1. 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.
fixed gear bicycle
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. Trail bikes: These are fixed gear bicycle 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. These bikes are often ridden by fit individuals on mild to moderate cross
country terrain
