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Rear Derailleur

4 Different Types of Mountain Bikes Explained

With mountain biking being a very popular sport, there are many bikes to choose from. Depending on what type of riding you like, the style of bikes you can choose from will vary. Below, you'll find tips on the different types of bikes available.

1. Cross country Almost all mountain bikes will fit into this category. Cross country mountain bikes are light weight, making them easy to ride over most terrains, even up and down hills. This is the most common mountain bike and it can be used with ease for riding on the path or even commuting.

2. Downhill These types of bikes are for serious bikers who crave the ultimate adventure. Downhill bikes have front and rear suspension, strong parts, and disc brakes. Rarely available off the shelf, most riders like to custom build their own.

3. Trials Trail mountain biking involves a great degree of skill and is classified as the precision riding of the sport. Similiar to downhill bikes, trial riders will often build their own bikes rather than purchase one off a shelf. Generally very light and very strong, these bikes require a lot of discipline.

4. Jump and slalom Slalom and jump bikes are very strong and designed for jumping, street racing, and slalom. They offer a front suspension and use very strong components dedicated to what they do. These bikes are very popular with the sport of mountain biking.

Even if you are new to mountain biking, the sport can be a lot of fun. There are several bikes to choose from, all of which depend on your style. If you are still looking for the best style for you, all you have to do is try out several bikes and see which one suites you the best.

Buying A Mountain Bike:
It can be a bit frustrating as well as time consuming when you buy a mountain bike. Below, you'll find some tips and things to be aware of before you lay down the cash and buy a mountain bike.

Determining your price: There is really no limit as to how much money you can spend on a new mountain bike. To help you keep your spending under control, you should figure out what your price range is and how much your willing to pay for a new bike.

When you buy, you shouldn't buy from mass merchant stores such as Wal-Mart. You should instead support your local bike shop and get a much better bike and much better service.

Finding your style:
All mountain bikes are designed with several different riding styles and terrain types in mind. You'll need to figure out what type of riding you will be doing the most.

Smooth riding, cross country racing, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill is something you need to figure out. Make sure that the bike you select fits your personal style and not that of the sale's staff.

Full suspension or hard tail:
If you can afford it, a full Suspension Mountain Bike is always worth the purchase. A hard tail, without rear suspension, is much lighter weight and pedal more efficiently, although full suspensions offer more comfort and overall better control.

You'll want to make that decision based on your price range, riding style, and the type of terrain you'll be riding on the most. Finding your favorites: Comparing mountain bikes component to component is nearly impossible, as there are far too many combinations available.

The best way to go about doing this is finding a few components that are the most important to you and making sure the rest or the minimums fall within your price range. You can start with the fork then look at the wheels and rear derailleur.

Sales and seasons:
During the year, the prices of mountain bikes can fluctuate quite a bit. Spring through summer is the main buying season. If you can wait until the right price pops up, normally in the fall and winter, you can save a couple hundred dollars.

Many bike shops will also offer discounts or other accessories if you buy from them. Finding a good dealer: Finding a good bike dealer is more important than finding the best price. You should always find a dealer that cares more about selling you a great bike than selling you a high priced one. A great dealer will have a clean repair shop and give you the impression that you can really trust them.

Test ride:
You should test ride as many bikes as you can within your price range and riding style. You'll find that some bikes will feel right, while others won't. The more bikes you can test drive, you better you'll understand what works and what doesn't.

Doing the research: Product reviews and bike reviews are some of the best ways to find out about a mountain bikes reliability and overall performance. You should always look at what other owners and reviews think about a bike before you make that final purchase.

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SRAM vs Shimano Rear Derailleur Test