Road Bike Vs Mountain Bike: Which Is Harder?
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- It's time to set the record straight, which is harder, MTB or Road Cycling? Matt and Si are determined to find out, so have challenged one another.
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Which do you think is harder? Let us know in the comments below 👇
Si and Matt challenge one another to see which is fastest, a road bike or a mountain bike in a route from A-B.
The rides were taken part in the beautiful Alta Badia region of Italy.
Simon took to the dirt on his mountain bike whereas, thankfully, Matt stayed on the asphalt on his road bike.
The question is, who will be fastest, Road Or MTB ?
Who will have the highest average power...
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What do you think is harder? 👇
Can you guess what we voted for?
MTB all day
i think the real question is.. which is more dangerous? the terrain(mtb) or other people (road)
Pedestrians and dog walkers >>>> A 100m drop on a mountain.
Sitting on the couch right now, they are both quite hard
Mountainbiking with a road bike.
TheStreetsBeats There's cyclocross for you... a road bike built to sustain off-road riding
Ha. That's probably the hardest, yes.
nah, cross country style mountain biking.
Nah, CX is just riding on normal 3rd world streets.
TheStreetsBeats comment of the week
I had a friend who rides a road bike, while I ride a mountain bike. Once, we decided to swap bikes for a day. I was amazed at how light the road bike was (I can sling it on my shoulders easily), as well as accelerate very quickly and how much further I can cycle with one stroke of the pedals, full force. This, even on windy days.
When we swapped back our bikes, my friend told me of his experience. He said that, while the mountain bike was less aerodynamic and much heavier, he enjoyed its really sturdy build (he can go off-road without him worrying about damaging his bike), as well as the disc brakes offering him much more braking power, and he loved the flat bars at low speed, because it offers him better handling stability than his drop bars.
It was a great experience for us both, though.
I am with MTB and my friend with road bike went for 50 km ride together in which 45 km was clean road and 5 km was up slop trail in forest.....first 45 km in road he was superior,last 5 km I was.....😜😜😜😜
When it comes in uphill whats more easier to use mtb or roadbike
@@jakemalabrigo3392 depends upon road condition.....for clean highway typed road road bike is suited,but for rough ,off road MTB is fun...😊
@@sr-dt3pl roadbike vs mtb on both smooth surface
@@jakemalabrigo3392go for roadbike....👍👍
Mtb.. adrenaline rush.
Road bike.. meditation
That's how i enjoy both
Go donwtonw with a road bike,people,cars,adrenaline... Velocity
@@Mostcarpiot sweet
I can see that but I also find riding mellow trails in nature by myself to be quite therapeutic
Absolutely spot on 😊
There's no adrenaline rush going downhill at 60kph? Lmao
i ride on road but i got a mtb because the roads here are like trails already
I live in Kenya in Africa. Can relate.
LMAO THIS IS SO PHILIPPINES HAHAHA kaway kaway sa mga pinoy jan
I've been on paved roads in Pennsylvania that make rocky trails look like a tile floor... and fire roads in Arizona that a 4wd deisel has a tough time on! Some road maintenance is definitely in order for most places it seems like...
XC FTW
I ride on both road and on trail. Even though I would probably do better on road with a road bike, I do like to bike to the trail system I normally ride on
Mtb vs road aside, can we take a moment and recognize how beautiful the area is?
Zach Martin never
Yep. Looks like a Utah canyon ride. They even had the ground squirrels.
Evropa is so nice in winter, spring, summer, and autum!
@@molochi they are marmots
@@MaQuGo119 italy is so beautiful
This is a stupid question, off road is obviously harder per mile, but neither is harder per hour. The former is why we build roads (it saves energy per mile travelled). The later is just how many calories you're willing to burn per hour.
mountain biking is obviously harder per hour
MTB if done on actual mountains not just hills is harder per hour as well. You get a lot of spikes in MTB plus you must work with the bike constantly hence you also work your upper body. Don't get me wrong, biking can be hard on road as well if you push to the limit, but not harder than on a MTB and rough terrain...
@@ors7503 I wouldn't say that. I always feel like road biking is harder. When I am doing technical stuff, my legs hurt from all the bursts and more of the body is engaged that is true. But when I road bike, I can push myself much much more because I don't have to concentrate on the terrain, sharp corners etc.
Where's the question?
Mtb requires so much more skill and technique on a bicycle because it's so hard sometimes. On a proper mtb trail, you need so much more bike control and skill and technique than when your riding a road, it's like comparing the height of mt everest to a mole hill.
you guys should've gotten Blake to do the roadie bit. We've already seen Neil on a road bike, it's Blake's turn!
this will be weird, but wonderful
Timothy Leonard Pugal a laugh competition between Blake and Matt
M3T2W01f that would be awesome!
LOL he is a dirt jumper so I feel like it would be harder for him
I'll wait while Blake builds a dirt jump and does a Sam Pilgrim with a road bike.
