ABSTRACT
Mountain biking has been described as a pluralised, non-homogenous sport where association with competition differs between varying formats of riding. This chapter seeks to establish whether competitiveness, as a stable personality trait, varies significantly amongst mountain bike riders according to the activity style they participate in. In total, 167 committed mountain bikers completed the Revised Competitiveness Index, with respondents grouped into the mountain biking categories established by McEwan et al. The data from each group were then compared to test for significant differences. Results demonstrated that race-oriented participants (cross country and downhill) displayed significantly higher competitiveness traits than those involved in non-racing formats (trail and freestyle). Specifically, the study found significant differences in the Enjoyment of Competition subscale but no significant difference for the Contentiousness subscale, indicating that competition was indeed a delineating factor among mountain bike participants.
