Difference between trailriding and XC?
05-06-09, 09:47 PM
#1
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Difference between trailriding and XC?
Probably a silly question, but I'm just curious.
Also, I found nothing with search.
Also, I found nothing with search.
05-06-09, 10:19 PM
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XC is generally less technical, there are less obstacles on the trails. trails are usually well groomed. drops are small, usually a foot or less. suspension for XC bikes is normally 3-4 inches of travel, its kinda like road cycling on dirt. a lot of XC riders are all about going really fast on thier lighter weight bikes.
trail bikes normally have 4-5 inches of travel and are made a lot beefier and can weigh more. trail riding is kinda like riding on a hiking trail, the trail builders may not have bikes in mind. there are gnarly parts where you might have to get off and walk, you might have to ride over a flowing creek bed. there could be lots of rocky sections. there arent as many hard tails in the trail bike category, suspension and control are key.
XC geometry is usually more upright and the bikes have shorter wheel bases
trail bikes usually have a more slack geometry and lower standover height
trail bikes normally have 4-5 inches of travel and are made a lot beefier and can weigh more. trail riding is kinda like riding on a hiking trail, the trail builders may not have bikes in mind. there are gnarly parts where you might have to get off and walk, you might have to ride over a flowing creek bed. there could be lots of rocky sections. there arent as many hard tails in the trail bike category, suspension and control are key.
XC geometry is usually more upright and the bikes have shorter wheel bases
trail bikes usually have a more slack geometry and lower standover height
Last edited by Lebowski; 05-06-09 at 10:21 PM. Reason: spelling
05-06-09, 10:45 PM
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An inclination towards more lycra and clipless pedals on XC... more baggy shorts and platform pedals on trail riding...
where I'm from anyways...
where I'm from anyways...
05-06-09, 11:08 PM
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Trail riding = riding trails on a bike...using pedals that you like...wearing some sort of clothing so the saddle doesn't split your nethers.
Last edited by ed; 05-06-09 at 11:20 PM.
05-07-09, 08:56 AM
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No difference between the two. It's just a way for the average mountain biker to dissociate from world of XC racing.
05-07-09, 09:07 AM
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I hope they never stop making hardtail trail bikes!
05-07-09, 09:57 AM
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It seems silly to need to define any of this crap.
mountain biking
mountain biking
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05-07-09, 10:14 AM
#11
mechanically sound
Yeah, when I started riding ~12yrs. ago, there was only XC and downhill(downhill racers used hardtails back then). I've always considered it XC if you spend most of the saddle time climbing, even if there is plenty of gnarly, technical ups and downs. A rose by any other name...
05-07-09, 10:50 AM
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Marketing ploy aimed at confusing stoner, burnout mountain bikers.
05-07-09, 11:11 AM
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No suspension on my XC bike. I prefer it that way. Why would anyone need suspension for trails that are "usually well groomed. drops are small, usually a foot or less." ??? Just learn to ride with good technique. AFAIK full suspension rigs were setup to take drops that were just too big to absorb with arms/legs, which wouldn't be in the category of XC riding.
05-07-09, 12:57 PM
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as junkyard said, much of this terminology is derived from marketing ploys. the idea is, to act like their are big differences between the various "disciplines" of mountain biking is to plant the seed of doubt in your mind. "Can i ride xc on my trailbike? what about trail-riding on my all-mountain rig? do i need to get permission to take my freeride bike on a downhill adventure?"
That being said, there are many differences between various bikes, riders, and places to ride, not to mentio the style with which one rides these bikes at these places. Lebowski's explanation above is a solid one. Essentially, i think you should ride what works for you, where it works for you, while wearing what works for you. As challenges arise that you can't get around by learning new skills, you might want to get new gear/a new bike. Sometimes trails are too steep for me to fully enjoy on my bike with classic "xc" geometry, for example. And, if you tend to ride in cutoff jeans, a longer ride might convince you to get some shorts with a chamois down the line. But, really, there are no hard and fast rules, and no truly concise definitions. Yes, some riders are snobby and fashion-conscious, and they may deride you for riding the wrong bike at the wrong trail or wearing the wrong attire. Obviously, this behavior is pathetic, and those who cannot stop it need to go become roadies somewhere.
FWIW, unless youre riding the street or skateparks, you're probably riding your mtb on a trail, so the term "trailriding", when used to differentiate one style of mtb-riding from others, never made much sense to me.
-rob
That being said, there are many differences between various bikes, riders, and places to ride, not to mentio the style with which one rides these bikes at these places. Lebowski's explanation above is a solid one. Essentially, i think you should ride what works for you, where it works for you, while wearing what works for you. As challenges arise that you can't get around by learning new skills, you might want to get new gear/a new bike. Sometimes trails are too steep for me to fully enjoy on my bike with classic "xc" geometry, for example. And, if you tend to ride in cutoff jeans, a longer ride might convince you to get some shorts with a chamois down the line. But, really, there are no hard and fast rules, and no truly concise definitions. Yes, some riders are snobby and fashion-conscious, and they may deride you for riding the wrong bike at the wrong trail or wearing the wrong attire. Obviously, this behavior is pathetic, and those who cannot stop it need to go become roadies somewhere.
FWIW, unless youre riding the street or skateparks, you're probably riding your mtb on a trail, so the term "trailriding", when used to differentiate one style of mtb-riding from others, never made much sense to me.
-rob
05-07-09, 02:28 PM
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05-07-09, 06:46 PM
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05-08-09, 08:05 AM
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05-08-09, 08:29 AM
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05-08-09, 08:54 PM
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No further comment.
(Junkyard- sorry to disappoint.)
(Junkyard- sorry to disappoint.)
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05-09-09, 01:02 AM
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I always included trail riding with XC.
then all mountain and freeride, in my book go together, and then you have Dirt Jump, and then Down hill.
I find a lot of these terms are just made-up marketing devices to fool people.
I, am still after that "Jack of all trades, Master of none" frame....
then all mountain and freeride, in my book go together, and then you have Dirt Jump, and then Down hill.
I find a lot of these terms are just made-up marketing devices to fool people.
I, am still after that "Jack of all trades, Master of none" frame....
05-10-09, 08:39 PM
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I built my Shadow thinking Jack of all trades. It basically turned in to a AMLFRHTBSH that wouldn't seem right on DJs but would take damn near everything else.
How you like them apples?
How you like them apples?
05-10-09, 09:26 PM
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just get some good geometry on there and you can do whatever the hell you want. Maybe with a 29 inch wheel perhaps...
05-11-09, 06:23 AM
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Wrong, sir. S-Works Epic was not designed to take drops. Dual suspension yields control in difficult terrain. Sure, you can still get through it on a HT or rigid bike, but DH Dan will blow your doors off on his Demo9 through a rock/root infested corner.
