A mountain bike or mountain bicycle abbreviated MTB or ATB all terrain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts and steep declines on dirt trails logging roads and other unpaved environments activities usually called mountain biking. These bicycles need to be able to withstand the stresses of off-road use with obstacles such as logs and rocks. Most mountain bikes use wheels with rims which are 559mm in ISO sizing colloquially referred to as 26-inch although the term is inaccurate as it covers too many rim and tire sizes to be meaningful. Wheels used on mountain bikes usually use wide knobby tires for good traction on uneven terrain and shock absorption.

In the current century front wheel suspension has become the norm and full front and rear suspension has become increasingly common. Some mountain bikes are also fitted with bar ends on the handlebars to give extra leverage for hill-climbing.Since the development of the sport in the 1970s many new subtypes of mountain biking have developed such as cross country XC biking all day endurance biking Freeride biking downhill mountain biking and a variety of track and slalom competitions. Each of these place different demands on the bike requiring different designs for optimal performance. MTB development has included an increase in gearing up to 30 speeds to facilitate both climbing and rapid descents. Other developments include disc instead of cantilever or V brakes.

About Mountain Bike Since the development of the sport in the 1970s many new subtypes of mountain biking have developed such as cross-country XC biking all-day endurance biking Freeride-biking downhill mountain biking and a variety of track and slalom competitions. (Search Results Mountain Bike Articles ) Mountain Bikes

History Of Mountain Bike The history of the mountain bike includes contributions from cyclo-cross in Europe the Roughstuff Fellowship in the UK. The name mountain bike first appeared in print in 1966 as "mountain bicycle". The mountain bike was a modified heavy cruiser bicycle used for freewheeling down mountain trails. The sport became popular in the 1970's in Marin county. The 2007 documentary film. (Search Results History Of Mountain Bike ) Mountain Bikes

Designs Mountain Bike Mountain bikes can be classified into four categories based on suspension Fully rigid A frame with a rigid fork and fixed rear no suspension. Hardtail: A frame with a front suspension fork and no rear suspension. Soft tail: A frame with small amount of rear suspension activated by flex of the frame instead of pivots. Dual or full suspension: A front suspension fork and rear suspension with a rear shock and linkage that allow the rear wheel to move on pivots (Search Results Designs Mountain Bike ) Mountain Bikes

Cross country Mountain Bike Cross country XC mountain bikes are designed primarily around the discipline of cross country racing. Cross country racing with its emphasis on climbing as well as speed and endurance demands bikes that are both lightweight and efficient. In the 1980's and early 1990's XC mountain bikes typically consisted of a lightweight steel hardtail frame with rigid forks. (Search Results Cross country Mountain Bike ) Mountain Bikes

Modern Mountain Bikes Until the late 1990s mountain bicycles often had road bicycle style frames and geometry. In the 2000s mountain bikes often use frames designed for off-road use which strengthened to withstand jumps and impacts and which use a geometry that allows for much more spirited riding over obstacles like logs rocks and ramps. In the 2000s mountain bikes often have either 21 24 or 27 speeds with 3 gears in the front and 7 8 or 9 gears at the rear wheel. (Search Results Modern Mountain Bikes ) Mountain Bikes

Geometry Modern Designs The critical angles in bicycle geometry are the head angle (the angle of the head tube) and the seat tube angle the angle of the seat tube. These angles are measured from the horizontal and drastically affect the rider position and performance characteristics of the bicycle. In general steeper angles (closer to 90 degrees from the horizontal) are more efficient for pedaling up hills and make for sharper handling. (Search Results Geometry ) Mountain Bikes

Suspension Mountain Bikes In the past mountain bikes had a rigid frame and fork. In the early 1990s the first mountain bikes with suspension forks were introduced. This made riding on rough terrain easier and less physically stressful. The first suspension forks had about 1½ to 2 inches 38 to 50 mm of suspension travel. Forks are now available with 8 inches 200 mm of travel or more Bikes with front suspension and rigid non-suspended rear wheels or hardtails became popular nearly overnight. (Search Results Suspension Mountain Bikes ) Mountain Bikes Disc Brakes On Bikes While inexpensive department store-style mountain bikes often come with V-brakes most higher-end mountain bikes produced since the mid-2000s use disc brakes. These offer improved stopping power over rim brakes under adverse conditions because they are located at the centre of the wheel on the wheel hub and therefore remain drier and cleaner than wheel rims which are more readily soiled or damaged. While the traditional cantilever and V-brake style braking system provided ample braking for fully rigid bikes and the earlier. (Search Results Disc Brakes ) Mountain Bikes Wheel and Tire Design Most mountain bikes use 26-inch 559 mm bicycle wheels though some models offer 24 or 29 in 520 or 622 mm wheels. Bicycle wheel sizes are not precise measurements a 29 inch mountain bike wheel actually has a 622 millimetres 24.5 in bead seat diameter the term bead seat diameter (BSD is used in the ETRTO tire and rim sizing system. 622 mm wheels are standard on road bikes and are commonly known as 700c. (Search Results Wheel and Tire Design Articles ) Mountain Bikes All Mountain Trail The way into the forest should be glorious. And it shall. Kona's Trail platform offers beautiful bikes with a long trail-tested history high quality craftsmanship and a decidedly performance savvy ride. (Search Results All Mountain Trail ) Mountain Bikes Mountain Bikes What to Look For When you are shopping for mountain bikes you need to know what to look for and what is best suited to your personal needs. Are you the kind of rider that likes to take risks? Do you just want to ride for leisure? The kind of rider you plan to be has a direct impact on the type of mountain bike that you need (Search Results Mountain Bikes What to Look For ) Mountain Bikes Mountain Bike ridding Tips This page is intended to provide information on mountain biking and cycling skills and technique for leg and arm amputees as well as general mountain bike riding tips including cycling pictures and riding tips for amputee injured and disabled cyclists. (Search Results Mountain Bike ridding Tips ) Mountain Bikes