triguy98 said:
I don't see how a serious rider could avoid NOT doing both. The complement each other so well. That said, I think Mtn Biking helps roadies more than the other way around.
I'm off road all "winter" (gotta love FL for that) and one day a week on the road when tri season approaches and all the way untill Nov.
It's true. If you are a serious rider, doing both is extremely fulfilling. However, I saw more improvement in my mtn biking after I began road biking. Not only did my legs become stronger and my lungs as well, but my mental strength grew.
There were times when I rode the trails that I thought I need to stop, I was about to bonk. On the road, away from the danger of falling into the rocks or crashing into the trees, I would push harder and learn my own physical capacities. So when I returned to the trails, I KNEW I could go harder and farther.
Mountain Biking is a much tougher sport mentally. You must concentrate on more than your heart rate and cadence. You have a trail with a constantly changing landscape as well as little obstacles such as roots and rocks along with large obstacles such as dips, logs and bigger rocks.
If mtn. biking has improved my road biking in any way, it has been concentration. When I'm riding fast or in a group, I'm able to maintain an awareness of what is in front of me, what the bike is doing and what everyone else is doing...