At a Glance
Speed is a crucial factor when you’re choosing which bike to buy. So, how do you tell which is faster between an MTB and a road bike? Read our guide to know how to pick the right bike for better speed.
Mountain Bike vs Road Bike Speed
With more components and a sturdier build, surely the MTB wins the mountain bike vs road bike speed competition?
Well, it’s not as simple as that.
Want to know what, how, and why there’s a speed difference between an MTB and a road bike?
Read on!
Is a Road Bike Faster Than an MTB?
Yes, road bikes are 10 to 20% faster than MTBs.
The reason?
Better gearing, tires, suspension, weight, and position.
Tires
MTB tires have a higher rolling resistance than road bike tires. So it will take a lot more effort to keep MTB tires moving. This slows down the MTB, as a road bike requires far less effort.
Gearing
Road bikes typically have more chainrings to make them faster, unlike some touring bikes. Road bikes will also have a thinner rear cassette than that of the MTB.
Gearing is made to make pedaling more efficient depending on the terrain. That’s the reason why MTBs have lower high and low gears than road bikes.
Road bikes win here too as they come equipped with a higher set of gears and also bigger gears. To put it simply, the bigger the gears, the faster you can go on smooth terrain.
While MTBs also have big gears, they’re not at par with those on a road bike.
Weight
An MTB weighs more than a road bike, requires more effort to drive, and therefore slows the bike down.
What makes the MTB heavier?
The wide and thick tires, suspension fork, heavier frame, and more.
Suspension
An MTB is made to ride on rough terrains that give nothing but shocks to the rider. Suspension helps absorb this shock and makes biking through these terrains easier.
But suspension takes some pedaling energy to function. This energy is utilized for riding, instead, on a road bike.
Since a road bike is made for biking on even surfaces, it does not require a suspension.
Position
Similar to the tires on an MTB, the positioning of the rider is also designed for maximum resistance.
An MTB is designed so the rider sits upward; this is the best position if you want to slow down the bike.
In contrast, road bikes come with drop bars that require the biker to hunch forward. This, ultimately, minimizes resistance and maximizes the aerodynamic feature of the bike.
How to Make an MTB Faster?
- Switch out those wide tires on your MTB for thinner ones
- Switch your pedals for clipless ones
- Lower the handlebars
- Lock out the suspension to transfer more energy into the drivetrain
When you need to make all these adjustments, you might be wondering why MTB is better than road bike. Is it any better at all?’
Yes, it is.
Only if you want to bike across the mountain trails!
Final Thoughts
MTBs aren’t made for speed, so that pretty much settles the score when it comes to which type of bike is faster.
We hope, after reading this guide, you understand why the MTB has a lot of features and yet lacks speed while the road bike gets you way ahead in no time!
