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Pedal Your Way to Adventure: Top 5 Amazing Fun Facts About Mountain Biking

illustration of mountain-biking
Get ready to embark on a thrilling ride as we explore some fascinating and lesser-known tidbits about the world of mountain biking!

1. Dimpled Suits for Speed

What do mountain bikers and golf balls have in common? They both have an affinity for dimples that keep things speedy and smooth: Wearing dimpled, textured suits gives mountain bikers up to a 35% reduction in drag force while riding, enabling them to glide more efficiently and effortlessly through the air, just like their favorite dimpled sports accessory.
Source => interestingengineering.com

2. Standing Up for Fun

Ever wonder why mountain bikers can't just sit still and enjoy the ride? Maybe it's because they have more fun standing up on the job: Mountain bikers spend a significantly higher percentage of time out of the saddle than any other type of cyclist, using a low to moderate cadence which allows for efficient, prolonged out-of-the-saddle pedaling.
Source => trainingpeaks.com

3. Greasy Beginnings

Before the days of hydraulic brakes and cool one-liners like "shred the trails, dude," bikers had to deal with some pretty gnarly grease situations on the down-low: The Repack race, the first-ever mountain biking race held in the early 1970s in Marin County, California, gained its moniker due to riders having to repack their coaster brakes with grease after each run as the intense downhill action vaporized the lubrication like a total wipeout!
Source => mmbhof.org

4. Sand-venture Workout

Are you ready to rock and roll... in the sand? Mountain biking will have you cruising through the grains and trekking over terrific terrains, putting your energy expenditure on a roller coaster ride: Riding on sand increases rolling resistance up to 15 times more than grass, gravel, or pavement, meaning you'll need extra pedal power to maintain speed, burn more calories, and truly ride the waves of a thrilling workout!
Source => pedalchile.com

Cliff-Jumping Thrills

5. Cliff-Jumping Thrills

Are you tired of jumping to conclusions? Try jumping off cliffs instead: Moab, Utah is a renowned spot for tandem BASE jumping, offering daredevils a one-of-a-kind adrenaline rush as they leap from fixed objects and deploy their parachutes for a heart-stopping descent.
Source => earthmagazine.org

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