45 Mountain Biking Facts That Will Put You In Awe Of The Sport

Oluwatosin Michael
Oct 19, 2023 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Jan 24, 2022
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Choosing the right bike can help you ride those off roads

Mount biking is one of those well-known sports that is said to give mountain bikers adrenaline and help people overcome emotional struggles.

Mountain bicycles are specially equipped to run on rougher terrain, and they have bigger tires to enjoy the mountain trails without any problems. According to mountain bikers, the best part of trail riding is downhill mountain biking; when this is paired with some music, they not only get their energy back, but also go much faster.

Cross country mountain biking is one of the most famous forms of this sport. According to various mountain bikers, mountain biking not only helps them move their body, but also helps with overcoming stress and building greater self-esteem.

A mountain bike, with a mountain bike uniform, is even more fun; nonetheless, the purpose of mountain bike shoes is not just the aesthetic but also the protection.

In situations where you might need to get down off your mountain bike, it's important to have the right pair of shoes to be able to walk on the rough terrain in front of your bike. Hiking boots are also ideal for wearing during cycling sports as well.

Out of all the outdoor sports, road bikes bring the best out in a person.

Trail riding with mountain bikes along with your friends is known to be one of the best experiences you can have. Although, apart from enjoying these mountain bikes on the cross-country roads or rough terrain, there are also various benefits to riding a mountain bicycle.

Before getting to the benefits of trail biking, let's get to the fact as to why mountain biking is such an addictive sport.

According to many mountain bikers, they found this sport as an outdoor activity, it nonetheless not only improved their health but also helped to cope with day-to-day stress. Riding a mountain bicycle also has the ability to improve ones' heart health.

Riding a mountain bike on rough terrain requires you to use your cardiovascular joints.

The disk brakes and rim brakes help a mountain biker get better control on the mountain bike on steep hills or when cycling downhill. According to studies, mountain biking is one of those sports that is capable of stimulating one's body and releasing endorphins.

These hormones make the body feel good and more energetic.

Completing such a task also releases serotonin in the body, which again is used for creating a good mood. Not just that, using mountain bikes requires increased brainpower, which acts as a moving meditation, thus helping one feel relaxed and distracting them from any upcoming negative thoughts.

People who drive mountain bikes at a daily rate also have a more enhanced bodily balance and coordination.

Since mountain biking requires one to be vigilant and maintain a steady balance on rough mountain terrain, it directly helps the body to maintain a balance between the brain's senses, nervous system, and muscles.

There is no shying away from the fact that mountain bikes demand you to use all of your muscles, which means riding a mountain bike will result in a full-body workout.

Having a mountain bike means you no longer require expensive gym membership or trainer to get you help started.

Mountain Biking Facts

Today mountain biking is one of the most preferred sports, not only does it lets you roam free in nature's lap but also carries some splendid health benefits to help your quality of life.

  • No exact date is known as to when a mountain bike was invented. Nonethless, it's known that Tamalpais is the birthplace of this sport and of the mountain bike.
  • The small villages of this place often used mountain bikes to run errands or to just get good exercise.
  • It's only fair to say that from then to now mountain biking has evolved, it has become safer and today mountain bikes come with more evolved features.
  • There are many legends dictating how mountain biking spread from the Tamalpais village to the rest of the world.
  • A famous story about this is about a group of teenagers in the late '60s riding their vintage mountain bikes from Mt. Tamalpais to the Baltimore Canyon.
  • These groups of boys soon became famous and more and more people came forward to try this sport shortly after.
  • Since mountain bikes are made to ride off-road and in tough terrain, very often riders end up with bruises when they don't handle the bike correctly or when the luck is not in their favor.
  • Many people consider mountain biking an extreme sport, regardless of that it depends on the biker and the choice of trail.
  • Some mountains require a more experienced biker to ride on the trails, whereas some cross-country roads are good enough to give fresh bikers a chance.
  • Choosing the right mountain trail, depending on the experience of the biker, is very important. During mountain biking, the rider needs higher endurance, good core strength, and above all balance.
  • It's also very important to know how to handle the bike and to have some degree of self-reliance. Mountain bikes also come with a number of gears to help riders make a safe journey back home, in very few cases riders do get hurt.
  • For people wishing to do mountain biking with a group of people, bike parks are the right places for them.
  • Bike parks are filled with mountain bikers and they also have several kinds of competitions to boost confidence and to make the experience more exciting.
  • There is an assorted category of mountain biking, riders pick the category which is best suited for them.
  • From freeride to mountain bike trail riding or also known as trail biking, cross country biking, to downhill mountain biking, this sport has a lot to offer.

Mountain Biking History

Over time we have invented a lot of sports, some of which are indoors, some require you to get out and use your muscles. As the name mountain bike speaks for itself, it's a kind of bike used to ride off roads.

