Which Mountain Bike is Right For You?
With a wide variety to choose from, here's how to find the one that will suit you best.
So what's mountain biking all about?
Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can lead to a lifetime of fun, fitness and adventure in the great outdoors. Vigorous riding can burn over four hundred calories an hour and is an excellent full-body workout, especially the legs and core muscles but also the arms, back and shoulders. With a mountain bike you can explore further and deeper into the back country, and once you've experienced the thrill of buzzing through the forest on two wheels you may never want to stop.
What do you want your bike to do?
Mountain bikes are bicycles that have evolved into off-road machines. Their common purpose is to make an enjoyable ride on varied terrain. That being said, not all mountain bikes are created equal. What will you be doing on your mountain bike? Will you be using it for transportation? Leisurely trail rides? Pushing the limits of your fitness (and sanity?) Competing in races? Some mountain bikes are good all-around rides, and some are designed for specific purposes. Read on to decide which type is best for you.
Cross Country Bikes: all-purpose, all fun
Cross country bikes are meant to be strong all-around bikes, light and agile enough to climb tough uphills and sturdy enough to make it back down. They can be either full-suspension or hardtail (only front suspension.) The full suspension models smooth out the bumps for a more comfortable, less jarring ride, but add some extra weight. Cross country bikes feature a 24 or 27-speed drivetrain for a wide variety of gears, making it possible to climb long, steep, obstacle-lined trails. Many come standard with clipless pedals which allow riders using special cleats on their shoes to snap into the pedals like a ski boot on a binding for extra pedal power. They work great for commuting and can handle road gravel, potholes, wet roads, and curbs that would make a road bike crash like a sack of bricks. They are also the weapon of choice for elite cross-country racing, like the Giant XTC ($1,150) or the full-suspension Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Carbon ($5,699.) The entry-level Giant Boulder ($350.99) gets great consumer reviews and will work fine for most beginner to intermediate trails, and the Mongoose Otero Elite is an awesome entry-level full suspension bike for $699. If you're new to mountain biking and want a bike that is versatile, fun and affordable, check out a cross country bike.
Trail Bikes: let the games begin.
With trail bikes, getting there is half the fun. These are bikes that are built for all day rides on punishing trails. They are strong and comfortable to ride, but still light enough to pedal all day. Like cross country bikes they feature a full range of gears but sacrifice some of the light weight for stronger components, fatter tires, snappier disc brakes and plusher suspension. This makes the uphills slightly tougher but the downhills are WAY more fun. You may find yourself launching over rocks and fallen trees that you would have been forced to ride around or walk over on a cross country bike. On the road these bikes will be slower due to their big tires and squishy suspension but they will still get the job done. If all-day adventure on challenging trails is your thing, check out the Kona Dawg ($1,899) or the Santa Cruz Blur LT ($2,699.)
Freeride Bikes: Go big or go home
Question: what can bomb down impossibly steep slopes, land big vertical drops, launch over massive jumps with confidence, and still pedal out to the next destination? Answer: it's a freeride bike! Freeride bikes are built for riders who ride the trail like it's their own personal amusement park. They feature fat tires, disc brakes, and between six and eight inches of suspension travel to take the big hits. They usually come equipped with two front chainrings for a modest range of gears and a frame geometry that puts the rider's weight over the rear wheel yet still allows for efficient pedaling. These bikes are the weapon of choice for chairlift-accessed bike parks. Riders can have a blast on man-made wooden ramps, teeter-totters and drop-offs, and they can inspire confidence on dirt jumps. Have your buddies tape your escapades on a hand-held digital camera and put it on youtube when you get home. In a pinch they can work for longer trail rides but the hefty weight and extra bounce make will make you sweat going up the hills. If you have access to gnarly terrain and want a bike that can handle it, a freeride bike is for you. For anything else, a freeride bike is probably overkill. If you're up for the challenge, look at the Santa Cruz Bullit ($2,798.95,) the Kona Coilair ($1,999) or the hand-built Rocky Mountain Switch ($3,695.95)
