You have been sitting at home for quite a long time. You have gained a little bit of weight. So, you have decided to buy a bike and do a little exercise. But you can’t decide which bike to buy, road bike And mountain bike?
Well, as an experienced biker, I am here to tell you that both of these bikes are great for exercising. Heck! Even a spinning bike is great for cardio exercise and spin bikes don’t even move.
Your decision to buy a mountain bike or a road bike will depend on a few things. First of all the area, you live in, because what’s the point of buying a mountain bike if you are living in a city. The second is your experience. If you are a beginner, well just buy a normal road bike. Switching to a mountain bike will take more time.
Almost all newbies stress about this road bike vs mountain bike for exercise thing on the internet. When in reality it shouldn’t be a big deal.
What happens If you Go With Road Bikes For Exercise?
Riding any bike will improve your lower body parts and muscle endurance. The most interesting fact is that you will burn about 400-500 calories per hour.
Now, we all know that biking is better cardio than just running or jogging. Biking enhances stamina much more effectively than running. Riding a bike also increases the strength of the quadriceps muscle along with the three parts of the glutes and calves muscles.
Road bikes have been used by professional riders for marathon races for over 50 years. Unlike mountain bikes, road bikes do not have complex gears and components.
Road bikes are more ideal for long and intense training because you can ride them anywhere. You don’t need to take them up on the mountains like mountain bikes. With road bikes, you can ride for a long time with comparatively less muscle power. This will give you a better chance to burn more calories.
Since road bikes are great for flat roads and there is no end to flat roads, they are the ideal choice for exercising. Most city people buy a normal road bike for just roaming around the streets. Also, road bikes are a lot cheaper than mountain bikes in general.
Now I am not saying that there is no expensive version of road bikes. Road bikes with high-quality materials are obviously expensive, but on average road bikes cost less than mountain bikes.
So if I was in your place, I would definitely choose a road bike. That’s not the case if I were to live near a mountain.
Are Mountain Bikes Any Good For Burning Calories?
We have talked about road bikes now let’s talk about mountain bikes. Mountain bikes also provide ways for both cardio and strength exercise. As a matter of fact, mountain biking burns serious amounts of calories compared to road bikes.
Mountain bikes are designed to ride on bumpy terrains like on the mountains. With powerful suspensions and gears, mountain bikes provide an excellent way of both transportation and exercise.
Now, for this reason, mountain bikes burn a lot of calories. It’s not the bike it’s the road, the terrain. Since you ride mountain bikes on mountains, you will have to work extra hard to climb the mountain.
You are not just carrying the bike’s weight but also your own weight. Not to mention the bumpy uneven path.
The rougher the surface is, the harder it gets for the rider to ride.
However, mountain bikes can be effective on road trips, too. You can use a mountain bike on roads too and burn an insane amount of calories.
But if just burning calories is your main goal, then what’s the point of buying a mountain bike? Why spend all this money on something this expensive? Why even face this dilemma in the first place? Just buy a spin bike.
Let’s be real here. It is no fun for a guy or girl who just wants to exercise to climb a mountain with a freaking mountain bike. Things like that require preparation and planning.
If you want to climb a mountain with your bike then do only that. Don’t buy a mountain bike with the expectation of burning calories and achieving a ripped physique.
Which Bike Is Easier To Ride Uphill With?
Well, the answer is obvious, a mountain bike. A low geared mountain bike to be precise. A mountain bike with a low gear set can easily ride uphill without effort.
Mountain bikes are made for climbing mountains or hills. Road bikes can ride uphill too, but they are not as effective as mountain bikes.
A standard gear setup is no doubt essential along the whole ride. With the correct setup, your main concern should be a strength. Without proper practice or power, Uphill riding may become hard for some of the new road bikers.
With proper gear and training, anyone will be able to ride uphill. The only disadvantage is that not all hills are the same. Some hills are more difficult to ride than others. Also, you are putting yourself at another big disadvantage if you are using a road bike to climb a hill. Road bikes are not meant to be ridden uphill.
Personally speaking the main concern on your mind should be your pedaling strength. As the ride gets higher, gravity will become stronger. So, why not ride a cycle that is easy and meant to be ridden uphill.
So, to answer the question, I will say that mountain bikes should be the first choice for riding uphill.
Which bike is easier to lose weight on?
Losing weight depends on the intensity and duration of your bike riding. Although advanced bikers love mountain biking, it is best if you start with road bikes on plain land first. It really doesn’t matter which bike you ride, what matters is how you ride it.
Road bikes are simple yet durable with strong bike frames. These bikes are traditionally gearless bikes. Losing weight by road bikes is for sure a good start.
On the other hand, mountain bikes are designed to ride on bumpy terrain. However, as you ride uphill your effort will be increased thus making it a lot harder. Losing weight by mountain bike is of course more efficient.
But riding uphill may be hard for beginners. So if you want to burn fat by cycling, I recommend not to start with a mountain bike.
So among mountain bikes and road bikes, my opinion is to start with road bikes. You can travel at a fast speed and cover great distances. As a matter of fact, you can burn up to 600 calories per hour by riding a road bike and also it’s great for traveling.
