There are a few different types of Mountain Biking disciplines. Many riders like to train across different disciplines to add some variety to their rides. Many others like to stick to one type of riding. It is all about what you enjoy, so if you start in one discipline you can always try a different one.
Generally speaking, for the average rider, there are 3 groups. However, there are many more disciplines and competitions that combine skillsets from each of these. Other disciplines even add style skills (like free ride and slope-style).
Cross Country (XC)
With XC, the type of terrain is varied. This makes it beginner-friendly and one of the most popular disciplines. It is all about fitness as it combines climbing and descents as well as navigating obstacles that require technical skills. You can find long stretches of single-track that tests your endurance, or find very technical up/down sections that challenge your fitness and bike handling skills.
Cross Country bikes are usually the ones with the least suspension travel, typically in the range of 100-120mm. However, modern XC bikes are more than capable of handling Enduro or All-mountain type riding. It is all about the level of comfort or playfulness you are looking for on a bike.
Enduro or All-mountain (AM)
Enduro fits in a more technical side of the spectrum compared to XC and it is the closest to the early days of mountain biking. It is less about climbing and more about technical sections. The main difference is the racing format. While XC is a continuous track, Enduro is typically run in stages. For each stage only the downhill sections count towards your time. If you are interested in learning more about racing, the Redbull article at the end of this post contains useful information. Make sure you check your local cycling association website for upcoming races and events.
Downhill (DH)
Downhill is the most technical side of spectrum (if we ignore the style-based riding like Redbull Rampage) for everyday riders. As the name implies, this discipline is all about riding downhill while navigating very steep and technical sections. For this style of riding you want to make sure you are wearing the proper PPE, which typically includes a full-face helmet and knee pads. In terms of racing, each rider rides the section on their own and it is all about who rides down the fastest. It almost always comes down to the millisecond.
There is great information in this Redbull article. if you are interested in learning more about the types of mountain biking and the main Elite competitions that take place each year.
What type of MTB discipline do you usually follow? Let me know below!
