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I noticed in the recent survey a question asking you to identify what "type" of rider you are…Personally, I’ve found these classifications to be somewhat confusing with no clear cut "answer" for a given rider. While I recognize the need to have further bike classifications beyond "Road" and "Off-road", it seems like the multitude of classifications are too many, confusing, and overlapping. IMO, these classifications only are good for describing "what" you ride (in terms of suspension/travel/geometry/etc). They seem to breakdown/fail when you attempt to use these to classify "where" you ride and "how" you ride (with the exception possibly of DH). Curious to hear what others think about these classifications & how they interpret them?
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I always had trouble understanding the line between XC and trail…
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You know, I always thought it was cheap that what kind of rider you were depended on your bike, not how you ride it. I have an XC bike but I ride Enduro and all Mountain.
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"Fitch" wrote
I always had trouble understanding the line between XC and trail…
Seriously, someone explain the difference… And while we are at it, lets hear the difference between All Mtn & Enduro. It seems like these 4 classifications translate to two.
"cavermatthew" wroteYou know, I always thought it was cheap that what kind of rider you were depended on your bike, not how you ride it. I have an XC bike but I ride Enduro and all Mountain.
Totally agree…Seems like these "classifications" are used interchangeably to describe where/how you ride vs what you ride (which as you pointed out is not always the same). Thats why I am curious to hear from the survey makers what they "thought" they were getting for replies when they asked what "type" of rider you were.
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I think a lot of it has to do with your own mentality regarding what and how you ride. The majority of the bikes out there are capable of blurring the lines with the exception of the freestyle and DH rigs. Those are pretty task specific.
Most of these classifications stem from whether one races or not and if so what their focus is on. XC style riding and racing is usually centered around high cardio fitness and speed. Most of the time the courses are not super technical and tend to lean toward fast flowing (YES this is very subjective). The bike marketed to XC style are designed with this in mind and are therefore typically lighter (less durable??) and have shorter travel.
"Trail" riders, which I consider myself to be, are people who buy multi-purpose bikes (also called All Mountain -the difference in terms is due to industry marketing) capable of riding a variety of terrain comfortably for the pure sake of riding. I don’t ride for speed or PR’s nor do I race.
Enduro is a style of racing that tries to challenge technical bike handling ability more than the pure cardio ability of XC. There are mandated downhill and tech sections in a true Enduro event.
Hope this helps and if anyone has other opinions its always good to have a discussion. Personally, I think the only label that matters is that of being a cyclist -specifically a "mountain biker" lol
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I think Enduro is off and on road, and trail is strictly off road.
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Also I think all mtn and trail are just two names for the same thing. I’ve seen all mtn bikes called trail bikes and trail bikes called all mountain bikes.
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Unfortunately, classifications come with mainstreaming. It makes it easier to market a product.
Here’s how I see it:
XC: Long distance, endurance based race format. Typically hardtail or short travel full suspension rigs.
Trail: Our equivalent of “soul surfing”. Short travel to mid travel full suspension or burly hardtail rig.
Enduro : Time trail staged race format. Pedal up in a given period of time. Then it’s a time trial to see who gets down the fastest. Mid travel burly bikes.
All Mountain: What you call enduro riding outside of the race format…pedal up, bomb down.
Freeride: big mountains, big jumps, big bikes. Think Red Bull Rampage.
DH: shuttle or lift to the top of a hill and ride down it. 7-8” big bikes are typically essential but some parks nowadays are dumbed down enough so that a hardtail is all you need to shred. This can be broken down into 3 categories itself: Bike Park, Natural Trail, or Flow.
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JT sums it up. As for taking HardTails for DH… naahhhhh, I’ll pass to the dual w/180+mm fork. Gotta make it count.
As for what you ride… When I had my Mongoose 26 (still do), I’d pass those fancy boys on their Carbon 29er’s all decked out in tights. Those clowns still don’t take the jumps and big drops. Just smile as they try to go fast and trail-cut. I ride just about anything, except road, it’s not for me. I prefer AM & Enduro… I’m working into Freestyle for added fun, I’m no Akrigg, but you know…
Actually, I’m surprised no one threw in FATbiking… lol Since I ride year around, I’m debating on one of those. 😃
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"GTXC4" wrote
Actually, I’m surprised no one threw in FATbiking..
I include fatbiking with beach cruising…fun to do but hard to take seriously 😀
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Thanks JT. That’s the best explanation yet. It does change my perspective on these "classifications"…They DO describe where & how you ride and not necessarily what you ride.
Now that someone mentioned "FATBiking"….What image or style does that conjure up ?
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"JT Orlando" wrote
Here’s how I see it:
XC: Long distance, endurance based race format. Typically hardtail or short travel full suspension rigs.
Trail: Our equivalent of “soul surfing”. Short travel to mid travel full suspension or burly hardtail rig.
