about the mountain bike subculture.

this post is:
- offered by the author - a la memoire de lieutenant Jean Bastin,
  ww1 french heroe - author of:
  "la lutte pour la liberte, mes dix evasions. 1914 - 1917",
  ("un récit absolument extraordinaire d'évasions ratées au dernier moment
  et souvent par malchance ou hasard puis enfin celle, la dixième, réussie
  après la traversée de pratiquement toute l'Allemagne. certains, peu nombreux,
  ne se résignent pas à être éloignés de leur patrie.")
  thank you Mr. Jean Bastin!

- an analogy, but respects the general rule of the blog,
  (... would not venture into other sports.)

- meaningful teenwise mainly, the true teens' self esteem -
  neither shaken, nor stirred here ever, :)

is crowd skating on speed skates, more like riding a mountain bike in a city?

yes, your speed skates (or mountain bike), might give you that "extra thrill" of
freedom, nonetheless you will be forced to adapt to the existing environment.
Mr. Jean Bastin did it 96 years ago, certainly you will succeed too;
the only question that remains is: your number of failures was?

photo & video links, courtesy of ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n72jGhLiJrA, courtesy of RollersBagneux (France),

http://everydaybergen.blogspot.no, courtesy of Miss Inna Cleanbergen (Norway),
  also some excellent black & white photos, depicting everyday life in Bergen!