It’s also important to keep in mind that weather conditions play a major factor in these classifications. Heavy rain storms can take an easy hill climb and turn it into a medium or hard ride. This is where Adventure comes in to play with Adventure bikes.

Easy

• Dirt roads that have normal day to day traffic
• Routes will have scenic paved roads connecting the easy dirt roads 
• Most of these roads people live on so any vehicle should be able to navigate
• Some sections could be “un-maintained’  
• Could have ruts, larger holes with puddles 
• Could have small patches of loose gravel. 
• 80/20 tires should be fine for these roads

Medium

• These routes contain easy roads and scenic paved roads
• Could be full of washed out ruts that require precise lines to get through
• Some hill climbs/descents with loose gravel.
• Larger puddles with possible slick muddy surfaces
• Some sections could have “baby head” rocky sections
• minimum 60/40 tires would be best for medium routes/roads
• Small bike easy, but experienced riders on big bikes okay
• Many Class 4 in VT or Class 6 in NH would be considered “medium”

Hard

• These routes contain Easy and Medium roads and scenic paved roads 
• Road Closed at certain times of the year.
• Large muddy tracks
• Deep and long water crossings 
• Steep rocky hills with lots of loose or washed out gravel
• Larger sections of “baby Heads” 
• Sometimes you will need to bush-whack your way off the road to get around larger obstacles
• Trees down and will need to hop over
• Small bike recommended or very experienced ADV rider if on a big bike