| A mountain bike, mountain bicycle (a.k.a. | | | | terrain stunts such as hucking (ramping) and |
| MTB) or ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) is a | | | | is usually more comprised of downhills and |
| bicycle designed for mountain biking, either | | | | stunts, with uphill travel usually for the |
| on dirt trails or other unpaved environments. | | | | purpose of reaching this terrain, hence the |
| In contrast, road bicycles aren't rugged | | | | necessity for a freeride bike to be able to |
| enough for such terrain. | | | | travel uphill somewhat efficiently. The most |
| | | | durable (and expensive) freeride bikes are |
| Mountain bikes have fat, knobby tires for | | | | designed almost solely for hucking and are |
| extra traction and shock absorption. In | | | | incapable of any comfortable level of uphill |
| recent years front suspension has become the | | | | travel. It is common for freeriders to |
| norm and full front and rear suspension is | | | | frequent lift accessed riding terrain, |
| becoming increasingly common. Some mountain | | | | offered at ski resorts during the off season, |
| bikes are also fitted with bar ends on the | | | | or simply walk their bikes uphill. |
| handlebars, but with a recent trend in riser | | | | |
| handlebars (as opposed to a flat straight | | | | Downhill Mountain Bikes tend to be very |
| handlebar) fewer riders use bar end | | | | heavy, often over 40 pounds and typically |
| extensions. The bikes normally have 26 in | | | | have 8 or more inches (200 mm) of suspension |
| (559 mm) wheels although since 2002, some | | | | travel. However heavy they may seem, they are |
| models have been available with 29 in (622 | | | | built as light as possible for racing. They |
| mm) wheels. (The name given to a rim diameter | | | | are very strong, and due to the typically |
| in inches is different from the rim's actual | | | | large, high gears and long, soft travel, are |
| size. See below, at Tire Sizes.) The larger | | | | suitable only for riding down dedicated |
| wheels are said to roll better over | | | | downhill trails and race courses. The |
| obstacles, but critics cite increased rolling | | | | suspension is set to sag around 40% full |
| resistance and a lack of variety in | | | | travel, creating ample traction around bumpy |
| aftermarket tires and forks. The larger wheel | | | | corners. The head angle is often as slack as |
| diameter also increases rotational weight, | | | | 64 degrees. Competition downhill mountain |
| resulting in slower acceleration. | | | | bike racing is where most mountain bike |
| | | | technology is innovated, as most bike |
| Mountain bikes can be classified into four | | | | manufacturers sponsor a number of riders. |
| categories based on suspension: | | | | Downhill biking is just as it sounds, |
| | | | downhill. Most riders who ride exclusively |
| Hardtail: frame with no rear suspension, | | | | downhill do so in competitions or ride almost |
| often has a front suspension fork | | | | exclusively on lift accessed terrain. Due to |
| | | | the high speed nature of downhill riding most |
| Fully Rigid: sub-type of hardtail, with a | | | | bikes only have one chain ring, a large bash |
| rigid fork | | | | guard and a chain guide. Downhill mountain |
| | | | biking is the most high profile category of |
| Dual or Full suspension: front suspension | | | | competition biking. |
| fork and rear suspension with a rear shock | | | | |
| and linkage that makes the rear wheel move on | | | | Trials Mountain Bikes are set up very |
| pivots. | | | | specifically for the purpose of bicycle |
| | | | trials. They typically have no suspension at |
| Soft Tail: frame with small amount of rear | | | | all, though some still make use of some form |
| suspension, but activated by flex of the | | | | of it. Competition rules require bikes to |
| frame instead of pivots. | | | | have multiple gears for competition, but most |
| | | | riders never use their shifters. Many |
| Discipline oriented bike designs | | | | non-competitive riders run single-speed, |
| | | | choosing a fairly low-speed, high-torque |
| There are several different styles of | | | | gear. Most modern trials bikes have no seat |
| mountain biking, usually defined by terrain, | | | | at all, as the rider spends all of his time |
| and bikes to suit those styles. All of the | | | | out of the saddle. These bikes are |
| bikes in this category fall into one of the | | | | significantly lighter than almost all other |
| above four categories and bikes of each of | | | | mountain bikes, ranging from 15 to 25 pounds. |
| the above style can be found almost any of | | | | This makes maneuvering the bike much easier. |
| the following categories. | | | | |
| | | | Dirt Jumping, Urban and Street Mountain Bikes |
| Cross Country (XC) Mountain Bikes tend to | | | | lie somewhere in between a trials bike, a BMX |
