What's the difference

Xybadog

Potential d1ckhead question ALERT :!: :!: :!:
What's the difference between

Singletrack
Freeride
Downhill
XC
Trail
:?: :?

Xiphon

Singletrack = narrow winding technical trail, about the width of a path. Many would claim it's the mecca of riding. I'd say it's basically something you'd find on an XC route..

Freeride = depends on the individuals definition. I'd class myself as a freerider, as I ride many disciplines of MTB'ing - often in the same days riding, on the same bike, on the same route! Includes all of: DH, XC, trials, freeride, jumping, etc. To others, it's riding on high platforms (Northshore riding), jumps (slope-style?), and very technical riding.

Downhill = quite simply, riding a course which has been designed to go downhill. Fast, technical trails, ridden on specificaly designed Downhill bikes (long travel, big tyres, very strong.) Often, the riders wear body armour and a full-face helmet - similar to Moto-X riders.

XC = Cross Country. The roots of where MTB'ing came from. Just disappear off into the countryside with a map, and see where you go! 'XC bikes' are usually very light-weight.

Trail = MTB route, but nowadays, a 'Trail' is often a pre-marked route (often, man-made!) starting at a 'Trail centre'. Think of it, as XC, but for people scared of looking at a map, and deciding their own route

Anonymous

Also, some poeple call a set of jumps a "trail".

I've met some people who'd actually fight you for the right to call themselves "trail riders" - and they'd never been near what most of us would call a trail.
Personally, I'd call them Dirt jumpers.

I know this is confusing the matter, but it's worth baring in mind!

supersonic

Xiphon wrote:

Singletrack = narrow winding technical trail, about the width of a path. Many would claim it's the mecca of riding. I'd say it's basically something you'd find on an XC route..

Freeride = depends on the individuals definition. I'd class myself as a freerider, as I ride many disciplines of MTB'ing - often in the same days riding, on the same bike, on the same route! Includes all of: DH, XC, trials, freeride, jumping, etc. To others, it's riding on high platforms (Northshore riding), jumps (slope-style?), and very technical riding.

Downhill = quite simply, riding a course which has been designed to go downhill. Fast, technical trails, ridden on specificaly designed Downhill bikes (long travel, big tyres, very strong.) Often, the riders wear body armour and a full-face helmet - similar to Moto-X riders.

XC = Cross Country. The roots of where MTB'ing came from. Just disappear off into the countryside with a map, and see where you go! 'XC bikes' are usually very light-weight.

Trail = MTB route, but nowadays, a 'Trail' is often a pre-marked route (often, man-made!) starting at a 'Trail centre'. Think of it, as XC, but for people scared of looking at a map, and deciding their own route

Poetry. I salute you!

Thewaylander

XC i would say is not the roots of MTB,

if you look at the original MTBers they were actually downhilling on there modified cruisers

XC became big in the early 90's where most people became the lycra brigade

miss notax

Blimey - how confusing!! I have absolutely no idea what type of riding I do then

It seems to involve all of the things mentioned...!

Sarah

Xiphon

sarah75 wrote:

Blimey - how confusing!! I have absolutely no idea what type of riding I do then

It seems to involve all of the things mentioned...!

Sarah

I'm in the same boat - technically speaking, I'll cover most disiplines of MTB'ing in one single ride. I've never decided "Right, I'm now a DH'er".

For those of us who aren't splitting hairs - I just call it (plain and simple!) 'Riding'.

miss notax

Yep, i'm liking that... Very catchy

Anonymous

Thewaylander - Even though that's the story I was told as well, Repack race being the birth of MTBing and all that, the story differs depending on where you ask! for example, there were also French cyclists doind the MTB thing at around the same time, as well as Canadian, I believe.
There even used to be an old fella who lived next door, who restored classic motorcycles, and used to work as a fabricator - He designed and started to build a suspension fork for a bicycle, but was called to war (WWII) before he could finish it! If I remember correctly, his design was similar to the whyte forks, ie, not telescopic. He was a great bloke, and is sadly missed, but fondly remembered. But, he was trying to make off-road bicycles WAY before repack!

(He hadn't really thought about it since returning from the war, apparently, but when he saw my first suspension fork, he came over to have a nosy, and was astonished that people were using them "these days"! He thought it was just some silly idea he had in his youth!)

I think MTBing kind of evloved in a few different places at the same time, in various ways, so pinning down the actual moment it was created is not as straightforward as you may think.