There are several categories of mountain bikes, including cross country (XC), trail, all-mountain/enduro, downhill (DH), and slopestyle/freeride. (source: [Red Bull](https://www.redbull.com/us-en/different-types-mountain-biking-categories), [BikeExchange](https://bikexchange.com/mtb/mountain-bike-types/), [evo](https://www.evo.com/guides/how-to-choose-mountain-bike))
To find a more specific bike category and which category do your needs fits best is the best way of getting information before buying your bike.
For mountain bikes, there are four categories overall.
The Cross Country (XC) mountain bikes are built for high performance in pedaling for riders. The bike is designed to conquer uphills with endurance and efficiency. Cross Country mountain bikes have similar geometry to road bikes with a wheel size of 29 inches.
Another category is the Trail mountain bikes which are most commonly recognized as a mountain bike for most people. The bike has a more relaxed geometry for better rides on all kinds of terrain.
There are also the Enduro mountain bikes that are designed for climbing uphills and speeding downhills with ease. It has suspension travel that ranges slightly more than trail bikes.
The last category is the Downhill & Freeride Mountain bikes that are basically from the category name itself means that these bikes are designed for steep terrains and maximum speed on big drops and jumps.
