It’s just a hill, get over it
Electric mountain biking has gained immense popularity over the years, captivating adventure enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
If you’ve always been curious about mountain biking, or if you’re thinking of getting into the sport, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’re going to break down and simplify the different disciplines of mountain biking: from downhill biking to trial biking, you’re going to know a lot!
Downhill mountain biking (or DH for short)
The idea is quite simple: find a peak that offers the steepest and most rugged descent possible and ride down it as fast as you can. The more obstacles there are, the more fun it is!
The trails are graded in order of difficulty, from green to black (yes, like on the ski slopes). They can take different forms: an exclusively downhill path, more or less wide and steep, rolling or littered with roots and stones.
Elements such as jumps, banked turns or wooden walkways are built along the track, to test the agility of the riders and to give them a thrill.
In competition: the aim is to go down the track individually in the shortest possible time.
Cross country mountain biking (XC for the experts)
Cross country mountain biking is a discipline where the aim is to reach a certain place as quickly as possible, on a course with difficult and technical climbs.
Cross country is practised on more or less technical paths with little difference in altitude. No obstacles, you avoid them to go as fast as possible: the time is important.
In competition: one start line, one finish line, the first to arrive wins.
Enduro
Enduro is a mix between cross country and downhill mountain biking. Enduro riding is done on steep terrain with few added or artificially made features.
Enduro is a kind of rally-like event in which riders cover large distances.
In competition: In contrast to cross country, where you have to ride hard all the time, in an enduro only the downhill sections are timed. These downhill sections are called specials. The links and climbs that connect each special stage are not timed.
Slopestyle
Slopestyle is an extreme and very spectacular mountain bike discipline. In slopestyle, the discipline consists of performing tricks on dirt bumps, wooden modules or urban elements depending on the terrain.
Slopestyle is generally practiced in Bike Parks.
In competitions, riders are judged by a panel of professionals who score the various tricks performed according to a predetermined scale that includes several criteria. Such as the difficulty of the trick, the style, the amplitude of the jump, the precision of the trick, etc.
Mountain Bike Trials
The aim of this discipline is to overcome obstacles, rocks, tree trunks, walls, stairs, as many as one can imagine! It can be done in natural or artificial environments.
In competition: The winner of an event is the one who crosses the zone with fewer landings than the other pilots within a limited time. Bonus points are awarded for style and creativity.
Freeride MTB
As the name suggests, freeride means to ride freely. This word, derived from the ski world, can actually encompass several definitions, which means that the term is still rather vague today. It can be summarised as follows: freeride is a practice that aims to open up and ride off the existing trails, with highly technical passages, steep slopes, jumps, etc.
Money can’t buy happiness. But it can buy a mountain bike. And that’s pretty close.
So, are you ready to embark on an electric mountain bike adventure? Explore trails, parks and mountains differently. Challenge yourself, develop your skills and conquer new horizons on two wheels.
Whether you’re a novice looking for advice or a seasoned rider wanting to learn more, we hope this article has answered your questions about the various mountain biking disciplines. So, let go of the brakes and discover the electric mountain bike. On your own or with an Oxygen instructor, of course 😉
Mountain Biker’s joke of the day :
