hills while fully loaded. Been exploring off road quite a bit and love it.
I started racing MTBs in 1992. After a crash that broke my collarbone, I found my way to racing road, and then CX. On the road, I found the best fit for my strengths as a sprinter, and won some races. In 2005, I hung it all up to focus on being a dad. 15 years later, I dusted off one of my road bikes, and started riding again. I worked hard, lost a bunch of weight, and got my fitness back to a point where I could ride with my friends who hadn't taken a break from it. A couple of years back on the road, and I bought a new bike. Then, I got an urge to get back on a MTB, and was reminded of how fun it is...and I bought a new bike. Then, I tired gravel...and I bought a new bike. For me, my gravel bike handles most of what I ride on my MTB, and is efficient enough on the road to not feel like I'm pushing a pig. I'm able to link together route combinations in ways that I wouldn't/couldn't do on any of my other bikes. I'll never go back to racing the way I used to, but did the Belgian Waffle Ride in California in April, and had an awesome experience. For the near future, events like that will be my primary focus. I ride all 3 bikes at least once every week, and the variety helps me stay fresh and motivated. Ride all the bikes.
My primary bike is...wait for it...a 29er fully rigid hardtail MTB, which I ride XC exclusively (at 57, my body can't handle the abuse of technical MTB trails; just flowy single-track). It's the most versatile bike I own without the weight of the fat bike (also in my quiver). I do have two drop-bar gravel bikes that I enjoy however, if I could only have one bike, it'd be my hardtail MTB.
I'm a mtb rider with a road bike, that rides mostly mtb. I am also a paid GCN+ subscriber and I am over the moon that you guys also broadcast X Country mtb.
Started as a xc mtb racer who didn't get road biking. Got a gravel bike for training loved it. Did gravel for a few years before getting a true road bike. Now I mainly ride road and love it. Criterium racing is so much fun. Gravel was my gateway to road! Road biking has made me a much better mtb rider due to the sustained power I now have.
I used to do CC-Marathons in the late '90s - mid '00s, and it it was a lot of fun. But then MTBiking leaned more and more over to Enduro and Downhill. Not exactly my cup of tea, and today I'm happy on my gravel bike. Riding a single trail 'underbiked' with a gravel bike is just like '90s MTB! :)
I bought a cheap mountain bike in 1994 after having my ankle fused. I bought a Schwinn Homegrown in 1995, reunited with my old neighbor and started racing for a few years. In 2007, I bought a road bike to ride in the Hotter'N Hell Hundred and became a roadie. In 2013, I started doing gravel grinds on my 26” mountain bike - one of them 77 miles. In 2014, I did the Hotter'N Hell Hundred 100 mile ride on my new Specialized Crave 29er converted to a single speed. I did it on the Crave again in 2015 with gears and slicks. In 2019 I bought a Raleigh Willard 3 gravel bike and did a few gravel grinds. This year, 2023, I bought a 2021 Jamis Renegade C1 and started doing gravel races. Gravel Locos in Hico was my first major race. I plan on doing more gravel races in 2024 and may do Little Sugar (Big Sugar is sold out) in Bentonville this year. Can't wait to get back into the racing scene!
“Victor ! We have spoken about this, now stop sucking your thumb and pull yourself together, you’re a big now and there’s no need for crying every time you have to ride up some hills.”
Saw my first early mountain bike in California 1980. Went back home to Oxford and a friends bike shop where I worked....he had seen one in Boulder Colorado in the summer. We decided to see if we could get any in the UK. Found Madison Cycles were importing Grey Ridgeback’s,so three of us bought our first mountain bike..We decided to start selling them and became one of the first MTB Specialist shops in Europe. We sold Marin,Kona,Specialized,Dawes,GT,Cannondale,Ritchey...changing our personal ride every six months. Took part in the early MTB scene-Weekends in North Wales. Won a few races. Rode against Tim Gould and the emerging MTB teams during the 80’s. Did some Bike Testing for MBUK with Nigel Jackson and Steve Worland. However by mid 1990’s the MTB scene got far too serious and went back to my Roadie roots. Now ride Road and Gravel bike mostly,with the occasional Mountain Bike outing.
Back in '82 I had a Raleigh Equippe , and enjoyed two collapsed wheels ! Dawes a year later introduced the 'wildcat', oh yes ! Anyway in 2012 after breaking and having had some titanium to straighten out a collar bone whilst skiing , I was told , no off road whilst the plate seats and so within a month , yes , I was back on a roadie. 11 years later I enjoy both disciplines , yes the out and out speed and hum of aero wheels, but also the whole body workout of riding a 'full sus',both equally enjoyable. Either way , how amazing is the pleasure of riding a bike , the freedom of escape, the zero cost of just water and the miles that can be efficiently covered. Wow
I started out as a mountain biker but then discovered the thrill speed and exploration abilities of road bikes, but then discovered the car-free nature of gravel, and now I'm back to being suspension curious after riding up to and over the limit of a drop bar gravel bike. Its not even a spectrum, its more of a klein bottle - no start, no end, only continuity and fluidity...oh and bikes, a lot of bikes.
Growing up in Yorkshire and having a paper round as a kids meant a MTB was the best bike for the job (of course now it would be a gravel bike)... I've always loved MTBs and the fun you can have, then I found road bikes at the age of 42 as I was doing a triathlon... OMG, go way faster for way less effort, what was there not to like, so a road bike was purchased. Now 5 years later, and 5 bikes in the stable (including a brand new full sus MTB but no gravel, yet, n+1), I dabble in both camps, road blasts and bike hols with mates and MTBing single track or bike parks with my teenaged son (who's now teaching me to do gap jumps at 47, yikes)... if I'm on a bike, I'm usually having fun. Choosing between the two all depends on who is free for a ride :) Just love your bike, whatever you're on.
2:32 I am so happy to hear about Cross-Country bikes. I just got one about a year ago for a good price. I guess now I have a state-of-the-art, trendy bike. Personally, I prefer a Cross-Country/Cross-Road bike because though I prefer to be on the road, it is nearly impossible to find roads that are at least 50% smooth with no bumps. Also, when on the road, ever so often you end up on some dirt road and I always doubt whether the thin tires of a road bike will be able to handle the dirt/gravel and not pop. However, with a Cross-Road bike I don't have to worry about that. Thank you for your show and greetings from Canada!!
A MTB got me back into riding - which I commuted on. I worked up to a decent top end dual suspension MTB, then got a road bike to get me fitter. I worked up to a top end Cervelo carbon road bike then had a go with a basic gravel bike. Now worked up to a top spec Titanium gravel bike. So I have gone all in on all the different forms of bikes and love them all. Luckily my wife is tolerant of my spending !
