Guest post by Lucas Baier

With the harsh winter months winding down it’s time to get off the couch and get ready for some extreme mountain biking. And one of the most popular forms of extreme mountain biking is cross country or XC.

Just imagine pumping up steep inclines, gliding down grassy hills and flying over all types of harsh terrain; it’s no wonder cross country mountain biking is an Olympic sport.

Just because it’s popular, don’t be fooled into thinking that XC mountain biking is only for the weak. To become a professional on the XC circuit, competitors train for years; peddling through multiple, grueling courses. Fortunately, getting started in this form of extreme mountain biking is fairly simple. But finding the right gear is vital to the safety and progress of the cross country mountain biker; with the mountain bike being the most important investment.

The Bike

Finding the right mountain bike and having it set up properly are extremely important to the XC mountain biker. The weight and suspension of your mountain bike are essential to get the most out if this form of extreme mountain biking. The weight of the bike should range between 20 and 30 pounds, with the front suspension travel between 60mm and 120mm. The suspension travel is the movement that the shocks can absorb; the more travel you have the smoother the ride.

While many mountain bikes come ready for the XC circuits right off the rack, you may need to make a few alterations to help make your bike the ideal tool for extreme mountain biking. For cross country mountain biking, you may need to make the following adjustments:

• Remove all unneeded accessories. This includes rack, bells and lights.

• Set your seat height and position. For proper seat height, raise your seat until your leg is straight when the pedal is at the six o’clock position. Seat position is based on rider comfort. Start with the seat level and move it accordingly.

• Position the handlebars. For XC mountain biking, the handlebars should be about 2 ½ inches below the seat. The lower the bars, the more control you will have during your climbs; higher bars give more control when your coming down.

The Rider

For extreme mountain biking, the condition of the rider is just as important as the condition of the mountain bike. Being in good physical condition will help you on the steep inclines and over the rough trails associated with XC circuits. But just because you’re a little soft around the middle, don’t let it discourage you from hitting the trails. Start slow and work your way up to more difficult courses, and incorporate strength conditioning into your workout to get the most out of this form of extreme mountain biking.

Many people choose cross country mountain biking because of the freedom they feel as they navigate XC circuits. XC racing is often considered the least extreme form of extreme mountain biking and can be the easiest form to get started in. All you need is a mountain bike, protective gear and the little bit of nerve required to rush through the rugged trails.

Check out more cool Cross Country Extreme Mountain Biking info and join the extreme sports community at http://www.sackupsports.com where you gotta sack up to go downhill hard!

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Meet the 4 members of the US Olympics BMX squad. If your are a BMXer you are sure to know at least one of them. They are Mike Day, Donny Robinson, Kyle “Butter” Bennett and, the lone lady, Jill Kintner.

We have video bio and some training footage for you here.

Kyle Bennett

- Bennett earned his automatic nomination as the top-ranked athlete in
USA Cycling’s 2008 BMX Rankings.

BMX racer Kyle Bennett (aka “Butter”) Featured on Trans World Sport

Mike Day

- Day won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 14 to earn his automatic nomination to the Olympic team.

Mike Day in Training at the BMX Facility in Chula Vista, CA

Mike Day’s Video Bio

Donny Robinson

- Robinson’s took first-place at the 2007 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Beijing last August, which also served as the official Olympic Test Event, and the third round of the 2008 series in Copenhagen in May. Robinson is currently the number-one ranked men’s BMX athlete in the world and leads the overall 2008 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup standings. Most recently, he finished second to Day at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Behind the Scenes - ESPN Photo Shoot with Donny Robinson

Jill Kintner

- Kintner, the sole women’s BMX representative, earned an automatic nomination as the top-ranked athlete in USA Cycling’s 2008 BMX Rankings.

Jill Kintner’s Video Bio

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In honor of BMX making its debut in the Olympics, we have out together a video montage of some of the best BMX trial footage we could find.

How will BMX fare in the Olympics? What are the rules? Who are the favorites to win BMX gold? Do other countries really get into BMX like the Brits, Aussies and Americans?

Well, we all have less than a month now before we will find out.

Videos from the BMX Olympic Trials

BMX Olympic Trials

Olympic trials at Chula Vista, California.

News Clip on USA’s “Not So Secret” Weapon for Olympic BMX Gold

Olympic BMX Training Center in California

Oceania BMX Olympic Ranking Rounds

Mike Day’s BMX Oympic Track Qualifying Run

See all you BMXas in Beijing, China. It’ll be great to see BMX represented by various countries.

Make your own BMX video with our exclusive bullet camera and digital recorder, check it out today.

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If you are looking for the latest digs in BMX, look no further. We have traveled the blogosphere for the latest news, tips, videos, posts and pranks.

When you get a minute, check out our exclusive high-res solid state extreme sports digital recorder with both a helmet cam and bullet cam.

This Week in BMX

Jill Kintner Makes Olympic BMX team

Bmx More proof that women are perfectly willing to risk their necks pursuing athletic glory: Jill Kintner, 26, has earned a place on the US Olympic BMX team. Kintner is thus far the only American female BMX-er with a guaranteed ticket …

ESPN's X Games Franchise Continues Global Growth

In order to better reflect the ever-increasing global presence of the X Games franchise, ESPN has renamed and reorganized the department that now oversees more than a dozen events, qualifiers, exhibits and competitions annually. …

Flatland BMX Skillz

I watched last year’s X Games and it was crazy. The stunts in motocross, skateboarding and BMX were out of this world. You could watch it all day. Check out these flatland BMX stunts and just try not to be amazed. …

BMX: Aspiring Olympian returns to Utah after crash

Aspiring Olympian Arielle Martin is coming home to Utah after her devastating crash at the BMX World Championships last weekend, but she’s not giving up on her dream to compete at the 2008 Beijing Games in China this summer.

Pictures

I’ve seen a lot of sweet stuff floating around the internet of our crew and friends…check em out. Luke ripping a sweet invert at the Northbrook park. Unknown photog. David getting loopy at Mich. Photo by Deli. …

Dope Video

Mass BMX and The Come Up bringing another gnarly video. Lots of good street riding in here.

Interview with Gaz on BMX Union

Check out an interview with the one and only Gaz of Mutiny Bikes on BMX Union. Gaz talks a bit about how him and Joe came to own the company, the riders, new parts, web videos, and BMX in general. Check out the interview here.

Luke Parslow Trail Session

BMX superman, backflip turndown, 360 turndown and double backflip. Get Flash to see this video. Item URL: Luke Parslow Trail Session.

For more BMX links, head over to our dedicated BMX page.

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