Only their names and a picture are shown on the rider selection screen, and there is nothing in the manual that describes their relative strengths and weaknesses. Control is relatively straightforward, the only exception being a power meter that must be charged up prior to a jump in order to achieve maximum air. Tricks are performed through various combinations of direction pad and button presses and aren't particularly complicated. Yes, in a nod to Road Rash, you can fight your way down the slope. Now THAT would be fun.
Fighting adds little if anything to the single player game and, fortunately, can be toggled off.
Board selection has a lot to do with how precise the control is, but I found it to be on the loose side even when using the proper board. The other problem control-wise is that it's possible to get stuck against an obstacle and, once you do, it can be very difficult to free yourself. I finished a full minute behind the pack in a two minute race because I became entangled with a protruding branch from a fallen tree and wasn't able to extract myself from it. Also frustrating is the collision detection, or lack thereof. Most obstacles that you run into will indeed wipe you out, but it's possible to run right through many trees with nary a scratch.