Without a doubt, this post could get wordy. We’re going to work to keep it cogent. The problem is, any discussion of various types of mountain bikes immediately gets clouded by a lot of subtle distinctions and shadings. By no means are we attempting to do a definitive or exhaustive treatment of the subject. Rather, what follows is an overview of some of the more common types of off-road bicycles.
Essentially, mountain bikes are defined by a purpose. How the bike is to be ridden, and where, determines a lot of design choices. So that’s how we’re going to proceed here.
Before we get to the meat and potatoes, let’s state this. There is a lot of cross-over and interbreeding in today’s mountain bike market. It’s almost like ordering from a Chinese restaurant menu. Basic choices are, Rigid, Hardtail, and full suspension. Any of those basic categories can be had with either 26 inch or 29 inch wheels.
Rigid: These have no suspension parts. Often they are singlespeed machines as well. This is about simplicity and overall durable function. The fewer moving parts there are, the fewer things can go wrong.
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| Surly Karate Monkey |
Hardtail: A bike with a suspension fork at the front, but no rear suspension.
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| Giant Boulder ~ hardtail |
Full-Suspension (or Dual-Suspension): Bikes with forks and dampers at the front of the bike, and a spring/damper and pivots at the back.
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| Giant Yukon ~ dualie |
26 inch: Refers to the more common, mountain bike with a “26 inch” wheel.
29er: (Hang on!) Refers to a newer wheel size. The 29 inch wheel referenced by the name is actually a 700C wheel. The 700C is the same wheel diameter as the most common of road bikes, but with mountain bike tires mounted, the overall diameter is roughly 29 inches. The advantage? Larger diameter wheels roll over stuff better.
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| Giant Talon ~ 29er (this one is a hartail too) |
Bike Types by Purpose:
XC (Cross Country): May be either a hardtail, or a dual suspension. Typically, these are lighter, competition oriented bikes. They will have less suspension travel, and a bit stiffer spring action. Usually the suspension travel is around 4 inches (100mm). Bikes in this category are designed to climb well, as well as to be fairly stable descenders. These are not big hit bikes! (If hucking off of big drops is your thing, do not try it on one of these!)
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| Giant Anthem X (also a 29er) |
Trail Bikes: Much like XC Bikes, trail bikes are a bit heavier, and with typically longer and more plush suspension. These are usually enthusiast bikes, designed to make a day on the trails a bit more comfortable.
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| Giant Trance X |
All Mountain: This type is a bit more of a “big hit” bike. Longer travel and a bit heavier. These bikes can still climb, but they really are designed for the spirited descender.
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| Giant Reign X (note long travel) |
Freeride: Gravity Pilots arise! The Freeride bike is meant for you. These beasts are designed to bomb downhill, and take some fairly serious hits. Heavier still, and with longer suspension travel. These aren’t much fun to try and climb on, but they are an absolute blast doing what they do best, go down hill, over rough terrain, and do it fast.
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| Giant Faith (Definitely a Freeride bike!) |
Downhill: A true Downhill is basically an off-road motorcycle without the engine. These are extremely tough, heavy bikes, with very long suspensions. They are built to be raced down wicked double black diamond descents.
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| Kona Stab (this one's an all-out downhiller!) |
There! Maybe that will help a bit with some of the confusion.
Today’s Term(s): (See all of the above.)
This series, running every Tuesday, is intended to help those who are new to mountain bike riding. By no means is it an exhaustive treatment, but it is our fond hope that it will help you, the beginner, to begin to enjoy riding your bike off road.
Future Topics:
Your next mountain bike or Mountain Biking 201
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