Mountain Biking Guide Series - Article 1: What is Mountain Biking?

What is Mountain Biking? Is it a sport? A hobby? Does it come in different forms? What to wear while mountain biking? How to get started?

If you like mountain biking, or nature activities in general, but you are not a professional mountain biker, you probably have these questions about this adventurous activity.

Today, and in the coming few weeks, we are going to answer these questions with a series of posts that can be also used as a future reference to guide you toward starting mountain biking.

Definition of Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking, based on Wikipedia, is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially designed mountain bikes.

While Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, they incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.

There are different types of mountain biking but the most popular categories are the following:

• Cross country

• Trail riding

• All mountain – also known as Enduro

• Down hill

• Freeride

• Dirt jumping

We will explain each category in the next post.

As a sport, mountain biking requires core strength, balance and endurance, as well as bike handling skills.

Mountain bikers ride on off-road trails, back-country roads, wider bike park trails, fire roads, and some advanced trails that are designed with jumps, berms, and drop-off to add excitement to the trail. Riders with Enduro and downhill bikes will often visit ski resorts that stay open in the summer to ride downhill specific trails, using the ski lifts to return to the top with their bikes.

Riders learn to repair broken bikes and flat tires to avoid being stranded. Many riders carry a backpack, including water, food, tools for trail-side repairs, and a first aid kit in case of injury. Group rides are common, especially on longer treks. Mountain bike orienteering adds the skill of map navigation to mountain biking.

If you have not done mountain biking before, we strongly encourage you to start. Try to find riding groups to start with and soon you will become a pro and you will love this sport in every season.

In the next post we will discuss Mountain Biking types. Until then, we wish you a happy active life!