Why dont you make a race between the GMBN guys riding road bikes vs you riding mtb bikes?
Diego Hurtado besides Si, have any of the GCN presenters ever ridden MTBs more than just once or twice?
Pretty much only Matt Stephens is the least experienced with MTBs. Former Cervelo Test Team rider Dan raced MTB at younger amateur level. Both Lasty and Simon reached the level of national junior MTB champions. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_National_Mountain_Biking_Championships
si is an ex professional xc rider
Yes
Yes this is an amazing idea
Personally, Road is a different kind of suck. MTB is a different kind of fear. MTB requires more skill while road requires more fitness. Road you get hit by cars, MTB you get eaten by bears.
At least coming from a DH/Enduro/XC rat that started riding road for more endurance.
Either way.
Go ride your dam bike. ;)
IFHT
Road doesn't require fitness there's women who have never ridden a road bike before and they have done 100 miles in one go couldn't do that on mountain bike to hard
Jason Henson have you every heard of the Tour de France
@@jasonhenson1633 Dude what are you comparing? Of course you can do 100 miles in one go, but the time is the fact that matters.
Bas Bakker road bikers have to pedal. Ya mtb ppl don’t. Mtb is more technical, road biking is more fitness
I do both, I guess I'm Bi-Cycle 😳
i'm unicycle and proud.
I'd say you're bike-curious.
Get Out~ *pointing doors
I road bike, mountain bike and BMX. I guess I'm a "Tri,-Cycle"
dammit...
I'm a mountain biker and thinking about getting a road bike. I'm Bike-curious ;)
Great Video. Mountainbiking is definitely tougher physically but also visually. trying to process rough terrain is requires imence mental concentration.
Simon Thomas You clearly haven't descended the Stelvio Pass.
Your right I haven't. I prefer road bike I'm sure it will be tough but what I'm saying is on a road bike you can react to the road ahead most of the time where as on a mountain bike you need to have good vision to deal with rough terrain 90% of the time..
uz1l0v3r you clearly havent descended a half kilometer downhill track
I never heard it put that way. I realize that's part of the fun going down a hill, the mental processing of the terrain.
Both are a mental challange.
Roadbiking: torturing yourself for hours
Mountainbiking: Allways being at 100% attention and pushing yourself outside your compfort zone.
Road bike=stamina. Mountain bike=power & technique
Nice and succinct. like it. Might add intervals to the MTB example: power, intervals & technique. add in technique to road as well.
mtb - stability, balance, skills and effort. road bike is just for road only and not needed so much effort.
lmfao mountain bike is more stamina than a fucking road bike cuz you could rest with a road bike while a fucking mountain bike is fucking heavy uphillbansbyoubgas out andbget cramps
CHRISTOPHER MORRIS you ever heard of enduro mountain biking.
what about xc mountain biking?
Long time MTBer, just picked up a road bike to extend my riding season thru the winter months. MTB is much much harder, plain and simple.
Mr Mojo Risin over here in America our roadies winter train on mountain bikes. Interesting to note the contrast.
Mr Mojo Risin big brother
Mnf/,turf
Certainly agree, I also have a road bike the only time when I use it is during the winter when mtb terrains are not rideable.
honestly ive raced both and I think its harder to ride a hard offroad race vs. a hard on-road race, but then again lets take the hardest offroad race on earth, the Trans Pyr, vs the hardest on road race on earth, the Tour de France, I think the tour is harder because the riders have to race three almost staight WEEKS of road. In conclusion: They are both extremly hard and it is pretty much imposible to find the harder one.
I believe the Tour Divide is considered the hardest bike race - off road, completely self supported along the 2,745 miles of the continental divide. The documentary "Ride the Divide" gives good insight to the challenge.
RongGearRob you are correct. As an example, I've done both the Tour Divide and Route 66. Both way over 2000 mile rides, one off road, one on tarmac (albeit bad tarmac). Whole both are difficult, I spent way less energy and lost considerably less weight doing on-road racing. This shouldn't even be a debate. You simply burn more energy doing anything off-road: biking, running, hiking. The only debate is which discipline one finds more entertaining.
MTB is not about destination, it's about the journey ❤️
Garlic people. Consume garlic before going into thin air. It's a powerful vasodilator. Makes it almost as good as sea level.
Over a similar distance I would expect mtb to be harder. But roadies tend to do much further distances thus balancing the effort.
Challenging question - defining "harder" you quantified it very well looking at overall calories burned and watts output. The mental challenges of mountain biking are constant - body position, momentum, line of travel across and through obstacles from ice to rocks is pervasive but SO much more rewarding than just grinding out distance on tarmac. Excellent video - but MTB without suspension is nicht so gut!
I ride both regularly. Both bikes are amazing and very different efforts. #ridebikeseveryday
Yes!
