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