Mach or Acro Bike are key items available to a player in certain Pokémon Games (especially Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire). These are bicycles the player can ride in Generation III Pokémon games – Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald as well as their Gen VI remakes – Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
These bikes, which were introduced in the third generation, serve a multitude of functions in the game. Aside from being a fast and fun means of transportation, these bikes are also integral in solving several interesting puzzles in these Pokémon games and allow players to access areas otherwise inaccessible by foot.
What is a Mach Bike?
Mach Bike or マッハじてんしゃ in Japanese is a Key Item available in certain Pokémon games such as Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire. Mach Bike is a counterpart to Acro Bikes.
A Mach Bike is used by players to move faster than Acro Bikes or regular bicycles. It allows the player to move fast enough to clear certain puzzles involving Cracked Tiles without falling through them or going up muddy slopes provided that the bike has enough speed. However, if the bike hits an obstacle the speed automatically resets either making the player fall through the cracked tiles or preventing the player from going up the muddy slopes.
What is an Acro Bike?
Acro Bikes are the counterpart of Mach Bikes. Just like Mach Bikes they are also Key Items available in Pokémon games. ダートじてんしゃ is the Japanese word for Acro Bike which translates to Dirt Bike.
An Acro Bike has the same speed as that of a regular bike however, Acro bikes allow the players to perform stunts such as bunny hops and wheelies which allow players to reach areas that are otherwise not accessible. Acro bikes are easier to control than Mach Bikes.
Where to Find Mach or Acro Bike?
Players who have reached Mauville City are able to obtain the Mach or Acro Bike. The bikes will be given to the players after interacting with Rydel, the NPC who owns the bike shop in the North-West corner of the city. The players will be prompted to choose between the Mach or Acro Bike.
After choosing the Mach or Acro bike the item will be added to the players’ inventory. However, one need not worry as it is possible to switch between the Mach or Acro bike just by visiting Rydel in his shop, back in Mauville City.
Quick Tip – Registering an Item
If a player registers a key item in the game. then the feature gets mapped to a keystroke. This means that, if the player registers a key item that is frequently used such as the Mach or Acro Bike then it can be accessed with a single click of a button instead of navigating through the Start and Bag menus.
Mach or Acro Bike – Which is better?
While both the bikes have their own advantages they have their own disadvantages as well. Each of these items can be used to solve the puzzles and mini-games spread across the Hoenn Region either in order to progress through the main story or simply for some post-game fun.
Mach Bikes are known for their speed. This item allows the player to go up to 16 steps per second (in Generation VI). Due to its speed, one will find that it is very hard to control and turn a Mach Bike. However, its speed does allow a player to ride over Cracked tiles such as those in the Sky Pillar and climb up muddy slopes.
Acro Bikes are known for their nimble handling ability. Although the bike only allows the player to go up to 10.67 steps per second (in Generation VI), this item enables a player to perform stunts such as wheelies and bunny hops which, when paired together, allow the player to access specific areas in the Hoenn region which are inaccessible by foot or Mach Bike.
While different players and playstyles necessitate different bikes, it is important to note that the Mach Bike is required to progress through and finish the mainline story, whereas the Acro Bike is mostly used to gain access to areas that contain rare items (such as the Nuggets and Rare Candies present in the area to the West of Fortree City).
| Mach Bike | Acro Bike |
| Known for its speed | Known for its ability to do tricks |
| Needed to finish the main storyline | Mainly used to find rare items and reach inaccessible areas. |
| Hard to control | Easy to control |
| Goes up to 16 steps per second (in Generation VI) | Goes up to 10.67 steps per second (in Generation VI) |
| Can trigger the minigame in Cycling Road | Will not trigger the minigame in Cycling Road |
The Seaside Cycling Road Minigame
To the South of Mauville City, on Route 110, players will be able to ride through the Seaside Cycling Road, which is only accessible by a bike (Mach or Acro Bike). Having the Mach Bike specifically will trigger a minigame in which players have to navigate through the long, narrow, and winding road without stopping anywhere in between, a feat that demands timely, precise turns. Riding through the Cycling Road with an Acro Bike will not trigger this minigame, because, according to the NPC Biker who rates your performance at the end of the road, they are “… easy to turn, so it’s not fair”.
Mach or Acro Bike is required on the Seaside Cycling Road.
The game will record the time taken by the player to complete the Cycling Road as well as the number of collisions during the trip, and the biker at the end of the road will then inform the player of these details. In addition to being a fun minigame, the Cycling Road also acts as a way to easily and quickly bypass the grassy paths of Route 110 that lie below the road. There also are a few trainers to battle along the length of the Cycling Road!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Get Both Mach and Acro Bikes?
It is possible to get both Mach and Acro Bikes however a player is only allowed to have either of the two at a time.
How Do You Jump With Acro Bike?
Hold B Button (less than 2 seconds): standing wheelie.
Hold B Button (more than 2 seconds): bunny hop.
Hold B, then +Control Pad: moving wheelie or bunny hop.
Press B and +Control Pad direction (perpendicular to direction of travel) simultaneously: sideways hop.
Can acro bike jump ledges?
If there is a stepping stone near the ledge it is possible to hop up the ledge using an Acro Bike
Is Mach Bike faster?
Mach Bikes are faster than Acro Bikes however, they cannot be used to do tricks and are very hard to control.
Conclusion: Mach or Acro Bike?
Mastering both the Mach and the Acro Bike is needed if a player wants to fully explore the massive expanse of the Hoenn Region. Whether it’s for obtaining the Root or Claw Fossil in the Mirage Tower, interacting with (and eventually catching) Rayquaza atop the Sky Pillar, or climbing up rocky mountains, a player who wishes to leave no patch of Hoenn land unexplored has to master their maneuvering skills in the Mach Bike and their precision and accuracy skills in the Acro Bike.
This article has dived deep into the various mechanics surrounding the Mach and Acro Bikes in the various Pokémon games and hopefully has given you a better understanding of these crucial key items that make the games more fun and challenging!
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