Riding style differences...
05-14-03, 11:03 AM
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Riding style differences...
so, what are the differences between XC, freeriding, etc., etc.,....
i guess i'm seeing if anyone is willing to explain the different styles, or a site that explains them.
thanks!
later
i guess i'm seeing if anyone is willing to explain the different styles, or a site that explains them.
thanks!
later
05-14-03, 11:18 AM
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Off the cuff....
Cross Country - Think of Cross Country ski racing. Lightweight, nimble bikes that must climb well, handle technical terrain and intermediate hills. Front suspension forks (80mm - 100mm of travel) are the norm and new, lightweight F/S bikes have recently made their way into the sport as have lightweight mech. discs. This is what most folks think of when they hear "mountain biking" except for the folks who follow or participate in gravity racing events like DH and Slalom or Giant Slalom.
FreeRide - Basically what was a XC bike with a little more fork travel (>100mm), rear suspension, and disc brakes that will handle more "extreme" riding, i.e., bigger jumps, longer - faster downhills.
Downhill - Think of downhill (aka. Alpine) ski racing and the Downhill event. This is the gravity game -- where a heavy bike is not a disadvantage since you don't ride it up the hill, only down the hill as fast as your courage (or lack of common sense) will allow. LONGGGG travel front forks, LONGGG travel rear suspension, bomb-proof wheels, big disc brakes and low, laid back seating.
Slalom - Again, think apline skiing and the GS events. These are also gravity bikes, more like an aggressive Freeride machine than a pure downhill bike because they must be more nimble and maneuverable to handle banked curves, more pedalling sections on hills that aren't as steep and long as the DH courses.
Cross Country - Think of Cross Country ski racing. Lightweight, nimble bikes that must climb well, handle technical terrain and intermediate hills. Front suspension forks (80mm - 100mm of travel) are the norm and new, lightweight F/S bikes have recently made their way into the sport as have lightweight mech. discs. This is what most folks think of when they hear "mountain biking" except for the folks who follow or participate in gravity racing events like DH and Slalom or Giant Slalom.
FreeRide - Basically what was a XC bike with a little more fork travel (>100mm), rear suspension, and disc brakes that will handle more "extreme" riding, i.e., bigger jumps, longer - faster downhills.
Downhill - Think of downhill (aka. Alpine) ski racing and the Downhill event. This is the gravity game -- where a heavy bike is not a disadvantage since you don't ride it up the hill, only down the hill as fast as your courage (or lack of common sense) will allow. LONGGGG travel front forks, LONGGG travel rear suspension, bomb-proof wheels, big disc brakes and low, laid back seating.
Slalom - Again, think apline skiing and the GS events. These are also gravity bikes, more like an aggressive Freeride machine than a pure downhill bike because they must be more nimble and maneuverable to handle banked curves, more pedalling sections on hills that aren't as steep and long as the DH courses.
05-14-03, 12:27 PM
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Livngood has hit xc on the head...
Freeride is really anything. Generally taking on more travel. Everyone generally has a different opinion about what should constitute freeride, my only belief is it has to be different from dh and xc but still using some of the same techniques. The north shore and BC started the freeriding trend (Canondale copyrighted the name but had very little to do with the initial creation). I personally think freeriding is a combination of jumping, drops/hucking along with xc in between the trails. I also fully believe some manmade stuff needs to be involved. Skinnies, teeters things like this all make it unique. Freeriding has gone byond this but initially freeriding was (and imo still is) a combination of the skills needed for dh, endurance required by xc and technical ability of a trials rider. If you aren't using all three on a trail it probably isn't freeriding. (I am now waiting for the arguing
) The other thing that seperates it is it is judged not timed. The point behind the ride is to make it as difficult as you can handle and not worry about going mach1.
Downhill is becoming more and more like freeriding especially out here. The dh courses out here are becoming more man made and technical the previously where the terrain itself offered the difficulty. But in the end it is timed and you want to scream down the mountain as fast a humanly possible finding the quickest not the most difficult lines to run through.
