Freeride is a relatively new discipline of mountain biking, combining different aspects of the sport such as downhill and dirtjumping which has progressed rapidly in recent years, and is now recognized as one of the most popular disciplines within mountain biking.

The term freeriding originally came from snowboarding and is now also used in other sports including skiing,windsurfing snowmobiling and Jet skis. The original concept being that the rider is free to do whatever feels best, including tricks and jumps without set goals or a course.

Freeride bikes were originally modified downhill bikes, but with different gear systems so that the freerider can go up hills as well as down them. Therefore freeride bikes are lighter with less suspension travel and a shorter wheel base for tackling slower technical sections as it makes the bike more maneuverable.

Freeriding is thought to be the most unlikely entry point for people new to mountain biking due to the very high level of technical ability and danger involved. The jumps can sometimes be well over 50 feet in height and crashes most frequent. Due to the danger involved, the equipment needed is also most important and can be costly. This includes body armour and other equipment similar to downhill mountain biking.