I’ve been a serious cyclist since 1990. While MTB’ing is my love and joy I do love rides on my Pinarello Prince. Nine out of ten times I’ll will choose the quite of nature, grime, sweat and dirt of single track over exhaust, potential run-ins with drivers, car impacts and smog. I almost liken it to an American vs a Europeans. MTB’ing (American) = brash, fun, go big, loud, dirty, laid-back and always about the experience. Road (European) = sleek, precision, looks, serious and about personal performance vs personal experience.
A long time roadie, I started riding gravel about about 7 years ago on a rigid 90’s Mtn bike and smooth tires. Then five years ago I bought a proper gravel bike. 4 years ago I bought a used Cannondale lefty Mtn bike and two years ago upgraded to a Pivot full suspension cross country bike. I rotate through all three disciplines but my go to bike for riding on my own is the Pivot cross country bike. The town I live in has easy access to Mtn bike trails and I like being out of the traffic while riding alone.
As a kid in the 90s mountain biking was my gateway into riding bikes. Loved riding the trails near my house and just using my mountain bike for general transportation. It wasn't until late in the 2000s after college I moved to a sunnier state/city and got my first road bike. Once I experienced the speed and efficiency of the road bike I never really found my way back to dirt. I did eventually pick up a gravel bike as a plush commuter... and I've done some dirt riding on occasion, but it's never really taken hold for me. I mean nothing against people who really like riding dirt, it is great fun... I just think for me it's less captivating
Having ridden road, MTB and, latterly gravel, they're all wonderful of course. However, to nip out for a session for an hour (I live in a flat area near Venice Italy), time and time again, I find myself grabbing my MTB. In only 5 minutes, I'm on a broad path of grass that's not a footpath as such but a farmer's trail around a series of enormous fields close to a river. I use heart rate monitoring as my sole parameter and have ENORMOUS fun inventing, as I go, the routes and varying the speeds etc. The differences: no need for a crash helmet as the speeds are moderate and the grass is deep (and I haven't fallen off once, yet..), less vibrations going up and down my 60-year-old body as I adjust the tyre pressures to match the bumpiness of the grass; the freedom of having no one else around - especially cars but also other (gravel) cyclists who tend to hare towards me in the opposite direction. Ok, I get a bit dirty and wet, but that's fun too. Ah yes, in the winter, the slower speeds and constant variety of pace and changes of direction mean I don't have to get freezing feet (the faster I go on roads, the worse my poor feet are!). Riding up mountain passes in the Dolomites (an hour's drive away) is heaven (if you're a masochist like me). But it's not often that I can find the time to drive up there. Whereas MTB cycling ticks every box. Last but certainly not least, in this period, my local fields are frequented by grey herons, little egrets, freshwater cormorants and, just in the last days, a couple of impressive storks. So, adding to all the ticked boxes, there is also the "much closer to nature" box. So it's got to be ... and the winner is: MTB.
I bought myself my 1st proper bike this summer and it was a MTB. I didn't know any better and everyone was using it so I thought it was a normal and comfortable bike for daily riding. After I fell in love with cycling and started to take an interest in it a bit more, I realized I don't really need a MTB. So I switched to a Gravel bike...after another month or so I realised I need a 2nd bike to be able to ride non-stop, and for me a pure road bike is the choice, since I found out I enjoy the most a fast ride on a nice tarmac. So for me the process was the opposite than suggested by you guys. I think everyone will end up doing what he/she loves the most and has the opportunity to do, no matter the current wave of trendiness...Best from Czech Rep.. BTW: You should try some Bohemian riding ;)
I had a bike shop in San Francisco, California in the '80s. Around 1988 Brit pro rider Paul Watson came to Cali to start racing mountain bikes. He's an interesting guy and had some real success in the heart of mountain bike racing.
Started with a EMTB, the gravel bike actually got me into road cycling, now even got a real road bike. So the gravel bike gateway drug works both ways 😉
Some of us are coming from the other side... gravel is my gateway drug to road. It is loads of fun going up and down the woods... but on the other side when you look back and you have 100+ km behind you in less then half a day, including the lager brake in there... crikey
It depends where you live & the local infrastructure. For example, live in Andalusia & there's an abundance of gravelly mountain bike trails & incredible 'paved' roads. These mostly lead into more serious mountain bike terrains where suspension is optimum. No one bike will take you everywhere until a gravel bike successfully incorporates suspension. A gravel bike can reward you with an 'all terrain' solution, but comfort is sacrificed, especially bike packing. For me, it's still 29" hardtail for gravel & trail bike packing with some single & a separate pure road bike for paved. But that's possibly because a hybrid would compromise comfort at my age 64. Gravel bike is still very tempting, but I haven't heard of an affordable & successful one with suspension yet. One interesting factor is that wider rim widths on road bikes could suggest a multi-terrain bike might be actually my last ever bike purchase as the trails & paved roads often run concurrently where l live.
I enjoyed your conversation at the start and that was funny, Si, your mentioning the creep, the creep toward bigger tires and wider bars and whatever it takes for a roadie to go full mountain biker. As for me, I progressed from a Sting-Ray to BMX bikes and 10-speeds and then to motorcycles and mountain bikes, so it has always been about everything for me and even in San Francisco in '67 when I got the Sting-Ray in my little thumbnail, we lived on Twin Peaks where dirt trails could be found at the top and steep streets for high-speed descents. And it was all just bike riding back then, no road v. mountain or any of that silliness. 😀
Nothing beats top speeds on smooth tarmac, but I love riding all my bikes. Road, TT, mountain, even BMX if I'm cruising around with the kids. Bikes are the best!
OK SI and Dan, here goes. I am a former Junior national team and cat 1 road racer, and I still love to go out and go fast on group rides. Having said that, three quarters of my riding nowis mountain bike, and here's why: (Don't worry guys, you'll get to where I am: just wait. Every year I'm slower, and as science tells us, you lose your speed sooner and faster than your power and endurance. As a marathoner (40 under four, six Bostons, so no slouching here) as well, I can still go many hours, but not so fast. Subsequently, trail running and mountain biking are much more interesting: things to watch out for, things to see (deer, turkeys, gators, turtles, bobcats, panthers, racoons, snakes, COWS,) so it is never boring. No worries about cars is great, going where others often do not is great, new techniques and skills make mountain bike riding exciting. I still have all my road skills, which is probably the only reason i can stay with the fast group rides, at least until the third 30mph plus surge, but nothing new on those rides. In mountain biking, I learn something new every ride, as I learned something new in every marathon. As much as I love the road, there is nothing new for me there. On the trails, it is my next adventure, as Old Grendel said in the Larry Niven/Pournelle novel Beowulf's Children, (sci fi: check it out), "New things! Fresh blood to wet my snout". And, MTB riding helps my road bike handling skills.as with Wout and Pidcock, on a much much lower level, handling your mountain bike on muddy sandy rocky rooty trail teaches you how to corner and handle: do enough mountain biking, and you won't freak and crash when your wheels slip on a corner, or you hit sand or dirt. Like your cyclo cross video for Ollie noted, moutnain biking teaches you to recognize the conditions, and know you bike: the best bike handlers follow what their bike tells them, and there you are. Off road teaches you to listen to your bike, and then it will take better care of you. it's a dialogue, clearest on mountain bikes, but true on all. PS: Si, I love the Red Eye of Sauron reference: well done.
