Last year, on vacation, I accidentally ended up on a borrowed full-sus trail bike. It said Mongoose Zero-G on the frame and looked like a bike I would find incredibly cool as a kid in the early 2000s. It didn’t really fit me that well and was so bouncy that it made me laugh when I first tried to accelerate. But then, as I entered the forest and got onto a trail, something really interesting happened. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
First, let’s go over the rational and logical reasons why road cyclists should consider a trail bike. They are important and could be enough to sway some cyclists. The reason why I now own a trail bike is a bit different, and I will share it at the end, too.
You level up your bike-handling skills
If you’ve seen Tom Pidcock making pros at the Tour de France look like amateurs on those big alpine descents, you know what I’m about to say. Sure, Pidcock doesn’t ride trail bikes in his XC races, but he has to navigate pretty difficult routes. And that’s the thing: if you have to develop the skills to handle your bike on difficult terrain, you will gain much more confidence and ability that will transfer to road cycling as well.
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Your balance, cornering, and braking skills are put to the test on trails. Your core, upper body, and all of those stabilising muscles get much more engaged. Trails also naturally demand bursts of power and a lot of technical climbing. All of this will make you a better and more versatile cyclist overall. For most of us amateurs that ride for fitness, fun, and community, that’s a good thing.
Less traffic, more nature
I often find myself planning my road cycling routes that keep me immersed in nature. I briefly considered that a gravel bike or a lightweight MTB could take me deeper. I assumed the experience would be similar, just a little slower. How wrong was I!
I was stuck thinking like a road cyclist. Just hop on the bike at home and start riding. But that means getting through the city first, which is slow and not much fun on any other type of bike.
Now that I have a trail bike, my mindset has completely shifted. I’m much more likely to hop on a train or carpool with a friend to get straight into nature and start the ride there. That means less time stuck in traffic, waiting at stoplights or listening to city noise, and way more time in the forest.
The experience and flow of a trail ride are completely different from a road ride. You have to stay present, constantly reading the trail and reacting to it. But at the same time, there are natural pauses, moments to stop, take in the views, and truly appreciate the scenery.
You get to buy a new bike
Who doesn’t love getting a new bike? And with a trail bike, there’s even more to get excited about. Unlike a road bike, you can dive deep into the world of suspensions, dropper posts, and flat vs. clipless pedals – it’s a whole new realm of components to explore. For some, it might feel overwhelming, but if you embrace it, few things compare to the anticipation of a carefully chosen new bike.
It’s so fun!
You’ve probably already guessed why I decided to buy a trail bike. I was having so much fun that I just wanted to do it again and again. Even though I was slow, the trail was muddy, and I had to get off the bike more times than I’d like to admit, it felt like I was rediscovering the pure, childhood joy of cycling. I was fully in the moment, completely engaged the entire ride.
You might think that means I’ve sold my road bikes and fully converted to mountain biking, but that’s not the case. In fact, getting a trail bike has only deepened my love for cycling as a whole. I love exploring the woods and developing new skills needed on more challenging trails. But I also love the long adventures and fast rides that road cycling offers. Plus, being part of both worlds means I get to ride with friends who prefer one or the other or both. So far, getting into trail riding has been nothing but a positive force in my cycling journey.
In this series, I will share my experiences as a road cyclist who is new to trail riding to hopefully inspire a few of you to give it a try. The cool thing is that now is a great season to get into mountain biking. The next article in the series will offer a few tips to get started.
