Mountain Biking - XC Vs Freeride

Ok a nubie question from somone whos been riding for 2 years....

I was wondering if anyone could explain to me where the fuzz point of XC ends and Freeride begins?

Actually hell, ill settle for somone to explain to me what freeriding entails period.

When we ride, its trails, some rocks, techy stuff, climbs, fast decents, single track, some jumps ( no more than 3 ft), so that XC right?

Downhill, well we all know what that is, and that certainly isnt me.

So where between these 2 does freeride snuggle?

G

The actual line. It really is too fuzzy. Fr I would say it is going bigger than 3 ft for sure. Fast...not the freeriders I know. If anything I imagine it like BMX on mtb. Guys who will session stuff to conquer different lines. Throw in tricks...that could be one aspect. Going big is another (utah style), skinnies and stunts is by far the easiest way to see a "freerider" as stunts and skinnies are not on xc courses (there may well be boardwalks) and of course urban and djers...which are more adult bmxers than mtbers...still have respect for them but if they don't ride the trails they aren't really freeriders :D...(jk)...

Oh another difference. Is more fr guys pedal up to. As much as some new schoolers don't. Any of the originals or really good ones have the endurance of xc riders. Heck wade simmons is still known for going on 6 hour epic's with a 45pmd RM6 :)

cheers, thanks mael :D

kinda what i suspected! only reason i ask is one of my riding comanions wanted to know and damned if i could explain it to him! all i could say was i think it involves skinnies and teeter -tawters and bigger jumps.

its not easy to explain. There are differentways to look at it. For me...living near the shore, I can explain my "freeriding" really easily. It isn't JUST going down, it isn't JUST going up. It isnt JUST catching air. It isn't Trials. It isn't Urban....it is everything..but on another level. When you go down and see a line, instead of perfecting it, you try to find a way to jump it, manual it something...Personally. I can follow my friend dh on a course. I am riding...maybe even dh. He is freeriding. Hitting lines I don't see, doing things I can't/don't do...THATS freeriding to me...

of course with the shore its even easier :D

I was doing a project on biking and found this quote about freeriding and i really agree with it

"The essence of Freeriding has roots that extend far beyond the shores of British Columbia. As some Freeriders have explained it, Freeriding is more than just riding frightfully narrow log bridges and doing 10-foot wheelie drops. It's about hanging with your friends and doing stuff on a bike that pushes the limits of both yourself and your bike. The ultimate goal isn't about being the fastest or thinking up some dumb trick to entertain the cameras; it's getting out and feeling free with your bike."

I happen to also think of freeriding as just riding where ever one pleases, on the trail or off, just do what you want and have fun with it

Thats why anyone who rides the shore calls it shore riding. For the most part, the term freeriding is so butchered by the happy feeling freeriders that most groms or even adults call the skinny side of things shore riding and leave it at that. There is no doubt what that means and no misunderstanding with the happy freeriders. :)

I do think the industry itself has put freeriding in its place. "Feeling free with you bike" is too hippy even for me. I feel free when I ride a bmx...am I freeriding...no. Freeriding is a discipline...a pretty fuzzy one I admit...but not just a happy feeling :)

I am definately NOT a freerider (heck I even do something people might call freeriding...but am not a freerider), and I do feel free on my bike :) The problem with the term...too many kids want to be freeriding...when they realize they are dropping 6 ft and not going much bigger...they come up with other reasons to be freeriders...marketing and money...it sucks...

May I reccomend finding a copy of The Emergence in order to get an idea.

Thats why anyone who rides the shore calls it shore riding. For the most part, the term freeriding is so butchered by the happy feeling freeriders that most groms or even adults call the skinny side of things shore riding and leave it at that. There is no doubt what that means and no misunderstanding with the happy freeriders. :)

I do think the industry itself has put freeriding in its place. "Feeling free with you bike" is too hippy even for me. I feel free when I ride a bmx...am I freeriding...no. Freeriding is a discipline...a pretty fuzzy one I admit...but not just a happy feeling :)

I am definately NOT a freerider (heck I even do something people might call freeriding...but am not a freerider), and I do feel free on my bike :) The problem with the term...too many kids want to be freeriding...when they realize they are dropping 6 ft and not going much bigger...they come up with other reasons to be freeriders...marketing and money...it sucks...


Another of mael's long winded canadian explainations of things. :p Just kidding. I guess I consider myself a freerider. Only reason is because I am to lazy to go all out XC. I'd rather do drops and jumps and slower (but still fun to me) stunts.

May I reccomend finding a copy of The Emergence in order to get an idea.

Is it good? Sorry to steal the thread for a second, but i have considered getting this movie. Just curious to hear a non north shore recommendation haha

Another of mael's long winded canadian explainations of things. :p Just kidding. I guess I consider myself a freerider. Only reason is because I am to lazy to go all out XC. I'd rather do drops and jumps and slower (but still fun to me) stunts.

Its in my blood. My dad used to lecture me for 14 hours straight. I figure I am a good compliment to Konariders short yet exact answers :)

The one sentence answer works good. Just some people like to elaborate.

I think it's a lame term invented by the marketing whizzes behind bicycle manufacturing. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Just ride your damn bike, who cares what you call it.

Invented and patented by crack and fail ;)...

I like floriding...:D...

I like The Emergence as a film, and feel like it is a must have for any mountain biker's collection. Very informative.