I was a hardcore downhill rider that always thought road biking was a little shite. Converted heavily over the first lockdown to road cycling, have hardly been downhill since. Since buying my first entry level road bike I've upgraded to a £5,000 weapon. I've then built from bits and pieces a single speed town bike and I'm now as you speak (because I'm typing) converting my first road bike in to a gravel bike... it is cyclical, I'm just two years behind the pace xD
I've come the other way! I know plenty that have done the same. BMX, MTB then over to the dark side of road! I still ride my hard tail and full suspension MTBs but I just love the feeling of riding fast & far on the road. To be honest I just love riding bikes anywhere possible! 😊
I am unbiased. I enjoy my mountain bike just as much as I enjoy speeding along the tarmac on my road bike. I ride whatever the mood and weather suits for the day.
I got my first mountain bike in 1987 and my first road bike in 1997. Now I have a whole fleet of bikes and a dedicated bike room in the house. My biggest problem is my JOB that provides the funds to buy all the bike and bike accessories, stuff keeps me from riding as much as I want. I still get in enough rides but I could get more if biking was free and I didn't have to work.
I started on a old school mountain bike in 2000 when i was 16. I'm mostly a road bike guy because I enjoy doing long-distance rides, but if I have an hour you can't beat a mountain bike and a trail in the woods with some punchy hills for fun 👌
Just have to say thanks for being the Catalyst! 🤣I love both. X-country for me is more about the trail, being in wilderness. Road is more about competing with myself to be faster and ya know, not getting wiped out by a 2.5 ton hunk of metal rifling past, just inches away at 100km/hr, being piloted by some lenny late for work sucking back their latte whilst chatting on the phone leaving you choking on their exhaust fumes. And yet....I'm still out there.
Just got back into MTB. Bought a Trek ProCaliber November then relented and went out and bought a SuperCaliber 4 weeks ago. I love it! On a very different (should I be saying it...?) note I work with over 100 pro cyclists in Andorra and the number of road cycling pros that have bought an MTB (full suspension of course) this year... is going to remain a secret. Tom Pidcock, Sam Gaze and Lukas Baum (amongst others) live here. There are over 400kms (and growing) of GPX file, cared for and maintained MTB tracks here and one of Europe's top trail and track builders, Oscar Lacueva, lives here too. And the roadies love it!!!
As a kid i raced BMX, then dabbled in MTB. As a 31 year old i finally bought a road bike and continue to absolutely love it. I'm now a dad of a 4 year old lad so have returned to off road fun as it a safe place for the start of his cycling adventures [see Instagram with the same username ;)]. As you say it's all cyclical!!
I have a hardtail 29" with slicks and narrow handlebars with spd clip ins in order to keep up with the category racers who show up on Hunte Parkway to train on a TT loop there (and to race as well) on my way to Otay Mountain to hit some rocky singletrack after 3k of gain out of Pio Pico on gravel, and to then tuck and draft on the way back along Otay Lakes Rd. If you know you know.
I enjoy anything on a bike. I have a hybrid for quick runs around town, a gravel bike, a Mountain bike and thinking of getting a XC bike. I enjoy MTB with my husband so much I am currently waiting on lunch in Whistler, BC.
So, for the "next big thing," I'm actually a Mtn biker who converted to road riding, though I still ride the trails once in awhile. I enjoy both! I typically say, I ride my road bike to go fast and my mtn bike to have fun.
Have a gravel bike since end of 2020 and only now starting to learn how to do more technical stuff in the forest. More than enough for me! I love going gravel in hot summer days as in the forest and along rivers it is cooler.
Big MTB advantage for me is a lack of cars on my ride. I'm avoiding busy roads as much as possible. Using paved roads just to get to forest and gravel roads where I meet one car in two hours.
@@gcn Yes, I think so. Still have to try it. Maybe this year. Was already looking for some gravel bikes, however I do like snail pacing steep climes with 22t front and 46t rear. Nothing like this in gravel, but would like to try it on more flat terrain.
Started off as a cross country mountain bike racer in the 90's. Started road racing for training, and now ride my mountain bike maybe 30 times in the last 20 years.
The first G in Vingegaard is not an i/j/y sound. Think of it as Wing, bur with a V. Ving-uh-g-awe. Which by the way means Farm (house) of the Wings in Danish.
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Do you dabble in the dark arts of mountain biking? 😈
I've dabbled in The Dark Art since before you guys were born, when roadies laughed at fat tires then got all butthurt when you got off the paved path, rode across the creek then hit the singletrack on the opposite bank. Who was having more fun then?
Don't start with the 'roadies vs. mountain bikers' junk again; you're 30 years too late to start up that ugly trope once more, and roadies got a bad name for that the first time around. You're better than that, guys!🙄
I'd return with the old XC bike or the fatbike, but then again, I'm nowhere near any trails, within a 30km radius.
I'm just under half an hour away from easily flooded (and days-long half-a-leg deep flooded) roads, though, and there's never a week where at least floods would stay at least a couple of days... shame that the said roads are the safest for riding bicycles, these days -- but the rainy season, and high tide, definitely have their way.
I ride Road, XC and Gravel. They all have their place, Road is fun to go fast and build fitness/ endurance. Gravel allows you to explore areas that are less populated and garners a much needed change from riding road. XC allows you to go beyond where the road ends. I found the endurance and fitness built up from road riding translates directly to Gravel and XC riding. they KEY word here is MODERATION.
Yes don´t own a road bike anyway a 29er xc hardtail is great for gravel anyway
Less now than I used to. Injuries take longer to heal and I love the efficiency of a road bike.
Growing up in Canada mountain biking has been the dominant cycling sport my whole life. I’ve been a mountain biker for over 30 years and still love it. I tried road riding for the first time 2 years ago and discovered I love it too. Now I own both types of bike and enjoy both immensely. Hardest part is just decided which to do because they are both such great fun.
It's all bikes at the end of the day! Great to hear that you still have the love for riding 🙌 If you had to keep one, would it be the MTB or the roadie?
@@gcn GCN with the hard hitting questions…. Well if I could only have one bike I’d probably have to stick with my Mountain bike. Where I live we spend 6 months of the year with snow on the ground and realistically my roadie just would’t be fun or safe in the snow. My mountain bike is great fun all year round regardless of weather or terrain. Fortunately my wife isn’t making me sell one so I get to keep both!
