Mountain Bikes

Mountain Bikes are bikes that are built to go off-road. They are generally stronger but heavier than most other types of bikes allowing them to withstand the demands of off-road cycling and jumps. 

Cross Country is a type of racing in which cyclists are timed as they complete a course. The courses consist of both uphill and downhill section with an emphasis on endurance, with times varying from 30minutes to many hours. Cross country is the only discipline of mountain biking in the Olympics. Cross country bikes are usually light weight, some being as low as 10kg, with full suspension and disc brakes.

Downhill racing involves participants racing on a fast downhill course, hence the name. This is the most technical and fastest form of mountain biking. Courses range from 3-10 minutes. The courses often consist of large jumps and drops, as well as extremely steep ‘rock gardens’. Because of the dangerous and fast-paced nature of the sport, downhill has quite a large fan base compared to other forms of mountain biking. The bikes used usually have an emphasis on strength and suspension because of the pressure put on the bike.

Four Cross (4X) is a style of riding where four cyclists race over a short track, no longer than one minute, which consists of jumps and sharp turns. This type of racing is very similar to super-cross motorbike riding and BMX racing. The bikes used in this type of racing are a cross between Downhill and Cross country bikes, with longer suspension that cross country but lighter than downhill.