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You want to start cycling and you hesitate between the different existing disciplines (road cycling, mountain biking, gravel, etc.). To help you in your choice, in this article we offer you a focus to know everything about mountain biking.
The different disciplines of mountain biking
There are different disciplines in mountain biking. Thus, everyone should be able to find the one that suits them, depending on their tastes but also on their level of physical activity.
The cross-country (XC) is certainly one of the best known mountain bike disciplines (it has been present at the Olympic Games since 1996) and the most practiced in the world. But cross-country also comes in sub-categories: marathon cross-country and eliminator cross-country.
The descent (DH) is another queen discipline of mountain biking. Within it, it also has a subcategory: marathon downhill. It is to be reserved for thrill seekers.
The enduro is a discipline that appeared in the 2000s that has experienced a very strong craze: it is a sort of mixture between cross-country and downhill, with a particular taste for the second discipline.
The freeride, apart from its extreme form of riding down dangerous places, is about riding free, free of rules.
The all-mountain is a discipline close to cross-country that is practiced in the mountains.
The all-mountain (or trail) riding is accessible to all, regardless of the level of practice. A single objective: enjoy the great outdoors and have fun. It is probably the ideal discipline for beginners.
The trial, inspired by motorcycling, consists of overcoming obstacles while balancing on the bike, without putting your foot on the ground.
The street VTT is practiced in the city as its name suggests. It involves using street furniture in place of natural obstacles to perform jumps and tricks.
The street mountain biking is practiced in the city as the name suggests
Other existing disciplines include four cross, dual slalom, dirt and slopestyle.
How to choose your mountain biking equipment
Before you get started, you need to know how to choose your mountain bike equipment. This equipment includes both the gear, but also the clothing.
To begin with, in order to practice mountain biking, you will need to buy a mountain bike with a frame that fits you.
Depending on the discipline you choose to practice (cross-country, enduro, downhill, etc.), the type of bike will not be the same because each discipline of mountain biking has different needs (semi-rigid mountain bike, full-suspension mountain bike, wheel size, telescopic seatpost, etc.).
Depending on your level, your practice and your needs, you may also consider an electrically assisted mountain bike. From one discipline to another, and depending on the level of equipment, the price of the bikes will differ, ranging from about five hundred euros for the first prices to more than ten thousand euros for the high-end models.
Next, you will have to choose your equipment carefully in order to ride safely, starting with the choice of a helmet, which will also have to be adapted to the mountain bike discipline you are going to practice, and which is an essential and necessary element in the perfect outfit for a mountain biker. Depending on whether you practice cross-country, enduro or downhill for example, it can be classic, all mountain or integral.
If you chose auto pedals, you'll also need to choose shoes that are compatible with the type of cleats (SPD or MTB) chosen for your pedals.
To complete your outfit, you'll then choose a bike shorts that will provide the comfort you need to avoid overheating and soreness from hours in the saddle.
A bike jersey will allow you to slip in a few personal items (keys, food, etc.).
When mountain biking, wearing a pair of gloves is also essential to protect your hands in case of a fall, but also from vibrations on the handlebars. The choice of a pair of short (mittens) or long gloves will depend on the discipline practiced.
Wearing a pair of cycling glasses will also be appropriate in order to protect your eyes from the various projections (mud, gravel, etc.) that you will be confronted with, as well as from branches.
Bike basics
Once you've determined the ATV discipline you want to pursue and purchased the ATV that fits your needs, you'll still need to learn ATV basics.
After making sure your bike is in good working order and your helmet is properly adjusted, to begin with, when you start mountain biking, you need to learn how to stand properly on your bike and look far ahead (or out of the turn) to anticipate obstacles. Try to stay flexible so that you don't tense up and suffer unnecessarily because of the vibrations.
In order not to fall off, you will need to learn to work on your balance, whether in a static position or while riding.
Next, you will need to learn to shift gears at the right time, i.e., to change gears regularly depending on the terrain and obstacles encountered so that you don't have to put your foot down at the slightest climb. You'll also want to avoid crossing your chain or you'll wear it out prematurely.
Once you've mastered the basics of mountain biking, there are also a few basics to know for descent mountain biking. In particular, there are a few little tricks to remember so you don't fall off.
The first is to stand on the pedals, which you should keep horizontal - without pedaling - and distribute your weight on the back of the bike by moving to the back of the saddle, arms almost outstretched. For reassurance on steep or technical descents, you can also lower your saddle (some enduro models, for example, are equipped with a telescopic saddle).
You'll also need to learn to control your braking (whether you're equipped with skid brakes or disc brakes), using both brakes (rear and front) so you don't skid or go over your handlebars.
Always try to analyze the terrain ahead of you so you can anticipate your trajectories and braking.
Finally, always remain master of your bike, i.e., don't let yourself get overwhelmed by excessive speed downhill if you are not comfortable. And if, really, you're not feeling it: don't be ashamed to put your foot down to get through a technical passage.
Want to learn about trials? When you want to get into this discipline, it's hard to know where to start. The first thing to work on is static balance, which is really essential.
Then, you can vary the exercises by practicing, in particular, pedaling slowly while braking so as not to pick up speed. Then you'll move on to jumping to clear small obstacles: crossing from the front, jumping sideways (from both sides), staying balanced on the rear wheel, static and moving, etc.
Even if trials is practiced with a bike specially adapted to the discipline, doing these small exercises with your mountain bike can also be useful to gain balance and teach you how to clear small obstacles.
Now that you know all about the mountain bike discipline, how about doing the same with road cycling, gravel and other cycling disciplines?