Same road bike and a mountain bike is the way to go
The Video does not show Nino Schurter, it Shows Luca Schwarzbauer winning short Track.
Pretty dumb…
Oops
All mountain bikers look alike 😂😂😂😂
Ooops... think we need to watch a bit more GCN+ XC coverage 😳
Terrible terrible terrible to not even use the correct video footage for Schurter’s record breaking performance. Shame on you GCN.
Yes!!!! Si and Dan back together again. It's like when your favourite band reunites and they're just as good as ever😀
The boys are back in town 😎
Haven't watched a video for a few weeks, but when I saw the 'dynamic duo' I poured a beer and sat back to enjoy...
Hey Lads! MTBer here.
Just recently started road cycling and I think the one thing doesn’t deter the other. I like the climbs and fun downhill runs I have with my MTB during the weekends, while also enjoying the many KM long road rides for my health’s sake just before I go to work in the weekday evenings. I think that, as long as we are on bikes, we should just have fun with it. 🙂👍
The weird rivalry between the disciplines is always funny to me, like we're on bikes, who cares?
THIS!!! Ride bikes and have fun... it really is the best 🙌
I ride them all, mtb, road, gravel and fat (in the winter) and I believe I’m a better all round biker from it.
But what I love is taking a roadie out on some smooth, turnie, easy single track for the first time. They love it and can’t believe how much fun it is.
They are not so happy if it’s rocky, rooty and technical.😉
Truth Steve. I am much the same in that all the different "types" of cycling I have tried I have really enjoyed. That is why I have a variety of 41 bicycles to choose from. It can, however, become a bit of an addiction. Cheers - M
Hahaha can you take us! We think we would like it! Conor and Manon need some skill sessions 👉ua-cam.com/video/XchKSsdqIEQ/v-deo.html
The difference between road riding and proper MTB is huge and I love both. I was staunchly in the MTB camp and didn't get the appeal of road cycling until last year when a mate finally broke me down. Now I am 95% road simply due to time constraints. Still love MTB and the two disciplines scratch different itches.
Dislocated my hip doing cross country mountain biking. Took 3 years and surgery to recover. I’ll stick w road and gravel, thank you very much.
No crashing!!!
I lol’d when I saw your segment on Gravel leading to MTB because I just rode my MTB for the first time in a long time because I’ve re-discovered my love for dirt through riding my Gravel bike.
My gravel rides include about 25% dirt roads. The gravel bike handles the dirt just fine…unless it’s recently rained. I don’t need a different bike for dirt.
I am primarily a road cyclist, but very much appreciate and like riding my mountain or trail bike is a 29 er with front suspension. To me it’s the right tool for the job. Give me a bumpy gravelly dirt road and I wanna be on a flat bar, makes more sense to me at least than trying to do it on an adapted Roadbike! a.k.a. gravel bike.
Is the xc bike the perfect gravel bike 🤔
Got a gravel bike as flexible 2nd road bike, almost immediately realised I preferred the single track to the actual gravel. Went on a "gravel" bike ride with some MTBer's and feared for my life on the downhill sections and immediately went out and bought a full sus. Still love the road bike but it's little too one dimensional (Ex Cat 2 so it was always about the speed for me) but age catching up (so less fast) and learning new skills means I spend more time MTBing now. This all happened in the last couple of years.
Every “gravel” route I go on would be more fun on my XC bike. Barely 2kph slower on the road to the trails, but sooooo much better in the techy bits.
Full sus!!! The devils work 😈... Only joking! We love getting dirty too, Do you still have the gravel bike?
@@gcn yup, still got the gravel bike but fitted slick 28mm tyres and stick to the road for recovery rides and also covering lazy Lost Lanes routes with my other half. Actually have you tried any of the Lost Lane routes? Amazing, low traffic routes through gorgeous countryside of the UK.
Started with MTB and slowly got sucked into road and eventually gravel. Now, just like seasons, I enjoy MTB, gravel, CX, and road throughout the year.
Up until recently I have always had two bikes: road and full suspension mountain bike. One for fast road riding, the other for off road trails. But now, I have been adapting to less and less suspension off road. At this point, I put a carbon rigid fork on a speedy XC bike and it has been the most fun off road I have ever had. So light for uphill, so maneuverable, so much better feeling power transfer. And yeah, if you are really going down mountains it is not going to be enough, but on the dirt and roots single-track with only smooth and reasonable jumps, it is a dream. The gravel craze has helped to blurr the categories in my mind and because of that I have only just now found my perfect off-road set up. Longer stem, 2.3in tires, flat bar, and fully rigid carbon frame has been the best go-anywhere bike I have ever had. A true "hybrid".
I have 3dprinted upper jockey wheel. It has "narrow-wide" profile and works amazing in comparison with brand new "all narrow". It fits tight, so shifting is always perfect.
I can offer some clarification on the 3D printed jockey wheel: The only reason I wanted to make it was to experiment weigh the ability and so my sister could ride the bike without having to wait for replacement parts.
It is also good to know, where the limitations of 3D printing are.
Always hated that in science, failures don't get published... so they get repeated over and over again.
I think your creativity and effort are commendable Horvath Productions. It gave you a baseline to go from. It also may revile that the type of 3d printer material is curtail. I hope you keep experimenting Sir. Chees - M
Thanks for commenting Horvath! It's some great innovation 🙌 Super cool to hear that it meant you sister could ride! How is she getting on?
I'm 58 years old now. Since my early 20's, I've been a committed roadie and a committed cross-country mountain biker. The way I see it, I have the best of both worlds! On either bike I can go to amazing places and have awesome experiences that I'd never have without my bikes.
You guys are good fun to watch. I been cycling along time, road raced in ireland in the late 1970s . Stephen Roche was a junior rider , I competed against Ray Kimmage , his brother Paul was junior category as well I think. Anyway over the years I raced cross country mountain biking early 1990s to mid 90s , and used my road cycling to get my fitness up for the mountain bike. I enjoyed the terrain technical aspect of the mountain biking. Only reason I dont mountain bike as much is I dont trust myself to behave sensible. I forget I am older (60) and dont bounce like i used to. I now like riding old geometry road bikes , also road bikes i could only dream of as a kid. I got to admit the tech has changed alot over the years , but you still got to pedal whatever your on. Its great seeing the changes and the interest in all aspects of cycling. I now ride more to smell the coffee and enjoy trying to maintain my fitness. Keep up the good work. Indoor training is not my thing but I am working at convincing myself that it may be the best way forward for the winter months.
I think Si is messing with us by pronouncing Vingegaard differently every time.
Jumbo Visma will be nocking on his door! 😂
@@gcn You'm-bo Vee's Muh?
I am Danish. I will rate this episode's pronunciation 9/10!
Thanks for the headsup about MTB racing going internationally. Here in the states, at least in Wisconsin, it’s a big deal for high school teams. I know of one young lady from our community who went to Nationals this year, I believe in Virginia. She also has a MTB scholarship to U of Colorado.
