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 components, which can start from several hundred levs (for hardback) and can reach over 10,000 levs for the highest class of bikes.
DH bike (downhill bike)
Downhill bike. Generally, it features a double long suspension (180-200mm front and 250mm rear) and a geometry that puts the rider in a comfortable downhill position. The components are sturdy, which increases weight, but given that downhill racing is time-consuming, professional racers strive to lighten their wheel as much as possible without sacrificing strength or reliability. Downhill bikes are equipped with two-wheel forks, wider tires (2.3 - 2.7), sturdy wheels, larger disc brake rotors (200 - 220 mm), wider handlebars with shorter paws, etc. A characteristic feature is the presence of a crown at the front, combined with a chain tensioner. A real downhill bike can't be cheap - its starting price would be at least $ 1,500 and the maximum would exceed $ 5,000.
Freeride bike
And these bikes are designed to be lowered and come very close to DH bikes, and at some manufacturers even completely overlap as frames. Clear differences are hard to talk about, but here are some guidelines where they are encountered - they are also related to the variety of riding styles within the Freeride style itself (see above):
- Some freeride bikes are lighter and with less travel (160-200mm front and rear) than downhill ones. However, there is also the opposite - FR bikes that are heavy, huge and strong.
- The geometry may be a little different for some freestyle bikes than the descent bikes. For example, the average movement is slightly higher, the front angle slightly higher, rudder slightly higher. But that doesn't change the fact that it's optimized for downhill riding.
- In freeride bikes, one-wheeled forks are much more common than two-wheeled ones.
- There are free-ride bikes equipped with two rims and a safety plate at the front to allow self-travel at least a short distance. In most cases, however, the crown is only one.
- There are also solid geometry and long-travel forks that are designed for downhill and free ride.
- There are also special bikes for the slopestyle discipline.
All-Mountain (AM) / enduro bikes
Nowadays, these are some of the most common and preferred bikes for ordinary, amateur riding that does not include racing. Some call them "true modern mountain bikes". You can also find them by other names - "trail bike", "all-around bike", "all condition bike" and more. It is important to clarify now that in some classifications this group is divided into two: all-mountain (lighter and with a suspension stroke of 130 - 150 mm) and enduro (stronger and heavier with a stroke of 150 - 170 mm). I prefer to put them in one category because the idea is the same in both cases and the border is quite thin. And what is the idea?
These are bicycles that are designed to allow a wide variety of riding. With such a bicycle you can either climb serious barriers on your own and ride down difficult, technical terrains and tracks, jump from small to medium-sized jumps and falls, etc. Even for people who ride more quietly and calmly, AM bikes provide more downhill comfort and, to some extent, uphill climbing (comfort not to be confused with efficiency!). To sum up, AM/enduro bikes can be defined as universal mountain bikes, with which one can ride in several different ways (HS, DH, FR, even dual / 4X). These wheels are not very specialized, so you will not have a chance in racing, nor will they do the job for you if you ride in only one of the above ways. But if you are looking for a variety of terrain and riding styles and cannot afford a few different, specialized bikes, then an AM/enduro bike may appeal to you.
In bikes of this type, weight, pedaling efficiency and strength are both important. Of course, the end result is a compromise, but good enough to give freedom and pleasure to ride. Suspension travel ranges from 130 to 170 mm, with the forks and rear shock absorbers mainly using air springs and having many adjustments. With forks, the ability to change the stroke is a very useful and widely used feature. The geometry of the frame is such that the ham does not "obstruct" the cyclist unnecessarily when climbing, thus increasing comfort and safety when descending. The components are not the lightest or the healthiest but fall somewhere in the "golden environment". In most cases, the bikes are double-hung, but there are also some great hard drives that keep the price lower. Speaking of which, it is difficult to assemble a real AM/enduro bike at a price of less than $ 1500, as limiting it to a lower class of components kills the opportunities for a meaningful compromise in the qualities sought and makes the exercise (almost) pointless. Here again, the upper limit in pricing exceeds $ 5,000, as some of the latest and most effective technologies are widely used in this type of wheels.
It is very important for me to emphasize that there is no way of riding that is called all-mountain (AM). These bikes do not overlap with a certain discipline or style. On the contrary, they are designed to skate in different ways and terrains, ie. not to restrict the cyclist in this regard. Because they allow self-propelled movement up and over longer distances (have two or three gums at the front, effective suspension and bearable weight), AM bikes are most commonly used for HS rides and the fact that they are descended on difficult and technical trails is easier and enjoyable, does not change the type of riding. Unlike the HS bikes, however, with such a bike a skillful rider can easily ride on downhill trails, freeways, dual / 4X, wild mountain slopes, anywhere else. But these are separate disciplines, not some new, inclusive style.
Although they are only downhill, they have nothing to do with the lowering and freeing bikes because they have to be lightweight, reversible, and effective in pedaling. Their frames are light and compact, but strong enough, the suspension travel is 100 - 140 mm, with comfort in the background in favor of pedaling efficiency. Usually, they have one chain and a chain tensioner at the front.
Dirt Jump Bikes
Specially designed for this type of riding. Usually, they have a rigid frame and shock absorber with a stroke of 80-100 mm, but they can also have a rigid fork. The frame is often made of Cr-Mo steel, sometimes with only one brake, fewer gears and other specific components. Against the background of the types of wheels listed above, a nice Dirt Jump bike is not very expensive, but it is definitely not cheap - it is a good idea to spend at least $ 1,000 as a minimum.
Bikes for lasting
And they are very specific - so much so that, according to some, they are not mountain bikes at all. The frame has a special geometry, usually, the upper tube is very low and lacks a seat, many of the components are more special. The same goes for the DJ bikes - they are not the most expensive, but for a meaningful entry-level, an investment of at least $ 500 is required.
Street Bikes
In order not to repeat the same thing, I will say that they are also very specialized in terms of their application, most closely approaching DJ bikes. Often fitted with rigid forks, the frames are generally Cr-Mo steel, the components are specific and close to those of BMX bikes, etc.
All of the above applies to individual components and equipment. There are products that specialize in some types of riding and bikes, and there are others that are more versatile and work with more than one type of bike (a typical example is many of the downhill / freeride or HS / AM applications).
After all, the above lines are important enough to be able to identify what you need and navigate the terms, abbreviations, and designations of manufacturers, media, friends, stores, and so on. Whatever the way you ride, with any bike, remember that the most important thing is the pleasure and satisfaction of practicing your favorite activity, not setting any frames and definitions. So just drive, the rest will be fine. And don't forget your helmets!
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