Jun 25, 2021 · Cross-country (XC) mountain biking is yet another category, like trail mountain biking, that sounds general but is in fact very specific. The basic premise for cross-country mountain biking is a focus on distance and speed instead of technical terrain. There's as much focus on pedaling efficiency up the hill as capability down the hill.
Mar 29, 2020 · Follow Us: Facebook. Twitter. In most places, the standard distance for a college cross country race, for boys and girls, is 3.1 miles, which equates to 5 kilometers, or 5k. The 5k is a standard distance, but some states have shorter official races for female cross country runners, who complete for only 4 kilometers or a 2.5-mile run.
Generally wheels sizes are 29 inches for cross country bikes. Most mountain bikes at this point are 29 inches in wheel sizes as well. What makes the cross-country tires different is that they are skinnier than their downhill mountain bike tire cousins. Most times cross country tires are under 2.2 inches in width.
Marathon mountain bike races, often referred to as cross-country marathon (XCM), are a very demanding form of mountain bike racing covering at least 40 kilometres (25 miles) usually in mountainous terrain. Events held in Europe are typically just a little longer than the average cross country mountain bike race. Marathon events in the USA and Canada are typically longer than …
An XCM is a 100km race that will usually involve a mix of gravel road, fire trail and single track with some technical aspects.
XCC consists of a 1km to 1.5km circuit course with the race lasting between 20 and 25 minutes, and having on average six to eight laps.Apr 25, 2021
Top elite riders will do the most laps, normally six to eight, with the total race duration being around 90 minutes. Beginner, or younger riders will do fewer laps, with races lasting anywhere from 30 to 80 minutes.Jul 22, 2021
Non-UCI events The typical event in the USA is either based on time, typically 12 or 24 hours, or distance, the most common being 100 miles (160 km). Events based on hours typically allow either people to compete individually or as part of the team. Distance events are almost all solo events.
The riding discipline of XC is arguably the broadest possible style of mountain biking. The foundation mountain bike category, XC can take place on fire roads, singletrack, technical forest trails, rock gardens and everything in between.Jun 11, 2019
The main difference between a cross-country bike and a trail bike is that a cross-country bike is lightweight and designed for long-distance, but a trail bike is designed to be more of an all-around bike that can handle more technical trails.Apr 2, 2021
5.0 miIn the United States, college men typically compete on 8 km (5.0 mi) or 10 km (6.2 mi) courses, while college women race for 5 km (3.1 mi) or 6 km (3.7 mi).
Cross Country (abbreviated CC or XC) is a running event in which runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain.
3.1 milesA 5K run is 3.1 miles. Don't be daunted by the distance. A 5K run is a great distance for a beginner. You can prepare for a 5K run in just two months.
Yes, you can jump a XC bike and in fact it happens all the time in normal cross country usage. Like everything else, however, there are limitations to how far you can go before you damage your bike. I certainly would only do the above on a trail bike. Mountain bikes can be very expensive to say the least.
3:098:24How To Become A Professional Mountain Biker With Blake SamsonYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere are two ways that you can do this and that is find out what local events you have in your areaMoreThere are two ways that you can do this and that is find out what local events you have in your area and enter them small events are a great way to gain experience before.
0:389:04Ultimate Cross Country Mountain Biking Tips | How To Get Started In ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd riding geometry will be a little bit more aggressive to help with things like power transferMoreAnd riding geometry will be a little bit more aggressive to help with things like power transfer keeping your weight a bit more over the front.
Generally, the marathon distance bike races are over 50 miles. Anything under 50 miles is still called cross country. Additionally, many mountain bike races are divided up into stages so as to span several days. Races can be either point-to-point or lap-based.
Cross-country bicycles are some of the lightest mountain bikes, typically between 7.5 and 12.5 kilograms (17 and 28 lb ). They usually feature suspension forks in front and often times have suspension in the rear. In both the front and rear, most XC bicycles have approximately 100 millimetres ...
Cross-country ( XC) cycling is a discipline of mountain biking. Cross-country cycling became an Olympic sport in 1996 and is the only form of mountain biking practiced at the Olympics.
Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) Consists of completing multiple laps around a 4-10 km (2.5-6 miles) circuit, with a duration of about 90 minutes for elite classes. It is the only cross-country discipline in the Olympics programme.
Course used at the 2009 UCI World Championships in Australia. In cross-country, a wider variety of wheel sizes have been used historically compared to other disciplines, although recently most riders have settled on a single wheel size.
