long steep hills. There is currently no heat resistant hub where they would attach to, which could however be easily made of e.g. alloy. Hydraulic Disc Brakes Hydraulic disc brakes use rotors attached to the hubs with hydraulically operated brake mechanisms that force ceramic pads against the rotors to effect braking. Advantages include high braking power and reliability. Disadvantages include cost, vulnerability of the discs, heat build up, and weight. Hydraulic Rim Brakes Hydraulic Rim Brakes use the hub, or preferably, a bolt on metal disc as the braking surface for hydraulically operated brake mechanisms that push polyurethane blocks against the braking surface. Advantages include good braking power, and good modulation. Disadvantages include possible damage to bearings. Cable-pull 'V' Brakes Cable-pull 'V' Brakes also use the hub or metal discs as a braking surface. The hand operated lever pulls a metal cable to push polyurethane blocks against the braking surface. Advantages include low cost, low weight, and easy installation and maintenance. Disadvantages include low braking power, and the need to be regularly adjusted. Protections Mountainboarders wear a range of protective equipment while riding. Helmets - are designed to protect the wearer's head from falls and damage to the brain. There are two types; full-face, which provides more protection to the wearer, and open face, which provides greater visibility for the wearer. Wristguards - are designed to protect the wearer's wrists from impacts. They come in two types, gloves and wrap-arounds, but both include plastic splints which prevent the wearers wrists from bending backwards during a fall and protect the palms against cuts and grazes. Elbow pads - are designed to protect the wearer's elbows from impact during falls. Sometimes forearm guards are incorporated into the elbow pads. Knee pads - are designed to protect the wearer's knees from impact during falls. Padded Shorts - are designed to protect the wearer's hips, coccyx, and buttocks from impact during falls. Body Armour - is designed to protect the wearer's upper body, arms, shoulders and back from impact during falls. Disciplines Mountainboarding consists of four main disciplines: Downhill (DH) Timed one-man descents. Usually relatively long courses (1 km+) in the mountains. Sometimes referred to as big mountain. Boardercross (BoarderX, BX) Two to four-man racing on a specifically designed track. Freestyle (FS) Slopestyle: Performing tricks on a slopestyle course consisting of multiple jumps, rails and innovative features. Big Air: Performing tricks including grabs, spins