I agree :D
same here!
have fullsus. trail bike and fitness bike for training and commuting. Due to my body complexion RB is too awkward position for me. And I have a XC hardtail as well. Love them all. All perfect in its own way.
kingzarse me too
I would have to agree with Matt that both can go as hard as you want, however I would say mountain biking has a higher minimal effort to simply stay on the bike, particularly on the more technical sections.
hahahaha "simply stay on the bike" really??????????????????
@@erwinretamales7211 I think he means that it’s easier to handle a mountain bike in general
@@mr.recorder4781 No what he means is that you have to use more effort on a mountain bike going up a hill in order to stay in motion than you do on the road. I believe. Even if you are going as hard as you personally want.
@@mr.recorder4781 Road bike are much more easier there are fast and easy to pedal unlike MBT is hard to pedal and slower In pavement but they are the best for survival camping they still fast tho
Considering you can exert yourself just as intensely while mountain biking as you can road biking, mtb is harder overall because it has the added element of technical skill.
I think a lot of it depends on your personal conditioning. Mtb riders have conditioned their upper bodies more, so mtb is easier for them than it would be for a roadie. Roadies have conditioned themselves for sustained spin, and cardio, so for a mountain biker, that sustained stamina may be more difficult. I enot the gentle razing between the two, but, as an xc mtb rider, if I see a roadie on the street near me, I immediately feel as though there is a connection through our love of bikes and riding.
Agreed. And you have to include in the analysis that these riders were both normally road bikers and Si 'switched' to MTB for this comparo. A pro MTBer would have probably felt that the MTB ride was less 'hard' than Si's perception. That being said, I would still lean towards MTB being more 'hard' on a mile -by-mile basis. Certainly works the upper body more than road biking does, anyway...
Tim Hodgson im riding MTB Hardtail on Road cycling.
so can i get the benefits of Roadbike on Road cycling?
sorry for my bad english,im from Philippines
Tim Hodgson similar to running. I am a sprinter and we train purely for muscle mass and muscle endurance. With distance they train cardio and endurance
Tim Hodgson me too
PJ CARTER
Yes. Road bikes are designed for smooth tarmac. They are generally lighter in comparison to a mountain bike and are more aerodynamic. If you applied the same amount of power in a road bike as you would with a mountain bike, you'll reach a much greater distance than a mountain bike.
depends on what you're going for» casual riding vs commuting vs racing, vs touring vs bike-packing... they all have different goals and different output requirements. I could care less about racing for instance, I'm more about the experience, even on a commute when I may be pressed for time. it feels great sometimes to really crank it out.
what do you ride during your commute?
s1Lence yeah I was waiting for them to say..
scenic beauty, great cameraman, performing bikes, performers, great observation and analysis. This was worth watching. Thank you.
"Everybody is a Genius.
But If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid"
The fish shouldn't have taken "tree climbing 101" in the first place
Fernando Roman hahaha lol
With that Albert Einstein quotes!!!
Prince Ea's video "I sued the school system"
both are enjoyable I do mostly off road winter on road summer ,this also keeps my fitness level up and no excuse for not going out . I really do love going out and getting muddy !
I remember doing some MTB trails here in Denmark last year, and I did them 3 times, witch gives me about 8-10 KM (Can't remember it exactly), and compared to one of my long rides on road, on the same bike (120 KM), I feelt about just as worn out as on the MTB trails.
The difference was only that I had to adjust the seat in height, so I wasn't thrown off the bike when entering a bumpy zone on the trails.
And again, as you guys said, it's all about how hard you want to push.
8:10 Matt checks his watch although he doesn't have one.😂😂
It's invisible. Hair past wrist.
I do both... either is as hard... just a different kind of hard....
Do both as they are complementary... road has made me a good mtb'er and mtbing has made me a better roadie...
I’m a cyclist mainly a mountain biker, being on the mountain bike has made me a way better Roadie. Mountain biking is harder I think, took me mates on a trail ride and only the faster roadie rider could keep up with me on the climb. Ps I could never drop him on my road bike even on a good day.
I'd quite like to see GMBN do the very same video from their perspective.
Pratalax They have done
Though the one they did was Cyclocross vs XC (with Neil and Scotty).
yeah, but on this course, at the same time. ish.
Pratalax they did
ZeroSeriesMMX actually they did road vs mtb
Great videography on this one! Si's right about the energy expended on a mtb even when going downhill.
So this is a polite way of saying MTB is harder.
Only if you make it so. Their point was pretty easy to understand, they're both as hard as you make it, pretty simple.
I MTB and I think at baseline MTB is harder because you have overcome the road surface just to roll but if you're pushing hard then it's the same. Flat ground on a MTB is like a slight climb on a RDB. Plus the bikes are inherently slower. My hardtail with 2 inch wide road tires on it only cruises at between 10 and 14 mph. 40 psi vs 80 psi makes a huge difference on tarmac.
