Mountain Bike Fun!

Mountain biking is a very popular form of cycling for both recreational riders and competitive cyclists. As with road racing, mountain biking offers a variety of racing events that require a diverse set of physiological (e.g., aerobic endurance and upper-body strength) and technical (e.g., bike handling) abilities. This article describes eight popular mountain bike races.

1. Cross-Country. Cross country consists of a mass start race that typically includes 100 to 150 riders. Cross country events are contested on circuit courses consisting of unpaved dirt or gravel roads, and single-track trails filled with rocks. The courses often have significant elevation gain and difficult descents. The typical cross-country race lasts for about two hours (22-28 miles for men and 16-22 miles for women).

2. Short Track Cross-Country. Short track is mountain bike racing’s answer to the criterium. It is a brief cross-country event contested on a circuit course about three-fourths of a mile in length. This mass start race also traverses rough terrain but is typically completed in about 20 minutes.

3. Downhill. The downhill is known as a gravity event because, as its name infers, it is contested entirely downhill. It is a time trial event in which each rider departs individually (usually at 30 second intervals) and attempts to traverse a challenging course as quickly as possible. The racer with the fastest time wins. Races are typically 4 to 8 minutes long.

4. Dual Slalom. The dual slalom is similar to the slalom in ski races and is another gravity event. Two racers compete head-to-head by simultaneously riding down parallel courses as quickly as possible. The course typically includes tight turns, berms and jumps.

5. Four Cross. The newest of all mountain biking disciplines, four cross is a gravity event. It is similar to the dual slalom. In this race, four riders compete head-to-head and side-by-side. They race downhill on a short, technical course with tight turns, berms and jumps. The top two finishers in each heat advance to the next round.

6. Super D. A hybrid event that combines aspects of both downhill and cross-country events. The race is contested on a course that has far more descending than ascending. The course is less technical than most downhill events (e.g., no jumps), and is designed to test both endurance and bike handling skills.

7. Single Speed. A mountain bike event contested on bicycles with only one front chainring and one rear cog (i.e., a single-speed bicycle). This means the cyclist cannot change the gear combination during the race.

8. Observed Trials. Observed trials consist of mountain bike riders negotiating an obstacle course strewn with boulders, rocks, tree stumps, and artificial barriers such as tables and cars. The goal is to complete this course without putting a foot down (known as a “dab”) or using a hand for balance. The rider with the fewest dabs is declared the winner.



By: Tyrone Holmes

About the Author:

CactusJackSlade asked:

Prairie City Race Series Kids mountain bike races 2006 racemtb.com

Jeremiah Logemann asked:


The proper preparation for winning endurance mountain bike races is a multifaceted endeavor. Did ya catch that? I mean, Do you want to win a 12 or 24 hour mountain bike race this season? Well listen up. There are a lot of things to consider, so the best approach is to break it down into parts to make sure you have your bases covered, or at least your saddle.

I will discuss the five key elements that a racer should focus on to win endurance mountain bike races. These include the physical demands of the bike trail. What type of mountain bike to race. What kind of gear is needed. The mental state of mind a ride should have. And finally, what the racer should eat before, during and after the race.

Physical training is the one thing that most people would concentrate on before entering an endurance race, but what are the finer points of physical training? This isn’t a fun ride in the BMX park with your buddies. You will be asking your body to perform for an extended period of time. To prepare for this, good riders, will spend ample time on their road bikes. They are focusing on spinning. This is keeping a constant pace in regards to your pedal stroke and concentrating on pulling up on your pedals with the same force as when pushing down. Rode riding will allow you to focus on your heart rate as well. Many riders train and race with a heart rate monitor. Training with this technology, you will be able to increase endurance much faster than in the past. Racing with this technology you will be able to maintain a heart rate zone that your body can endure all the way to the finish line.

