Ever wished you had a naming tool to perfectly describe your riding flavor of mountain biking? Worry no more!
The term Downcountry was coined by Pinkbike’s Mike Levy. It’s a term to describe a particular kind of mountain biking as a combination of downhill and cross country. Originally the term was a jest, but now several brands are capitalizing on its popularity and releasing models with a Downcountry designation.
Undeniably, it works; we mountain bikers love categories! It’s an easy reason to buy another bike.
Does this thought pattern sound familiar to you?
“My (insert your current bike) can’t (insert marginally different use), so I need to buy a (insert bike you want).”
It made me think; What other hybrid terms could we come up with to help categorize our riding styles? So I made a naming tool for mountain bikers to help us figure some out.
Here’s how it works: Any path between two or three categories using some syllables along the way is fair game.
A mixed surface ride where you ride forest roads on the way to the trails: Gravel Mountain.
A day at the resort where you end up pedaling to the good stuff: Down-duro.
A trail ride where you end up hurdling your bike over too many downed trees: Trailcross or Cyclotrail? Meh, I don’t know if these work.
A big ride where you get lost and end up sleeping in the woods. Trailpacking.
Feel free to add your own categories to best fit the riding you partake in.
Peter Haile
Whether pushing his limits on technical trails, seeing what’s around the next corner, or tinkering in his shop; Peter enjoys life to the full. In addition to bikes, he enjoys frame building, graphic design, and math. He lives in Asheville, NC with his wife and son.
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