mountain bikes

[ashes2beauty]

I live in FL, however there are a few good places near me to go mountain biking. I'm planning on purchasing a mountain bike... though I'm not going to want to go into the woods on those trails all the time (if I don't have someone to go with)... I know they're not ideal for road riding, and I'm not really interested in riding roads/pavement anyway... howver, there are some flat dirt trails around her as well, where I'd feel safer on if cycling alone, so I was wondering if mountain bikes are suitable for that as well, being as it would be a "smooth" surface.

I don't want 2 bikes (yet! )

 

[2Bhumble]

You could get a mountain bike with combo tires. The center of the tire is smooth for the road and has knobs on the outer part of the tire in case you feel like hopping off-road for a while. You could also get a hybrid bike which has thinner wheels but does good on most dirt trails. I had a hybrid bike for a few years and rode it mostly on the streets. One day I took it off road and sucessfully rode it through a river (and back) with no problems

 

[Oblivious]

If you're going to be using the bike primarily on paved surfaces, than I'd suggest getting a road bike. The advantage of a road bike over a mountain bike on pavement is the gearing, meaning, you can really haul booty on a road bike , whereas on a mountain bike you can climb steep inclines more easily. Hopefully that makes sense.

That said, I do use my mountain bike for both paved and gravel, and it's just fine. I really would like to get a good road bike though, for the reason I listed.

 

[2Bhumble]

Oblivious is right. If speed is your game a quality road bike is the way to go. A very efficient way to go.

 

[Joseph E.]

I don't have a problem with that. I live in the mountians of NE Tennessee.

 

[ashes2beauty]

If you're going to be using the bike primarily on paved surfaces, than I'd suggest getting a road bike. The advantage of a road bike over a mountain bike on pavement is the gearing, meaning, you can really haul booty on a road bike , whereas on a mountain bike you can climb steep inclines more easily. Hopefully that makes sense.

That said, I do use my mountain bike for both paved and gravel, and it's just fine. I really would like to get a good road bike though, for the reason I listed.

I'm less likely to ride on paved surfaces... I find no excitement in that, unless I had a "real" road bike, and did distance/racing. There's a place close by thats a swamp, with lots of inclines, hills, creeks and stuff, and alot of people go biking in there. I'd love to go in there IF I have somebody to go with... otherwise, I'd hit the nearest state/county parks that have flat hiking/biking trails that are a little more in the open (as opposed to being secluded in the woods).

 

[vandeda]

I'm less likely to ride on paved surfaces... I find no excitement in that, unless I had a "real" road bike, and did distance/racing. There's a place close by thats a swamp, with lots of inclines, hills, creeks and stuff, and alot of people go biking in there. I'd love to go in there IF I have somebody to go with... otherwise, I'd hit the nearest state/county parks that have flat hiking/biking trails that are a little more in the open (as opposed to being secluded in the woods).

Depending on what you're offroad trails are like ... if they're not too bad (steep inclines/declines, really technical terrain with lots of rocks, large logs, etc.), I say forget a mountain bike ... AND forget a road bike.

Cyclocross all the way. Absolule rock-on bikes, and a fast growing segment in bikes too. Great for single-track riding and riding that is not too technical, and would be much much more pleasant on the road than a mountain bike. Plus, you can run flat bars like a mountain bike, or road bars like a road bike. Your choice! Cyclocross bikes just rock!

Here's an example of a cyclocross bike:

Dan