Selecting the right bike for yourself according to your budget can be difficult. There are different bikes according to riding style, tracks, and variation. But between Cruiser Bike Vs Mountain Bike, there is no comparison. Both are entirely different from each other.

Cruiser Bikes, commonly known as Beach Cruisers, are for casual riding in the country yards. They have Ballon tires to provide comfort. These bikes are designed for beaches. You can ride them with a comfortable body position.

On the other end, mountain bikes are designed for challenging tracks, more suitable for climbing and passing through obstacles. These bikes have suspensions to absorb shocks.

Both bikes have different purposes and tracks. That is why their components and prices have huge differences, but there is one common between cruiser bikes vs mountain bikes, both have wide tires. Below I will elaborate on all the differences between the components of both bikes.

Detailed Comparison: Cruiser Bike Vs Mountain Bike

Cruise Bikes

• Baloon Tire (less knobby but wide)
• Steel body frame
• Rigid body
• Old fashioned Look
• Heavyweight
• Single-speed to 7-speed
• Focused on Design
• Suitable for leisure and casual riding
• Best for sandy tracks

Mountain bikes

• Wide tire (More knobby)
• Aluminum or carbon frame
• Full or hardtail suspension
• More angular design
• Lightweight
• 10-12 gears drivetrain
• Focus on high-quality components
• Suitable for most of the tracks
• Best for rough terrain (all-rounder bike)

Knobs on Tires

Although both bikes have wide tires, they have different purposes. The first thing that attracts people most to beach cruiser bikes is their balloon tires. These tires are wider than mountain bike tires. But the difference lies in the knobs. 

Ballon tires are less knobby, and large knobs on them have more space. Cruiser bikes tires are designed for lousy traction surfaces like sand on the beach. You can easily ride a cruiser bike on the sandy beach.

Meanwhile, mountain bike tires are more knobby, usually small knobs, and there is less space between knobs. These tires are designed for more grip and aggression. Their knobby design gives them more grip on rocks and rough terrain and makes them suitable for uphill climbing.

Better Drivetrain (Gears)

Old Cruiser bikes came in single-speed gear; some have fixed gears for best grip on bad traction surfaces (sand). But nowadays, Cruiser bikes are also coming with up to 7-speed gears. The drivetrain on Cruiser bikes is made of steel to reduce budget; manufacturers don’t focus much on lightweight. 

Mountain bikes manufacturers focus much on drivetrains. These bikes have high-end drivetrains with lightweight, made up of carbon fiber or titanium. Additionally, mountain bikes have 10 -12 sprocket cassettes.

Frame (Design Vs Lightweight)

Cruiser bikes have an upright sitting position for comfortable riding. Handlebars are upper than seats for easy handling and leisure. Beach cruisers have rigid body frames and are made of steel. Hence, these bikes are heavyweight. Moreover, these bikes have an aesthetic look with fancy designs on them. The front and rear wheels have long mudguards.

Mountain bikes have a more angular design; these bikes are built for attentive body position and best stability. The handlebar and seat are at the same height; this makes the rider bend little, thus equal weight divided on both tires. Moreover, mountain bikes are don’t have mudguards; at max, these bikes have small nylon bud guards. 

Huge Price Difference

Cruiser bikes are made up of steel, and manufacturers don’t focus much on high-quality components but on designing. That’s the reason you can buy quality Crusier bikes between range from 300 – 700$. 

Mountain bikes are mostly built from carbon fiber, aluminum, or titanium, which are costly. That’s the reason you can get a high-quality mountain bike for 500$ up to 8000$. 

Weight Comparision

There is a vast difference between the weight of both bikes. An average cruiser bike weight lies between 35 – 40 lbs (18.2 kg) because the frame and components are made of steel.

Meanwhile, the maximum weight of a mountain bike is 30lbs. There are also below 22lbs weight of mountain bikes made up of carbon fiber.

FAQs

Are our cruiser bikes more comfortable than mountain bikes?

In sand (bad traction surface), cruiser bikes are more comfortable than mountain bikes because of their balloon tires. But due to suspension systems and other high-end components, mountain bikes are more comfortable on most tracks, especially rough and gravel terrains.

Is a cruiser bike easier to ride?

Yes, cruisers are easier to ride and very comfortable. Still, some fixed-gear cruiser bikes are not so easy to ride for beginners. After one or two rides, you will get cozy with it. But generally, mountain bikes and road bikes are comparatively more comfortable due to the freewheel.

Why do cruiser bikes not have brakes?

Traditional cruiser bikes don’t have hand brakes instead coaster brakes which slow down cycles on backward pedaling. The reason behind it is that cruiser bikes are designed for countryside beach riding. You can have a drink in one hand and handle the bike with the other hand while enjoying the scenery on the beach at a slow pace. So, your hands are relaxed from any worry about sudden brake; instead, you can do it with just backward pedaling.

Is a cruiser bike hard to pedal?

Cruiser bikes have an upright seat position, and the seat is lower to the ground to make it easy for you to step foot on the floor. Moreover, most of the cruiser bikes are single-speed which makes it slightly hard to pedal. 

Conclusion

Traditional Crusier bikes are ideally designed for beach and sand tracks. But nowadays, modern cruisers have some change components. Classic Cruiser bikes have coaster brakes and single-speed fixed gears. In contrast, modern cruiser bikes have handle brakes and even seven-speed derailleur gears.

In contrast, mountain bikes are preferred for all types of tracks; these can get out of the most challenging trails. But you have to pay more for more features, so mountains are much costly than cruiser bikes. At last, both bikes are designed for different purposes; you have to know your goal before buying a bike. Suppose you need a bike for all conditions; road biking, trail biking, casual riding, and mountain biking. In that case, mountain bikes are the best choice.