>>2653893>If they wanted to see the country or to test themselves then why wouldnt they be mountain biking?Can cover longer distances on a road. Who are you to say what kind of physical challenge is valid? Why run a marathon when you could ski a mountain? Why not both? They are just different challenges. Some people don't live in areas where there are great mountain biking trails. Some prefer endurance challenges more than technical challenges.
Pick the right equipment for the objective and budget. It's not complicated. If you train and have a good bike, a road bike marathon may take 5 hours or less. If you can finish the whole thing before lunch, why bring a backpack? The gay-looking spandex outfits are comfortable and aerodynamic while helmets are critical safety equipment.
>>2653576Yeah, if you're mostly riding on roads, mountain bikes are a very poor fit. Unless you're actually riding trails that need a mountain bike, something like picrel is much more practical. It's sturdier, more comfortable and maneuverable than an optimized road bike and can even handle some light terrain, but still lighter and much faster than a mountain bike on paved surfaces.
