Easy
Smooth, mostly flat routes on dirt or asphalt roads.
Medium
Mostly flat trail or dirt road with some uphill and downhill parts. There are some obstacles such as rocks and potholes which can be easily avoided.
Difficult
A combination of steep long inclines and difficult obstacles, narrow course and maybe slippery. Most riders will prefer to walk certain parts.
Demanding
Downhill/freeride, technically difficult and steep descent, narrow route with great risk and sharp points. It may include artificial structures and jumps
Which fitness level am I?
The bar shows weekly hours of exercise, including mountain biking.
- Training
- occasionally
- Exercise
- under 1 hour/wk
- Endurance
- 30′, up to 1 hour on flat ground
- Climbing / multi-day
- —
- Training
- 1–2 times/wk
- Exercise
- 45′–1 hour/wk
- Endurance
- 1 hour on flat ground, easy pace
- Climbing / multi-day
- small gradients
- Training
- 2–3 times/wk
- Exercise
- 1–3 hours/wk
- Endurance
- 2 hours with breaks
- Climbing / multi-day
- 2–3 days, up to 2 hours/day
- Training
- 3–5 times/wk
- Exercise
- 2–4 hours/wk
- Endurance
- up to 3 hours straight
- Climbing / multi-day
- +600 m a day
- Training
- 4–6 times/wk
- Exercise
- 4–6 hours/wk
- Endurance
- 3–4 hours every day
- Climbing / multi-day
- +1,000 m a day
- Training
- almost daily
- Exercise
- up to 8 hours/wk
- Endurance
- 4 hours/day, up to 5 in one
- Climbing / multi-day
- +1,500 m a day
Detailed description of each level
Level 1
You can bike for 30 minutes occasionally, but not more than an hour on flat ground. You exercise less than 1 hour a week.
Level 2
If you bike or train 1-2 times a week, exercise an average of 45 minutes to 1 hour a week (including MTB mountain biking), you can handle a 1-hour bike ride on flat ground at a leisurely pace, but daily cycling would not be possible. Small uphill and downhill slopes which are difficult to access but usually manageable.
Level 3
You train 2-3 times a week, your exercise averages 1 to 3 hours a week (including MTB mountain biking) and you are able to bike 2 hours a day intermittently and at a leisurely pace. Cycling every day for several days in a row seems exhausting, but you could manage a 2 or 3 day pace and no more than 2 hours of cycling per day.
Level 4
You train 3 to 5 times a week, your exercise averages 2-4 hours a week (including MTB mountain biking) and you can bike for several consecutive days at a moderate pace averaging 2 hours each day. You could handle 3 straight hours of cycling for a day. You have the ability to climb up to 600 days (positive elevation difference) every day.
Level 5
You train 4 to 6 times a week, your exercise averages 4-6 hours a week (including MTB mountain biking) and you can cycle several days in a row at a moderate pace averaging 3-4 hours each day. You feel capable of climbing 1,000 meters (positive elevation gain) per day.
Level 6
You train almost every day, your exercise is up to 8 hours per week (including MTB mountain biking) you are able to bike for several consecutive days at a moderate pace and for an average of 4 hours each day. If necessary, you can spend 5 hours of cycling in one day. You can handle steep, sustained climbs of up to 1,500 meters (positive elevation difference) per day.