Mountain bike

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

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

This individual sport requires endurance, core strength and balance, bike handling skills, and self-reliance. Advanced riders pursue steep technical descents and, in the case of freeriding, downhilling, and dirt jumping, aerial maneuvers off both natural features and specially constructed jumps and ramps.

Mountain bikes are typically ridden on single track trails, fire roads, logging roads, and other unpaved environments. These types of terrain commonly include rocks, washouts, ruts, loose sand, loose gravel, roots, and steep grades (both inclines and declines). Mountain bikes are built to handle this terrain and the obstacles that are found in it like logs, vertical drop offs, and smaller boulders.

Mountain bike construction differs from a typical bicycle in many ways. The most noticeable differences are the inclusion of suspension on the frame and fork, larger knobby tires, more durable heavy duty wheels, more powerful brakes, and lower gear ratios needed for steep grades with poor traction.

Mountain biking can be performed almost anywhere from a back yard to a gravel road, but the majority of mountain bikers ride off-road trails, whether country back roads, fire roads, or singletrack (narrow trails that wind through forests, mountains, deserts, or fields). There are aspects of mountain biking that are more similar to trail running than regular bicycling. Because riders are often far from civilization, there is a strong ethic of self-reliance in the sport. Riders learn to repair their broken bikes or flat tires to avoid being stranded miles from help. Many riders will carry a backpack, including a water bladder, containing all the essential tools and equipment for trailside repairs, and many riders also carry emergency supplies in the case of injury miles from outside help. Club rides and other forms of group rides are common, especially on longer treks. A combination sport named mountain bike orienteering adds the skill of map navigation to mountain biking.

Bike Tips :

•  Gear shifting should only be attempted while pedaling smoothly with light pressure on the pedals. riders have to plan ahead and shift to a lower gear before they are halfway up the hill and aren't able to let off pedal pressure to make a smooth shift.
•  Chain lube is not always your friend. The chain is the only friction surface on a bicycle that needs frequent attention but there are good and bad ways to maintain it.
• Bikes are not weatherproofed. The bike needs to come inside to dry because it is possible to keep a bike running through winter on the salty roads around here but it takes more maintenance.
• All bike tubes lose air pressure at a steady rate. This is primarily due to the light weight of the tubes and tires. 
•  Some ideas for making your cycling more comfortable. Basically if the seat fits you well, most butt soreness goes away as you put the miles on, but standing up on the pedals now and again is good to give it a break.
• Beware of the bent Derailleur Hanger (and loose sticks). When new, your derailleur hangs down straight from the frame.

EQUIPMENT :

Bike

• Mountain bikes differ from other bikes primarily in that they incorporate features aimed at increasing durability and improving performance in rough terrain. 

Accessories

• Gloves are made of heavier construction, and often have covered thumbs or all fingers covered for hand protection. 
• Glasses help protect against debris while on the trail. Filtered lenses, whether yellow for cloudy days or shaded for sunny days, protect the eyes from strain. .
• Shoes generally have gripping soles similar to those of hiking boots for scrambling over un-ridable obstacles, unlike the smooth-bottomed shoes used in road cycling. Generally more flexible than road cycling shoes. 
• Clothing is chosen for comfort during physical exertion in the backcountry, and its ability to withstand falls. 
• Hydration systems are important for mountain bikers in the backcountry, ranging from simple water bottles to water bags with drinking tubes in lightweight backpacks.
• GPS navigation device is sometimes added to the handlebars and is used to display and monitor progress on trails downloaded from the internet or pre-made mapping systems, record trails on the fly, and keep track of trip times and other data. 
• Pump to inflate flat tires.
• Bike tools and extra bike tubes are important, as mountain bikers frequently find themselves miles from help, with flat tires or other mechanical problems that must be handled by the rider.
• High-power lights based on LED technology, especially for mountain biking at night.

Protective gear

• Helmets provide important head protection. 
• Body armor and pads, often referred to simply as "armor", protect limbs and trunk in the event of a crash. 
• First aid kits are often carried by mountain bikers, so that they are able to clean and dress cuts and abrasions and splint broken limbs.