MTB scholarship! 🤯 That is super cool, sounds like he's an amazing rider 🙌 What do you prefer?
Lived, breathed, and raced road bikes all thru the 1970's, 80's and into the 90's. Then got a mountain bike to use for bashing around the city streets of Chicago up to about 2005, then stopped riding. Last summer I picked up a cheep mountain bike (with front suspension, a first for me) and started exploring the single track trails in my part of the country. WOW!!! Really enjoy it. Not fast, just fun to be out in the woods exploring the trails.
In 1985, I walked into a bike store and encountered my first mountain bike. Having saved up my summer earnings, I eagerly purchased a $400 Trek mountain bike. Growing up, I had been accustomed to riding BMX bikes and what we referred to as "10 speeds" back then, which were essentially road bikes. However, in my area, we weren't aware of the term "road bikes" at the time. I had always yearned for a versatile 10-speed bike that could handle dirt trails. Therefore, when I laid eyes on my first mountain bike, I knew I had to have it.
Since that fateful year, I have owned several mountain bikes, including a Cannondale with an aluminum frame. It's worth mentioning that I broke the frame on my Trek bike, which led me to switch to a Cannondale. From there, I moved on to two GT Zaskars. In 2007, I made another purchase, acquiring a Specialized Epic, and then again in 2022. Additionally, I possess a Specialized Camper, which I bought in 2018.
As a larger individual, weighing in at 235 lbs., I must admit my affinity for cross-country mountain bikes. This type of bike allows me to effortlessly ride on roads, maneuver over potholes, and also tackle various trails. Even at 57 years old, I find immense joy in riding my cross-country mountain bike three times a week, engaging in both long and short rides. Occasionally, I even participate in cross-country mountain bike races. The thrill of mountain biking still evokes the exhilaration of a youngster within me, especially when I venture onto the trails.
Just a few months ago, I stumbled upon GCN and GMBN, and I instantly became enamored with their channels. The passion for mountain biking that they convey resonates with me deeply. I aspire to be part of a future global mountain bike festival, where I can join fellow enthusiasts in celebrating this incredible sport.
#CaptionCompetition
Victor: I'm gonna win the mountains classification this year.
Jonas: That's not in your dstny.
Our state has a massive mountain biking race scene at the the high school level. weekend races with bonkers thousands of people, and a thousand mountain bikes.
Doddy on the side of a gravel race with a set of suspension forks under his jacket "Pssst. First taste is free".
I love them all! I have 10 bikes total and I ride them all. I have a really light road bike, a gravel bike, a city bike with flat bars, a rigid mtn bike, and 6 full suspension mountain bikes (2 mullet DH bikes, a full 29er Enduro Bike, a full 27.5 bike, a mullet Enduro E-bike, and an XC bike).
Where I live in Australia they are converting disused rail tracks to gravel trails, which are well maintained. I have a spare set of wheels on my road bike and have put on a set of gravel tyres. Suddenly I can ride with my grandkids in beautiful country with no cars and trucks! Pop up cafes have appeared along these trails. Its absolutely brilliant. At 75 I think MTB is a bridge too far for me - I worry about injury. But I now understand the attraction.
I was a road and gravel cyclist mostly, but wanted a change of pace and venue. I started getting more seriously into mountain biking last year.
I have a nice XC hardtail now and like spicing things up a bit. As for as I felt riding road, mountain biking really works some muscles in different ways. The fitness and skills from mountain biking has really accelerated my road and gravel abilities.
It’s all good. I’m happy as long as I’m on a bicycle.
Mountain biking can really be a full body work out... maybe that's why we're no good 😂 👉ua-cam.com/video/jzN-p25FoD0/v-deo.html
Have eleven bikes, including road, gravel, cargo, recumbent and a brand new Atherton AM130 mountain bike. (Did race local xc in the 1990's) love riding them all...your point about off road bike parks is so true, two weeks ago at 76yrs old I visited my first bike park on the AM130 at the Forest of Dean...scarred myself rigid, but great fun..loved it! ps Rachel Atherton's DH race at the weekend ..what a fantastic, brave, skilled racer she is.... exciting on the edge of your seat stuff!
When I showed interest in road cycling, I was told that age 12 is too old to start in a club so I went with mountain biking for the next 30 years. Only started road cycling 2 years ago after I started to watch GCN. Both are fun in their own way.
Suspension and a cross gravel or cycling cross is a preferred must given OFF ROAD no matter how you cut it the surface gets unpredictable. But what will survive is a thinner tire coupled with full suspension…now your talking cross bike. I’m an older male in late 50’s and I don’t want to rush prostate issues. My cross or gravel plus suspension is a must to combine with a thinner tire no doubt for me!
Had a racer in the 80’s (Raleigh Pursuit- and still own it!) but then ignored two wheels for years. Found two wheels again in the 00’s but had kids to move about on country lanes now, so went for the mountain bike. Have now discovered the gravel bike and had forgotten how fast you can move on skinnier tyres! Can’t go back to full road as love taking the path least trodden.
Started riding mtb in ‘89 then racing NORBA races in ‘92 in Ringwood, NJ (across from NYC). Have ridden around the world and fully dedicated to XC riding since then. Best sport.
I’m a downhill and enduro mountain biker turned roadie! Still getting used to descending at speed (narrow bars and skinny tire phobia) , but apart from that I love it
Here in the NE US it’s road spring summer, Mtn late summer fall, when the snow flys it’s fat bike. Year round biking!
A gravel bike is essentially a cyclo-cross bike.
A cyclo-cross bike is a modified road bike - wider wheel clearances, lower gear range, and tyres designed for off-road use.
Cyclo cross was here way before mountain bikes made their appearance on the cycling scene.
That's it.
Oddly, I started with mountain, went to road... and now I'm gravel. I've loved 'em all!
We got XC MTBs for bikepacking because of the lower gears for tackling New Zealand hills while fully loaded. Been exploring off road quite a bit and love it.
I started racing MTBs in 1992. After a crash that broke my collarbone, I found my way to racing road, and then CX. On the road, I found the best fit for my strengths as a sprinter, and won some races. In 2005, I hung it all up to focus on being a dad. 15 years later, I dusted off one of my road bikes, and started riding again. I worked hard, lost a bunch of weight, and got my fitness back to a point where I could ride with my friends who hadn't taken a break from it. A couple of years back on the road, and I bought a new bike. Then, I got an urge to get back on a MTB, and was reminded of how fun it is...and I bought a new bike. Then, I tired gravel...and I bought a new bike. For me, my gravel bike handles most of what I ride on my MTB, and is efficient enough on the road to not feel like I'm pushing a pig. I'm able to link together route combinations in ways that I wouldn't/couldn't do on any of my other bikes. I'll never go back to racing the way I used to, but did the Belgian Waffle Ride in California in April, and had an awesome experience. For the near future, events like that will be my primary focus. I ride all 3 bikes at least once every week, and the variety helps me stay fresh and motivated. Ride all the bikes.
