Different riding styles affect the type of bike you choose, the places you ride, and even the people you hang out with. So it’s important to talk about riding, where you ride, and the differences between the bikes for each style of riding.

There is no need to limit yourself to just one type of MTB. Many people ride all kinds of trails and some have different bikes for different kinds of riding.
But don’t worry, you can make do with one bike. After all, almost any bike can be used on almost any terrain. Granted, specialist bikes make a particular MTB easier, but you don’t need them to have fun.

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Our guide to 5 types of mountain biking is designed to provide you with a better understanding of the most popular mountain biking disciplines. This will help you choose a bike that suits you.

1. Downhill Style. Also known as Park Style, this riding style is done mostly at lift-serviced bike parks. Downhill bikes are needed for this riding style which generally has big and knobby tires. Meanwhile, downhill riders wear full body armor and face-shield helmets. This style can be very brutal, so it is definitely not for the faint of heart. 
2. All-mountain Style. Also called the “Enduro Style,” the all-mountain style is mainly a very aggressive, downhill, and technical type of mountain biking. Competitions in this riding style mostly involve timed downhill sections and untimed uphill sections. 
3. Trail Style. Trail mountain biking style is the most common type of riding, and it is generally all about variety. It equally focuses on technical downhill riding and uphill terrains. Full-suspension bikes are used for this biking style. 
4. Cross-country Style. Climbing and longer speed for backcountry rides are what this mountain biking style is all about. Bikes used for this style of riding must be low weight and efficient at smooth shifting.   
5. Fat Biking Style. This riding type is defined by a four-season cycling style. It is the newest entry in the riding styles arena. Bikes used in this riding style have huge tires, as wide as 5 inches, which are designed to ride on snow or sand. 

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You may think you have to have a garage full of bikes to enjoy each type of mountain biking available to you. However, many types of mountain biking overlap.

Cross-country bikes can be used on intermediate downhill trails, while all-mountain bikes can be used on more demanding routes. You will not be as fast or as comfortable as someone with specialist equipment. However, you will still be smiling when the day is over.

That is the beauty of mountain biking. Depending on how you prefer to ride, you can purchase a bike tailored to that style.

Ultimately, riding styles and types are just a very loose set of guidelines. As we all know, rules are meant to be broken. Go for it! Do not worry too much about the type of mountain biking you do just be sure to have fun while you’re doing it.

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