Mountain Bike
Firstly why choose a mountain bike? Mountain bikes are the most popular bikes to purchase, a rider's Mt Bike will allow him or her full control of where he wants to go. The mountain bike rider can ride his bicycle on the road, the beaten track, up a mountain and even through the water fords. Mtbs are basically the all purpose bike for nearly any occasion. Selecting the right mountain bike for your style of riding will greatly affect your level of enjoyment.
There are three main types of Mountain Bikes: The Rigid Mountain Bike, the Hard Tail Mountain Bike and the Dual Suspension Mountain Bike. Each individual name is referring to the type of suspension on the Mountain Bike which plays a major part in not only the comfort, but what is best suited for the style of Mountain Biking you will be doing. Detailed information is provided on the Rigid and Hard Tail Mountain Bikes below and for more on Dual Suspension Mountain Bikes click here.
Mountain bikes are built for riding on the beaten track. They have tough frames, good brakes, knobby tyres and lots of gears. The table below outlines the key characteristics of both the Rigid and Hardtail mountain bike.
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Rigid Mountain Bike |
This mountain bike is mainly for the everyday rider that wants an easy job of riding on the road and occasionally going off the road. The stiff frame of this mountain bike as with most mountain bikes provides the rider with stability when going over those unseen bumps. One thing worth noting, is that there is no suspension on these bicycles which means that you will feel every bump that you go over, but then again if you don't plan on using your mountain bike for off road riding it does not really matter.
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| Hard Tail Mountain Bike | This mountain bike will offer the rider that extra bit of comfort for normal road riding as well as provide better performance for off road riding. The suspension for the bicycle is on the front fork to allow the user to take the larger bumps from off road a lot better, as the mountain bike will come down on the front wheel. This bicycle however is not suitable for purely off road riding, on those big dirt tracks – if this is what you want to do then the dual mountain bike is for you. |
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Mountain Bike Brands
There a huge range of different Mountain Bike Brands available. Some of these brands offer a complete range of bikes to suit every terrain and activity while some specialise in particular areas. Some of the world's most popular brands are:
- Cannondale
- Mongoose
- Giant
- Malvern Star
- Avanti
- Trek
- Merida
- Haro
When purchasing a mountain bike there are other multiple factors to consider.
| Budget | Mountain bikes can be expensive, make your budget first and then choose a mountain bike that not only fits it but also suits your style of riding. |
| Size | Make sure the mountain bike fits you and is the correct size for your height. Ask someone at the local bike shop what size mountain bike you should purchase. |
| Comparison | Compare different brands and models of mountain bikes, this will make it easier to find the Mountain bike that you like. |
If you have any specific questions about our Mountain bike range, or would simply like to hear more about what makes Mountain bikes so much fun, please feel free to contact us directly.