@@sevenrats I hit 21.7 mph quite regularly on my 26er (x1.95') hardtail on tarmac @ 45PSI..Sustained is around 15.5 mph..All readings using Komoot and Strava..So yep, if you can push an MTB she can run with the wind..
:-)
@@AB-vt1cp hit 24.4 yesterday on flat tarmac with 40psi 2" tires (26er) so yea i wasnt even in a big gear. but my average speed on a day of XC seems to hover around 10mph
Bas Bakker have you seen a xc race? Basically the sprinting version of road riding (excluding TT races) but on difficult terrain that requires more consideration. And regarding that downhill does not burn calories, go to a pump track and ride, learn to ride properly, and then try to do 5 rounds in a row as fast as you can. That’s a intro to downhill mtb, any rider who goes up a hill slow does it so he can burn everything he has going down, basically enduro.
Mountain biking based on my exp cause you gotta do those uphills full of big rocks lol
But i think mtb is more enjoyable because of the trail
Drei Nicolas That"s what I'm thinking but my friend wants me to decide on getting a road bike because it's common in nyc and faster and light weight
Oh my god, the scenery is so amazing! Thanks for sharing the awesome view. All of the thing in this video is beautiful.
why's that?
Personally, the reason why I feel that people say that riding off road is harder is because there is a real physical or skill barrier that blocks some off road trails as when compared to normal road biking.
Pretty much anyone that can balance on a bike can ride on a road. But not everyone can handle trails, proper single track trails.
Even from a physical strength and endurance stand point, when climbing, road biking isnt as hard as mountain biking. In road riding, you have your gears, can stand up and climb or you can weave left and right to make the ascent easier. But on a mountain bike, the trails are so narrow, you cant weave left and right. More over, you still have obstacles that you are going to have to either keep some speed to get over them or use some technique that would require a short burst of energy to overcome the obstacle. You cant even stand up on your bike because it would decrease the traction on the rear tire, meaning you need to keep your bike at a near wheeling balance point to have enough traction to climb up some hills.
I could go on and on. But you get my point.
very smart man!
A very steep hill requires good balance and handling on a road bike tbh
owning a few bikes myself, i do both road and mtb, but also cx, and really there isn't much comparison. mtb is more about technic than physic, since most of the time knowing the correct posture makes all the dif, and you'll more often find fatter people on mtb than road. road is all about concentration and max physical effort, and yes, there are skills to learn but once again, you better off learning them in mtb than in the road. cx is both physical and technical, but still not as much as mtb. in the end, a good cyclist will do every discipline he can get his hands on, and as Sagan showed us, it's worth it. sorry for my bad english.
The biggest difference is CHOICE! A lot of people on here don't get it. Yes..Road biking- you have a choice on how hard you want to go- Period. On a lot of mountain bike trails you have no choice other than to go 100% or you stop mid trail or end up rolling backwards downhill. Did anybody see the guy riding the road bike HAVE to stop for a second? The mountain bike did and it was not only because of the snow on the ground... if he had a fresh start from the spot where he stopped he would have easily been able to pedal it, but he was already burnt. so people are going to say you have a choice of what trail to ride to make sure that you don't have to go 100% on a mountain bike. True..if you know ALL the trails, but that's impossible vs paved roads are pretty much going to be rideable wherever you go. As much as MTB and road bikes are the same, It's really apples and oranges-both fruit-vastly different
Agree 100%. I ride road AND MTB.
MTB is soooo much harder cos the lower half and top half of your body needs to be working in synch otherwise you're gonna hit sharp rocks, trees, endo, go off cliffs etc. and mostly don't have a choice when the terrain changes.
Road riding is mostly working the legs on smoother surfaces and you can speed up or slow down wherever you like. They are both VERY taxing tho.
@@meagainok19 For someone wanting to get into one of these and i cant choose, which would you recommend? I want to do events and stuff too (races).
@@embracingthehustle4069 It depends if you like dirt or road I guess. Both disciplines are very hard. Maybe hire a road bike and a mountain bike and see where your passion lies.
Cappuccino for a mountain biker? Pff, you can spot a road biker a mile away...It should've been beer :)
You're in Italy, going for a beer is like ordering a burger at a michelin french restaurant
@@RomainLussier You know what? I would. And they'd bloody well make me a damn good burger :D
@@Quicksilver_Cookie Maybe, but i've road cycled across Italy and i guarantee you there is no good beer in that country. Also, road cyclists are the ones that say "hey, lets go for a beer in that brewery 38 miles away!"
Italy has great wines.... Just sayin.
Good job metabolising those toxins during your trip
My opinion is you can't compare the two because they are so different
why not lol , mountain biking in general has alot more room for mechanical skill, and is physically alot more than just cardio and legs . road biking is alot more about conditioning and knowing when to attack (strats ) . all round mountain biking is harder , on paper , and i m shit at both.
and i m not trying to hate on road biking in general , but you simply cannot compare those amazing and dangerous downhill rides where riders are literally jumping from mountains and pulliing off shit you don t even see in the movies to something like the tour de france . They re simply on a whole new level
In a way, I can agree, just because the way they compared road and off-road cycling, in the other hand, why not compare cyclocross with enduro? as both disciplines are as close as possible to the other group (road/mountain), I would like to see that comparison with Tom Last and "Don" riding both bikes, to not just have the cross comparison.
