--- title: "Off-road: How's your mountain bike knowledge? – Part 3" description: A lot has happened since the birth of the mountain bike in the 1970s. With diverse requirements and uses, a wide variety of innovative types are available. image: https://blog.woombikes.com/hubfs/mood%20-%20website/woom_off_1.jpg --- [woom ™ Blog](https://blog.woombikes.com/en) - English - Francais - Deutsch - Italiano [shop Go to the shop](https://woombikes.com/en/shop) - [Deutsch](https://blog.woombikes.com/offroad-wie-stehts-um-euer-mountainbike-wissen-teil-3) - [English](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/offroad-how-is-your-mountainbike-knowledge-part3) - [Français](https://blog.woombikes.com/fr/vtt-offroad-testez-vos-connaissances-troisième-partie) - [Italiano](https://blog.woombikes.com/it/offroad-quanto-ne-sapete-di-mountain-bike-parte-3) - [Dansk Blog](https://blog.woombikes.com/da/) - [Svenska Blog](https://blog.woombikes.com/sv/) - [All Topics](https://blog.woombikes.com/en) - [TIPS & TRICKS](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/tips-tricks) - [MOUNTAIN BIKING](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/mountain-biking) - [PRODUCTS](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/products) - [HEALTH](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/health) - [SPECIALS](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/specials) - [WOOMCARES](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/tag/woomcares) # Off-road: How's your mountain bike knowledge? – Part 3 08. June, 2020 • TIPS & TRICKS • MOUNTAIN BIKING Posted by Sarah Schwarz [mailto:?body=https://blog.woombikes.com/en/offroad-how-is-your-mountainbike-knowledge-part3](mailto:?body=https://blog.woombikes.com/en/offroad-how-is-your-mountainbike-knowledge-part3) ![Boys with their mountainbikes in the woods](https://blog.woombikes.com/hubfs/mood%20-%20website/woom_off_1.jpg) 08. June, 2020 • TIPS & TRICKS • MOUNTAIN BIKING # Off-road: How's your mountain bike knowledge? – Part 3 Posted by Sarah Schwarz ![Boys with their mountainbikes in the woods](https://blog.woombikes.com/hubfs/mood%20-%20website/woom_off_1.jpg) [mailto:?body=https://blog.woombikes.com/en/offroad-how-is-your-mountainbike-knowledge-part3](mailto:?body=https://blog.woombikes.com/en/offroad-how-is-your-mountainbike-knowledge-part3) You'll run across an assortment of different mountain bikes on the trail. Quite a bit has happened since the birth of the mountain bike in the 1970's. Mountain bike categories are as numerous and innovative as the various requirements and uses are diverse. To give you a clear picture, we've put together a list of the key MTB types here. That said, the boundaries between the different types of bike are always in flux. - **Trail bike***:* Pure riding fun, movement, comfort, and safety – that appeals to most mountain bikers. Trail bikes are extremely popular because they meet wide-ranging demands and have an enormously broad spectrum of uses — whether in flat terrain, for quick after-work rides, or for crossing the alps. They climb effectively uphill and the suspension guarantees maximum riding fun on downhill runs. - **Cross country bike (XC bike)**: The racer among mountain bikes. Cross country trails are a continuous mix of uphill and downhill, but less on rugged terrain and more on unpaved roads and paths. XC bikes are either hardtails or feature suspension without much travel. Riders are after the maximum physical workout and speed. Comfort is secondary. Incidentally, MTB XC has been an Olympic event since 1996. - **Fat bike**: Equipped with super wide tyres, fat bikes are particularly well suited to riding on sand and snow. That is precisely what these bikes were originally designed for when they were developed in the 1980s in Alaska. Meanwhile, the bikes, with their unbelievable traction, are winning over ever more amateur athletes. The voluminous tyres grip the ground, even on steep uphill terrain, in curves and during braking manoeuvers. That makes these bikes especially safe, but for riders looking for a nimble, and sprightly bike, a fat bike is not the right choice. - **Gravity bike:** The name says it all; these bikes are all about downhill. Gravity enthusiasts prefer to hitch a ride uphill. These bikes are robust duallys with plenty of travel in the suspension capable of holding their own on jumps and at high speeds in rocky terrain. Bikers wear casual skater-style clothing. A helmet and protectors are standard. The gravity faction is further divided into specialists: #### Comments: ### Related Articles ## [![](https://blog.woombikes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/5%20mood%20Bilder/Blog%20-%20other/howto_12.jpg?width=926&upsize=true&name=howto_12.jpg) 03. December, 2020 • TIPS & TRICKS Getting your woom bike fit for winter](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/getting-your-woom-bike-fit-for-winter) ## [![](https://blog.woombikes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/5%20mood%20Bilder/mood%20-%20Blog/woom_still_and_moving_in_action_2018_345-Edit-720x480-32ef3212-c95f-4d63-b83a-d57bf7c038f6%20(1).jpg?width=926&upsize=true&name=woom_still_and_moving_in_action_2018_345-Edit-720x480-32ef3212-c95f-4d63-b83a-d57bf7c038f6%20(1).jpg) 17. August, 2020 • TIPS & TRICKS • PRODUCTS The handiest gear for your bike rides](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/the-handiest-gear-for-your-bike-rides) ## [![Girl holding their red woom bike](https://blog.woombikes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/5%20mood%20Bilder/mood%20-%20Blog/woom_still_and_moving_superlight_2018_13-Edit-720x480-dd3d63f0-ea61-4fe2-96ce-e53fbb9dae29.jpg?width=926&upsize=true&name=woom_still_and_moving_superlight_2018_13-Edit-720x480-dd3d63f0-ea61-4fe2-96ce-e53fbb9dae29.jpg) 17. August, 2020 • TIPS & TRICKS • PRODUCTS Ride towards a great future](https://blog.woombikes.com/en/ride-towards-a-great-future) ### Newsletter-Anmeldung #### woom - [Go to the shop](https://woombikes.com/en) - [Service](https://woombikes.com/en_US/faq) - [Privacy Policy](https://woombikes.com/en_US/privacy) - [Terms of Use](https://woombikes.com/en_US/privacy) - [Contact Us](https://woombikes.com/en_US/contactus) © 2019 woom GmbH All Rights Reserved