Extract from the article: Choosing a bike for the City
MTB, MTB or Mountain Bike
The fashion of the VTT has made it possible to put on the market of the bicycles robust and very interesting for the urban displacements. ATVs have several big advantages. They offer a third platform at the front: this further widens the range of usable speeds. In addition, their large-size tires combined with powerful brakes (cantilever or, even more powerful, the V-Brake) significantly improve comfort, handling and braking in all conditions. Their mechanics demand the same level of skill as road bikes. You will also find more adaptable parts to modify your mount. For example, it will be easier to choose tires. The tire ranges are incredibly wider on ATVs.
The standard adult MTB is a wheel size of 26 inches in diameter. In width, one generally finds 2.00 but the most extended ranges are in a range of 1.80 to 2.20 wide.
The purchase prices of mountain bikes are quite high. Even a poor quality and old mountain bike is trading around 50 / 60 €. The choice is also much lower compared to racing bikes.
The frames are often resistant and it is possible to equip these bikes with luggage racks, bulky mudguards (think of the wide tires which stir up a lot of water) and even a baby carrier. In the end, mountain bikes are mainly handicapped by their weight. It is indeed not uncommon to meet specimens weighing 17 or 18 kilos. Under these conditions, we quickly understand the usefulness of the third plate for milling in climbs ...
Large section tires offer comfort but they will also require more energy to overcome their rolling resistance.
The mountain bike is especially the bike of "rolls always", very rustic, that one will be able to load without appriori, intuable most often, but whose field of action will be limited to a few kilometers around of you.
You can use all types of mountain bikes in town. However, be aware that the suspensions are useless and that neither a telescopic fork nor a rear suspension brings additional comfort on the very smooth tar of cities.