If you get a road bike and some clipless pedals you will find a whole new reason to get on a bike. I can do 50+km without much trouble on a road bike including hills and being out of shape and do it all averaging 30km/hr. And my bike isnt particularly racy or expensive, on a mountain bike you would be ddddead after a ride like that.oh great point. i frogot about the climbs. (in original "why is it exciting post" i had types "there are sprint days and...." and i deleted it becaus ei coudlnt put my finger on the other unique type day). the climbs are SICK for exactly the reason you mentioned. its mesmorizing watching them do it. SOOO impress
i grew up mountain biking (but also around town non stop). about 20 miles a day literally every day after school. havent gotten into road biking except for a handful of rides on my buddies "light days" (he does triathalons, so his light days are crazy hard for me since i may not have ridden in a year lol)
It's almost a different sport, certainly the efforts and timing of those is radically different to the mountain biking, less strength and dynamic movements of the whole body and more pure stamina and leg power/recovery ratio.