The Right Bike for You

Now that you have decided to buy a bike, which type should you pick?


Trail bikes or light-duty mountain bikes:
Similar looks and features as mountain bikes, but usually not as light, rugged, nor expensive as real mountain bikes. This bike is fine for trail and road use but won’t take the abuse mountain bikes can. Ideal for commuters, family and recreational riding.


Comfort bikes:
Similar to light mountain/trail bikes, but with less distance between seats and handlebars, a higher front end for more upright seating. Usually have shock-absorbing seat posts for seat comfort, some have flexible, shock absorbing handlebar stems or telescoping, shock absorbing front forks, wider, softer saddles, and wide pedals. Ideal for comfortable recreation, trail, commuter users. Very popular with adults wanting more comfort and more upright seating.


Mountain bikes:
Have rugged stronger components and frames, intended for rougher, off-road riding in rugged terrain, over rocks and logs, but are often used on-road. Have fat knobby tires for more traction and cushion, flatter-profile handlebars for a more leaned-over seating position, very low gears for easier hill climbing. Some have suspension systems for greater shock absorption. This bike is for riders wanting the off-road experience on a bike.


Road, touring, and comfort bikes:
Built for pavement riding, increased aerodynamics, and speed. Have smoother, narrow tires, turned-down handlebars, and often skinny saddles. For riders wanting more speed, to ride longer distances, or a more aerobically intense workout. Road models are usually lighter with a slightly shorter wheelbase length for more nimble, quick response. Touring models have a longer wheelbase, increased road-shock absorbency, and various threaded eyelets for attaching carrying racks and bags.


Hybrid or cross bikes:
Combines mountain-bike seating and handlebar position with wider tires on road-bike diameter wheels. Excellent for use on both pavement and dirt trails, but not intended to be a great road bike or mountain bike. Some have shock seat posts and handlebar stems and either straight-across handlebars (causing riders to lean slightly forward), or cruiser bars curving back towards the rider (who sits more upright). More expensive models have front telescoping shock absorber forks. This bike is enjoyed by serious and recreation riders riding more on pavement who want more nimbleness and speed.


Cruisers:
Fat tire bikes. Usually heavier bikes with one speed and coaster brakes, or multi-speed with hand brakes, wide tires, upright handlebars and seating position. For road, boardwalks and riders who want a bike “like I had as a kid!”

Beggining Mountain Biking

Mountain bikes are among the strongest and most rugged bicycles that you can find. The reason that these bikes are so strong is that they are ridden on some very tough terrain, including steep inclines, dirt tracks, and pebbles. In most cases, mountain bikers do not ride on smoothly paved roads, rather they ride on hilly and uneven terrain that can be quite rough on a bicycle. Mountain bikers get a big thrill in riding on unpaved, rough terrain, even though this is hard on a bicycle. That is why many manufacturers have made sturdier bikes for this purpose.

The tires on a mountain bike are thicker and fatter than normal bike tires. They are also made of more durable rubber that gives the rider added traction and control on uneven surfaces.

Suspension is another very essential feature of a mountain bike. A strong suspension system is essential for a mountain bike so that the rider can better handle the ups and downs that occur when riding on uneven terrain.

Mountain bikes can be separated into several different categories that are founded upon the type of suspension that they have. The classifications are dual suspension, hard tails, soft tails, and fully rigid bikes. Rigid bikes feature a rigid fork. Soft-tailed bikes have a rear suspension that pivots on the frame. Hard-tailed bikes feature a front suspension fork. Suspension bikes have either front, rear, or dual suspension systems. These bikes also feature a shock absorber in the rear, in addition to a linkage.

Lighter weight material and materials that are more resilient are the norm for a cross-country mountain bike. You can find a cross-country bike that can weight anywhere from 20-40 pounds, depending upon your needs. An all-mountain or Enduro bike will usually be heavier than a cross-country bike. These bikes range in weight from 30-35 pounds. These bikes feature a suspension that will enable you to maneuver around hairpin turns and climb up hills much easier.

Heavier and stronger materials are used to build a free ride mountain bike. They are made to help make pedaling easier, so that you can easily move around anything that is in your way and you can make sharp turns. They weigh in at around 45 pounds, which decreases their efficiency over other cross-country bikes.

For downhill tracks or race courses, you will want to choose a downhill mountain bike. They offer you better traction than the other varieties of mountain bikes for maximum control and speed.

If short distance riding is your game, then a trial bike is probably the one for you. They lack suspension and do not have a seat or vestigial pad. They are also much lighter than other bikes for maximum speed. They weigh in at about 20 pounds.

Between mountain and trial bikes, you will find Street Mountain, Dirt Jumping, and Urban Bikes. These bikes are extremely touch and feature anywhere from one to nine gears with a chain guide for the front and rear gears.

Choosing The Right Tire For Your MTB

One of the most important components on your mountain bike is your tires. They grip the ground and provide the traction you need on different surfaces. Most mountain bike riders look for light weight, strength and traction in a tire and many advanced riders even have multiple sets of tires for different riding conditions.

So what tire is right for your mountain bike and riding style? With so many different manufactures and models to choose from which one is right for you? These are not easy questions to answer so hopefully we can provide some insight to get you moving in the right direction. Mountain bike parts are not cheap and you want to make the right decision.

Tire Construction:

Consider a Kevlar bead or folding tire - A Kevlar tire weighs an estimated 60-80 grams less then a conventional none folding tire. It does not sound like much of a weight savings but multiple that number by two and then consider the rotating weight. For an extra couple of dollar, in my opinion, it is worth spending the extra money.



Terrain and Tread patterns:

Determine where you are going to ride and how you are going to use the bike. As an example will you be riding on the local trails that are hard packed dirt or on slick rock?


* For hard packed terrain consider a narrower and smooth tire. As an example a tire that is 1.8 to 2.0 wide.

* For hard packed terrain with a good mix of rocks you might want to consider a wider and smooth tire. As an example a tire that is wider then 2.0.

* For loosely packed terrain consider a knobby tire. Choose a tire with a really aggressive pattern as this will help you gain maximum traction in the dirt. You might also want to consider tires that are designed for the front and rear of the bike.

* For muddy terrain consider a narrow tire. Narrow tires will reach the bottom of the mud and create less resistance when turning making it easier for you to move forward.

* For all terrain tires there are so many choices to consider. Many of the major tire manufacturers make very good tires that are great for all conditions.


Riders Body Size:

Consider your body size. If you are heavier you might want to consider a wider tire.

Where to buy:

You can buy your tires at a bike store, order them from an online website or from an individual sell tires posted on a mountain bike classifieds website.

The information above is a rough guide on what to consider when buying new mountain bike tires. Many bikes stores that have bikes for sale and bike parts can also give you their opinion. Talk to your friends and read online forums to see what other riders like and don’t like. The more information you have the better.

See you on the trail.