Bike riding is not only entertaining, but it can also assist you in enhancing your fitness, stamina, and coordination while also taking you to the most beautiful locations on the planet.
Don’t you know how to buy a mountain bike? Purchasing a mountain bike is a huge deal, particularly when it is your first. A mountain bike may be a daunting investment due to the wide range of options and sky-high pricing. Don’t freak out. Begin here. So, read on for our top suggestions on how to buy a mountain bike to get your adventure.
Kind of Mountain Bike
Choose the sort of mountain bike you want. Mountain bikes come in a variety of styles. Each kind focuses on a specific riding style. According to your desired purpose, determine if you want a cross country bike, trail bike, freeride bike, downhill bike, or trial/dirt jumping bike. If you’re a beginner at mountain riding and just want a basic mountain bike, go for a trail bike.
- Cross-Country Mountain Bikes
- Trail Mountain Bikes
- Enduro or All-Mountain Bike
- Freeride Mountain Bikes
- Downhill Mountain Bikes
- Dirt Jumping or Trial Bikes
- Single Speed Bike
Suspension
Choose the suspension you need. The suspension lessens shocks; therefore, you do not even experience all of the bumps on the road. Mountain bikes are accessible as full-suspension or hardtail versions. Both are beneficial for various purposes. Full suspension will provide a comfortable ride, although it will be more pricey.
- Full-suspension motorcycles have suspension in both the front and back. As a result, they are fantastic all-around bicycles for a smooth ride.
- Hardtails feature just front suspension. It keeps the bicycle lighter, making it simpler to ride hills, make jumps, and do rapid movements.
- Suspension is not present in rigid mountain bikes. They are often less costly and easier to manage.
Size Of Wheel
Choose the size of your wheel. Bike wheels are available in sizes of 24″, 26″, 27.5″, and 29″. 26″ wheels were formerly considered typical for adults since these wheels are efficient and light in weight. But after bikes began to come with 29″ wheels, which let riders to cover more distance when riding cross-country. They also ride nicely over bumps. However, they accelerate more slowly and are harder to handle.
27.5-inch wheels provide the “best of the two” because they roll over hills more readily than 26-inch wheels while being more efficient than 29-inch wheels. 27.5″ wheels are a fantastic choice for someone who is just getting started since they are a good medium that will function in most situations.
Frame
The frame impacts the weight, durability, lifespan, riding quality, and cost of a bike. The most frequent material chosen for mountain bike frames is aluminum alloy. Several highly expensive versions feature lighter aluminum frames because the company invests more money and work in materials, tube design, and manufacturing techniques.
Steel, titanium, and carbon fiber are some of the other frame materials available. Steel is durable, cheap, and provides a comfortable ride, but it is hefty for a mountain bike. Titanium is lightweight and durable, but it is too pricey for any but the most expensive of a range mountain bikes.
Because of the durability and light-weight of carbon fiber, it is very popular on cross-country bikes, fat-tire bikes, as well as high-end trails. Although, it is quite pricey due to labor-intensive manufacturing.
Gears
Select the number of gears required. Mountain bicycles can have as little as one gear or as many as thirty. To know how many gears you require, take into account your overall fitness and what sort of landscape you will travel on your mountain bike.
- If you plan on climbing many mountains and find them difficult, you’ll need extra gear.
- If you’re in good condition or will just be biking on flat ground, you will only require a few gears.
- If you’re not sure how many gears you’ll require, a 10-speed bike is a good place to start.
The number of gears on a bicycle is determined by multiplying the number of front chainrings with the number of cassette sprockets. Things may get complicated when you consider the multiple variations of chainrings and cogs, as well as the number of teeth on them.
Mountain bicycles have typically had 2 to 3 chainrings to give a choice of convenient climbing gears. Bicycles featuring a single chainring and a wide-range cassette with 9, 10, or 11 gears are becoming increasingly popular. Bikes with a single chainring are lightweight and easier to maintain since you only require one shifter to change speeds on the cassette, and they provide the majority of the gears you’ll want.
Disc brakes
Disc brakes are a good choice for a bike. These are the most popular brakes seen on mountain bikes. Rim brakes are seen on certain entry-level bikes, although they are ineffective. Disc brakes are hydraulic, which provides greater braking without needing to forcefully push the brake or cable-activated/mechanical, which requires manual adjustment.
Price
A mountain bike can cost anything from just a few hundred dollars to more than $10,000. As the price rises, so does the quality of the body and its parts, while the weight decreases. Although the most expensive versions are overkill for most people, the less-priced models are poor investments since they are usually built with low-quality components that are likely to fail.
A hardtail of good quality can set you back between $1,100 and $1,500; a well-built full-suspension bike would cost you at least $2,500. Also, seek Shimano or SRAM parts that are of excellent quality.
We have done deep Research and Find Products With different price ranges. You can also get benefit from our guide.
Best Mountain Bikes Under $300
Best Mountain Bikes Under $400
FAQs related to How to Buy a Mountain Bike
What’s the deal with mountain bikes being so pricey?
Mountain bikes are costly due to the usage of high-quality equipment and technology; many MTBs cost up to $13,000. To make your journey safe, you’ll require strong bike components that can withstand a beating.
Is it worth investing in a full-suspension mountain bike?
You’d prefer a more smooth ride: A full-suspension mountain bike absorbs the majority of the unpleasant bumps that might otherwise be transferred to your body. It can assist in relieving tiredness, allowing you to pedal faster, for longer durations, and in better comfort.
Is it true that disc brakes are good on mountain bikes?
Disc brakes are far more effective, especially in poor weather conditions when rim brakes may fail to hold the wheel. They are also far better at dealing with dirt and filth than rim brakes.
Conclusion
Everybody who is a newcomer to mountain riding wants to know how to buy a mountain bike. It is not so difficult as it seems. We hope you found our buyer’s guide to being useful and informative.
This article should have provided you with all the knowledge you need to make the best decision when purchasing your mountain bike. Decide your budget, select the wheel size that best matches your requirements, and ensure you obtain the correct frame and gears.