Downhill mountain biking
Downhill Mountain Biking is a style of mountain biking practiced on steep, rough terrain that often features jumps, drops, rock gardens and other obstacles. Jumps can be up to and including, and drops can be greater than.
The rider commonly travels to the point of descent via a ski lift or automobile, since the weight and drivetrain gearing of the downhill mountain bike often precludes any serious climbing. In this context, the use of a motorized vehicle or device does not make DH a motorized sport.
Riders must possess a unique combination of total body strength, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and the acceptance of a relatively high risk of incurring serious permanent injuries.
Downhill bikes are heavier and stronger than other mountain bikes and feature front and rear suspension with over 8 inches of travel, to glide quickly over rocks and tree roots. In competitive races, a continuous course is defined on each side by a strip of tape. Depending on the format, riders have a single or double attempt to reach the finish line as fast as possible, while remaining between the two tapes designating the course. Riders must choose their line by compromising between the shortest possible line and the line that can be traveled at the highest speed. If a rider leaves the course by crossing or breaking the tape they must return to the course at the point of exit, unless they do not gain a time advantage from crossing the tape, in which case they can continue with their run.
Riders start at intervals, often seeded from slowest to fastest, and courses typically take two to five minutes to complete with winning margins being often less than a second. Riders are timed with equipment similar to that used in downhill skiing.
History of competitive racing
The 1st downhill time-trial race took place in Fairfax, California on 21 October 1976, on a fireroad now referred to as Repack Road, due to the need to repack the hub brake after each descent. The bikes used were based on cruiser bicycles that had a drum or coaster brake that worked by pedalling backward. The mechanism operated with a conical brake shoe being wound on a thread in a metal hub. To prevent the brake from seizing it was kept filled with grease. Heavy use during the descent would cause the brake to over heat, softening the grease and causing it to drain from the hub, requiring frequent repacking. Ten riders descended of Repack road in about 5 minutes.The first bikes used for descending were known as "klunkers" or "paperboy bikes" – sturdy cruisers using balloon tires and coaster brakes, designed by Ignaz Schwinn during the Great Depression. The bikes could endure abuse that would damage other bicycles by changing features from the Henderson and Excelsior motorcycles his company had built during the 1920s, including a heavy "cantilevered" frame with two top tubes and 2.125-inch-wide "balloon" tires from Germany. Innovations like the fat-tire Schwinn with derailleur gears by Russ Mahon of The Morrow Dirt Club in Cupertino at the 1974 Marin County cyclo-cross and Gary Fisher's 1975 use of a tandem rear hub with a drum brake threaded for a freewheel cluster developed the sport, and by 1979, two organizers and competitors of the Repack downhill, Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher founded the company which named the sport, MountainBikes. As mountain biking grew during the 80s, downhill riders continued to use either rigid or limited-travel suspension bicycles. Purpose-made downhill bikes started to appear in the 90s, with innovations such as dual crown forks and disc brakes, as well as more elaborate suspension designs.
Later, riders from other disciplines began focusing on downhill, such as BMX racers Daniel Solano, and Brian Lopes. Their influence is seen in the increased difficulty of many courses, with bigger jumps and drops added. The coming of age for downhill biking was its inclusion at the first UCI Mountain Bike Championship, held in 1990 in Durango, Colorado.
