| From touring to off-road riding to track riding to | | | | structured style of riding. For example, you could free |
| cyclo-riding to recreational biking-there are almost as | | | | ride downhill, cross-country or down the boardwalk in |
| many different styles of riding as there are bikes. | | | | Ocean City, Maryland. |
| The following is a discussion of three of the most | | | | Many free ride bikes closely resemble downhill bikes |
| popular styles of biking today. | | | | and weigh as much, although they are usually |
| Street/Urban Riding | | | | designed to be easier to pedal. Free ride bikes should |
| Street/Urban riding is when you bike through urban | | | | be in the 30 to upper 50 pound range, have a |
| areas, ride on ledges and other man-made obstacles. | | | | steeper angled frame in order to make maneuvering |
| Some riders execute tricks as well as stalls and | | | | on narrow obstacles possible, and be built from |
| grinds. Hybrid bikes, sometimes called city bikes, are | | | | stronger, heavier materials. |
| typically used for street/urban riding. Hybrid bikes are | | | | Downhill Mountain Biking |
| a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. | | | | If you think downhill biking is all about kicking back, |
| Most have front suspension with wide comfortable | | | | stretching your arms and cruising at a leisurely pace, |
| seats and upright handlebars. | | | | think again. Even though it's all downhill, biking down a |
| Free Riding | | | | mountain demands concentration, quick reflexes and |
| The essence of free riding has it origins on the | | | | bike-handling skills much different than free riding or |
| shores of British Columbia. As some free riders have | | | | city riding. It's also a blast! Downhill mountain biking |
| explained it, free riding is more than just riding, it's | | | | races involve race courses that are designed for |
| about riding with your friends and doing things on | | | | riders to speed down while navigating huge jumps, |
| your bike that push the limits of both yourself and | | | | obstacles and more. It's very similar to motor cross |
| your bike. It's not about being the fastest or coming | | | | racing. |
| up with a new trick. Rather, it's about being totally | | | | While it's true that all bikes go downhill, bikes that |
| free on your bike. Free riding is different for | | | | provide the optimum ride for Downhill Mountain Biking |
| everyone. Essentially, when you ride for pure | | | | have what is called full suspension. This means that |
| enjoyment, do your own thing, in your own way, | | | | the front and rear of the frame are equipped with |
| that's free riding--making it more of a mindset than a | | | | shock absorbers. |