Considering that it is the most recent modality within cycling, it does not have as much variation, having characteristics common to the conventional one. Looking at the practice site, its terrain has some oscillations, and the bicycle model is not fixed, as adaptations are necessary for each type of soil, as it requires different capacities and techniques.
Mountain Bike cycling aims to perform the courses with obstacles, irregularities, and slopes (descents) within a certain time target. The focus is to achieve in the shortest time possible. In general, the cyclist needs to travel a path and arrive before the other participants at the end.
And, even with ‘mountain’ in the name, the Mountain Bike modality is not exclusive to this space. The practice can also go to the city, as the streets with stairs, parks and even some trails.
Mountain Bike Features
Apart from the general characteristics of Mountain Bike cycling, what will have variations are the bicycles and the routes. Simply:
- The practice bike has wider tires than road bikes
- It has front and rear shock absorbers
- It has 8 kg of weight (on average) because its material needs to be resistant to impact
Thus, the athletes can have a lightness and greater mastery of the tests, avoiding accidents when it comes to practices or challenges.
Now, looking at the characteristics of the evidence:
- The circuit track is 4 to 6 km away
- The duration of the tests varies between 1h30 and 1h45
- As irregularities characterize, the route cannot have more than a 15% flat (straight) path
With that, it is visible that Mountain Bike is a very intense practice and needs an effort to meet the proposed challenges. Features may change according to categories, as with Trip Trail.
Regularity Enduro
Another technical category of Mountain Bike cycling, with its score different from the others. Here the winner is not the one who reaches first place, but the one who is the most regular and arrives in the time stipulated by the organization. The designated base is the estimated time taken to complete the various sections of the route.
Regularity Enduro challenges promote what the name says, that is, regularity! To happen, the cyclist must have control of his performance and notion of time. The cyclist must reach the zero-point mark in this practice. If he is late on the course, he is penalized, as well as being ahead too. It can be done individually or in pairs. Their routes are made on closed trails or open roads.
