

I’ve painted a picture of crashes on a road bike with possibilities of being run over by a moving vehicle. It’s not like deer are jumping out in front of your bike on the trail. On the mountain bike trail, this sort of thing just doesn’t happen. Not that they are as scary to ride into than say an 8-foot boulder, but when they jump out into traffic to jaywalk and you swerve to avoid them, you may only have moving traffic or a parked car to choose to ride into rather than hit the oblivious pedestrian. Not to mention, but city road biking can be dangerous due to pedestrians. But if the road you are taking is a simple terrain, a mountain bike is safer than a road bike because you will not have to ride with other vehicles, such as trucks, cars, and buses. If you are cycling downhill, a mountain bike is more dangerous. In fact, it is determined more by location and conditions than it is generally speaking. So, which is safer between the two? The answer depends on where you are riding. MTBs are typically also heavy, compared with road bikes, so you need to exert more effort propelling it. On the flip side, mountain bikes are more suitable for short-distance riding. They also feature flat or semi-flat handlebars, so the rider stays upright to maintain balance and control, unlike the curled under bars you find on road bikes that force your upper body downward.Īdditionally, tires of MTBs are bigger, offering more shock absorption than the thin and highly pressurized road bike tires. In addition, mountain bikes commonly have suspension systems that allow them to absorb impact and vibration when you are riding on a rough trail. For this reason, it can resist damage from impact much greater than a road bike.

This bike type has a rugged frame, thick tires, and strong wheels. On the other hand, mountain bikes are specifically for off-road terrains such as mud, dirt, gravel, and similar conditions. Since they are made for riding on smooth roads, they are also less comfortable if those roads prove to be anything but smooth. However, road bikes are less durable (or perhaps the correct word here is versatile) than mountain bikes. This wheel size reduces resistance and increases speed.Īdditionally, the frames of road bikes are light and rigid, making them less suitable for rough roads. This type of bike has thin wheels, which are typically 700c in size. Before we can answer that, let us look at some of the most prominent features of these bikes.Ī road bike is lightweight, allowing it to be responsive on smooth pavement. One of the commonly asked questions when it comes to biking is whether it is safer on the road or mountain biking on the trail. Mountain Bike Safety: What You Need to Know Stick with me and I’ll share seven of these points and maybe I can say I helped save your life someday. For this reason, understanding the safety points that can help you save your life is a wise choice. Safety should always be your top priority whenever you are cycling. However, the location, traffic, and conditions have a lot to do with safety as well. Road biking is less dangerous than downhill mountain biking, and yet more dangerous than trail riding mountain biking. However, the dilemma that every biker faces is safety. Both mountain and road biking are excellent ways to exercise while having fun. It’s something you might wonder if you’re considering getting into either sport.