Your statement is illogical. Of course you can compare the two. Both have wheels, saddles, handlebars and a frame. Both are called bicycles, thus both can be compared. It's not so different as a plane is to a bicycle.
So yeah, you can in fact compare the two. This "you can't compare" statement is just borderline idiotic because it's likely due to a knee-jerk emotional response.
Kalsonic by that logic Motocross, racing, custom, scooters and Vespas could be compared (they are powered by gas motor, two wheels, etc); we all here know that all members mentioned, CAN'T be compared like that, simply because they all are designed for very different uses each of them. Why else you think there are subcategories in road AND mountain bikes? lightweight road, aero road, time-trial, cyclo-cross, cross-country, enduro, Freeride, downhill, dirt jump, trial (BMX), treking, classic, city hybrid, single speed fixie, fat-tire, low-rider, ... and all other bikes I don't remember the subcategory name or not aware of their existence...
mountain biking is way harder. road cycling is more painful
Head on the nail there :)
andoman121 painful and boring i think
Santiago Manuel Pellejero I think that roadbiking is an aquired taste because it's more interesting the more you know about it.
good analogy. I agree. I think parts of mountain biking is harder, but I have endured so much awesome pain on my road bike.
hmmmm. boring? I'd say different. Boring is kind of subjective...I love them both, but I understand what you are saying.
I’ve got the best of both worlds, but my hybrid won’t ever compete with a pure road or pure mountain bike. She’s still great for adventuring and I love her to death.
Yeah, I ride a hybrid, too. The bit of off-roading I do on some of my routes suit it fine, there's no insane mountain climbing involved, and the bit of roading on the routes are fine for it, too. Like you say, we'll never compete with dedicated bikes, but we certainly do well with what we have
@@CMANIM Same here.
Hybrids FTW!
I liked the the previous video- GMBN vs GCN. the mtn bikers set the parameters- power,
and the road rider put out 50% higher power for an hour.
The mtn bikers concluded that mtn biking is harder.
Off road for me is harder, can take so much more out of you, your whole body gets a workout, and it's much harder getting a rhythm, but can be a lot of fun
smefour takes more out of you? Let's keep it real, the grand tours have no comparison
It does for me, that's real enough
Lewis Taylor lol MTB is harder. 100 miles on a road or 100 miles on mountain paths, I know what i would choose.
Thanks for an honest review without the hate. I have both a SUP and an Mountain E-Bike. The SUP replaces my Santa Cruz surfboard and the E-Bike replaces my MTB. Would I rather ride what has been replaced ... you bet BUT in my mid seventies and to still ride fast and often without major issues is fantastic. When I surf, it is on the days when very few are in a line-up. Also, I am always respectful of the smaller lighter boards and riders. And talk about the pure joy/elation of riding the trails, whoa. Again gents, THANKS
No matter the context (MTB vs Road, Disk vs Rim brakes...) Matt always rides like a BOSS ! Period
Both are as hard as you make them! I'd say road biking requires more energy and physique overall where MTB requires more technique and short very high bursts of power. Both have their place!
I agree. As they mentioned there's some upper body workout on the MTB that I don't find road riding. Sometimes you are able to put your whole body into clearing a short steep incline or crazy terrain.
physiques depend on the style of cycling. I think you'd find that a cross country mountain biker is equivalent to a road biker. I think you'd find that a free rider or downhiller is insane
Nah MTB demands more strength, better physique, superior handling than road biking. Road biking is all about how long can you go that is your endurance
I do both road and MTB ( started only recently)
7:21 "get off my property"
Mountain biking is a bit harder not only do you have to use a heavier bike, you sometimes have to climb more steep sections compared to road bikes that take a lot of power, you also need to use more power to reach a destination trough a road.
Why not ask matthieu van de poel. He rides road proffesional and he came second in uci xco worldcup. He should know it
Interesting question. I’ll disclose that I don’t ride roads, but on an MTB you’re frequently gasping for breath and that always seems to coincide with a technical crux requiring a burst of extreme effort to avoid falling off. Although I can’t see how road biking could possibly replicate that, once my MTB friends started riding road bikes to, their fitness just went up another level way beyond anything I could muster... so, they must compliment each other really well
I ride both and I agree with the concept that it's all about effort. I'll say this though I've never been as sore from my road bike as I have from my mtb. If you ride a brutal trail it can really drain your energy way quicker than a road bike. That's just from my experience.
