Mountain Bike
What are Mountain Bike ?
The original mountain bikes were modified heavy cruiser bicycles used for freewheeling down mountain trails. The sport became popular in the 1970s in Northern California, USA, with riders using older, single-speed balloon tire bicycles to ride down rugged hillsides. These modified bikes were called "ballooners" in California, "klunkers" in Colorado, and "dirt bombers" in Oregon. Joe Breeze, a bicycle frame builder, used this idea and developed what is considered the first mountain bike. It was not until, the late 1970s and early 1980s that road bicycle companies started to manufacture mountain bicycles using high-tech lightweight materials, such as M4 aluminum. The first production mountain bike available was the 1979 Lawwill Pro Cruiser. The frame design was based on a frame that Don Koski fabricated from electrical conduit and a Schwinn Varsity frame. Mert Lawwill had Terry Knight of Oakland build the frames. The bikes sold for about $500 new and were made from 1979 though 1980 (approximate run of 600 bikes). The first mass production mountain bike was the Specialized Stumpjumper, first produced in 1981. With the rising popularity of mountain bikes, Randolph (Randy) Ross, executive vice president of Ross Bicycles Inc., was quoted in the New York Times saying I'd say these bikes are one of the biggest things that ever happened to the biking industry. Its basic look constitutes "a total shift in image" for the industry. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, mountain biking moved from a little-known sport to a mainstream activity complete with an international racing circuit and a world championship, in addition to various free ride competitions, such as the FMB World Tour and the Red Bull Rampage.
Designs
Mountain bikes can usually be divided into four broad categories based on suspension configuration:
• Rigid: A mountain bike with large, knobby tires and straight handlebars, but with neither front nor rear suspension.
• Hard Tail: A mountain bike equipped with a suspension fork for the front wheel, but otherwise a rigid frame.
• Soft Tail: A recent addition, a mountain bike with pivots in the frame but no rear shock. the flex of the frame absorbs some vibrations. These bikes are usually cross country bikes.
• Full suspension (or dual suspension): A mountain bike equipped with both front and rear suspension. The front suspension is usually a telescopic fork similar to that of a motorcycle, and the rear is suspended by a mechanical linkage with components for absorbing shock.
These bicycles are designed primarily around the discipline of racing. Emphasis is on endurance which demands lightweight and efficient designs. In the 1980s and early 1990s, this typically consisted of a lightweight steel rigid frame and fork. Throughout the 1990s, lightweight aluminum frames and short travel (65 to 110 mm) suspension forks gained influence. Full suspension designs have since become more popular among racers and enthusiasts. The use of advanced carbon fiber composites allows designers to produce full-suspension designs under 10 kilograms (22 lb). However, hard tails and soft tails are seen quite often in this discipline as well. 700c wheels have largely replaced the original standard of 26" and now 29" wheels are taking over this discipline. Typical head angles are 67-70°, a geometry which favors climbing ability and fast responses over descending and stability. Although intended for off-road use, they are not designed for use on steep or particularly rough terrain.Essentially you can sub divide XC bikes into a further 2 sub divisions:
This one does exactly what it says in the tin. If you can’t decide what bike you want or need, then this is probably the best choice. All Mountain, or Enduro bikes, are very similar to XC Trail bikes, but will have stronger frames, and a bit more travel in the suspension. Most of these bike will be in the full suspension category, and will have around 140-160 mm travel in them. This is to help the rider go through harder and much more technical types of trail obstacles. These are best for taking on steeper more complicated trails.1
As mountain biking trail centers have become more popular, The All Mountain category are all about going up, and then coming straight back down again. As a result they are heavier, because of the sturdier frame, and are a little bit harder to pedal back up again when your done.
In essence they are pretty much the same as Trail XC bikes, the difference is they will have wide tires for extra grip, and the type of rider you see on these will be going Hail Mary down Black Runs, and more often than not be sporting knee and elbow protection. That’s the type of bike it is.
So those are the 3 most common categories of bike. After that it starts to become just that little bit more specialized and niche.
These bikes are designed for the riders who just want to go downhill, and fast, and either have no fear or really good health insurance. They are designed for speedy steep descents, and thus their efficiency and riding style are geared toward that end. The gears are set large and high for pedaling fast over the roughest of terrains. The tires will be wider, and have wider rims, and the gears and frame are more durable and will hold up extremely well under pressure. These bikes will also have disc brakes as standard, and a chain guard to keep that chain in place on rough descents.
It is not uncommon to find up to 170mm-254mm of travel in the suspension either. They also almost all have full suspension setups. They will have either air, or coils shocks. Coil shocks are heavy, but tend to be able to soak up a lot more punishment.
Most serious riders will not use clip in pedals on downhill MTBs, but instead use really sticky rubber soles so they can leave the bike in a hurry when things go wrong on steep descents at speed.
They are not built for climbing. Typically, riders will either walk their bike to the top of the trail or be dropped off by vehicle. They are not fun to ride uphill.
Freeride bikes are fairly similar in many respects to Downhillers. The main difference here is purpose. Freeriders have much less emphasis on weight. The frame is more compact so the rider can more easily maneuver. And they are built for jumping and doing technical stunts. The frame is designed to be more flexible. They typically have around 160-180mm of travel in the suspension setup.
To put it succinctly, freeride bikes are a cross between downhill and XC bikes, but are also not fun to push up hill. The frame tubes are thick.
Somewhere between bicycle motocross (BMX) and free-ride, designs are rigid or hard-tail with 3 to 4.5 inches (76 to 114 mm) of front suspension. Durable frames with low bottom brackets and short chainstays improve maneuverability. Designs often overlap with four-cross, with many frames including removable derailleur hangers and/or integrated chain tensioners to allow for single speed and multi-speed arrangements. Tires are usually 24 or 26" diameter, fast-rolling slicks or semi-slicks, with narrow casings (approx. 1.8-2.2"). Low seatposts and oversized handlebars and used to make room for tricks. Most have an extended rear brake cable installed and have no front brake, which allows the rider to spin the handle bars multiple times without tangling cables.