Globally, XC racing is governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale. In the United States, it is under the purview of USACMTB, a division of USA Cycling. In the United Kingdom, British Cycling is the governing body.
Bicycle helmets are nearly universally used for cross-country riding. However, XC riders only rarely wear full-face helmets and do not wear the full body "armour" employed by downhill riders and tend to wear helmets similar to well ventilated road helmets, but helmets most often used by enduro and trail riders are also used.
How Many Miles Is a College Cross Country Race? In most places, the standard distance for a college cross country race, for boys and girls, is 3.1 miles, which equates to 5 kilometers, or 5k.
Female athletes in Connecticut ran a 2.5-mile race, but the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference made the race distance a universal 3.1 miles in 2008. States must receive approval from coaches' associations before initiating an official distance change.
The 5k is a standard distance, but some states have shorter official races for female cross country runners, who complete for only 4 kilometers or a 2.5-mile run. States with different running courses for boys and girls include Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota.
They usually have suspension forks in the front that allow up to around 4 inches of travel total. The rear suspension may be like a hardtail and have zero suspension travel or it may also have up to around 4 inches of suspension travel. Because cross country riders go for speed, they tend to travel a bit less upright than downhill mountain bikers ...
What makes the cross-country tires different is that they are skinnier than their downhill mountain bike tire cousins. Most times cross country tires are under 2.2 inches in width.
The Cannondale Trail 5 at $1000 is about the best you’ll get price-wise that stands up and has 29-inch wheels. It’s well-known for its quality. Bike Mag has a nice list of bikes with some good comparisons too.
The difference between downhill or trail riders and cross-country riders is that trail riders generally prefer more adrenaline-inducing adventures like jumps, drops, and rocks. Cross country riders are more apt to race each other up hills or a certain distance for the quickest times. So generally XC riders use the more mild trail paths.
What Precisely Is XC Mountain Biking? XC mountain biking is defined by the very terrain that it covers. XC riding focuses more on the endurance and distance of the ride vs the difficulty of the terrain it covers. In XC riding, the focus is mostly on completing the course as quickly as possible rather than seeking out the most adventurous route.
Cross Country Eliminator (XCE) races where the last people who cross the line are eliminated. Cross Country Olympic (XCO) races where times to complete a short circuit are compared. Cross Country Marathon (XCM) races where individual races compete to get the best time for an extended length, usually at least 25 miles.
Most times cross country tires are under 2.2 inches in width. There are lots of options you can do from tire size to seat height on an XC mountain bike, but the key is to make sure you pick the right size mountain bike and dial it in so you can get the best use from it.
Marathon mountain bike races, often referred to as cross-country marathon ( XCM ), are a very demanding form of mountain bike racing covering at least 40 kilometres (25 miles) usually in mountainous terrain. Events held in Europe are typically just a little longer than the average cross country mountain bike race. Marathon events in the USA and Canada are typically longer than 100 kilometres (62 miles) and are very different from cross country races.
The races can be run over as a single or multi-lap course, however, the course cannot cover the same lap more than three times. A racer in the Wilderness 101.
Marathon events in the USA and Canada are typically longer than 100 kilometres (62 miles) and are very different from cross country races.
The world's largest mountain bike marathon race by the number of participants is the Birkebeinerrittet, 95 kilometres (59 mi), held annually in Norway. While the distance is short for a marathon mountain bike event, the number of participants and history make it noteworthy.
The first such events began to be held routinely in the early 1990s typically had less than 50 racers. In 2006 nearly 100 events were held and most had more than 150 racers.
The typical event in the USA is either based on time, typically 12 or 24 hours, or distance, the most common being 100 miles (160 km). Events based on hours typically allow either people to compete individually or as part of the team. Distance events are almost all solo events.
A cross-country mountain bike is designed to cover a variety of off-road terrain as quickly as possible. It needs to be equally capable of climbing on the ups as it is on the descents, while also being efficient when pedalling on flatter terrain, or picking a line through tight, twisting singletrack.
Full-suspension bikes require more maintenance but they win every time when it comes to descending.
Now you’ve decided between a hardtail or full-suspension bike, here’s what else you need to look out for when buying a cross-country bike.
You can spend anywhere from £500 all the way up to £10,000 on a cross-country bike. While elite riders may want the best money can buy, most keen amateur racers will usually spend between £2,000 and £5,000 on their XC bike.
