Chitral Hindukush Mountain Biking - Saltoro Summits

Mountain biking usually refers to the sport of riding bicycles possessing particular design characteristics, mountain bikes, off-road, although sometimes the term simply refers to riding a mountain bike. The sport requires endurance, bike handling skills, and self-reliance. It is an individual sport which can be performed almost anywhere. There are aspects of mountain biking that are more similar to trail running than regular bicycling. Because riders are often far from civilization, there is a strong ethic of self-reliance in the sport. Riders must learn to repair their broken bikes or flat tires to avoid being stranded miles from help. This reliance on survival skills accounts for the group dynamics of the sport. Club rides and other forms of group rides are common, especially on longer treks.

Mountain biking is roughly broken down into five categories: cross country, downhill, freeride, dirt jump, and trials/street riding. However, most mountain bikes have a similar look: knobby tires, large round frame tubing, and some sort of suspension or shock absorbers. Mountain biking can be done anywhere from a back yard to a gravel road, but the majority of mountain bikers prefer to ride trails they call singletrack. These are narrow trails that wind through forests or fields.