| How To Choose A Mountain Bike That More Fits With | | | | or cable disc brakes, both are very good and light, |
| Your Needs | | | | most of the other MTB parts, of course will be |
| How to choose a mountain bike depends on what you | | | | Shimano and as usual get the best you can afford. |
| are going to do with it, if all you want your new | | | | There are many combinations of hubs and rims to |
| mountain bike for is going for a nice leisurely ride on | | | | make up your wheels; hubs from Shimano and rims |
| the canal path or a ride in the woods with the dog, well | | | | form Mavic are the usual mix. Then you have to |
| you wont need a full suspension downhill machine with | | | | choose which suspension forks to put on you bike, you |
| 4 inch travel on the forks and a fully articulated rear | | | | may not get a choice, depending on which bike you |
| end with damping and rebound control. | | | | buy, the main ones are Suntour, Marzocchi, Manitou, |
| Where to Start From. | | | | Fox, RockShox and RST, buy any of these and you |
| If you do want to go for an easy ride in the park you | | | | wont go far wrong. |
| don't need to spend too much, if you think you will do | | | | Top Bikes, Top Money. |
| any off-road riding then big tread tires maybe all you | | | | If you want what the professionals ride you will have |
| need, but if you think you might try some rough stuff | | | | to pay a lot of money a professional MTB. As with |
| then you will need suspension. Gears will probably be | | | | road bike at the top of the range, you can specify |
| Shimano, brakes must be V-brakes, but could be | | | | what you want to build up your dream bike. Top bikes |
| made by a few different manufacturers, all the rest of | | | | frames to spend your money on could be Klien, Scott, |
| the MTB components will depend on how much you | | | | Rocky Mountain, Gary Fisher, Santa Cruz and K2; |
| can spend. If you go to your local bike shop or big | | | | these are some of the most sought after bike frames |
| sports store and see what they've got to offer, then | | | | in the world and would be the envy of your friends. |
| buy it or have look on the Internet and maybe you'll | | | | Probably the best forks to put on your frame would |
| find the same thing at a better price. | | | | be RockShox SID's these are light and do all the things |
| The Next Step Up. | | | | you need with control of all functions, there are many |
| So maybe you want to be a bit more adventurous, | | | | other to also to consider, look at how much travel they |
| more off-road, more forest tracks and dry boulder | | | | have and the rebound and damping systems. Gears |
| river beds, then you'll need something a little lighter, with | | | | again will be either SRAM or Shimano Rapid fire, XT |
| suspension forks. All this will cost you more money, but | | | | or XTR, more money could be spent on carbon or |
| will be worth it for the extra enjoyment and adventure. | | | | very light alloy cranks, the brakes should be hydraulic |
| With a better mountain bike it will have a sportier | | | | discs from Hayes, Pace or Magura or stick to the |
| handling and because it is lighter, it will be easier to | | | | trusted V-bakes. Wheels from Shimano or Mavic or |
| struggle up the hills before you come flying down the | | | | some fancy carbon wheels, but remember they will |
| other side. The components will again be Shimano and | | | | have to take a lot of punishment, so maybe better to |
| the quality will depend on how much money you can | | | | go for reliability over light weight expense. Carbon |
| spend. V-brakes and Rapid-fire gear shifters, along | | | | handle bars, stem and seat pin and a light weight race |
| with Shimano chain set, bottom bracket and headset. | | | | saddle and Time or Shimano SPD clipless pedals, then |
| Handle bars, stem and seat pin should be alloy and | | | | your choice of tires will depend on what terrain and |
| along with a comfortable saddle you'll be set to take to | | | | ground conditions you are going to ride on. |
| the hills. | | | | And Downhilling? |
| More Money, More Bike. | | | | Downhill bikes are very different, more like a cross |
| The next rung up on the mountain bike ladder would | | | | country motor bike, but without the engine, low center |
| be good enough to race on. There are many to | | | | of gravity and a lot of travel on the suspension on the |
| choose from, get on the net and surf the bike | | | | forks and the rear end, disc brakes, wide rims and fat |
| manufacturers sites and all the shop sites along with | | | | tires, gears are only at the back as usually a single |
| the magazines for juicy photos of the bikes. The top | | | | chain set is used. Unless your going to do a lot of |
| manufacturers in this price range, I would say are: - | | | | downhill racing then there isn't much point in buying one |
| Trek, Giant, Specialized and Cannondale, these | | | | as you have to get up the hill first before you can |
| companies make the nicest frames with the best | | | | come down and as light weight is not an issue with |
| mountain bike parts available at the price, gears will be | | | | downhill bikes, they are very heavy to get up hill with |
| either Shimano or SRAM, brakes could be V-brakes | | | | out the use of a tow rope or a ski lift. |