What is Freeriding

Freeride mountain biking, one of the fastest-growing trends in bicycling, incorporates everything from traditional trail riding to big-air jumps, hair-raising descents and technical maneuvers. In short, freeriders seek out opportunities to test their bike-handling skills.

They're not afraid of a few scrapes and bruises, but they're not interested in getting seriously hurt, either.

Bicycle manufacturers say that the number of freeride-oriented bikes - and riders with the skills to handle them - will only increase in upcoming years. "If you look back at Trek's catalogue from the year 2000, you'll see a couple of bikes with fairly minimal suspension," says Joe Vadeboncouer, a product specialist at Trek Bicycles, one of the nation's largest manufacturers. "Next year, we'll offer five full categories - totaling 21 models - of full-suspension bikes. We're confident that our future consumer is going to have an interest in freeride - it's where the soul of the sport is these days."

Freeriding appeals to a generation that is just discovering the healthy, muscle-powered sport of mountain biking. Because it doesn't require as much acreage as traditional mountain bike areas - just a few miles of challenge-oriented trails can provide hours of fun - freeriding parks are often a good option for urban and suburban settings. But managing a freeride facility offers substantial challenges, including the proper design and maintenance of trails, overseeing interactions between riders and other user groups, and liability concerns.