Whats faster road bike or mountain bike?

Question

Whats faster road bike or mountain bike?

Answer 1

Simple answer ... road bike on smooth surface, mountain bike (MTB) on dirt / softer surface.

Other than the simple need to do work to move a mass over a distance the main resistive forces on a bike are drag due to tires, gears, wheel bearings etc. and air resistance on the bike and rider.  

In general road bikes are faster because of the more aerodynamic position possible on drop handlebars (lower frontal area) and the lower rolling resistance of narrower high pressure tires.  That said, the narrow tires are a disadvantage on dirt/gravel since they tend to dig in, while MTB tires "float" and allow faster travel.

Basically, the difference in speed on a MTB vs road bike will depend to a large degree on how the bikes are set up and used.

I have a MTB that is faster than at least one of my road bikes. This is possible because the road bike (my dirty weather /winter bike) is relatively heavy, has fairly rough tires and gives an upright position. The MTB has high pressure slicks, weighs 23 lbs, and can be ridden in a low aerodynamic position due to special handlebars. I've had it up to over 40 kph on a smooth road for fairly extended periods and I can't go very much faster on my 20 lb carbon fibre road bike (despite the narrower tores and drop handlebars).

So, a road bike will usually be faster than a MTB ....  but not always.

Answer 2

If you take the same person and let it ride both types of bicycles on a road or other relatively flat surface, on his maximum power the person will be able to achieve much faster speeds on a road bike, which are essentially built for speed and ease of ride.

Mountain bikes on the other hand are designed with durability in mind as well as providing some form of shock absorbing mechanism to protect the rider.

Answer 3

One point not mentioned so far is gearing and wheels.  A road bike will have maybe a 4.5:1 top ratio compared to an MTB top ratio of 3.5:1.  A 700c road bike wheel will have a circumference of maybe 210cm compare to say 205cm for a 26" wheel.  This means for each turn of the cranks a road bike will go over 2m further.  For a given cadence a road bike will go 30% faster than an MTB.

Answer 4

Road

Answer 5

On a flat even surface obviously a road bike given its thin tyres and lightweight frame.

Answer 6

Each is faster in their own element.

Answer 7

a road bike is much faster

thats what they use in the tour de france and races on roads.

but i would never take it off the road. if your getting one to ride around town and stuff like that, u shoud get a mt bike hybrid, w/ just front suspension. road bike 4 racing. dual suspension 4 a hardcore mt biker

Answer 8

Depends on the terrain... Smooth road = Road Bike is much faster... the skinnier tires provide less surface friction than Nobby MTB tires.  In rough muddy mountain terrain with roots and rocks and jumps, You'd die on a roadbike and never make it down the hill without falling... so a MTB would be faster.  get it?