Cross country biking is biking that takes place on single path trails through the woods, wide dirt roads, or even dirt passed through Meadows. This type of biking has a higher emphasis on speed through the trails and how long it takes versus tough technical terrain like you may have in other types of mountain biking.
Cross country biking typically takes what are considered fairly normal trails. These are trails with twisty turns small jumps, and more. These are generally considered mild paths that also fall in line with how cross country prefers speed and endurance.
So what type of bikes to cross country riders use? Cross country bikes are the lightest mountain bikes that typically have a front suspension with up to 5 inches of travel. Rear suspension is optional in these bikes and would also be up to 5 inches of travel. If the bike does not have a rear suspension it is considered a hard tail mountain bike.
Typically these bikes have larger tires which at this point are usually around 29 inches. The slightly larger tires also helped overcome obstacles on the trail easier and quicker. The tires are typically skinnier than in other mtb styles such as downhill so that the tires have less resistance and the rider has more speed.
You can see how cross country riding typically works when you look at all the different races that occur and cross country biking. And races like the cross country eliminator or the cross country marathon races, the best Times by riders allows them to continue in the race. Many of these races are over 25 miles so the writer must have both good speed and high endurance in order to win.
If you are looking to get into mountain bike riding and you’re not sure what type you like, cross country biking is a good start as it’s middle of the road and the trails are easier to start out on.
The next question is usually how to learn about cross country biking and equipment and such and how to get started. I usually recommend to start out with reading on forums like https://www.singletracks.com/forums/forum/mountain-biking-2/ to learn from real riders and to read one of the many mountain biking blog sites like https://mountainbikeexperience.com. There’s a lot of great information out there and I highly recommend reading so that you are sure that you pick the right equipment and that you really are sure that this is what you want before you purchase equipment, and not out some other type of mountain biking. For instance, trail bikes are also useful in many types of mtb riding, but they can handle jumps better than a cross country bike. If you like jumps, then I would recommend a trail bike in that instance.
I also highly recommend watching some of these videos on YouTube so that you get a feel for what it would be like to actually go down these trails and see whether or not it appeals to you. Like I said above, it’s best to immerse yourself in the information and get your gut feel for which type of mountain biking is right for you.