If you’re a trail rider that leans toward longer rides on slightly smoother trails, the 2.4″ Aspen is a great choice. It will wear more quickly than some other options, and may be best suited to the rear where you don’t need quite as much grip, but it’ll save you energy in the long run.
The Magic Mary, like the Der Baron and the Dissector, is a downhill-focused tire that you can still pedal uphill. It’s not light, but it’s very grippy and built to handle a lot of abuse — especially in the Super Gravity casing.
The average individual conducting a long-distance bicycle tour will cycle between 40 and 60 miles (64 – 96 kilometers) each day. However, distances both shorter and longer than this are quite common. 40 to 60 miles is the average daily distance recommended for most bicycle tourists. But there is so much more to say about ...
Even if you plan on cycling more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) on each day of your bicycle tour, I suggest you not plan on cycling more than 40 miles on your first day. For most bicycle touring participants, the goal is not to reach the destination in record time, but to simply reach the destination in a safe, enjoyable manner.
But the truth is, planning to cycle too far each day is the number one reason most self-supported bicycle tours are abandoned. And not only will you enjoy yourself more if you slow down and stop to see the sights along the way, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and discomfort along the way.
On the first day of your tour you will be either starting from home or from some foreign location that you’ve reached by either car, bus, plane or train.
Not only could planning to cycle too far on your first day push you far behind schedule right from the very start, but it can be extremely demoralizing when you think about the fact that after only one day of cycling you are already behind schedule.
Stock trail bikes seem to be fitting OEM wheels with an internal width of 23-27mm, give or take. These rim widths are suitable for the tire choices that most of us use on all of our rides.
For XC riding and racing, tires usually fall into the range of 2-2.25 inches. A rim width that coincides with that is generally around 20-25mm on the inside. Lately though, riders across categories have been exploring the opportunities of bigger tires, especially in the front.
A shorter rim depth means that the rim will be stiffer, but a little less aerodynamic.
Cross-country riding is considerably different than it used to be, but racers still want the lightest equipment out there, and the fastest rolling. This means less rotational weight. Slaying descents and slicing corners don’t equate to an XC win, but the weight savings might.
Cross-country bicycles are some of the lightest mountain bikes, typically between 7.5 and 12.5 kilograms (17 and 28 lb). They usually feature suspension forks in front and often have suspension in the rear. In both the front and rear, most XC bicycles have approximately 100 millimetres (10.0 cm; 3.9 in) of suspension travel and max out at 120 millimeters at the front typically (although on occasion it is 130 millimeters) and 120 millimetersin the rear, although some riders prefer 125 to …
Cross-country cycling is defined by the terrain on which it is performed. XC courses and trails consist of a mix of rough forest paths and singletrack (also referred to as doubletrack depending on width), smooth fireroads, and even paved paths connecting other trails. Until recently cross-country trails were deemed "easy" or "intermediate", due to the concept that this discipline of mountain biking relies more on physical prowess than technical ability.
Cross-country racing emphasizes endurance above technical prowess, and races vary from 30 minutes to 24 hours in length. More recently a new category has emerged called Marathon Cross Country or "Marathon Distance". Generally, the marathon distance bike races are over 50 miles. Anything under 50 miles is still called cross country. Additionally, many mountain bike races are divided up into stages so as to span several days. Races can be either point-to-point or lap-base…
XC racing exists in four main formats: XCE (Cross-Country eliminator), XCO (Cross-Country Olympic), XCC (Cross-Country Short Circuit) and XCM (Cross-Country Marathon).
A discipline where the top two riders advance to the next round and the other two riders are eliminated. Each race has a maximum duration of 60 seconds. It is similar to four-cross, which is a downhill discipline.
In cross-country, a wider variety of wheel sizes have been used historically compared to other disciplines, although recently most riders have settled on a single wheel size. The 26-inch wheel size initially used in mountain biking has all but died off at the top level of cross-country racing, with 29" wheels becoming the norm and 650b wheels being used occasionally. 650b wheelsare 584 mm diameter wheels, and approximately 27.5" with a mounted tire, hence their more common n…
• Mountain bike racing
• NORBA
• Union Cycliste Internationale
• Cross-country eliminator
Media related to Cross-country mountain biking at Wikimedia Commons
• International Cycling Union (Union Cycliste Internationale)
• International Mountain Bicycling Association