Freeride is really anything. Generally taking on more travel. Everyone generally has a different opinion about what should constitute freeride, my only belief is it has to be different from dh and xc but still using some of the same techniques. The north shore and BC started the freeriding trend (Canondale copyrighted the name but had very little to do with the initial creation). I personally think freeriding is a combination of jumping, drops/hucking along with xc in between the trails. I also fully believe some manmade stuff needs to be involved. Skinnies, teeters things like this all make it unique. Freeriding has gone byond this but initially freeriding was (and imo still is) a combination of the skills needed for dh, endurance required by xc and technical ability of a trials rider. If you aren't using all three on a trail it probably isn't freeriding. (I am now waiting for the arguing
) The other thing that seperates it is it is judged not timed. The point behind the ride is to make it as difficult as you can handle and not worry about going mach1.Downhill is becoming more and more like freeriding especially out here. The dh courses out here are becoming more man made and technical the previously where the terrain itself offered the difficulty. But in the end it is timed and you want to scream down the mountain as fast a humanly possible finding the quickest not the most difficult lines to run through.
05-14-03, 12:41 PM
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A couple of more not mentioned
Street/urban - Ironically probably the most old school riding that has moved into mtb. Essentially a bunch of mtbers trying to do what bmxers do but on mtb's. Mtbers will eventually find their own niche in street but for now come up short compared to bmxers. Generally the mtbers also merge the hucking aspect of freeriding into the scene. Grinds, pedal kicks, lots of tricks all make up this aspect and it is very cool to watch.
Trials - the most technical form of riding EVER. Yes thats my opinion but these guys rock. They have more control over their bike than most people have over their bodies.
Street/urban - Ironically probably the most old school riding that has moved into mtb. Essentially a bunch of mtbers trying to do what bmxers do but on mtb's. Mtbers will eventually find their own niche in street but for now come up short compared to bmxers. Generally the mtbers also merge the hucking aspect of freeriding into the scene. Grinds, pedal kicks, lots of tricks all make up this aspect and it is very cool to watch.
Trials - the most technical form of riding EVER. Yes thats my opinion but these guys rock. They have more control over their bike than most people have over their bodies.
05-14-03, 12:54 PM
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cool, thanks. and i just realized that XC stands for cross country - man i'm gettin slow. i'm used to seeing x-country, when i ran x-country in HS. anyway, thanks again guys!
later
later
05-14-03, 02:52 PM
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explain the different styles
05-14-03, 05:31 PM
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Originally posted by dirtbikedude
Just to add one more thing, I see XC/DH/FR/Trials etc. as different types of riding and place STYLE on each individual rider and how they get their bike to flow under them.
Just to add one more thing, I see XC/DH/FR/Trials etc. as different types of riding and place STYLE on each individual rider and how they get their bike to flow under them.
...
05-14-03, 06:39 PM
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Good call...because I do a certain type of riding and have no style ...
Come on Mael, do not be so hard on your self. You still have more style then a boulder rolloing down a hill (sometimes).
05-14-03, 07:06 PM
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05-14-03, 08:07 PM
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Originally posted by dirtbikedude
Ahhhhhhh Come on Mael, do not be so hard on your self. You still have more style then a boulder rolloing down a hill (sometimes).
Ahhhhhhh
Come on Mael, do not be so hard on your self. You still have more style then a boulder rolloing down a hill (sometimes).
...true enough...cause een when I roll down a hill I make it look good 
...Wasn't really a knock on myself. I can ride but haven't gotten to the point where I can add flare to my riding
05-15-03, 09:37 AM
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Originally posted by Maelstrom
Trials - the most technical form of riding EVER. Yes thats my opinion but these guys rock. They have more control over their
bike than most people have over their bodies.
Trials - the most technical form of riding EVER. Yes thats my opinion but these guys rock. They have more control over their
bike than most people have over their bodies.
I have to disagree on this one.
while trials is tough and the top riders do some crazy stuff I don't believe it compares to flatland.
the top pro flatlanders are doing some dam crazy stuff. rolling, no brakes, no scuffing, front wheel kick flip insanity. and more.
05-15-03, 11:12 AM
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Originally posted by pnj
I have to disagree on this one.
while trials is tough and the top riders do some crazy stuff I don't believe it compares to flatland.
the top pro flatlanders are doing some dam crazy stuff. rolling, no brakes, no scuffing, front wheel kick flip insanity. and more.
I have to disagree on this one.
while trials is tough and the top riders do some crazy stuff I don't believe it compares to flatland.
the top pro flatlanders are doing some dam crazy stuff. rolling, no brakes, no scuffing, front wheel kick flip insanity. and more.
I should have put the most technical form of mountain biking ever...My mistake...And man do I love watching flatlanders they seriously kick some butt
