Mountain Bikes

The mountain bike will always be a popular bike

Availability

The following brands have mountain bikes in their range...

Giant, Diamondback, Claud-Butler, Landrover, Raleigh, Kona, Gary Kisher, Santa Cruz

General Mountain Bikes

From their earliest years in the hands of Californian hippies, the Mountain bike has been a exceedingly popular bike. These days, they are as likely to be seen on the streets of your local urban environment as they are on the hills and mountain tracks for which they were designed.

The bike companies have taken this into account and design budget versions that can cope with little more than a drop of a curb, let alone the descent from the top of Snowdon

Mountain bikes are often used for commuting, and their rugged nature means they cope well with the potholed streets put to them, although it can be a little like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Recreational Mountain Bikes

Designed for: Fire Roads, Rail Trails, Bike Paths

The typical recreational mountain bike has a heavier steel frame and doesn't include a front suspension fork or wheels and components designed for long-term, off- road abuse. Preferred by riders who like the look and feel of a mountain bike - but don't intend to do much, if any, serious off-road riding.

Cross Country Hardtail Mountain Bikes

Cross Country Hardtail Mountain bikes are called hard- tails because they have suspension in the front fork only. Their lighter frames, medium-travel front suspension and off-road quality wheels and components make them the lightest, nimblest and best-climbing class of mountain bikes. The choice of riders who prefer hardtail speed to full suspension comfort.

Cross Country Full Suspension Mountain Bikes

With medium-travel suspension on both the front and rear, Cross-Country Full Suspension bikes absorb more bumps than their hardtail cousins and take the edge off of rougher rides. The extra suspension and weight to the bike and, in some models, can compromise uphill performance. Preferred by mountain bikers who believe in some gain with less pain.

Down Hil Mountain Bikes

To absorb intense bumps at full-bore downhill speeds, Downhill Long Travel bikes feature heavy-duty frame construction and long travel front or full suspension. That extra insurance carries weight and uphill performance penalties - but there's nothing faster or more stable to ride down an otherwise un-ridable slope. Preferred by riders with no awareness of their own mortality