Anyone who has ever mountain biked knows that mountain is harder.
and the views more spectacular too
I do both and I find it's harder work road biking and more technique in mountain biking
In mountain biking you have to worry about rocks, roots, dirt and more. Plus you have to constantly shift your weight around the bike
@@jensoncremasco3352 thats exactly what happens
skeptic moderate yep
I ride MTB and road, but I don't do either to any extreme. I don't ride like a lunatic down bendy country lanes at 60mph, nor do I do the crazy downhill stuff on MTB dressed like a storm trooper. I can ride 50 miles on the road and feel completely knackered, or I could ride 35 miles completely off-road on the MTB and feel equally knackered, but recently I have concentrated much more on MTB as I find road a bit dull especially if it's mostly a flat route (I tend to ride where there are plenty of good hills to ride up) so perhaps have become more accustomed to the challenges of MTB riding so it affects me less.
I think 'harder' is probably the wrong question to ask as it's very subjective and you can't compare exactly like for like. Perhaps asking which gives you a better workout or makes you a stronger rider would be better, and to this I would definitely say MTB for the reasons explained in the video. I think my upper body is stronger having ridden more MTB than road recently, and the short sharp ascents and all the crouching over the bike in various positions in MTB works out my legs in a different way to road.
do road bike vs cyclocross please
Off road you use a lot of energy in a short time but roadies use some energy in a long period of time but roadies can't ride off but off road can always ride road
Christian Petrey that’s debatable
FACT!
On a road bike, you can just relax on the downhill, but on a mountain bike you're still working hard
I haven't done any real mountain biking ever. But I can see it being harder than road cycling
Craig Knobovitch it is
Craig Knobovitch same
thank God you didn't give Matt the MTB is all I can say.
Arron Harris that would have been messy !
Totally agreed. I remember Si was on GMBN in the earlier videos, I believe he does both road and mountain biking off-camera?
+Brandan Ho ex junior British xc champion
I have the montain bike but I use it for road xD
The Gamer I do too, road bikes make it a little easier because the tires take up less space on the road
The testing should compare the same road. Just like the video comparing cheap bikes against super bikes. Like SUV vs sport cars. I also use MTB on roads, just feel more comfortable to me.
@@slopcrusher3482 that makes no sense. You're still far wider than even the widest bicycle tires.
Me too, bcuz the roads in my country isn't as nice as the ones abroad :)
Me too
I do both and find MTB harder, but you can go way further and faster on the road
That depends on how you mtb and how you road bike, do you know that tour de france last for 5-7 hours a day for straight 3 weeks? in that 3 weeks theres alot of high speed descents going over 100-120 kph, some sprinters go 70-76 kmh on flats, i ride mtb myself but most mtbers are so close minded and ignorant..
i agree with the vídeo it really depends on how you ride and wich tracks are you taking...! both can be extremelly hard, but for me MTB is more fun!
x-Reixn -HVYX- dude stop copy pasting your argument everywhere it's not even good.
@@x-reixn-hvyx-4839
Tour de france is no where near as deadly as this
ruclips.net/video/Hv_DRJZZ2qI/видео.html
Mtb is tougher, you put in 100% effort with legs either way especially when racing (goes both ways) but mtb is also a full body workout aswell as obstacles and vibrations
You still didnt get it, didnt you? Its as hard as you make it for yourself.
RUclips User yes but mtb can be harder with technical climbs and descents, it's about fitness, skill and technique, not just fitness and a bit of technique, but yes I agree that both are as hard as you make it, but mtb can be harder if you ride real mtb trails not the bullshit this guy rode
Michael Stewart i mostly ride mtb and still think its as hard as you make it for yourself. The struggles are of completely diffrent natures.
Michael Stewart oh my god yes I was thinking the same thing he is riding an easy trail
You can descent on the road with slow speed and rest, you can't rest even on slow descent on gnarly terrain, so even if you put the same effort in getting up a hill, in MTB you still need to put some effort when descending, or a lot of effort, if you want to shred it downhill.
I do and love both, but they're quite different. When the elevation jacks up off-terrain, I often have to remain seated to keep traction, that develops great quad strength, while I can stand on the pedals on the road, which breaks up the effort, you really can go as hard or soft as you want though. As others have said, stop and enjoy the scenery too - remember it's an adventure, and it doesnt matter what bike you're on - just enjoy it.
Depends what you mean by 'harder'. Generally speaking mtb-ers are faster on technical descents, then the roadies overtake them on the uphills. To me as a roadie, the descending is 'harder'.
please lower the saddle on the mtb downhill section i was cringing when i saw it
hi there He propably would but the bike doesnt have dropper post.
Hyppyrotta it's called getting off and undoing the quick release
dropper are for those enduro riders... no need to lower it down for this
Josue Gomez I think it is much more enjoyable with the saddle low. And you will also save some time if there is a long downhill part of the trail like Si had there.
