This question has plagued bike owners since the early 1980s.
Now, a new survey has found that most bike owners consider mountain biking to be a “better” way to get around than a road.
The survey, conducted by the Bicycle Coalition of the United States, found that more than two-thirds of respondents said they prefer mountain biking over other modes of transportation, including cars, buses and trucks.
But many also say that riding a bike on a road is a great way to keep up with the times.
“Mountain biking is definitely the way to go for people who don’t have the same level of freedom and freedom to go about their daily life,” said Jennifer A. Reedy, the group’s director of communications.
“The fact that it is an enjoyable activity, it is a fun way to ride and it is fast, it’s fun, it doesn’t have to be heavy.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
It just depends on how you want to do it.”
The survey also found that nearly two-in-five respondents said that the way they choose to ride their bikes is a key factor in their decision to buy a new bike.
About three-quarters of respondents who were not owners of a mountain biking bike said they had to choose between two or more modes of transport to get to their destinations, while a little more than half said that they could choose one mode of transport, such as a car, for both their commute and for work.
About a third of respondents surveyed said that mountain biking is easier to ride than other modes, while just over half of those who owned a road biking bike were able to do so on their commute.
About two-out-of-five bicycle owners say that they would consider buying a new bicycle if it were available at the right price, said the survey’s author, Robert A. Burch, director of the Transportation Research Center at George Washington University.
“That’s the key takeaway for us: If you’re looking at buying a bike, if you’re not looking at it from a value proposition, you may be better off buying a mountain,” Burch said.
“If you’re a person who’s not comfortable riding a bicycle, you’re going to get better results by buying a road bicycle.”
The surveys findings come as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into whether mountain biking should be included in the national bike safety curriculum.
The agency’s director, Brian McCarthy, told ABC News in an email that the agency will “evaluate the findings from this survey and provide an update to you in the near future.”
McCarthy added that NHTSA has already begun work to identify a new national bike education curriculum that includes mountain biking.
“While there are many factors that influence the decision to purchase a bicycle — including cost, safety, and convenience — the key to bicycle safety is the choice of mode of transportation,” McCarthy wrote.
McCarthy also said the agency is studying the results of a recent study conducted by Bicycle Magazine that found that people who own a mountain bicycle are less likely to be injured in accidents, such the fatal crash in which a mountain biker was killed in 2008. “
We also recognize that the number of bicycles in use continues to increase, and we need to continue to educate all of our customers on the safest and most effective way to use their bicycle.”
McCarthy also said the agency is studying the results of a recent study conducted by Bicycle Magazine that found that people who own a mountain bicycle are less likely to be injured in accidents, such the fatal crash in which a mountain biker was killed in 2008.
But the study did not include bike ownership rates by gender, age or ethnicity.
In the meantime, the surveys findings have drawn the ire of some biking advocates who say that the bike-centric nature of the survey does not reflect the real attitudes of bike owners.
“When you see a survey that focuses on ‘what’s the safest way to bike?’ or ‘what should be done to make biking safer,’ the reality is that it’s not,” said Paul Sorensen, president of Bike Portland.
“You can ride the bike, but it’s a safer way to do business, and that’s what we want to see reflected in the bicycle culture.”
The Bicycle Coalition, a trade group for mountain bikers, said that while it appreciates the efforts of the NHTRA to educate consumers about bicycle safety, it still supports the traditional biking way of life.
“As long as we continue to be as active and engaged as we have been, we can all be the best we can be,” said Soreksen.
“It’s important for our communities to see that the future of our children is riding bikes, not driving.”
Bicycle advocates say the survey, which polled 1,400 bike owners, is a good start, but they also say the results are a start.
“People don’t think of bikes as vehicles, but as an expression of the spirit of the