I'm 6' 4" and 240lbs. I ride a Trek Mountain bike and it's great on the trails but I don't like riding it on the paved bike trails with the family for long distances... I feel like all the weight is on my wrists. After 5-7 miles I am tired of leaning on the handle bars.

You just have to decide what is your main focus when riding... off road or on? I wished I had 2 bikes... but have to save up for the more important Jeep mods... lol

 

Off road! So my vote is mt bike. I ride my road bike home from work so I can go mt bike.

 

But with kids I don't have as much time. If I ride road the 4 hours is 4 hours ride time and not 1-2 in the car. So for me road is the winner.

Cross is killer... If you race. My cross bike is a poor mtb and poor road bike but a great race machine.

Mtb wise I like single speeds and trail bikes.

We've got 10 bikes in the garage and I love them all.
Go to the shop and buy what turns you on. Cycling, like Jeeps, is about passion!

Whatever you do ride it a lot.

 

10 bikes! Thanks for the Advice, at the moment I am really liking the road bike and have been to a couple of shops...Just haven't pulled the trigger on getting one yet. I agree that it is a passion just like our JEEPS, and when I do get whatever it is that I get, I promise to ride it a lot!

 

I recommend renting both and seeing what you enjoy more.
I mountain bike and love it, and have trails very close to my house, so it makes sense for me.
Road biking is boring and frustrating with traffic.
Mtbing is and awesome rush flying down a windy hill with trees wizzing by you at 20+ mph.
Like others have said, the mtb can go on road, the road bike can't go offroad.

 

[QUOTE=rmplstlskn;2391610]
Cross is killer... If you race. My cross bike is a poor mtb and poor road bike but a great race machine.QUOTE]

Then you have the wrong cross bike . . .

 

If you have to start with just one, go mountain.

Once you start to accumulate miles, then you'll want a dedicated road bike.
As was already said, you can ride a mountain bike anywhere, but a road bike is NOT trail capable.

Myself, I prefer the trail.
For a given amount of time, I get much more enjoyment and workout, regardless of the mileage.
My road miles have increased lately because of a competition at work that is mileage-based, but my road miles are usually limited to "occasional" and the Hilly Hundred in October.

In either case, DON'T buy a WalMart bike, especially don't get sucked in by a POS "dual suspension" WalMart mountain bike.
Scour craigslist for a used bargain.
Hit your local bike shop for a heavily discounted new bike from prior model years.
You don't need to spend a ridiculous amount of money.

P.S. I don't recommend riding a road bike on snow or ice, but a mountain bike will plow through a few inches of wet snow for a healthy workout.

 

I started riding MTB again a few years ago. This year I picked up a Jamis road bike, mainly to improve endurance and speed to benefit my trail riding. I got a Jamis Xenith Comp which is a carbon frame with Ultegra. No complaints. It is still faster than I am.

Given a choice I would buy a MTB first. More fun, no stress of getting mowed down by some a-hole while you are trying to ride. Besides while a MTB is slower and more difficult to ride on the road vs. a proper road bike, than just sounds like more of a work out to me. I commuted to work a couple days a week 10 miles each way on my full suspension bike, usually with 2.4ish knobbies before buying a roadie. Sure the road bike is faster, but the MTB did just fine. I do have the benefit though of 9 of those miles being on a bike path though.

Naturally you NEED both bikes. Maybe a third. Oooh wait, that one over there too...

 

Meh. Though I am riding road a lot more than trails lately I had a much easier time managing family time with a mountain bike. A good light or two and you're set! Night riding is a whole different vibe, and any riding done while the kids are asleep doesn't count against the kitchen pass.

 

MTN Bike first, forget those hybrids, then get the road.