Dirt, Street, Park and 4x MTB: what are we talking about?
Dirt MTB: a discipline close to BMX
Riding dirt MTB means doing jumps, stunts and tricks on dedicated terrain. Dirt MTB is ridden on terrain with bumps, ramps and pumptracks, in dirt or wood. The aim of riding dirt MTB in a park is to be able to do stunts, also called "tricks". In general, dirt MTB is ridden on an MTB optimised for this discipline: dirt MTBs are light, strong, and sometimes have 24-inch wheels.
Among the most common tricks are the "Whips" (the bike spins around a vertical axis and the rider stays on it), the "barspins" (here it is the handlebar that spins), the "flips" (the bike rotates around a horizontal axis, a bit like a "loop"), the tailwhips (the frame makes a full turn around a vertical axis but the rider does not turn with the frame) and many more.
As with any sporting activity, safety is paramount in dirt MTB. Riders must wear protective equipment such as full-face MTB helmets, MTB knee pads, MTB elbow pads and MTB gloves to protect themselves in the event of a fall.
All in all, dirt MTB is a demanding discipline that requires technique, creativity and courage to perform impressive jumps and tricks while keeping control of your bike.
On Troc Vélo, find a wide choice of second-hand dirt MTBs and cheap dirt MTBs.
Find second-hand Dirt MTBs from the biggest brands: Specialized, NS Bike, Kona...
See all Specialized Dirt MTBs
See all NS Bike Dirt MTBs
See all Kona Dirt MTBs
Street MTB:
The street MTB is ridden in an urban environment: streets, parks, skateparks or specific spots set up for MTB. Unlike dirt MTB, which is generally ridden on dirt tracks with bumps, street MTB uses the elements of the city, such as ramps, stairs, low walls, etc.
Street MTBs are similar to the bikes used for dirt MTB but they often have specific components to withstand impacts and urban stresses, whether reinforced frames, narrower tyres or pegs (foot rests) for grinds.
Finally, the two disciplines differ in style: street MTB focuses on a more expressive riding style and on performing original stunts and tricks. Dirt MTB, on the other hand, tends to chase speed, height and time in the air (airtime).
On Troc Vélo, find a wide choice of second-hand street MTBs and cheap street bikes.
Park and 4X MTB:
The park MTB is a bit of a mix between dirt MTB and street MTB: park MTB is ridden in parks dedicated to the discipline (like Dirt MTB) but with features that come closer to an urban environment: ramps, bowls, quarter-pipes, walls, etc. The bikes used in parks are similar to those used in street MTB, and in both disciplines the style and quality of the tricks is the main goal.
In 4X MTB, the environment is similar to Dirt MTB but with effort focused on speed, overtaking and jumps. It is a race, and the riders compete to arrive first! The bikes used in 4X have rigid frames, a robust front suspension and powerful brakes.