Certainly the feeling is fine, even more if you have a dropper and don't have the need to stop to lower or higher the seatpost.... but that mainly works for those who ride enduro or downhill! on a XC or XCO competition you simply can't afford to spend time doing that
I think they both are completely different in their own ways. Road cycling is difficult because its sustained high speed and power for a long distance where as offroad is powering through terrains and hills while steering through obstacles. Neither one is harder than the other but i do believe that if you are a roadie, MTB will seem harder while if you MTB, road rides will seem harder. Different muscle groups. Great video as always gents!
oh cmon! just have GMBN vs GCN!
Hahaha
how to do everest challenge
Good suggestion, thanks Archie. Which presenter do you nominate for the task?
Global Cycling Network the voice of gcn bloke should do it-you know ,to see if it s possible for a normal human ?
Lasty, obviously
+Cian Smart good idea
i second Lasty
Getting these shots must've been extremely hard and taken extremely long. Thumbs up for the dedication!
I think it depends on how you define "harder."
In mountain biking, your arms & upper body get more abuse because you're constantly fighting the bike for control. Most of the climbs on single track are relatively short (compared to what a roadie rides), but they're sometimes exceptionally steep and littered with obstacles like rocks, roots, etc. That being said, mountain biking is definitely "harder" in that it demands more from your body and your mind.
However, roads (being engineered for car traffic, not bikes) typically have long, sustained climbs and even longer sustained flats. Thus, a roadie is going to be on the pedals constantly (whereas a mountain biker gets intermittent breaks on downhill sections of trail and/or avoiding a pedal strike going over an obstacle). Road biking demands more from your endurance rather than mental acuteness & upper body strength; it's all about grinding those pedals for long periods of time. In this regard, road biking is clearly harder - a roadie has to constantly pedal for long periods of time, whereas a mountain biker pedals for short periods and relies more on inertia than pedal power.
I ride both road & mountain, and I can't really say one is harder than the other. It's easier for me to lay down big miles on the road, but a 40 mile ride on the road will kick me about the same as an 18 mile ride on a mountain bike. On the road, my legs definitely get more of a workout because I'm constantly pedaling - sometimes even on downhills. On a mountain bike, it's my arms & core that seem to take the biggest beating, because I rarely pedal downhill single track sections because the pedals have to be kept level to avoid pedal strikes.
In the end, I find that both road biking and mountain biking have their strengths & weaknesses. Both are riding bikes though, so it's always a ton of fun. That's good enough for me.
Finally one good comment and not stupid mountainbikers who say mtbiking is lot harder
@@philippvolkemer3846 Most of my riding is mountain (and I prefer it), but I ride road too and enjoy it as well. I often tell people "I'm happy as long as I'm on a bike."
MTBing certainly demands more technical expertise, but in road biking, endurance is the name of the game.
How did you shoot the footage when Si was offroad? The graphics look like video game.
I'd assume a drone? I'd love to see a GCN "behind the scenes" video on how they do filming.
I was wondering the very same. From the front, it didn't seem like a motorcycle (but probably was). His top-down view, though, seemed awfully stable for what seemed like a head- or helmet-mounted cam. My bet, if I had to guess, is that GCN producers and camera-people won't want to give away their secrets.
Gimbal on the back of someone's backpack I imagine. A few people do that to get stable rear shots.
Stephen Hayden Drone maybe.
Carl Lou camera with a gimbal,
I was considering a road bike or hybrid bike on my next bike purchase, and went with the mountain bike.
Cause I can do both, with road and hybrid bikes your limited on off road.
But with mountain bike you can do all.
I'm very happy with my purchase.
I have a hard time seeing why someone would want to ride on a road instead of a trail.
Some people like to go really fast.
Then again those people who ride road bikes probably have a hard time understanding how us mountain bikers prefer trails. But i do agree with you, I do prefer trails by far.
Can't we just agree that both is awesome?
@@Schradermusic no
Riding on roads is so borring and dull. I give them credit, it is easier and you get faster and further, but on mtb you see way more nature and places you will never see on a road bike. That's why most of the shots of tour de france are showing nature shots instead of riders.
Roadies are heath nut, endurance focused. As to were mtb riders are more skilled, enjoy danger and a cold beer.
I do love a good heath. Moors really do it for me too
@Oliver Dreyer I don't. I am not alcohol drinker
Riding a mtb is always harder than riding a road bike because mtbs can be riden anywhere...be it a smooth flat road, a bumpy road or the most technical terrains whereas a road bike will just collapse if you ride it on anything other than flat roads
"I need to go to a gym" :D hilarious.
The cows are going to need counselling after seeing Si riding a mountain bike while wearing lycra.
More than what is harder: what matters is to be on a bike, does not matter which, and have fun challenging your body.
I used to ride on MTB since I was kid and still am. Last year bought my first road bike. Roadbike is definitelly much more harder unless you live in mountains. I have some nice hills and trails around my hometown, but still I cannot destroy myself as much on MTB as I can do on my roadbike in two hours. Thing with roadbike is that you can go really hard almost all the time while on MTB you can go hard only uphill. Downhill sure takes energy, but not as much unless you have some proper downhill.
