| When most people think of mountain biking, | | | | 4. Dirt jumping |
| they think of climbing up to the top of a | | | | |
| mountain and then riding down it again. | | | | The idea with dirt jumping is not so much the |
| However, there are plenty of opportunities | | | | jumping but what tricks the rider can do |
| for the fat-tire enthusiast, and the | | | | while he is air borne. The idea is not to get |
| disciplines are growing every year as riders | | | | around the course as fast as possible but to |
| find new ways to challenge themselves. | | | | have the most air time and do the most stunts |
| | | | in the air. |
| Below is just a brief list of some of the | | | | |
| biking disciplines associated with mountain | | | | 5. Downhill |
| biking. For each discipline, you'll be able | | | | |
| to find bikes especially made for the | | | | As the name implies, downhill biking means |
| different challenges they present, and the | | | | getting down the hill as fast as possible, |
| different skills needed. | | | | much like downhill skiing. It's a time trial |
| | | | event - bikers don't ride together but rather |
| 1. BMX | | | | start down the course at intervals. This is |
| | | | because the way down is not smooth - there |
| BMX stands for bicycle motocross. The cycles | | | | are plenty of obstacles to negotiate along |
| used are specially designed to operate on a | | | | the way. |
| dirt track: a groomed racecourse made up of | | | | |
| various jumps, banked and flat corners, and | | | | 6. Freeride |
| therefore have small wheel diameters - | | | | |
| 20-inches, and fat tires. The sport began in | | | | Freeriding is a sport that has just recently |
| California in the late 1960s, as young boys | | | | come into vogue. The courses feature man-made |
| began emulating their motocross heroes, and | | | | obstacles such as teeter totters and skinny |
| is now popular around the world. | | | | bridges, and can take place in-doors as well |
| | | | as out on specially prepared mountain |
| 2. Cross country | | | | courses. |
| | | | |
| Just as its name implies, fat-tire | | | | 7. Single speed |
| enthusiasts bike across country - | | | | |
| specifically hilly country to test the | | | | Those who like the uncluttered life will use |
| rider's endurance. | | | | a bike with only one gear and fewer |
| | | | components. The idea is simplicity. The |
| 3. Cyclo cross | | | | racers however still go all out - both up and |
| | | | down courses. This sport is popular around |
| A cyclo cross bike is a road bike with | | | | the world. |
| powerful brakes, extra mud clearance, and | | | | |
| tires that aren't exactly fat but do have | | | | 8. Urban |
| knobs on. These bikes are used for Cyclo | | | | |
| cross racing, a sport which began in Europe, | | | | Most cities were not designed for the |
| as off-season training for road racers. The | | | | bicyclist - and people on two wheels are |
| courses are a mile long, and are partly paved | | | | resented by those on four. And then there are |
| and partly mud-soaked to give the rider all | | | | the pedestrians... However, people who don't |
| kinds of challenges. Also on the course are a | | | | live near mountains or hills haven't let that |
| certain number of barricades, forcing the | | | | stop t hem from creating challenging, |
| rider to dismount and carry his bike over | | | | man-made courses - with all the obstacles |
| them. Everyone races flat out. | | | | available in urban areas. |
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