Mountain Biking Is The King Of Biking Sports

Texas is a large wide-open state with a lot ofdrops of 10+ feet, and are generally rough and
exciting and beautiful spaces and places. There are asteep, top to bottom. To negotiate these obstacles
variety of terrains available, providing individuals whoat race speed, racers must possess a unique
enjoy mountain biking numerous trails and roads tocombination of total body strength, aerobic and
travel on for hundreds of miles. This variety alsoanaerobic fitness, and mental control. Minimum body
caters to the sport's five different categories: crossprotection in a true downhill setting includes kneepads
country, downhill, freeride, dirt jump and trials/streetand a full-face helmet with goggles, although riders
ridingand racers commonly sport full-body suits to protect
Cross-Country (XC) is the most common form ofthemselves.
mountain biking. Participants ride point- to-point or in aDirt jumping is the practice of riding bikes over
loop that includes climbs and descents on a variety ofshaped mounds of dirt or soil. The idea is that, after
terrains. However, there is a difference betweenriding over the "take off," the rider will become
common XC and XC racing, which is much moremomentarily airborne, and aim to land on the "landing."
physically demanding than leisure riding. Racers trainA mountain bike built for dirt jumping tends to have a
for years to be able to compete at a national level.smaller frame than one used for other disciplines.
A typical XC bike weighs 22-28lbs, and has 0-4 inchesRunning single speed is very common, as is using only
of suspension travel front and rear. Freeride/Big Hita rear brake.
Freeride is a "do anything" discipline which"Trials riding" consists of hopping and jumping bikes
encompasses everything from downhill racing withoutover obstacles. It can be performed either off-road
the clock, to jumping, riding "North Shore" styleor in an urban environment, and requires an excellent
(elevated trails made of interconnecting bridges andsense of balance. As with Dirt Jumping and BMX-style
logs), and generally riding trails and/or stunts thatriding, emphasis is placed on style, originality and
require more skill and aggressive riding than XC.technique. There are many stylistic similarities to
Freeride bikes are generally heavier and have beefierskateboarding. Trials bikes look almost nothing like
suspensions than XC, but usually retain much of theirmountain bikes. They use either 20", 24" or 26"
climbing ability. The Freeride rider builds his or her bikewheels and have very small, low frames, some types
to lean more toward a preferred level ofwithout a saddle.
aggressiveness. "Slopestyle" type riding is anInherent to the sport of mountain biking is the risk of
increasingly popular style that combines big-air,injury. There are dozens of companies that
stunt-ridden freeride with BMX style tricks. Slopestylemanufacture protective gear, often referred to as
courses are usually constructed at already-established"armor," to protect against injury from crashes, and
mountain bike parks, and include jumps, large drops,mostly aimed at downhill, freeride and dirt jump
quarter-pipes, and other wooden obstacles.riders. Armor ranges from simple knee and elbow
Downhill biking is simple -- riding mountain bikespads to full-body padding. Some companies market
downhill. While XC riding has a downhill component,full-body armor suits or jackets, that allow the rider
downhill (or DH for short) usually refers toto remove some of the padding and/or plastic plates
racing-oriented downhill riding. Downhill racing bikes arethat protect the rider's arms. Most upper body
equipped with a front and rear suspension, largeprotectors also include a spine protector that is
brakes, and use heavier frame tubing than othercomprised of plastic plates joined together, with
mountain bikes. Downhill bikes aren't meant to befoam padding underneath. Full-face helmets, often
pedaled uphill, so downhill riders and racers frequentlyresembling motocross helmets (but usually
employ trucks or ski lifts to be shuttled to the top ofconsiderably lighter and with more ventilation), are
the hill.required by some bike parks, although advanced
Downhill courses are the most physically demandingriders often wear these helmets by choice, in order
and dangerous venues for mountain biking. Theyto better protect their heads.
include large jumps (up to and including 40 feet),