Many different classifications of mountain bikes can be made and over the years there is definitely no change in terminology and understanding of them. Often, each person puts his or her own understanding of individual words and abbreviations, so in the following lines, you will find just my opinion. Cross Country (XC) bike A bike designed to be ridden in both directions (up and down), where the main goals are to achieve lower weight and higher pedaling efficiency. It can be with front suspension, double suspension or without suspension (rarer). It features lightweight components, 80 - 130mm suspension travel, quick tires, and frame geometry that aids the rider is pedaling and climbing. It is designed primarily for lighter terrain and lower downhill speeds, though in the hands of an experienced driver it can be ridden quickly and cope with quite a number of technical trails. The price of such bikes are directly related to the type of frame, the quality and the weight of its ...
Downhill - DH This is one of the most extreme ways to ride. It is abbreviated with the Latin letters "DH". It is a descent down a certain route, the aim being to cross it as quickly as possible. In general, the descent is practiced on specially prepared trails; every major mountain resort abroad has (at least one) such trails abroad. In Europe, they are still rare (such as in Sopot, for example), but some commonly used paths here and there have gained unofficial "status" on DH routes because they are actually used for this purpose. Most often, lifting takes place, but where there is no lifting, other modes of transportation applications. Diving is also a racing discipline, with a fairly clear profile - one track, one racer on it and a clock that measures his time. The fastest wins the race. To practice this discipline requires special protective equipment, which includes a helmet (helmet with a chin, such as a motorcycle, but much lighter), knee pads and shins, e...