Mountain Biking - So whats the deal with freeriding?

i just want to know why you think this type of riding is great. I think it is great and i would like your opinion. I also want to know what you would consider "light freeriding" and hardcore freeriding. I also wanna know how many of you build your own trails?

I would say hardcore would be like 25+ foot drops and 40+ foot gaps. Light would be 10 to 25 foot drops and 20 to 40 foot gaps.
Anything less than that and would be for the the lycra clad XC types.

As the Nike commercial says: Just do IT!!!!!!

Originally posted by KevinG
I would say hardcore would be like 25+ foot drops and 40+ foot gaps. Light would be 10 to 25 foot drops and 20 to 40 foot gaps.
Anything less than that and would be for the the lycra clad XC types.

I don't know too many xc guys doing 5 to 7 ft drops...A few do around here because every course has them but if I go back to Ontario to ride the xc guys don't drop...I would go with your hardcore but I would lower the standard on the light...

I also wanna know how many of you build your own trails?

I do

I'd have to go with Mael on this. Hardcore would be more like 10'+ drops and gaps 25'+. There seems to be a tendency for exageration or just unedgucated guesses. What looks like 25 or 35 foot drops most of the time actually measure around 15 to 20 feet from lip to landing. I find it funny when out riding with a group and they all say some thing like, "Thats has to be atleast a 20' drop". When in actuality it is more like 10 or 12'.

I
I also wanna know how many of you build your own trails?

We do. We build a new one about every month or so.

Slainte:beer:

Originally posted by KevinG
I would say hardcore would be like 25+ foot drops and 40+ foot gaps. Light would be 10 to 25 foot drops and 20 to 40 foot gaps.
Anything less than that and would be for the the lycra clad XC types.


Kevin you are truely amazing. You must be a pro if you call light freeriding 10 - 25 foot drops. Have you done a 25 foot drop? I'd like to see some pictures of you in action.

Originally posted by KleinMp99



Kevin you are truely amazing. You must be a pro if you call light freeriding 10 - 25 foot drops. Have you done a 25 foot drop? I'd like to see some pictures of you in action.

I would consider myself more of a lycra clad XC type.
I was just giving my opinion.
And remember kids GO Medium!
Most people say to Go BIG but big is just too much.
So GO MEDIUM!!

Originally posted by KevinG
Anything less than that and would be for the the lycra clad XC types.

...or old broke down MX'er's like me. I was out in the yard this evening and looking at the house after I read this post. A 10 ft drop would be like riding off my roof. hmmm, let me think about doing that for awhile first... maybe 10 years ago but for now give me a good steep blue run.

Some of the things Mxers do make mtbers look like children. I was watching an MX show the other day and the gaps and drops they were doing were freaking insane. Not to mention the speed. :)

Some of the things Mxers do make mtbers look like children. I was watching an MX show the other day and the gaps and drops they were doing were freaking insane. Not to mention the speed


Yes... but they also have 65 + HP under their butt w/ 5-6 speed transmissions to get them there. We have to pedal.

MXer's are freaking nuts YES, but I do believe that we have to "work harder" to achieve our "bigness" in our stunts. :p

Originally posted by BigHit-Maniac



Yes... but they also have 65 + HP under their butt w/ 5-6 speed transmissions to get them there. We have to pedal.

MXer's are freaking nuts YES, but I do believe that we have to "work harder" to achieve our "bigness" in our stunts. :p

I don't dispute that... :)

I rode bikes since I was a kid, but MX was something I always wanted to do. After a few seasons of casually racing mtb's, a few years ago at age 34 I decided it was finally time, so I bought a YZ426F, went to the track (had never even practiced on a MX track before that) and I raced my first race. My goal was to come in at least 2nd to last. I came in 3rd to last wooohoooo! I was hooked. For the next 3 years all I did was race MX. I even won a couple old geezer over 30 class series. Tally after 3 seasons: several sprains, a couple broken bones, and 1 concussion. And I was one of the lucky ones. Then I took a trip out to the dunes with some of the guys I raced against (bad mistake) and on the second day of our trip everybody started jumping this big tabletop on top of a huge dune. These guys had been outjumping me the whole trip. I decided it was time to take the prize and I hit this jump pinned in 5th gear, and in mid-air a big wind blew me sideways and of course I did the big biff. I never hurt so bad in my life! (I did get the long jump prize though). After that I decided it was time to dust off the old road and mtn bikes and do something safer. LOL now I'm building a DH bike!!! Oh well, you only live once, right?

I rode MX a little (friends bikes) when I was younger. I've been contemplating getting a bike for years, but around here there is almost nowhere to ride (legally). The closest place is 2 hrs away, and it gets so crowded on weekends it too crazy. Not to mention, it's a very expensive hobby! I thought I spent a lot on bikes, heck, my sum total to date would be less than the cost of one bike! At 33 years old, I'm thinking that MX is a thing I'll just have to pass on.

L8R