Good to see the lads back again. Take it easy on posting pressure so nobody leaves again!
Haha ! “One by chainring allows me to still be in the big ring”
I am very happy with my all road bike. I was riding mountain bike for 4 years. Every bike has it's own beauty.
My primary bike is...wait for it...a 29er fully rigid hardtail MTB, which I ride XC exclusively (at 57, my body can't handle the abuse of technical MTB trails; just flowy single-track). It's the most versatile bike I own without the weight of the fat bike (also in my quiver). I do have two drop-bar gravel bikes that I enjoy however, if I could only have one bike, it'd be my hardtail MTB.
I'm a mtb rider with a road bike, that rides mostly mtb. I am also a paid GCN+ subscriber and I am over the moon that you guys also broadcast X Country mtb.
Whoop whoop! No better place to be on weekend than GCN+ 🙌
Started as a xc mtb racer who didn't get road biking. Got a gravel bike for training loved it. Did gravel for a few years before getting a true road bike. Now I mainly ride road and love it. Criterium racing is so much fun. Gravel was my gateway to road! Road biking has made me a much better mtb rider due to the sustained power I now have.
I used to do CC-Marathons in the late '90s - mid '00s, and it it was a lot of fun. But then MTBiking leaned more and more over to Enduro and Downhill. Not exactly my cup of tea, and today I'm happy on my gravel bike. Riding a single trail 'underbiked' with a gravel bike is just like '90s MTB! :)
I bought a cheap mountain bike in 1994 after having my ankle fused. I bought a Schwinn Homegrown in 1995, reunited with my old neighbor and started racing for a few years. In 2007, I bought a road bike to ride in the Hotter'N Hell Hundred and became a roadie. In 2013, I started doing gravel grinds on my 26” mountain bike - one of them 77 miles. In 2014, I did the Hotter'N Hell Hundred 100 mile ride on my new Specialized Crave 29er converted to a single speed. I did it on the Crave again in 2015 with gears and slicks. In 2019 I bought a Raleigh Willard 3 gravel bike and did a few gravel grinds. This year, 2023, I bought a 2021 Jamis Renegade C1 and started doing gravel races. Gravel Locos in Hico was my first major race.
I plan on doing more gravel races in 2024 and may do Little Sugar (Big Sugar is sold out) in Bentonville this year. Can't wait to get back into the racing scene!
“Victor ! We have spoken about this, now stop sucking your thumb and pull yourself together, you’re a big now and there’s no need for crying every time you have to ride up some hills.”
Saw my first early mountain bike in California 1980. Went back home to Oxford and a friends bike shop where I worked....he had seen one in Boulder Colorado in the summer. We decided to see if we could get any in the UK. Found Madison Cycles were importing Grey Ridgeback’s,so three of us bought our first mountain bike..We decided to start selling them and became one of the first MTB Specialist shops in Europe. We sold Marin,Kona,Specialized,Dawes,GT,Cannondale,Ritchey...changing our personal ride every six months. Took part in the early MTB scene-Weekends in North Wales. Won a few races. Rode against Tim Gould and the emerging MTB teams during the 80’s. Did some Bike Testing for MBUK with Nigel Jackson and Steve Worland. However by mid 1990’s the MTB scene got far too serious and went back to my Roadie roots. Now ride Road and Gravel bike mostly,with the occasional Mountain Bike outing.
I’m watching the Tour Divide race this month so I was sure you guys were going say “the next big thing is going to be Mud Biking.”
Back in '82 I had a Raleigh Equippe , and enjoyed two collapsed wheels ! Dawes a year later introduced the 'wildcat', oh yes !
Anyway in 2012 after breaking and having had some titanium to straighten out a collar bone whilst skiing , I was told , no off road whilst the plate seats and so within a month , yes , I was back on a roadie. 11 years later I enjoy both disciplines , yes the out and out speed and hum of aero wheels, but also the whole body workout of riding a 'full sus',both equally enjoyable. Either way , how amazing is the pleasure of riding a bike , the freedom of escape, the zero cost of just water and the miles that can be efficiently covered. Wow
I started out as a mountain biker but then discovered the thrill speed and exploration abilities of road bikes, but then discovered the car-free nature of gravel, and now I'm back to being suspension curious after riding up to and over the limit of a drop bar gravel bike. Its not even a spectrum, its more of a klein bottle - no start, no end, only continuity and fluidity...oh and bikes, a lot of bikes.
Growing up in Yorkshire and having a paper round as a kids meant a MTB was the best bike for the job (of course now it would be a gravel bike)... I've always loved MTBs and the fun you can have, then I found road bikes at the age of 42 as I was doing a triathlon... OMG, go way faster for way less effort, what was there not to like, so a road bike was purchased. Now 5 years later, and 5 bikes in the stable (including a brand new full sus MTB but no gravel, yet, n+1), I dabble in both camps, road blasts and bike hols with mates and MTBing single track or bike parks with my teenaged son (who's now teaching me to do gap jumps at 47, yikes)... if I'm on a bike, I'm usually having fun. Choosing between the two all depends on who is free for a ride :) Just love your bike, whatever you're on.
2:32 I am so happy to hear about Cross-Country bikes. I just got one about a year ago for a good price. I guess now I have a state-of-the-art, trendy bike.
Personally, I prefer a Cross-Country/Cross-Road bike because though I prefer to be on the road, it is nearly impossible to find roads that are at least 50% smooth with no bumps. Also, when on the road, ever so often you end up on some dirt road and I always doubt whether the thin tires of a road bike will be able to handle the dirt/gravel and not pop. However, with a Cross-Road bike I don't have to worry about that.
Thank you for your show and greetings from Canada!!
A MTB got me back into riding - which I commuted on. I worked up to a decent top end dual suspension MTB, then got a road bike to get me fitter. I worked up to a top end Cervelo carbon road bike then had a go with a basic gravel bike. Now worked up to a top spec Titanium gravel bike. So I have gone all in on all the different forms of bikes and love them all. Luckily my wife is tolerant of my spending !
I didn't know that roadbiking and mountainbiking are rival sports. 🤣 the disparaging way they talk about.... "suspension" had me on the floor.
We love each other really 🥰
They forget that Rock Shox won Paris Roubaix three straight years running; '92, '93 and '94.
Mountain bikers are the sworn enemy of the road cyclist - what with their baggy clothes and their tumbling down hills on a bike, obnoxiously
@@discbrakefan it's an oldie but still funny ua-cam.com/video/Wx2e9jSSK6E/v-deo.html
@daveb6755 This is the Internet; you can say the F-word. Those mountain bikers were having... Fun.
