MTB Cross Country vs. Downhill (for beginners)



Mountain Biking for Beginners
Down Hill or Cross Country aka XC

Until this video, this series has focused on Cross Country riding for beginners.
There are at least half a dozen other mountain biking styles.

However, the vast majority are a variation of either Down Hill or Cross Country.
So what is the difference between a Down Hill bike and a Cross Country bike?
Typically, the parts and geometry of the two bike styles are very different.

DH bikes are designed to be sturdier and to shift the biker’s weight more to the rear.
The DH bike will have a heavier frame, large breaks, and long travel suspension.
The DH biker will usually travel to the point of decent and is not usually expected to self-propel uphill terrains.
Although DH biking does not usually require the rider to do much pedaling (as compared to XC), it is however considered to be much more challenging physically and mentally.

The cross country bike is designed for longer distance riding over various terrains, including uphill climes.
The rider’s weight is more centered and the bikes are made with lighter materials.
The vast majority of MTB riders start off on Cross Country bikes and riding.
With XC bikes, comfort and maneuverability are the two things riders debate when buying or upgrading their bikes.
For DH bikes, the discussion changes to durability and speed control.

I still recommend beginners start off with cross country riding.
You will become aware of the technical aspect and build the strength and endurance needed for DH biking.

For your first DH ride, borrow or rent a proper DH bike (do not use a XC bike for DH riding) and go with an experienced rider.

Please feel free to watch some of our other videos for MTB.
For a collection of MTB videos, both DH and XC, visit the “SingleTrackCentral” channel.
There you will find entertaining videos made by the MTB community for the MTB community.

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Thanks and have fun out there.

Created By ThreeDigitIQ