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Fun Sustainable Transport

Given the road conditions that we have in Bangalore today and the frequent jumps on and off footpaths, you could classify the kind of riding done as a mix of cross-country and street/urban. This can be fun, but there’s a hell of a lot more to mountain biking when you get into the sport. Here’s an overview:

Cross Country (XC)
This is the most common form of riding a mountain bike, usually ridden on single track paths. The bikes used are lighter, more fragile, and have a steeper head angle. Very short to no travel in the back and 4 inches max in the front. XC bikes are poor choices for heavy-impact activities such as jumps and high-speed traverse of large obstacles. It’s the least extreme form of mountain biking, a good start to build riding skill before trying out Downhill or Freeride. Cross-country racing emphasizes endurance above technical prowess, and races vary from 30 minutes to 24 hours in length.


All Mountain (AM)
This involves pedaling up the hill and then riding back down. As the name suggests the bikes are designed to climb and descend. They have about 6 inches of travel front and rear. Lots of people still use hardtails for this type of riding.


Freeride (FR)
Pedal up fly down, burly parts. Big air is the name of the game as well. They can be ridden uphill, but are inefficient and their moderately slack head tube angles make them difficult to maneuver while angled up a hill or traveling at a low speed. They are effective on technical downhill trails. Freeride bikes tend to have ample suspension.

Downhill (DH)
Race downhill as fast as possible! Yeah!! This type of riding is very intense and extreme, offering riders the chance for ultimate thrills and excitement. Big ass bikes, tonnes of travel to work with. These things SUCK to pedal uphill but smoke everything coming down. More than 6 inches of travel, built strong to take impact. Due to their typically large or high gears, long plush travel and slack geometry angles, DH bikes are ideal only for riding down dedicated downhill trails and race courses. DH bikes have the most sag of Mountain Bikes to get ample traction to go fast over bumpy trails.


Trials
The rider negotiates man-made and natural obstacles without their feet touching the ground. Trials bikes are often designed without regard for attaching a seat. Competition riding does not require the rider to sit down and the omission allows for a lighter bike which interferes less with the body movements of the rider. Brakes must be more powerful than standard bicycle brakes in order to prevent the wheel from moving when hopping on uneven surfaces. Tires and rims are wide allowing low pressures and increased contact and grip. Gear ratios are lower than on most bicycles in order to provide the power and quick acceleration needed to move the bike at the typically low speeds of trials riding.


Dirt Jumping, Urban and Street
Riding bikes over shaped mounds of dirt or soil and getting airborne. The idea is that after riding over the ‘take off’ the rider will become momentarily airborne. The bikes lie somewhere in between a BMX bike and a freeride bike. They are typically very strong bikes, with 4 inches (100 mm) of front suspension, and rarely any rear suspension.


Get on to those trails!

References:
http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Types-Of-Mountain-Biking/770
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_bike
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-105918.html