Six Types Of Bicycle Racing, Which Is Your Favorite?

Cycling as a sport includes a variety of events and creates use of various types of bikes as needed. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. 

Each type of cycling has its own set of health benefits, and many of the skills required for one are transferable to another. Professional athletes frequently alternate their training schedules with other disciplines in order to target different muscle groups and fitness levels.

—Road Cycling Racing—

Road Racing is held on paved roads, usually over several hours or days. The competition takes place mostly on open roads and highways. A road race can be a point-to-point race or a town-to-town race. A good example of a road race is the Tour de France.

—Cyclo-cross Racing—

Road racing bicycles are similar to cyclocross bicycles. They only differ with their wider tire clearances, knobby tires, cantilever or disc brakes, and lower gearing. The sport began as a way for road racers to stay in shape during the cold off-season (winter or autumn). The World Championships for cyclo-racing are usually held near the end of January.

—Mountain Bike Racing—

Mountain biking takes place on off-road terrain. Mountain biking's main sub-disciplines are downhill, slopestyle, enduro, four cross, and Olympic cross-country (XCO). Pump track, freeride, and dual slalom are some of the other MTB racing disciplines.

—Track Cycling—

Track cycling necessarily requires continuous pedaling in fixed gear. These tracks are designed so that riders can navigate the corners without slowing down. If done correctly, this teaches you how to use your cadence effectively. Because the speeds can be high and there are no brakes, you'll also learn a lot about bike control!

—BMX—

BMX is a coordinated stunt and ramp riding style developed to bridge the gap between motocross and bicycles. Short bursts of energy propel you from one side of a skate park to the other while overcoming obstacles. It's a year-round sport that doesn't require all of the equipment that a true mountain biker would bring on the trails.

—Cycle Speedway—

Cycle speedway is a type of bicycle racing on short oval dirt tracks, usually outdoors but sometimes indoors, that are 70–90 meters long. Riders use machines without brakes or multiple gears, similar to motorcycle speedways, but the goal is not to slide bikes around the turns.