Get Into Cycling - Mountain Biking - The Sport By Bike Type

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With many sub-genres mountain biking is divided by three key factors; the type of bike you ride, how your bike is defined by manufacturers' marketing departments and if you race or not. In this second instalment of mountain biking by definition we look at how the sport is defined by the style of riding - defined by the type of bike ridden, how that bike is defined by manufacturer's marketing departments and where such a bike is designed to be ridden.

Of course, most off road riding can be done on any good mountain bike. This guide serves to point out the massive list of sub-divides within mountain bike marketing which has been created by bike manufacturers and bike riders.

BSOs
Most Bicycle Shaped Objects (or BSOs) are mountain bikes - however by visual definition only. Bikes which cost under £200 with knobbly tyres and an upright position are typically sold in chain-stores and supermarkets. Such bikes - whether full suspension or rigid - are unsuitable for serious mountain biking because they are built to a low cost and with low quality materials.

Basic Mountain Bikes
Basic mountain bikes start at £200 and continue to £350-£500. These bikes are built by most specialist manufacturers and will be either rigid or hardtail. Most will have rim brakes with higher-priced models having disc brakes. As a first mountain bike these are ideal to have fun on and are a worthy platform on which to upgrade to higher quality components as older parts wear out or break. Buying from a local specialist bike shop will ensure you get the correct size and type of bike for your needs, along with after-sales support. The best bike shops will come personally recommended - however there are some basic standards that any bike shop should adhere to listed here ACT and Cytech.

Singlespeeds
Singlespeed mountain bikes are simply bikes with only one gear. Although unrecognised by the UCI, they are somtimes raced within separate categories at local races, and have unofficial national, European and World Championships. These races are lifestyle events with challenges (often including alcohol) incorporated into the bike race and often the fastest bike rider isn't the winner!

29ers (to include 96ers, 69ers and 650b)
Traditionally all mountain bikes have a wheel circumference of 26 inches. In the past decade especially bike designers have started to experiment with different wheel sizes and frame designs to accommodate them. While opinion is split on the riding characteristics of bikes with wheels other than the traditional size, the experiments have caused designers to think beyond previous conventional models. The terms above are simply referance to wheel size - the 29er being bigger than the traditional '26er', the 69er and 96er describing bikes with one 26 inch wheel and one 29 inch wheel. The 650b sits somewhere between the 29er and 26er.

Cross Country (Race)
A cross country race bike is designed for the fastest and most efficient way across varied terrain, with a slight compromise on comfort. Generally a hardtail with 100mm fork or a full suspension bike with no more than 120mm travel, weighing in at under 24 pounds the XC bike will be light at the expense of some strength. With the advent of the trail bike, XC race bikes are becoming more specialist, but on an average cross country ride, under a competent rider, there are few disadvantages to the racing variant.

Trail Bikes
Traditionally known as a cross country bike, but re-branded as trail bikes by the mountain bike media and manufacturers following the unpopularity of cross country in early 2000. Trail bikes can be almost as light as XC race bikes, but will typically have slacker geometry to give more stable handling, wider tyres for improved grip and more suspension adjustability. Most trail bikes will be full suspension with between four and five inches of travel, weighing between 23 and 30 pounds.

Long Travel Trail Bikes
Essentially the same as a trail bike, but with between five and seven inches of travel and weighing up to 35 pounds. Biased toward descending, but still capable of climbing thanks to adjustable travel forks and easy gearing, long travel trail bikes are great for pushing on in places like the Lake and Peak District.

Hardcore Hardtails
An evolution from the cross country hardtail, a hardcore hardtail will accept a longer travel fork (130-150mm), be stronger and more resilient to the roughest trails and descents. With slacker angles and clearance for wider tyres the hardcore hardtail is by no means ripe for a lightweight build, but will be lighter than a comparable full suspension/long travel trail bike.

Freeride (Freeride light)
Started in Canada, the Freeride style of mountain biking originally meant riding anywhere, but evolved to define the geographical region of the North Shore. Riding natural terrain that leant itself to being jumped or hucked, but with minimal trail building required and using bikes with the suspension and geometry of downhill rigs, but with easier gearing and stronger builds, freeride has been the most progressive form of mountain biking in the last decade. Events and competitions judged on the severity of the route taken within a predetermined area demonstrated a step away from the traditional ‘fastest rider wins' race format.

Freeride light was a term coined by UK mountain bike magazines in relation to long travel trail bikes, modified to cope with the less severe freeride trails often found in the UK.

Downhill
Downhill riding is defined much in the same was as downhill racing; getting an uplift to the top of a hill and blasting back down. Downhill bikes always have front and rear suspension with around 7-10 inches of travel. Built to withstand jumps and rough terrain the only thing that these bikes don't excel at is climbing. Heavy weight at 40-50 pounds, wide soft compound tyres, inefficient suspension for pedalling and a position that is designed for the rider to be standing up at all times are just some of the reasons for this weakness.

Dirt Jump/Street/Park
A hardtail or fully rigid bike with smooth hard tyres, one gear, a rear brake and gyro headset the dirt jump bike has evolved from the simple hardtail to a specialist design suited only to riding dirt jumps, street and skate parks.

Trials

The type of mountain bike which is most single purpose, the trials bike is small and specialised for taking on natural and street obstacles. Ridden to fame most recently by Danny MacAskill and pioneered by Martin Hawyes, Martyn Ashton and Chris Akrigg.