Mountain Biking – Trail Riding

Trail riding is a type of mountain riding where the rider rides his bike on off-roads on recognized and way marked trails, forest paths or horse riding paths. It is often considered as a recreational mountain biking sport. Trail riding can be of any length starting from some hours to long distanced multi day trips.

It can be an individual biking trip or a group biking trip or a larger event biking trip organized by a club. In some areas, rail trails are redeveloped on former railway lines to be used as biking terrains for trail riders.

Trail riding can be defined as a pleasure riding which encompasses many forms of bike riding for personal enjoyment and as a recreational activity without any rules or competition elements. Mountain trail rides are mostly done on mountain trails, fire roads and other unpaved dirt trails which involves rocks, steep slopes and loose sands and gravel.

Trail riding bikes have larger knobby tires with more powerful brakes and lower gear ratio. It can be a short, steep trail or a longer trail on forest trails and railway trail paths or a hiking trail which is done on mountain trails and lasts for days.

Trail riding is more of an enjoyable adventurous activity than a sport. It also involves other activities like camping, backpacking, hunting fishing etc. Because of controversies surrounding biking on trails regarding environmental issues and security of the bikers, mostly bikers are restricted from narrow, single track trails. However, biking is allowed on fire roads.