I mostly agree JT, but it depends on where in the world you ride as well. Here in Ontario I take XC to mean more managed trails with a bit of hard pack, flowy, tree slalom, with a few rocks and roots for extra excitement as you blast out another lap against the clock.
To me, Trail means riding a little further, more of a journey than a repeated loop for speed with probably a little more rough and ragged tech challenge to it.
When I rode in NZ, Trail riding blurred with what we now call All Mountain and what my mates and I referred to as "Adventure" rides eg. "That extinct volcano looks like it would be fun…"
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"sssirois" wrote
Now that someone mentioned "FATBiking"….What image or style does that conjure up ?
Riding a scooter? It’s fun until your friends find out!
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This is the best definition/description/summary I have ever seen. Thanks!
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"cavermatthew" wrote
I think Enduro is off and on road, and trail is strictly off road.
Think you’re confusing Enduro motorcyle events with enduro mountain biking. As pointed out above…Enduro mountain biking is a new format of race. Typically will have 4-5 stages in a day which involve being timed on the downs which are where the real "racing" occurs, but have finite but non-competing amount of time to get to the start of the next timed down hill section. Also riders typically have to be self supportive during the event.
Don’t ask me what enduro motorcycling is, I don’t ride bikes with motors.
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Just when I thought I had all these terms figured out…This happens….I guess I didn’t think these terms applied to fashion too & Are there plans for an All Mtn jersey in the near future? 😎
"jeff" wrote
We’re taking pre-orders for Singletracks jerseys again and this time around we have a new trail/enduro style available in addition to XC and DH styles. Order this week to guarantee your size and to get yours as soon as they’re produced!
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Interesting, isn’t it? XC riders traditionally wear tighter jerseys with a zipper front, while DH riders wear baggie jerseys with the trend being no zipper.
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"gar29" wrote
Interesting, isn’t it? XC riders traditionally wear tighter jerseys with a zipper front, while DH riders wear baggie jerseys with the trend being no zipper.
Yes…So I dress like a "DH" rider, ride a "XC" bike, and tend to ride "Trail" or "All Mtn" terrain…then what type of rider am I ???
I think I want to just be a Mountain Biker again.
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"sssirois" wrote
[quote="gar29":diuvfsca]Interesting, isn’t it? XC riders traditionally wear tighter jerseys with a zipper front, while DH riders wear baggie jerseys with the trend being no zipper.
Yes…So I dress like a "DH" rider, ride a "XC" bike, and tend to ride "Trail" or "All Mtn" terrain…then what type of rider am I ???
I think I want to just be a Mountain Biker again.[/quote:diuvfsca]
+1! I really don’t need it broken into a niche either. I just like to get out and ride! If you’re faster than me on your (insert specialty bike here), more power to you! -
I think I want to just be a Mountain Biker again.
Well then, less time discussing arbitrary classifications, more time riding singletrack 😉
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"mtbgreg1" wrote
Well then, less time discussing arbitrary classifications, more time riding singletrack 😉
No disagreement here. Arbitrary classifications used to market arbitrary products to consumers…No different marketing approach than most other things. 😉
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XC: you are going to get lightness and steep head tube (around 71 degrees) and seat tube angles usually hard tail but some full and suspension range 90-100 mm (most common) normally 29″ rims rs rs-1, fox 32 stepcast dtswiss forks up hill not ver agressive dh
Trail: will usually have a rs pike or revelation, fox 34 or 32 or something not supper beefy and with 120-150 mm travel front and rear and 68-66 degree head angle all a round rig
AM: will be much like trail from what I know
Enduro: will have 150-180 mm travel with a beefy fork like a rs lyrik pike, dvo dimond, or a fox 36 and will have slack head tube (67-65) low bb and long wheel base wide tires short chain stays and wide rims will be built for the agressive dh but it can also climb
freeride: beefy as hell and meant to take a beating. red bull rampage is free ride, big jumps masive drops, huge gaps
DH: around 200 mm of travel front and back very long wheel base 65-60 degree head angle 27.5 rims wide tires dual crown fork fox 40 rs boxxer dvo emerald and will be built for explicitly going down, big drops, rock and root gardens
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All the good answers are taken. JT Orlando put it best IMO. Fatbikng = beach cruiser lol haha
All mountain and Enduro are sorta blurred nowadays. All mountain used to be a more relaxed version of Enduro riding (which if I’m not mistaken has its roots over in European mountain ranges). All mountain, uses all the terrain and elevation changes a mountain has to offer, and the ride is what you make it to be, slow or fast, more uphill or downhill all at your own pace.
Enduro, a more all out speed version of all mountain. But both having similiar trail features.
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After reading all of this good information, which explains a lot. I’m thinking I should pick my next bike by the color I prefer.
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After reading all of this good information, which explains a lot. I’m thinking I should pick my next bike by the color I prefer.
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Ya! :D:D
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