Choosing your first mountain bike is not always as straight forward as you might think. You will need to carefully consider how you will be using the bike, in what kinds of terrain and, of course how much you are prepared to pay. This mountain bike guide is intended to help you choose your first mountain bike and hopefully, help you to make the right decision the first time.

For easy riding in the local park you won't want an expensive bike and many of the cheaper bikes will be suitable. If you will be going off road then you'll need bigger tires and for even rougher terrain a good suspension. Brakes should be V-brakes and Shimano gears are the most popular. Other components will depend on how much you are spending and how rough the terrain where you will be riding. You can inspect mountain bikes at a local bike shop but you would be best to then research on the net for a cheaper price once you decide which one you prefer.

Off Road Mountain Biking

For off road riding on rough tracks in the forest or on a dry river bed you'll need a light bike with a good suspension. Choose Shimano components if possible and V-brakes, rapid fire gear shifters and alloy handle bars, seat pins and stem. Check how comfortable the seat is as you could be riding for long periods over rough terrain. A light bike that handles well is essential for going up hill and coming down again. Buy the best you can afford for durability and good handling as the extra is well worth it in terms of the enjoyment you will gain.

Mountain Bike Racing

For racing you will need a more expensive mountain bike, preferably from the top manufacturers such as Cannondale, Trek, Giant or Specialized. They are good bikes at a reasonable price with great frames, Shimano or SPAM gears, cable disc brakes or V-brakes and are light and easy to handle. Wheels and hubs can come in a variety of combinations the most popular choice being rims from Mavic with Shimano hubs. Suspension forks may be made by Fox, RST, RockShox, Manitou, Marzocchi or Suntour. You can find great racing mountain bikes with any of these forks.

Professional Mountain Biking

Professional mountain bikes a much more expensive with manufacturers offering to put together a bike to your specifications. The most sought after frames are from Rocky Mountain, Santa Cruz, Klien, K2 and Scott and the very best forks from RockShox are light and give excellent control. Shimano Rapid Fire gears or Spam gears are the best and you could choose either light alloy or carbon cranks. Hydraulic disc brakes from Pace, Magura or Hayes are popular as well as V-brakes. Very light carbon wheels are also available but they do not stand up to abuse as well as regular wheels so you may want to sacrifice lightness for reliability and durability. For handle bars, seat pin and stem you could also opt for carbon.

Conclusion

We hope this mountain bike guide has helped you to make the right decision when you are buying a mountain bike for the first time. Remember that you get what you pay for so buy the best bike you can afford that fits your needs and you will enjoy riding it for a very long time.

Image by Thorne Enterprises