The bikes
Downhill mountain bikes, also known as DH bikes, are purpose-built bicycles designed for descending steep, technical, and high-speed terrain, often in bike parks or downhill racing environments. Modern DH bikes are characterized by their exceptionally long suspension travel—typically 200 mm—both front and rear, allowing them to absorb large impacts, jumps, and rough terrain with ease. They feature extremely slack head angles, low bottom brackets, and long wheelbases to maximize stability and control at high speeds. DH bikes are usually constructed with heavy-duty frames made of aluminum or carbon fiber and are equipped with dual-crown forks with large diameter stanchions, which offer increased stiffness and durability for aggressive riding. These bikes use 27.5-inch, 29-inch, or mixed wheel setups, depending on rider preference and track demands. Components include powerful 4-piston hydraulic brakes, wide handlebars, short stems, and downhill-specific drivetrains with limited gearing focused on descending. Unlike other mountain bikes, DH bikes are not designed for pedaling uphill and are typically transported via chairlifts or shuttles. They represent the pinnacle of downhill performance in the mountain biking world.Notable downhill racing venues
Many ski areas are converted into downhill mountain biking venues in the summer, such as Whistler Mountain Bike Park and Fernie Alpine Resort, alongside the specifically developed all-season downhill trails. At some courses, bikers ride gondolas, trams or chair lifts to the starting point, or "shuttling" with motorized vehicles is used to transport riders to the top of the hill. Others are accessible by riding bicycles to the starting point. Urban downhill courses have also appeared in mountain-side cities, with the courses going through city streets and sidewalks, such as the Taxco Downhill event in Mexico. one of the most famous downhill mountain biking venues is mont-sainte-anne in canada.Courses used in competition often feature several "lines" through or around difficult obstacles. For example, the "A line" might be a direct line over a large jump with a sketchy landing, the "B line" a smaller jump with a better landing, and the "C line" completely avoids the jumps, but may take longer.
Australia
Australia has produced a large number of internationally successful downhill racers, including Sam Hill, Chris Kovarik, Nathan Rennie and Mick Hannah. The large majority of Australian downhill riding and racing is accessed by shuttling in cars, buses or by walking to the top of the track, however the venues at Mount Buller and Thredbo provide lift accessed tracks during the snow less summer months.Mount Stromlo, near Canberra, hosted a World Cup Round in August 2008 and the 2009 World Championships. The top can be accessed by either riding up singletrack, or by shuttling via the road. Australia's first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was held in Cairns in 1994–1995. followed by the World Mountain Bike Championships in 1996 and again in 2017, placing Cairns on the map as the premier Australian mountain bike destination.
Austria
Located in the Alps, Austria is very suitable for downhill riding. A large majority of Austria's downhill tracks are accessible via lift shuttles. A World Cup track called the "Planai" is located in the city of Schladming. It is about 5 km long and with an average descent grade of about 35% it has become a legendary World Cup race track known for its technical and steep sections.Since 2010 Austria's biggest bike park in Leogang has taken over hosting the annual UCI World Cup DH races. It has also been host zu multiple Downhill World Championship events. The race track is called "Flying Gangster" and most of it is open to ride for amateurs visiting the bike park. It is known for its high speeds and an extremely difficult final section called "Vali's Hell".
Bolivia
Most of Bolivia's downhill riding is done in the Andes Mountains in and around La Paz. In the city there is the Pura Pura trail, there are also a few trails through the forest. Camiraya at the outskirts of La Paz has more and longer trails. The Loma Loma and Chu Chu trails are a little further out in Sorata. There are also trails in other parts of the country, for example in Cochabamba and Potosí.Bosnia and Herzegovina
is rich with mountains especially around the capital city of Sarajevo, in which a downtown race is held, although mountain bike and downhill especially are still developing to become known sports. Mountains like Igman, Bjelašnica and others are being increasingly used for downhill racing. Currently there are a few tracks on Trebević, Igman, Bjelašnica, Cavljak – Barice, all featured tournaments on an international level. Unexploded ordnance is one of the reasons for slow development of this sport in a country with a such great potential for it.Canada
Canada is famous for its downhill racing as well as other sorts of mountain biking. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park in Whistler, British Columbia hosts the annual Crankworx and Joyride Huckfest racing events. The province of British Columbia is also home to several other large lift-serviced mountain bike parks, including Sun Peaks in Kamloops, BC, Silver Star Mountain Resort in Vernon, BC, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC and Fernie Alpine Resort. The North Shore Mountains of North Vancouver, BC, are a famous downhill biking destination in their own right. The popular style of technical downhill freeriding that involves many man-made trail elements originated here. The style is often referred to as "North Shore Style."Canada has produced many world-class mountain bike racers, including downhillers Andrew Shandro and Steve Smith. The mount of Bromont, situated in Bromont, Quebec, and Mont-Sainte-Anne near Quebec City are great places for downhill biking.