  • A mountain bike is a specially made vehicle used to drive off roads.
  • A mountain bike can ride through desert mountains, rocks, or even the most difficult cross country roads.
  • In earlier times, riders didn't have many categories in this sport. Today under mountain biking you get various types of biking.
  • Some of these categories can damage your bike, and it will require you to carry protective gear or the right equipment in case you need to repair your bike.
  • The first mountain biking sport was held in California in the year 1970.
  • Although, it took the state almost six years to identify mountain biking as a sport.
  • During the year 1976 to 1979, the sport became very famous across the country, as the government started organizing numeral bike riding races
  • From downhill bike racing to dirt jump, the late '70s were the era of mountain bikes!
  • In the year 1983, the US held its first national-level mountain bike tournaments, these tournaments also affected the way people saw this sport earlier.
  • Countries like Australia, Canada, and Europe were highly impressed with it and the sport also spread among the local citizens of these countries.
  • Although, it wasn't until the late '80s when companies started manufacturing their own mountain bikes.
  • The mountain bikes of this era came with extremely lightweight material, better gears, fat tires and they also kept a note for the safety of the rider.

Facts About Mountain Bikes

Before taking your mountain bike to the challenging and unforgiving mountain trails it's best to know what are these trails made of. Unlike the regular roads, mountain trails aren't made for riding at all, they have rocks, hardened long roots of all kinds, loose dirt scattered, with steep grades.

  • Lucky for us, the way most mountain bikes are designed, they are made to handle these hurdles.
  • There are different kinds of mountain bikes that are made for different kinds of mountain biking.
  • For example, in the '80s, companies started designing the cross-country mountain bike.
  • These bikes are lightweight, they have aluminum frames, along with suspension forks and carbon fiber composites.
  • This equipment helps the bike to ride effortlessly off-road, this bike also has the right climbing skills but they aren't made for rough terrain. When it comes to an all-in-one mountain bike, the trail mountain bike is the bike for you.
  • These bikes can be used off roads, to climb, to also ride and descend mountains with no hassle.
  • Nonetheless, later on, one more mountain bike was released with the name enduro bike.
  • Enduro bikes are known to have the best of both trail bikes and cross country bikes. This beast not just climbs up when going into the rocky terrains, but is also smooth as butter when the subject of descending comes.
  • As time passed and newer categories of mountain biking came into the picture, companies started releasing new bikes for each separate category.
  • Today we have a downhill bike, dirt jump bike, and slopestyle bike to best suit the rider's preference.
  • Many people believe that mountain biking helps them sleep better, since it takes away all of their bodily energy, right after a mountain biking session, it's possible to fall asleep instantly.
  • Riding a mountain bike will result in decreased levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for keeping us awake.
  • As humans we are social beings, meaningful social interactions and happy relationships help us be more active and happy.
  • Mountain biking is one of those sports which, when shared with a group of friends, can provide the perfect opportunity to reinforce personal bonds.

Benefits And Risks Of Mountain Biking

When it comes to mountain biking, there are times when the trail will require your full core strength, then there are times when you don't have to pedal so much. It's best to say that mountain biking has its own hard and rewarding moments.

  • Choosing the right bike can help you ride those off roads with not much struggle.
  • As some mountain bikes are hard to pedal while climbing up but they are relatively slower on the pavement.
  • There are specially designed bikes only for beginners to have a safe and rewarding first-time experience.
  • No matter how exciting the sport may seem, like any other sport it has its own risks.
  • One can get head injuries from falls, one can fall off their bike in case of narrow trails.
  • Balance is also one of the most crucial elements to have a safer experience.
  • If you break your balance, you can get hurt. Not wearing protective gear is equal to inviting danger.
  • Although mountain biking is also a very rewarding experience, it increases your heart health, makes you happier, induces good sleep, and helps to cope with stress.
  • Since mountain biking requires you to have an excellent amount of focus on the trail, it also increases brainpower.
  • A mountain biker has a 50% less risk of catching coronary heart disease than any other normal person.
  • When we ride mountain bikes, it uses a large group of muscles, these muscles require a lot of oxygen to get the work done.
  • Such exercise directly increases the fitness of your heart by 4-8%.
  • Although, riding a mountain bike on rough terrain may look like an extreme sport.
  • Real mountain biking is not an extreme sport, it's rather a low-impact sport.
  • The stress that's being put on your joints while riding mountain bikes is lesser than the stress you will experience while running. Thus, downhill riders have very little stress on their joints.
  • The tubeless tires along with accessible brake pads and disc brakes ensure a very safe and exciting ride up the mountainous terrain.
  • Trail bikes often come equipped with dual suspension and suspension forks, such powerful tires are excellent when cycling off-road.

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Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

Oluwatosin Michael picture

Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

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