Riding a bike is the passion of many people. Many people, from youngsters to the elderly, are huge fans of bicycles. For those who love to go out on rough and uneven terrain, mountain bikes are their go-to choice. These bikes are extremely sturdy and versatile.
But it is difficult to spot the perfect mountain bike as you must consider many factors beforehand. Otherwise, you will either have a bike that does not suit you or a bike you cannot ride. But that will not be a problem once you go through the tips we will provide regarding mountain bikes. But before that, you need to clearly understand what mountain bikes are.
What is a Mountain Bike?
A mountain bike is a bicycle designed for climbing mountains fairly easily. They have multiple gears that make it easy to climb rugged terrain. Their wide tires have excellent grip so sticking to the rocky terrain is also reasonably easy.
Mountain bikes are considered to be the best friend of mountain climbers. Since the road is very rocky, the bike is made with a very sturdy yet light material. A regular bike cannot withstand the pressure and constant jerking of these roads and would break apart easily.
How To Buy The Right Mountain Bike?
Knowing the basics of a mountain bike, such as its sturdy frame, wide tires, and gear system, is very essential if you want to buy the perfect bike. Since we have already discussed that, let us look at a list of tips to help you buy the proper mountain bike.
1. Types of Bikes
There is a subcategory of mountain bikes, and each has its own purpose. We will go through them with key details to give you a general idea. Check out these mountain bikes at any local bike store and pick the one you think goes well with you.
XC Bikes
These mountain bikes have very good suspension and pedaling efficiency. This means they are perfect if you want to race down the mountain. However, not the best choice when going uphill.
Trail Bikes
These are the standard all rounder mountain bikes that can do it all. They have good suspension, a strong grip with wider tires than XC, and a sturdy frame.
Enduro Bikes
These bikes are much heavier compared to the other two, making them much more stable if you want to do air tricks along your track. A very bad choice if you are a beginner in mountain climbing with bikes.
Downhill Bikes
Also known as freeride mountain bikes, these bikes are your top-notch speed demons. With the best suspension kit and sturdy frame, these bikes allow you to breeze through the tracks and blinding speed. Most professionals are very fond of these bikes, so they are not a good choice for newbies.
2. Budget
Bikes are not as expensive as cars or motorcycles, but they are not very cheap either. Since mountain bikes are specifically tuned for mountain tracks and off-road travel, they are made with a different material than a regular bike, which makes the price vary a lot.
But generally, you can get a sturdy mountain bike if you spend around 500-600 USD. Bikes can range from 300 USD up to 10,000 USD or more. The higher the price, the better the performance.
Allocating the perfect budget is crucial when choosing the right bike that suits your style. But you can stay in the middle and get a decent bike. It will serve its purpose fairly well.
3. Tire Size
Something as simple as the size of the bike’s tire can also heavily impact your riding experience. Each tire type serves different purpose.
There are mainly two types of tires. The 27.5 inch towers, and the 29 inch tires. These can both be found at The Bike Tyre Shop. Since the first type of tires are relatively small, they are easier to control and perfect for going uphill. The larger tires have a bigger circumference, allowing them to reach better speed, perfect for going downhill.
4. Suspension Travel
Suspension travel means how much the suspension goes up and down as you ride the harsh terrain. The general range for suspension travel can be as low as 80 mm up to 200 mm. So, what is the difference? Generally, lower suspension travel means your bike will feel shaky and hard to control, but it will take less force to pedal. But a higher suspension travel will allow you much more comfortable riding, but you need to put a lot of force on the pedal.
For beginners, the perfect suspension travel for a mountain bike would be 140 mm. not too high, not too low.
5. Heavier Bikes Are Better
Although you do not need to pay much attention to the bike’s weight, getting one that is slightly heavier is important. There are a lot of reasons behind it.
First, the tracks will have a lot of rocks and travel. A lighter bike will shake, and it will be hard to control. So, your speed, steering, and cornering will suffer. A heavier bike negates these issues as they stick to the road firmly. Plus, heavier bikes come with better attachments and accessories.
6. Bike Size
Bikes can go from 13 inches in height (x-small), to 24 inches (xx-large). Depending on your height, you need to find the perfect bike. People with average height generally go for either 22-inch or 24-inch bikes. But if you feel that you are not comfortable driving higher bikes, then you can definitely go for smaller ones, such as the most commonly used 18 or 20-inch bikes.
Final Thoughts
Mountain bikes are an excellent way to go from point A to point B. They are especially good while climbing mountains as walking up a mountain is much more tiring. But without the right bike, you will feel more stressed than walking up on steep terrain.
Hope this article will help you find the right bike and make your mountain climbing experience much more exciting.