Riding the right bike may seem a bit silly to discuss, but is an important factor in an endurance mountain biking race. The racer, you, needs to be familiar with the race course. Bike weight can play a big role in the energy need to win the race. If the race course is mainly logging roads, double track and the like then a hard tail or even a single speed bike will perform great cutting down on unnecessary. If the race course has several rock gardens and technical sections than some riders will choose a dual suspension cross country bike.

Having and, more importantly, organizing the right gear for the race may be the deciding factor in a close race. If you know that your laps are taking one or two hours a piece then you can separate your gear into bags and label them according to time of day or lap number. This means fresh clothes (long sleeve for early and late day laps and cooler clothes for mid-day laps,) Put your bike light in the gear bag for nighttime laps along with clear lenses and maybe some chamois grease or Bengay. These bags are also where you can put lap specific foods.

I think mental preparation is where many athletes fail in any given sport. Be prepared to pep yourself up throughout the day. This is going to be a long day. There will be times when you feel down or even think about quitting. This is a good time to remember that mountain biking is fun. You are here because you like it. Put some pink streamers on your handlebars. Say, thank you, to someone cheering you on. I promise you will get more energy back than you spent saying it. If something bad does arise (i.e. equipment malfunction, big wreck) just relax. You will be much better able to solve it with a clear head. Remember: you will be here all day.

Lastly, the food you take in before, during, and after your race will dramatically affect your performance. Athletes should always maintain a balanced diet. Take in consideration the weather when planning your race diet. If it will be extremely hot on race day think about extra salt and potassium. I will sometimes add salt to my sports drink and force myself to eat an extra banana. DO NOT try anything for the first time the day of a race. You will be stressing your body out enough just racing. You do not want to start a lap take a **** of drink and find out that your stomach can’t handle an extra teaspoon of salt in a quart of sports drink.

There is much more to an endurance mountain bike race than hoping on a bike and pedaling fast. You have to pedal fast for a long time. The best way to be the best you can be on race day is to be prepared. Prepared with the right training, the right bike the right gear, the right food, and the right frame of mind. For the all the gear, click here. The rest is totally up to you. Good luck.

Alastair Hamilton asked:


There is quite a bit of gear available that is manufactured for mountain biking. It is essential that you determine your needs before you visit the store to ensure that you will not be overwhelmed.

Purchasing useful gear for mountain biking is essential to making your bicycling more fun and enjoyable. You can find this mountain bike gear at your local bike shop or on biking websites. There are all different kinds of gear available from guards for every part of the body imaginable to full body armor to more common items, like apparel, helmets, and gloves. Most shops do business with a variety of different bikers with all different kinds of experience, so you should be able to find anything that you are looking for.

Most of the protective gear was created more for the downhill and mountain racing enthusiasts. There are many different pieces that are made to withstand the roughness of mountain biking and keep your body as safe as possible. This gear is specially made to keep you safe without taking away the enjoyment of the experience.

The most important thing that you will need to purchase is a helmet. They can help you stay alive, especially when you are zooming down the mountain or hill at a high rate of speed. All races require helmets to help keep riders safe from head injuries. Gloves can help you’re your hands in good shape and can give you a better handlebar grip as well.

The clothes that you wear is very important in any kind of biking. The majority of mountain bike races are held during the summer, which would mean that shorts, sneakers, and t-shirts are very common, but in the cooler months, then you may want to layer vests, sweatshirts, or pants to help keep yourself comfortable. There are many companies that specialize in comfortable apparel for mountain biking.

There are many varieties of mountain bike equipment. You can find all different kinds of apparel, bikes, components, frames, and accessories for mountain biking fun. It is important to have an idea of what you want before you visit the store, so that you can make the most of your time and money. Consider what kind of biking that you enjoy and how often that you are going to be doing it to help determine what you absolutely need and want.

Due to the increased popularity of mountain biking, many companies are putting out new equipment each and every day. That is why it is important to do your research so that you can see what technology is important to you and which is not. Some bicycles come with as many as 27 gears, hydraulic brakes, etc., and having an idea of what you desire can make a big difference in your search.