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MOUNTAIN BIKING FACTS
By Jenny Mc Auley Professional MTB Rider
Nov 7, 2005
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| Balancing the bike |
Downhilling is how mountainbiking began - in the mid 1970's, a
group of guys riding in the woods of north california on home-made bikes(called'clunkers', made with parts taken from tandems and motorbikes) held events to see who could get down the mountains the fastest.
Some of these guys developed the bikes, becoming major innovators in their manufacture, and mountainbikes as we know them were born.
Today, downhillers compete, timetrial style, down a course which includes a wide variety of difficult terrain demanding a huge amount of skill, strength and nerve to negotiate.
In world cup events, runs usually take between 2.5 mins to 5mins from top to bottom. Downhilling requires specialist equipment (fullface
helmets, body armour, goggles) and bikes - stronger and heavier than regularbikes, with suspension front and back.
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| Flying for the finish |
FOUR CROSS
This is a short, explosive event where 4 riders start together and blast down ashort course of jumps, corners, berms, tabletops and moguls. There is a series of knock-out heats, with the first 2 from each round proceeding to the next, until the final 4 survivors are left to compete for the win.
It's a fast and furious event, requiring great power, skill and tactical aggression, takes between 25-45 secs to complete the course, and is a huge hit with spectators.
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| Taking different routes at an obstacle |
CROSS COUNTRY
XC racing consists of a massed start, with laps on a marked circuit of varying terrain, and usually lasts between two-two and a half hrs.Courses can vary hugely but generally include climbing, downhills, singletrack sections and some technical terrain (difficult sections requiring some skill to negotiate).
As fitness and speed is of the essence, xc bikes are lightweight, usually using only front suspension to save weight. This discipline is an olympic event.
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| Well stocked for the long effort with fluids in backpack |
MARATHON
A longer version of xc racing, this is now the fastest growing discipline in mountainbiking, attracting a huge number of people of all abilities. Events are usually a large loop, with world cup events approx 100km and taking 4hrs+ for the fastest riders.
As with the running marathon, for many the attraction lies in the challenge of completing the distance, and many marathons offer a range of distances for all abilities, making it a truly family event which everyone can enjoy.
Fitness and especially stamina are paramount, and as there is usually a lot of climbing involved, xc bikes are used, with many opting for longer-travel front forks or even lightweight full-suspension bikes to increase the comfort for such a long ride!
TRIALS
Trials, like its motorbike equivalent, is a contest of pure skill, control and balance. Competitors negotiate a series of short, marked-out sections of obstacles and difficult terrain, which they must complete with a minumum of errors;
Every time a rider balances on something other than the bike - e.g. putting a foot down - points are added to their score.
The winner is the one to complete the course with the minimum of points. The bikes are specialist bikes, with the smallest possible frame, shorter wheelbase, smaller wheels, high bottom bracket and steep head angle,and are only used for trials.
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- Updated: Oct 3rd, 2007 - 16:54:37
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