With limited time I rather sit on my road bike where Im sure I can completely destroy myself in even an hour which I can hardly do in hills and forrest around my hometown.
So which bike is gud for uphill
It depends on how you ride road because if you ride very fast it can be as though as MTB but if you ride very slow it’s much easier. I also do both daily mtb is more exhausting but it really depends on how you ride both things
Mtb is riskier that I will say, I have been cut and bruised nasty from the trails. Besides that, I was that guy who HATED road bikes because I didnt find them fun. No roots, No jumps, just road and I saw it boring. My friend let me use his road bike and I LOVED the feeling of the speed and the comfterble positions you can be in. So i love both.
When it involves which is harder, it all involves factors for me. I agree, it's only as hard as you push it.
When it involves mtb on how hard it can be, how hard are the trails? How long are the trails? What bike do you have? How heavy is it? How did you set up your suspensions? How much knowledge do you have on using a bike? What kind of tires are you using? Hard tail or full suspension? What's the psi on them? The MOST important on of them all, are you in good shape? All these can be a factor in how hard it can be.
For example, I did the tour de Houston on my fullsuspension Scott Genius on very aggressive tires. Damn, that was hard because I did 20 miles on just road. On a road bike bike that would have been easy. Now 50-100 miles on a road, that sounds hard.
It comes down to, how you use it, what are you using, and for how long. They are both hard, it's just factors that can make either one of them harder than another.
I would say MTB is harder only because you can't get into a rhythm on a mtb ,there is no sweet spot
I think it depends on the terrain. I ride my MTB mainly on dirt roads, so sweet spot is possible. But yeah, on trails this is way harder.
Marcelo FC I ride enduro and long distance trail so I only get sweeet spots on fire roads
As a rider of both, the key differences are these.
1) MTB is interval training. You have to make repeated high intensity efforts just to get over the terrain. vs Road surface is linear and you can ease into a sustained effort and hold it at whatever power you like/can. MTB the terrain dictates the level of effort whereas road you dictate the level of effort.
2) MTB the rough terrain wears out the other muscle groups; arms, neck vs road which mostly is left to the legs and lungs.
3) MTB is high concentration as every metre has potential dangers and balance points vs Road where you can turn it into a rolling meditation.
In this example Si did climb a fire trail and not a single track so that gave him a level of linear you would not usually get in MTB.
I use road to give me a good base and MTB for the lungs and extending my fitness through the interval work.
The far more interesting question here... How does one drink coffee before and after this much physical exertion without going directly to the hospital with extreme dehydration and kidney failure?
Ever heard of hydration packs?
Ever heard of water
Ha
Has anyone thought about how the camera fallows them
I like that even the mtb bike in the back ground is shaking its head
They won a subscriber. A round of applause for those cyclists who tried hard to give us an excellent video.
The mountain bike being used is a 2017 Canyon Exceed CF SLX 9.9
Thanks
Off road is harder. After you get to the peak, you need to get down again, on the road you can rest if you descent slowly, off road you need to focus and work your body, even if you descent with slower speed.
Having done both I'd say off-road. Road isn't easy by any means but you have to use and work more muscles off-road because of the technicality of the ride.
MTB is way harder in question of technicality. Road is WAY harder in endurance
Nope, mountain bikes are heavier and are harder to go uphill. XC races require a lot of endurance
Physically speaking MTB is harder, but road is way more mentally tough. There is absolutely nothing more defeating than when you hit a flat open area of road more than halfway through your ride and the wind is straight in your face. The majority of us at that point in the ride ask themselves what they are doing this for on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, but still find the will and desire to keep going. That psychotic need to keep going when nobody is watching I just don’t get on my MTB.
Why not get a mountain biker to do mountain biking instead of a road cyclist
Si used to race cross country mountain biking and still rides mountain bike trails... he is both a mountain biker and a road cyclist. Plus, if you had a pure one of each then you just have bias
I also ride both. MTB is much harder and I use it for training for road. But I also ride a gravel bike with the traditional road bikes.
Road Vs Mountain bike comparison on the "road" would be a good show. Gearing, and climbing, etc.
*road bike vs xc bike - should be the title
delboy an xc is a mtb so the title is accurate
delboy couldn’t agree more
Mr Cow you don’t use Xc to climb mountains though
Bryce Cronin didn't you watch the video he did climb a mountain
It would be better to compare with something more technical. That “off-road” looks like a gravel hiking trail
where i live in Canada. small town lots of off road trails. Your perspective is interesting to me, because Ive always been exposed to the road just takes you to the trail and the trail is where you have all the fun. Youve exposed me to looking at road bikes in a different, more positive way but I've always found it so much more fun bombing through nature and having to bend to its will with the forest.
xc is harder
because i did
offroad interrupts the pace