Can You Ride A Mountain Bike On The Road?

Your love for mountain biking compelled you to buy a mountain bike. You have explored all sorts of terrains on it and enjoyed every bit of your MTB journey. Now what? You want to ride your mountain bike on the roads too OR due to some reason you no longer go for mountain biking and have two options; whether to sell your mountain bike or reuse your MTB for road bike riding. 

So in both cases, the question that pops into your mind is: can you ride a mountain bike on the road? Is it safe to do so? I am here to answer all the questions related to riding a mountain bike on the road. If you are interested, keep reading. 

Can You Ride A Mountain Bike On The Road? – Detailed Guide

Yes, you can ride a mountain bike on the road. However, this response does not provide a comprehensive answer to your question about riding MTB on road. To make an informed decision, it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of riding a mountain bike on the road. Without further delay, let’s explore the pros and cons. 

Although all mountain bikes serve different purposes such as a downhill biking is only for riding down the hill, trail and XC bikes are for unpaved and rough tracks, and so on. However, their major common purpose remains the same: off-road biking, which is not possible with any road bike.

Advantages of Riding Mountain Bike on Road

Here are some of the major benefits of a mountain bike for road:

Durability

Mountain bikes are designed to handle various terrains, including off-road trails and rugged surfaces. This makes them well-suited for navigating potholes, uneven pavement, and other obstacles commonly found on roads. In short, MTBs do not damage easily as their frame is sturdy enough to overcome obstacles.

Comfortable Ride

MTBs often feature suspension systems, such as front forks and rear shocks, which absorb shocks and provide a smoother ride. This can be beneficial when riding on uneven road surfaces or encountering bumps along the way. In short, the suspension on mountain bikes absorbs the impact produced by curbs and potholes, making you feel less bumpy during the ride.

Training and Fitness Benefits

Riding a mountain bike on the road can provide a different workout experience compared to traditional road cycling. The varied terrain and the need to navigate obstacles engage different muscle groups, potentially enhancing your overall fitness and cycling skills.

Remember: These advantages should be compared against the potential disadvantages of riding MTB on the road to make an informed decision.

Disadvantages of Riding MTB on Road 

The geometry of mountain bikes hinders speeding on flat roads. However, there are certain solutions that can be implemented to make mountain bikes more suitable for road bike rides.

1. Height of Seat and Handlebar 

For mountain biking, the height of both the handlebar and seat is such that it allows quick turning over and helps keep your body position optimized. Now, this height allows better handling but does not bring comfort to the rider particularly roaming around in the city on roads. Also, the handlebars of mountain bikes are wider than the road bikes which are not recommended for city traffic. 

Solution of MTB Seat and Handlebar Height

Even though you cannot do much about the broader handlebars other than replacing them but you can adjust the height of both the seat and handlebar to your comfort level and enjoy road biking on the mountain bike in your locality. 

2. Tires Shape

The tires of every mountain bike are wide, tough, and heavily threaded. This is for the sake of traction on difficult terrains and to prevent bike slipping. Yet, it affects speed which is necessary when traveling on paved roads.

Whereas a road bike has narrow and smooth tires that assist in speeding up. Also, the tires of a mountain bike will soon wear off during on-road riding. For downhill bikes, have a look at downhill MTB tires.

Solution of Mountain Bike Tires for Road Biking

Replace the knobby tires of your mountain bike with thin and smooth road tires to attain maximum speed and longer durability. Also, make sure to have appropriate mountain bike tire pressure.

Tip: You can always keep a spare set of road tires and change them whenever going for paved riding.

If you’re new to cycling then you may also be interested to know how long does it take to bike 5 miles

3. Impact of MTB Suspension on Road Biking

It is rare to find a mountain bike without a suspension. While road bikes have zero suspension travel, all mountain bikes have at least a front suspension, know as hardtail mountain bikes, and some of them even have a rear suspension too, know as full suspension mountain bike.

Suspension acts as a shock absorber and thus prevents the biker from feeling the reaction of rough terrains. However, it does add extra weight to the mountain bike and thus affects pedaling. As a result, it slows down the mountain bike on the road. 

Solution of Mountain Bike Suspension for Street Riding

To optimize your mountain bike for road riding, consider adjusting the suspension travel while taking the bike’s frame into account. Shortening the suspension travel can help improve the bike’s performance on paved roads.

Additionally, if your MTB has rear suspension, consider utilizing the lockout feature. Rear suspension system is primarily designed to absorb impact during climbs on rough terrain, which is less likely to be encountered on smooth, paved roads.

By adjusting the suspension travel and locking out the rear suspension, you can enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of your mountain bike when riding on paved roads. This will help reduce unnecessary energy loss and allow for a more efficient transfer of power while pedaling.

You can also read a detailed comparison of post mount vs flat mount disc brakes

FAQs About Riding MTB On Road

What biking options do you have for road bike riding?

Although you can use every kind of mountain bike as a road bike, I would suggest you get a cross-country (XC) bike as it is best suited to both on-road and off-road biking. plus, prefer the bike with front suspension and without the rear suspension. The front suspension will help you overcome jumps and obstacles. On top of that, you’ll still have to compromise on the speed a little. 

Are road bikes hard to ride as compared to mountain bikes?

No, road bikes are comparatively easy to ride as they lack suspension. Due to the absence of suspension, pedaling become a child’s play. However, they are not suitable for off-road riding due to their thin tires which will cause the rider to lose traction on the track. On the contrary, mountain bikes need an effort to pedal. 

Can you put road tires on a mountain bike?

You can. However, it depends on the purpose you are going to be using your bike for once you replace the tires of your mountain bike with road tires. If you want your bike for on-road riding, then this would be the best decision as mountain bikes soon tear apart on the pavement. But, if you want it for uneven terrains, then road tires can never be your friend. 

Are mountain bikes fast? 

Probably not. A mountain bike is not for speeding but for exploring uneven landscapes and having better traction on them. Their slowness is due to the following reasons:

• Due to their increased weight, pedaling requires more force which in turn affects speed. 
• The wide tires have low pressure for better hold on unpaved paths, making them slow. 
• You won’t find a mountain bike without a suspension. But, suspension decreases the speed of the bike by absorbing the impact generated by pedaling.

You can also read Review of Trek Marlin 7 Mountain Bike

Conclusion of Riding a Mountain Bike on the Road

I believe that I have provided a satisfactory answer to your question regarding riding a mountain bike on the road. Ultimately, the choice is yours to ride a mountain bike on the road.

Here is one thing you should keep in mind, a mountain bike for the road is possible but you cannot consider a road bike for mountain bike rides. So, instead of selling your mountain bike to purchase a road bike, reuse your MTB as a road bike while while preserving the flexibility to embark on mountainous adventures in the future.