Contrary to popular belief, mountain bike racing isn’t just a sport for young, adrenaline-crazed muscular macho men. Rather, today’s “adrenaline-crazed” bike rider is as most likely to be middle aged as he is young, flabby as he is muscular, and feminine as he is macho. Mountain bike racing is an equal opportunity sport that only needs 1 factor from its participants, that they have love to have fun!

Mountain Bike Racing is for Everybody

As opposed to other sports, mountain bike racing does not discriminate against gender, age, or particular body shapes. This sport’s focus is on enjoyment instead of competition, it can be open to all to participate.

To allow fair competition, nevertheless, numerous competition levels, or categories, exist within this sport. You will find categories for beginners, categories for different age groups – even a category for those weighing a lot more than 220 pounds (the Clydesdale category.) Therefore, do your research and obtain the category that suits your requirements.

But pick out cautiously. If you overestimate your capability, you may finish up with a bruised ego (and dust on your face) as your competitors cross the finish line way ahead of you. Conversely, in the event you underestimate your riding ability and select a category which is not sufficiently challenging, you may be labeled a “sandbagger” (e.g., an individual who enters a lower division race simply to increase his/her probabilities of winning) by your competitors.

Needless to say, as generally, prior to embarking upon this new pursuit, it can be wise to obtain your doctor’s approval. Mountain bike racing is loosely considered an “extreme sport” for a reason-it is often (and frequently is) very physically taxing.

Why Select Mountain Bike Racing?

In case you are an avid bike rider (but not a racer) you may be surprised to understand that taking your beloved bike out for an occasional race will basically turn you into a better rider. Authorities say that the varied, at times dangerous, terrain of a racing course forces the mind to focus on fast solutions for safely traversing an unpredictable course. These “split-second” decisions, produced with full concentration, enables a rider to learn tactics faster than years of casual riding, furthermore to sharpening reactions in response to sudden modifications in terrain or unexpected conditions.

Ideas for Picking (and Maintaining) Your Bike

A prevalent misconception by those new to this sport is that they’ve to have a “special” bike. Surely to compete at the highest level, a bike of a certain quality is required to allow a level playing field. However, essentially the most costly choice is surely not a necessity. Rather, essentially the most critical aspect of the bike is that it be sturdy and dependable.

Although suspension and dual hydraulic disc brakes may perhaps be appealing, with respect to off-road racing it can be crucial that the bicycle be lightweight. Towards the end of a race every single additional pound will start to feel like fifty. Additionally, great quality front shocks will substantially absorb the rocky terrain encountered in mountain bike racing.

Finally, the vital factor in picking the proper racing bicycle is that it be suitably matched to the racing course. Cross-country mountain bikes are superior suited for trails, whereas downhill mountain bikes are clearly created for enhanced safety for downhill racing.

To make certain that you are able to address repair or maintenance issues, the following items (at minimum) should be carried by the rider: extra tire tubes, toolkit, and a puncture repair kit.

Rules of the Road

In mountain bike racing, the rules of the road depend upon the kind of the race. The three most well-liked kinds of mountain bike races are cross-country (XC), hillclimb (HC) and downhill (DH).

Cross-country: This may be the most widespread kind of mountain bike race. The riders compete directly against 1 another though riding about a circular track of varied terrain. In instances where there are significant numbers of racers, the group is ordinarily divided into sub-groups by age or capacity levels. This is usually a rigorous form of racing, as riders need to jockey for position and have an understanding of the mechanics and timing of passing other riders.

Hillclimb: This race pits rider against the mountain as compared to rider against rider. The riders are paced as they climb the hill, individually, several moments apart. The winner is judged by how quickly he, or she, reaches the best of the hill.

Downhill: The riders in this race are timed by the speed with which they navigate the hill. As with the hillclimb, each and every rider is released downhill individually. The courses in downhill racing frequently involve hard obstacles for the riders to surmount, thus accounting for the challenge of the this type of race.

In summary

The finish line in mountain bike racing is rarely the finish line. Those who really like extreme sports, including this one, are rarely satisfied by the thrill of just one race. It’s likely, for that reason, which you will one day look back on dozens of races that consumed every ounce of one’s energy and tested your stamina.

No matter whether you won or lost these races is incidental – what you might remember is the fun that you simply experienced.