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MOUNTAIN BIKING HISTORY
Mountain biking history is just plain cool. Mountain biking takes place off road, and often takes place over rough terrain. Mountain biking takes place either on mountain bikes that have been specially equipped to be ridden on the trail, or on hybrid road bikes, that have been modified to work under these conditions. The mountain bikes themselves are ready for the rough trail, with tires that are wide and knobby, and a frame tubing that is large and round. The bikes usually have a front fork or dual suspension, and often come with shock absorbers. The bikes are heavy, but work well under their riding conditions. I say the bikes are heavy. I actually ride a 21 pound bike which is quite light for mountain bikes. It is a hard-tail so it is not as heavy as a full suspension. Mountain biking can be quite exhilarating. I used to fall all the time. It is a strange sensation as you don't think of falling off your bike as an adult. MOUNTAIN BIKING HISTORY
In reality, bikes have been ridden off road for years. Remember finding that just right hill as a child. The actual sport of mountain biking started in the 1970s. The sport started with several groups of riders all over the United States, such as Crested Butte, Colorado, and Cupertino California. These riders all take credit for beginning the mountain biking trend. They fixed bikes and tinkered with them so that they would be able to withstand conditions that were rough and terrain that was uneven, and started to ride them off road. Around the same time, there were lots of people who were riding bikes behind their friends who were riding motorcycles, and following them where they went. There is another group that actually has historical significance when it comes to mountain biking. They are a group that is recognized by the Mountain Biking Hall of Fame for actually getting the sport going. 
During the 1970s, they were taking bikes from the 1930s and 1940s that had been refitted with fatter tires and better brakes, and riding them down Mount Tamalpais. This group of people, include Mountain Biking History Legends Joe Breeze, Otis Guy, Gary Fisher, and Keith Bontrager, played a central role in moving mountain biking from a hobby to an actual sport. In fact, it was out of this group, built by Joe Breeze ,that the first actual Mountain Bike came along. The group led to the first company to produce mountain bikes, called MountainBikes, which was later changed to Fisher Mountain Bikes. That company still exists today, under the name Trek. The Mountain Bike Hall Of Fame was founded in 1988, and since that time the sport has been ever changing and ever growing. Mountain Bike racing is a huge circuit now and is even in the Olympics under downhill racing. Mountain biking is a huge part of adventure racing, though the adventure racing trails are usually not as technical as mountain bike races.
MOUNTAIN BIKING SKILLS
To be good at mountain biking, a person has to have endurance, and they have to be able to handle a bike very well. This is because the rough terrain often calls for a person needing to physically handle the bike and move it to other locations. They also need to be able to control a bike absolutely, because they'll have to do so while they're our there on the trails.
EQUIPMENT
There are several main things that any mountain biker must have. First of all, the bike is different from a regular bike in several distinctive ways. It has a stronger rim, a larger range of gears, and a rising handlebar that makes it easier to control. The bike pedals range from regular platform pedals to clipless pedals that allow a person to use a shoe that actually engages into the pedal. I started off with pedals with cages, and moved to clipless, which is quite easy once you get the hang of it.
A mountain bike rider also must wear a helmet for head protection, because falls happen often with a mountain bike. They also wear gloves that are made up of a heavier construction, and glasses that help to prevent debris from getting into their eye. They use comfortable shoes and clothing that is good for physical exertion in the rough and off road areas. Mountain bikes often come with water bottles and riders should always carry a pump to inflate the tires, as well as bike tools that they can use to fix their bikes if they are broken out in the middle of the wilderness.
TYPES OF MOUNTAIN BIKING
There are several main types of mountain biking. These are Cross Country, which is riding point to point or in a loop over a variety of terrains. They also do Dirt Jumping, which is riding over dirt tracks or soil that gives them the terrain to work with. Downhill is another form of mountain biking, which simply means finding hills or mountains and going down them. There is also Freeride mountain biking, which pretty much allows the riders to do anything they'd like. Trials includes all of the above, but also hopping and jumping their bikes over obstacles. Most mountain bike enthusiasts participate in all of the types of mountain biking.
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