Outdoor Education…Character development through the outdoors

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is a sport, which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.

Brief history of MTB

The history of the mountain bike includes contributions from cyclo-cross in Europe, the Roughstuff Fellowship in the UK, and modified heavy cruiser bicycles used for freewheeling down mountain trails in Marin County, California. Riders used these balloon-tyred cruisers and modified them with gears and motocross/ BMX-style handlebars, creating "klunkers".

However, it was not until the late 1970s and early 1980s that road bicycle companies started to manufacture mountain bikes using high-tech lightweight materials.

Specialized introduced the first major production mountain bike in the world, the Stumpjumper, in 1981. In 1983 the Specialized Stumpjumper arrived in New Zealand cycle shops, quickly followed by NZ’s own Healing Mountain Cat and all of a sudden there were people out riding what Kiwis call “all terrain bikes”.

1984 Specialized Stumpjumper

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, mountain biking moved from a little-known sport to mainstream. Three decades on since its inception, New Zealand Mt Biking is now into its second and even third generation of people. On average every home in New Zealand owns a mountain bike.

Types of MTB

Mountain biking can generally be broken down into multiple categories: cross country (XC), all mountain, downhill, freeride, street riding, dirt jumping and trials. The vast majority of mountain biking falls into the recreational XC, and Trail Riding categories.

Hardtail

Hardtails are the most popular form of mountain biking, and the standard for most riders. They are used to ride from point-to-point or in a loop including climbs and descents on a variety of terrain. A typical hardtail bike weighs around 9-13 kg, and has 0-125 mm of front suspension.

Trail

Trail bikes typically provides 120-140 mm of rear and front suspension travel and stronger components than XC models, while still providing overall weight suitable for climbing and descending on a variety of terrain.

Huge MTB backflip over a 72 ft canyon gap.mp4

Downhill

Downhill (DH) is all about riding mountain bikes downhill. The rider usually travels to the point of descent by other means than cycling, such as a ski lift or vehicle, as the weight of the downhill mountain bike often prevents any serious climbing.

Downhill-specific bikes are universally equipped with 200mm of front and rear suspension, large disc brakes, and use heavier frame tubing than other mountain bikes.

E-MTB

Enjoy the benefits of having an electric motor installed in the bike.

THINK/PAIR/SHARE: Which type of mountain biking would you like to do and why?

Compulsory Equipment: Helmet

Helmets provide important head protection. The main three types of helmet are cross-country, rounded skateboarder style and full face.

Cross-country helmets tend to be light, aerodynamic and well ventilated. They are more comfortable to wear for long periods, especially while perspiring in hot weather.

All helmets should meet minimum standards, and will indicate their standard by way of a sticker on the inside of the helmet.

The wearing of helmets is compulsory.

Mountain Biker gets taken out by BUCK - CRAZY Footage - Only in Africa.mp4

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