Road Bike Vs Mountain Bike Speed Difference

So the road bike vs mountain bike debate can t be settled on cost alone.

Road bike vs mountain bike speed difference.

This discrepancy in speed results from the weight of the bikes the position of the riders and other basic differences in construction. When it comes to speed you can t make a road bike vs. Mountain bikes are created for off road cycling in non paved rough environments. On any given day road bikes have greater speeds than mountain bikes.

As we mentioned before mountain bikes get pawned more so you might save on the used market. They are not as well suited for operating off the road. Mountain bikes can scramble over roots and rocks that would stop a road bike in its tracks but when it comes to pavement a road bike will take the lead every time. Road bikes are fast and easy to pedal on pavement.

Mountain bikes are mainly designed for terrain as they feature wider tires and because of that they have got a stronger road grip making them slower. One interesting thing to note is that a lot of the speed difference in the test seemed to come in the first 10 yards along the test track as the bikes accelerated up to speed. Less popular as difficult to film and televise and is the only mountain biking event at the summer olympics. In the design of the road bike and that of a mountain bike is different.

Mountain bikes are harder to pedal and slower on pavement. In general it takes more energy to propel a heavy mountain bike than it does a road bike. Road bikes can easily speed up to 50mph the frames of road bikes are thinner and more aerodynamic that help a biker achieve high speeds. Jim s numbers indicate about a 17 20 increase in mph for a road bike versus a mountain bike.

Mountain biking became a sport in 1970s and has since then diversified into cross country riding became an olympic sport in 1996. Based on the speed test i found the road bike rolled on average about 11 faster than the mountain bike. Some people find the dropped riding position difficult to maintain comfortably for a long time. However if you put the mountain bike on the same touraine i e a smooth paved trail the difference in speeds between mtb and road bike should be closer.