| have only a small amount of suspension | | | | bike and a freeride bike. They are typically |
| (usually 80-100 mm) on the front and/or rear, | | | | very strong bikes, with 3 to 6 inches (75 to |
| and are fairly light. This is achieved via | | | | 150 mm) of front suspension, no rear |
| the use of lightweight materials in both | | | | suspension, and as many as nine gears. Tires |
| frame construction and components. As a | | | | on these bikes are usually fast-rolling, |
| consequence of their lightweight material | | | | slick or semi-slicks. |
| they are often weaker than other bikes. | | | | |
| Suspension, both front and rear, is typically | | | | Single-speed Singlespeeding is as much a life |
| provided by pneumatic (air) shocks and forks, | | | | style as it is a type of mountain bike. A |
| which saves weight. Some XC bike models have | | | | singlespeed is a mountain bike with one set |
| no suspension at all and use a rigid front | | | | gear ratio. The gearing ratio depends totally |
| fork; saving weight and relying more on rider | | | | on the terrain being ridden, the strength and |
| skill to negotiate rough terrain. XC bikes | | | | skill of the rider, and the size of the bike |
| are often as light as 20 pounds (9 kg), or as | | | | (a bike with 29" wheels often requires a |
| heavy as 30 pounds (14 kg). XC riding is one | | | | different gearing than a bike with standard |
| of the more common types of riding and in its | | | | 26" wheels). Often singlespeeds are fully |
| extreme form can be entirely uphill, hence | | | | rigid, steel-framed bikes. These are |
| the lightweight rigs. Cross country terrain | | | | typically ridden by very fit individuals on |
| typically is considered as having as many, or | | | | mild to moderate cross country terrain. |
| more, ascents than descents and does not | | | | |
| include any kind of stunt riding. | | | | Mountain Cross or "4X racing" is a relatively |
| | | | new style of riding where four bikers race |
| Enduro (or "All-Mountain") Bikes are | | | | downhill on a prepared, BMX like, track, |
| generally heavier than XC bikes, typically | | | | simply trying to get down first. These bikes |
| weighing between 30 and 35 pounds (14 to 16 | | | | are generally either full suspension with 3 |
| kg). These bikes tend to feature greater | | | | to 4 inches of travel, or hardtails, and |
| suspension travel, often as much as 150 mm of | | | | have, typically, quite strong frames. They |
| front and rear travel, often adjustable on | | | | run a chainguide on front and gears on the |
| newer mid and top range bikes. These bikes | | | | back. They have slack head angles, short |
| are designed to be able to ascend and descend | | | | chainstays and low bottom brackets for good |
| mountains, integrating the climbing abilities | | | | cornering and acceleration. |
| of XC bikes with the suspension technology of | | | | |
| freeride bikes. | | | | North Shore Mountain Biking originated in the |
| | | | hilly, slick, rocky terrain of Vancouver, |
| Freeride Mountain Bikes are similar to Enduro | | | | Canada's north shore, thus it was coined |
| bikes, but with less emphasis on weight and | | | | "north shore" riding. Because of the almost, |
| better suspension. Freeride bikes tend to | | | | if not completely, unridable terrain riders |
| have up ample suspension, with 8 or more | | | | began building bridges over swampy or muddy |
| inches of travel fairly commonplace. The | | | | areas. These bridges evolved into complex, |
| componentry is built from stronger, | | | | oftentimes extremely challenging, man-made |
| consequently heavier, materials. Freeride | | | | stunts. Because stunts are often narrow and |
| bikes are designed to be more versatile than | | | | may require the rider to move very slowly |
| any other bike. They are somewhat capable of | | | | regardless of width, north shore riding |
| being ridden uphill; however, their | | | | requires immense balance and bike handling |
| moderately steep head tube angles make them | | | | skills. North shore bikes, such as those by |
| difficult to maneuver while angled up hill or | | | | manufacturer Norco are much like freeride |
| traveling at a low rate of speed. yet also | | | | bikes in their geometry and downhill bikes in |
| effective on technical downhill trails. Frame | | | | their componentry makeup. Because north shore |
| angles are typically steeper than those found | | | | stunts have evolved to not only include |
| in downhill bikes. This enhances | | | | simple and complex bridges but also large |
| maneuverability over and around small | | | | drops and high speed descents through a |
| objects. Freeride bikes typically range in | | | | series of stunts north shore bikes commonly |
| weight from 30 to 45 pounds. Freeride biking | | | | have as much travel as downhill and freeride |
| usually includes some degree of natural | | | | bikes. |