The Encyclopedia of Riding
From ancient horseback to hydrofoil. If you ride it, it belongs here. A comprehensive guide to every riding sport, its history, culture, and status.
California, USA, 1959
Riding a longer, wider skateboard designed for cruising, carving, and downhill speed. Longboarding recaptures the flowin…
England, 1992
Riding an oversized skateboard with pneumatic tires and bindings down dirt trails, grass hills, and mountain terrain. Mo…
California, USA, 1950
Riding a wooden deck mounted on four urethane wheels across pavement, concrete, and anything else that holds. Skateboard…
Michigan, USA, 1965
Riding a single wide board down snow-covered mountains, blending the soul of surfing with the terrain of alpine skiing.…
Polynesia, 1000
The original ride. Standing on a shaped board and harnessing the energy of ocean waves to glide across their face. Surfi…
California, USA, 1975
Performing tricks on a 20-inch BMX bicycle across street, park, vert, dirt, and flatland terrains. BMX freestyle is raw…
California, USA, 1968
Sprint racing on 20-inch wheeled bicycles around a purpose-built dirt track with jumps, berms, and rhythm sections. BMX…
California, USA, 1980
Gravity-fueled mountain biking down steep, technical terrain at high speed on full-suspension bikes. Downhill is the mos…
France, 2003
A mountain biking format that times only the downhill stages while requiring riders to pedal between them. Enduro reward…
Kansas, USA, 2006
Riding drop-bar bikes on unpaved roads, gravel paths, and mixed terrain over long distances. Gravel cycling is the front…
California, USA, 1976
Cross-country mountain biking — endurance racing on natural terrain featuring climbs, descents, and technical singletrac…
Paris, France, 1868
Racing or riding lightweight bicycles on paved roads over distances ranging from criterium circuits to multi-week grand…
Chicago, USA, 1935
Full-contact roller skating on a flat or banked track, where jammers score points by lapping opposing blockers. Roller d…
Europe, 1870
Fixed-gear racing on a banked oval velodrome, stripped to the purest expression of speed on two wheels. Track cycling is…
Netherlands, 1977
Riding a board across water while being pulled by a large controllable kite. Kiteboarding combines wind power with board…
California, USA, 1983
Riding a short, wide board across the water while being towed by a boat, using the wake as a ramp for aerial tricks. Wak…
California, USA, 1968
Standing on a board and controlling a sail mounted on a universal joint — a fusion of sailing and surfing that harnesses…
Norway, 1850
Descending snow-covered mountains on two skis using fixed-heel bindings, encompassing disciplines from slalom to downhil…
Norway, 1930
Aerial tricks, mogul runs, halfpipe sessions, and slopestyle courses on skis. Freestyle skiing is alpine skiing's rebell…
Scandinavia, 2500 BC
Cross-country skiing with free-heel bindings — the oldest form of skiing, encompassing classic stride and skate techniqu…
Norway, 1868
Skiing with a free heel and a lunging, genuflecting turn that combines elements of alpine and Nordic technique. Telemark…
Europe, 1913
Off-road motorcycle racing over long distances through natural terrain, timed special stages, and technical trail sectio…
USA, 1920
Motorcycle racing on an oval dirt track with no brakes on the bike, where riders slide through turns at speed using body…
England, 1924
Off-road motorcycle racing on natural-terrain circuits featuring jumps, berms, and whoops. Motocross is controlled viole…
California, USA, 1972
Indoor motocross on a manufactured dirt track inside stadiums, featuring massive jumps and tight rhythm sections. Superc…
Scotland, 1909
Navigating a motorcycle (or bicycle) through obstacle sections without putting a foot down. Trials is pure balance, thro…
Ancient Greece, 350 BC
The art of training a horse to perform precise, controlled movements in response to subtle rider cues. Dressage is the b…
Persia, 600 BC
A team sport played on horseback where riders use long mallets to drive a ball through goalposts. Polo is the oldest tea…
Mexico / American West, 1820
Staying mounted on a bucking bull or bronco for eight seconds with one hand, no helmet optional. Rodeo is the most dange…
England, 1866
Horse and rider clearing a course of colorful fences against the clock, where a single rail down can mean the difference…
Riding takes a thousand forms. If your discipline isn't here yet, join the Collective and help us document every way humans have found to ride.
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