Mountain Biking Guide - Choosing your Mountain Bike!

If you are looking to choose a mountain bike, and want to actually use it off road, this is the guide for you. If you just want a mountain bike because they look cooler than road bikes, but you arent going to use it off road... Keep looking.

First things first is budget.
If you want a good bike with a budget less than 600-700, then you are better off buying second hand, and/or online.
It really help to have a LBS (Local bike Shop) handy until you learn how to fit/fix things yourself, particularly if you arent buying new.

Budget explained:
Budget is less than 700 = Buy Used, dont buy new
Budget is more than 700 = Consider buying new, but used retains its value in terms of quality of parts for you money

As far as i'm conserned its not worth buying new unless you literally have an unlimited budget, because you will end up with better parts for the same price if you keep your eyes on ebay.



Secondly, Hardtail or Full-Suspension?

I would reccommend hardtail because its much less forgiving to learn on, so you learn faster, it helps you to develop your own style and riding position, which you can then go on to use on a full-suspension bike.
If you plan on throwing yourself in at the deep end and chucking yourself down steep slopes soon after you begin, and enduro, DH (downhill) or freeride bike is the best for you, though these are often quite expensive. The Kona stinky is a good bike in this field. I would also reccommend the Specialized Pitch (new out this year). The pitch is a very good bike for the money and it has some great components. If you want a Hardtail, but you dont want to have to stick to XC riding (cross country) then you should look for a bike with forks that have atleast 100mm travel.

Suspension:

In terms of forks, avoid anything 'ballistic', 'zoom', 'RST', 'Suntour', 'SR Suntour' unless you plan to upgrade them. I would stick to marzocchi, manitou, rockshox and fox. Though i favour Rockshox.

Rear shocks are usually paired with the forks and so will be of the same or a similar standard. I know little about rear shocks as i currently only run hardtails, but 'X' shocks are ok (they come with some of the lower end pinnacle full suspension models). Again, if you can afford it, fox, and rockshox are very good in these fields (I dont know if marzocchi or manitou make rear shocks).

Derailleurs:

I would stick to: Shimano: deore, deore/lx, deore/xt, xt, xtr
OR
SRAM: x-7, x-9, x-0.

Brakes:

If you can get disk brakes they improve braking dramatically, and if you dont get a bike with disk brakes, i would make sure that the frame and the forks (unless you plan to upgrade them anyway) have disc mounts - either I.S (international standard) or Post mounts are common, others are to be avoided; and unless you plan to change the wheelset (or pay for any hubs to be fitted, which is very expensive), then make sure the wheels have disk hubs because you are likely to want to upgrade later. Avid juicies are very good, as are avid codes apparently. Hope are apparently very good, hayes are ok. Hydraulic disk brakes are reccommended, they have much more braking power than mechanincal disk brakes (and of course dont rely on cables which can get rusty and clogged up).

Wheels:

For a beginner it doesnt make that much difference, but for those with a larger budget; mavic are excellent, alexrims are great (often supplied with specialized bikes), sunnrims are apparently very good. In terms of hubs, mavic definately rule, but shimano deore, lx, xt, xtr are all good too.

Tyres, if upgrading go for schwalbe and choose a tyre designed for your riding (i dont suggest tubeless though). Bontrager jones as stock is great for a back tyre.

Other hardware; Bontrager are the best if you ask me but again, mavic are very good too!


Things to make sure:
Ensure the wheels are 'true' (that they arent bent)
Ensure the gears work, or prepare to possibly have to replace derailleurs (xt shadow is my favourite for the rear and is no too expensive)
Make sure the frame is not cracked or badly damaged (anything more than scratches or paint chips)


I would ALWAYS reccommend trying a part or a bike out at a LBS before you buy, even if you do decide to buy online/secong hand.