I’ve been a serious cyclist since 1990. While MTB’ing is my love and joy I do love rides on my Pinarello Prince. Nine out of ten times I’ll will choose the quite of nature, grime, sweat and dirt of single track over exhaust, potential run-ins with drivers, car impacts and smog. I almost liken it to an American vs a Europeans. MTB’ing (American) = brash, fun, go big, loud, dirty, laid-back and always about the experience. Road (European) = sleek, precision, looks, serious and about personal performance vs personal experience.
A long time roadie, I started riding gravel about about 7 years ago on a rigid 90’s Mtn bike and smooth tires. Then five years ago I bought a proper gravel bike. 4 years ago I bought a used Cannondale lefty Mtn bike and two years ago upgraded to a Pivot full suspension cross country bike. I rotate through all three disciplines but my go to bike for riding on my own is the Pivot cross country bike. The town I live in has easy access to Mtn bike trails and I like being out of the traffic while riding alone.
As a kid in the 90s mountain biking was my gateway into riding bikes. Loved riding the trails near my house and just using my mountain bike for general transportation. It wasn't until late in the 2000s after college I moved to a sunnier state/city and got my first road bike. Once I experienced the speed and efficiency of the road bike I never really found my way back to dirt. I did eventually pick up a gravel bike as a plush commuter... and I've done some dirt riding on occasion, but it's never really taken hold for me. I mean nothing against people who really like riding dirt, it is great fun... I just think for me it's less captivating
Having ridden road, MTB and, latterly gravel, they're all wonderful of course. However, to nip out for a session for an hour (I live in a flat area near Venice Italy), time and time again, I find myself grabbing my MTB. In only 5 minutes, I'm on a broad path of grass that's not a footpath as such but a farmer's trail around a series of enormous fields close to a river. I use heart rate monitoring as my sole parameter and have ENORMOUS fun inventing, as I go, the routes and varying the speeds etc. The differences: no need for a crash helmet as the speeds are moderate and the grass is deep (and I haven't fallen off once, yet..), less vibrations going up and down my 60-year-old body as I adjust the tyre pressures to match the bumpiness of the grass; the freedom of having no one else around - especially cars but also other (gravel) cyclists who tend to hare towards me in the opposite direction. Ok, I get a bit dirty and wet, but that's fun too. Ah yes, in the winter, the slower speeds and constant variety of pace and changes of direction mean I don't have to get freezing feet (the faster I go on roads, the worse my poor feet are!). Riding up mountain passes in the Dolomites (an hour's drive away) is heaven (if you're a masochist like me). But it's not often that I can find the time to drive up there. Whereas MTB cycling ticks every box. Last but certainly not least, in this period, my local fields are frequented by grey herons, little egrets, freshwater cormorants and, just in the last days, a couple of impressive storks. So, adding to all the ticked boxes, there is also the "much closer to nature" box. So it's got to be ... and the winner is: MTB.
I bought myself my 1st proper bike this summer and it was a MTB. I didn't know any better and everyone was using it so I thought it was a normal and comfortable bike for daily riding. After I fell in love with cycling and started to take an interest in it a bit more, I realized I don't really need a MTB. So I switched to a Gravel bike...after another month or so I realised I need a 2nd bike to be able to ride non-stop, and for me a pure road bike is the choice, since I found out I enjoy the most a fast ride on a nice tarmac. So for me the process was the opposite than suggested by you guys. I think everyone will end up doing what he/she loves the most and has the opportunity to do, no matter the current wave of trendiness...Best from Czech Rep.. BTW: You should try some Bohemian riding ;)
Caption: "I fin-k you went too far this time". "Trust me, this is the-fin-itely going to improve performance"
I had a bike shop in San Francisco, California in the '80s. Around 1988 Brit pro rider Paul Watson came to Cali to start racing mountain bikes. He's an interesting guy and had some real success in the heart of mountain bike racing.
Started with a EMTB, the gravel bike actually got me into road cycling, now even got a real road bike. So the gravel bike gateway drug works both ways 😉
Hahahah we love to hear it! 🙌
Some of us are coming from the other side... gravel is my gateway drug to road. It is loads of fun going up and down the woods... but on the other side when you look back and you have 100+ km behind you in less then half a day, including the lager brake in there... crikey
7:13 machines that blend the different specialties very appealing.
Every year in Philly we have a naked bike ride event. 100s of people come out to ride naked together through the city. It's wonderful.
Caption comp: "Hey Tajej! Oh, sorry Victor, that Tadej Tuft on your helmet made me confuse you for someone else..." #CaptionCompetition
It depends where you live & the local infrastructure. For example, live in Andalusia & there's an abundance of gravelly mountain bike trails & incredible 'paved' roads. These mostly lead into more serious mountain bike terrains where suspension is optimum. No one bike will take you everywhere until a gravel bike successfully incorporates suspension. A gravel bike can reward you with an 'all terrain' solution, but comfort is sacrificed, especially bike packing. For me, it's still 29" hardtail for gravel & trail bike packing with some single & a separate pure road bike for paved. But that's possibly because a hybrid would compromise comfort at my age 64. Gravel bike is still very tempting, but I haven't heard of an affordable & successful one with suspension yet. One interesting factor is that wider rim widths on road bikes could suggest a multi-terrain bike might be actually my last ever bike purchase as the trails & paved roads often run concurrently where l live.
I enjoyed your conversation at the start and that was funny, Si, your mentioning the creep, the creep toward bigger tires and wider bars and whatever it takes for a roadie to go full mountain biker. As for me, I progressed from a Sting-Ray to BMX bikes and 10-speeds and then to motorcycles and mountain bikes, so it has always been about everything for me and even in San Francisco in '67 when I got the Sting-Ray in my little thumbnail, we lived on Twin Peaks where dirt trails could be found at the top and steep streets for high-speed descents. And it was all just bike riding back then, no road v. mountain or any of that silliness. 😀
Started bmx, switched to road, now racing xc for the 1st time at 38. The important thing is getting out on two wheels.
I love Si’s LOTR references 😂❤🎉
Nothing beats top speeds on smooth tarmac, but I love riding all my bikes. Road, TT, mountain, even BMX if I'm cruising around with the kids. Bikes are the best!
JV: “Victor, you look like cycling’s answer to Dorothy the Dinosaur.”
VC: “Says the guy dressed as the Yellow Wiggle.”
