A full shock system is critical on a mountain bike. This is important as it helps with a smoother ride when going over difficult terrain. A mountain bike with a full suspension will have a rear suspension along with a front suspension. Hard tail mountain bikes have a shock system in place of the front fork and a solid rear fork. Bikes without a suspension at all tend to be fairly lower end mountain bikes.

Mountain bikes with both descending and climbing ability are usually ideal for cross country riders. The most movement that you would usually get on this type of bike is about 4 inches in the rear suspension. When travelling over different terrain a greater number of gears are require to make it easier to navigate, because of this most cross country mountain bikes have 28 gears.

More robust bikes are available in the shape of a trial bike for the more technical rider. The movement in the suspension can be between 4 inches and 7 inches. The increase in movement makes it more difficult when pedalling uphill but makes for a lot smoother ride. You will need to decide whether it is worth having a smoother ride against the struggle of pedalling uphill. There is loads of information, news and resources to be found online at Trek Track Bikes.

Specific downhill mountain bikes can expect up to 8 inches in suspension movement. These type of bikes are generally design for downhill racing. A downhill bike with more movement in the suspension is easier to control going downhill but a lot more difficult to pedal going uphill.

A dirt jump bike is another version of a mountain bike. A dirt jump bike are used for jumping and only have a front suspension. These type of bikes are built for speed and usually come with 16 gears.

Mountain Bikes are unrecognisable from their early ancestors of the 1970s thanks to the advancement of new technologies. Mountain bike frames were originally based on road bikes, but the technology soon had to evolve to meet the unique demands of rough terrain and difficult conditions.

Nowadays mountain bikes are bristling with technological bits and bobs, all designed to make riding easier and more accessible. This means you can take on harder trails, higher risk and a hell of a lot more fun.

Gears
Take as much of the strain away from your legs with up to 27 gears on many mountain bikes.

Suspension
Your bike’s suspension lets you tackle those tricky obstacles with less effort and more control. As a minimum your bike will come fitted with front suspension which is great for bumpy downhill tracks. For the seriously rough stuff you will need a full suspension bike as this will be much easier to ride.

Frames
Your bike is literally built around the frame and as your bikes gets put through its paces, so does your frame. Your frame must be able to take the increased demands so stronger materials are used along with new styles and designs. But it’s no good having an indestructible frame if it’s too heavy to use; it needs to be light enough for you to be able to respond quickly to those last minute detours.

Brakes
Disc brakes are found on even budget mountain bikes these days. Fitted to the centre of the wheel they stay well away from all that mud and dirt, making them more durable, efficient and reliable.

Tyres
Chunky tyres with thick treads make mountain bikes tyres very different to road bikes. These bigger tyres provide better grip and greater stability particularly when travelling at high speed. Many serious mountain bikers will use different tyres for different conditions.

Women-Specific
Women’s bikes are tailored to a woman’s size and shape. These bikes are much more suited to the smaller size and shape of women as they have reduced frame sizes and better saddles. Many brands now offer both men and women’s bikes enabling ladies to try both to see which is most comfortable and best suited to their needs.