The Mountain Bike Classification Guide

As a mountain bike press editor, one of the most common questions that lands on my desk each week is the request for a better understanding of the classification of the bikes on the market and their intended riding purposes. In effort to address these issues, the following is general guide to each mountain bike label and its respective purpose.

TRAIL-
The universal, most well rounded and largest market segment of the mountain bike industry. Trail bikes are typically sturdy framed, outfitted with a potpourri of worthy components, and can handle most riding conditions thrown at them. It is versatility and competitive pricing that makes these bikes appeal to a vast majority of riders in all disciplines. Options generally include front or dual suspension setups, disc brakes, 2 to 5 inches of fairly supple suspension travel, and overall weights in the middle of the spectrum.

All Mountain (AM)-
Many industry insiders criticize the All Mountain label as being derived by marketing departments of bike manufacturers in effort to trick riders into believing they need more than one bike to be happy. While this may be true to a degree, the fact is the All Mountain bike earns its name due to its alleged ability to handle all aspects of the mountain (climbs, descents, jumps etc.) They are typically beefier than a trail bike with anywhere from 4 to 7 inches of suspension travel. Components are typically a mix of lighter cross country gear and beefed up downhill bits in effort to smear the lines between the classification system. Like the trail bike, this is a fairly large (and upcoming) segment of the market despite being a bit heavier and more sluggish than the true trail bike.