OK SI and Dan, here goes. I am a former Junior national team and cat 1 road racer, and I still love to go out and go fast on group rides. Having said that, three quarters of my riding nowis mountain bike, and here's why: (Don't worry guys, you'll get to where I am: just wait. Every year I'm slower, and as science tells us, you lose your speed sooner and faster than your power and endurance. As a marathoner (40 under four, six Bostons, so no slouching here) as well, I can still go many hours, but not so fast. Subsequently, trail running and mountain biking are much more interesting: things to watch out for, things to see (deer, turkeys, gators, turtles, bobcats, panthers, racoons, snakes, COWS,) so it is never boring. No worries about cars is great, going where others often do not is great, new techniques and skills make mountain bike riding exciting. I still have all my road skills, which is probably the only reason i can stay with the fast group rides, at least until the third 30mph plus surge, but nothing new on those rides. In mountain biking, I learn something new every ride, as I learned something new in every marathon. As much as I love the road, there is nothing new for me there. On the trails, it is my next adventure, as Old Grendel said in the Larry Niven/Pournelle novel Beowulf's Children, (sci fi: check it out), "New things! Fresh blood to wet my snout". And, MTB riding helps my road bike handling skills.as with Wout and Pidcock, on a much much lower level, handling your mountain bike on muddy sandy rocky rooty trail teaches you how to corner and handle: do enough mountain biking, and you won't freak and crash when your wheels slip on a corner, or you hit sand or dirt. Like your cyclo cross video for Ollie noted, moutnain biking teaches you to recognize the conditions, and know you bike: the best bike handlers follow what their bike tells them, and there you are. Off road teaches you to listen to your bike, and then it will take better care of you. it's a dialogue, clearest on mountain bikes, but true on all. PS: Si, I love the Red Eye of Sauron reference: well done.
Thanks GCN for keeping sober mind about gravel bikes! Those arent dirt machines like xc bike, people need to hear that from you.
I’m so happy and love to see Dan back with Si…we missed you Dan…Glad to see you’re back….cheers
Caption:
Vingegaard to Campenaerts:
"Well, you might have a lot of balls, but I'm the only Victor of this race"
I was a hardcore downhill rider that always thought road biking was a little shite. Converted heavily over the first lockdown to road cycling, have hardly been downhill since. Since buying my first entry level road bike I've upgraded to a £5,000 weapon. I've then built from bits and pieces a single speed town bike and I'm now as you speak (because I'm typing) converting my first road bike in to a gravel bike... it is cyclical, I'm just two years behind the pace xD
Miss the dan, si and matt days the humour really worked well betwen them. New presenters are great too though
I've come the other way! I know plenty that have done the same. BMX, MTB then over to the dark side of road! I still ride my hard tail and full suspension MTBs but I just love the feeling of riding fast & far on the road. To be honest I just love riding bikes anywhere possible! 😊
I am unbiased. I enjoy my mountain bike just as much as I enjoy speeding along the tarmac on my road bike. I ride whatever the mood and weather suits for the day.
I started gravel riding and ended up on a Gasgas Ex300, two stroke.
I got my first mountain bike in 1987 and my first road bike in 1997. Now I have a whole fleet of bikes and a dedicated bike room in the house. My biggest problem is my JOB that provides the funds to buy all the bike and bike accessories, stuff keeps me from riding as much as I want. I still get in enough rides but I could get more if biking was free and I didn't have to work.
I started on a old school mountain bike in 2000 when i was 16. I'm mostly a road bike guy because I enjoy doing long-distance rides, but if I have an hour you can't beat a mountain bike and a trail in the woods with some punchy hills for fun 👌
Just have to say thanks for being the Catalyst! 🤣I love both. X-country for me is more about the trail, being in wilderness. Road is more about competing with myself to be faster and ya know, not getting wiped out by a 2.5 ton hunk of metal rifling past, just inches away at 100km/hr, being piloted by some lenny late for work sucking back their latte whilst chatting on the phone leaving you choking on their exhaust fumes. And yet....I'm still out there.
Vingegaard: “You fancy going to this crit race in Philadelphia I’ve heard about?” #captioncompetition
Started road cycling in the late 80s then transitioned to mountain bikes around 1990. Now on a gravel bike.
two thumbs up for the "eye of Sauron" analogy!!
Just got back into MTB. Bought a Trek ProCaliber November then relented and went out and bought a SuperCaliber 4 weeks ago. I love it!
On a very different (should I be saying it...?) note I work with over 100 pro cyclists in Andorra and the number of road cycling pros that have bought an MTB (full suspension of course) this year... is going to remain a secret.
Tom Pidcock, Sam Gaze and Lukas Baum (amongst others) live here. There are over 400kms (and growing) of GPX file, cared for and maintained MTB tracks here and one of Europe's top trail and track builders, Oscar Lacueva, lives here too.
And the roadies love it!!!
That’s funny Dan on a mountain bike lol keep the ambulance close.😂
As a kid i raced BMX, then dabbled in MTB. As a 31 year old i finally bought a road bike and continue to absolutely love it. I'm now a dad of a 4 year old lad so have returned to off road fun as it a safe place for the start of his cycling adventures [see Instagram with the same username ;)]. As you say it's all cyclical!!
Crossed to Mt first then to Gravel…. Now each day is a muster of what bike gets the miles!
I have a hardtail 29" with slicks and narrow handlebars with spd clip ins in order to keep up with the category racers who show up on Hunte Parkway to train on a TT loop there (and to race as well) on my way to Otay Mountain to hit some rocky singletrack after 3k of gain out of Pio Pico on gravel, and to then tuck and draft on the way back along Otay Lakes Rd. If you know you know.
I enjoy anything on a bike. I have a hybrid for quick runs around town, a gravel bike, a Mountain bike and thinking of getting a XC bike. I enjoy MTB with my husband so much I am currently waiting on lunch in Whistler, BC.
So, for the "next big thing," I'm actually a Mtn biker who converted to road riding, though I still ride the trails once in awhile. I enjoy both! I typically say, I ride my road bike to go fast and my mtn bike to have fun.
Have a gravel bike since end of 2020 and only now starting to learn how to do more technical stuff in the forest. More than enough for me! I love going gravel in hot summer days as in the forest and along rivers it is cooler.
Big MTB advantage for me is a lack of cars on my ride. I'm avoiding busy roads as much as possible. Using paved roads just to get to forest and gravel roads where I meet one car in two hours.
We'll give you that one! Don't you think a gravel bike also offers this? 👀
@@gcn Yes, I think so. Still have to try it. Maybe this year. Was already looking for some gravel bikes, however I do like snail pacing steep climes with 22t front and 46t rear. Nothing like this in gravel, but would like to try it on more flat terrain.
Started off as a cross country mountain bike racer in the 90's. Started road racing for training, and now ride my mountain bike maybe 30 times in the last 20 years.
That GCN bidon looks mint. And an awesomely appropriate thank you gift for saving Conor’s Unbound by turning back with more water.
some hack, cup hooks through the roof of your shed, at least the tyres won't rust..
The first G in Vingegaard is not an i/j/y sound. Think of it as Wing, bur with a V. Ving-uh-g-awe. Which by the way means Farm (house) of the Wings in Danish.