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All you need to know about mountain bikes

Mountain bicycles or mountain bikes, also known as all-terrain bikes are bicycles that are created for off the road cycling and terrain biking. Mountain biking includes various activities such as traversing of rocks and washouts and steep declines on dirt trails and other unpaved grounds. To keep up with the rough terrain, mountain bikes need to be designed to withstand the stresses of off road use with obstacles. Over the years, many different subtypes of mountain bikes have been developed such as cross country, freeride, downhill and a variety of other bikes.

• Cross country (XC) mountain bikes: These are the most conventional and popular of all the mountain bikes. They are designed primarily for cross country racing with an emphasis on climbing, speed and endurance. These bikes need to be both lightweight and efficient and can be rigid with no suspension, hard tail with only front suspension or full suspension. Cross country bikes favour fast responses and stability. Those that are lightweight are not suitable for steep or severe terrain.

• Downhill (DH) bikes: These bikes are built to be more durable and can withstand hard hits and big drops while racing downhill mountains. They have more inches of suspension and are built with strong frames and have large and high gears. Most downhill bikes only have one chain ring in the front.

• Trail bikes: These are a development from cross country mountain bikes and are specially designed for jumping over obstacles. They are used by recreational mountain bikers at purpose built centres or on natural off road trails. They are typically built to handle rougher terrain than cross country bikes with greater stability while descending.

• Freeride (FR) mountain bikes: These are similar to downhill bikes, but are built with less emphasis on weight and more focus on strength. These bikes have a lot of suspension and are built from strong components. They can be used to ride uphill, although it is quite difficult to manoeuvre if angling up a hill or travelling at a low speed.

• Single speed (SS) mountain bikes: These have one set gear ratio, which can be altered depending on the terrain being ridden on and the strength of the rider. In addition, the size of the bike affects which gear ratio can be chosen. These bikes are often ridden by fit individuals on mild to moderate cross country terrain.

About the Author

There are several different types of mountain bikes depending on what sort of terrain one is hoping to ride on. Find out which mountain bike is suitable for your needs at "Zovelo".

Freeride - Mountain Bike Freeride

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